Have you had a sedation free colonoscopy?

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

I’d rather not be sedated. This is just a routine procedure. Most countries 80% of colonoscopies are sedation free.

[-]

Enlightened_Gardener@reddit

Absolutely 100% sedation rate in Australia. They don’t like patients wriggling about on the table, its a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Where did you get that 80% number from ??

[-]

GenX-ModTeam@reddit

Moratorium - Some posts may be removed due to temporary moratoriums on its content.

Currently, photos of Redditors are not permitted.

[-]

Safe_Place8432@reddit

I had one where I was underdosed the propofol because red hair gene and I woke up. I don't suggest going without. It hurt. Not the butt part the scraping feeling and the pressure and the in and out.

[-]

I asked the dr and he said it would be too painful. After I got and additional bill ( the dr and place were in network , i called and confirmed beforehand) over $600 for the anesthesia not in network. What i looked up was why pain, found out no nerves in colon so no pain. Money grab. Changed doctors.

[-]

MidnightBlueSilk@reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/GenX/s/bVoSp4R4J0

[-]

heartpumpkin@reddit

I live in Norway where it’s common to do it without sedation - and here, sedation is minimal. The doctor said it’s about 50/50 without those who choose sedation or not. My husband went without and said he almost vomited part way through - he does not recommend it. I did get sedation which was merely some kind of drug to make me calm/happy. I was awake the whole time and it was no big deal. I wasn’t allowed to drive home but went to work and it was no issue.

[-]

thomasbeagle@reddit

How else do you get to watch the screen?!

I was given drugs but awake. When I showed some discomfort they noticed, paused, turned up the drugs, and then kept going.

[-]

heartpumpkin@reddit

I heard it was normal in the U.S. for people to be completely under general anesthesia - is that not the case? If so, it seems completely unnecessary

[-]

Conscious_Border3019@reddit

No, not general anesthesia - it’s sedation, which does not leave you unconscious or requiring breathing support and does not carry the same level of risk.

[-]

Massive-Television85@reddit

I'm a surgeon who does a lot of colonoscopy, and in the UK we do almost all colonoscopy with awake sedation (midazolam), gas and air alone, or nothing, depending on patient preferences.

At least 50% will opt for gas and air as needed, and many end up using minimal amounts.

In my hands the patient's pain score afterwards is usually 0-4/10, usually depending on how difficult the scope was and how much bowel spasm we encountered.

Having said that, women's pain can be a lot worse; particularly in women who have had a hysterectomy. This is probably because there tends to be a deeper pelvis in women, allowing the colon to bend back and twist; and if still present the scope might press quite hard on the uterus.

Anyone with previous major abdominal surgery, current abdominal hernias, chronic abdominal pain pre-procedure, or a functional bowel problem like IBS or internal prolapse, can have significantly more pain too.

As others say, in most patients the pain tends to be turning corners and "resolving loops" (making the bowel straighter to allow scope passage) rather than throughout the procedure.

[-]

patroklus68@reddit

That was my experience in the UK too. I was glad to be awake because I could see the probe in my bowels, fascinating! Some pain when going ‘round the bend’ but, for me, tolerable and short lived. The awake sedation was awesome! Turned that room into the best place on Earth in an instant

[-]

MasterrTed@reddit

Yeah that was the surprise I wasn’t expecting

I wanted to be out

But noooooo

Midazolam and fentanyl

That was an experience

[-]

d_lbrs@reddit

I don’t sleep well. So I welcome a good propofol nap whenever I can get one. Best sleep of my life.

[-]

merightno@reddit

I had a colonoscopy without sedation. I had not read the instructions clearly and showed up having drank water too recently and didn't want to reschedule.

So what I found out is they do give you pain medication but just not the part that makes you sleepy. I have never had one with sedation so I don't know what that's like. But it hurt like crazy. I want to be honest with you. There is a big and fairly firm tube. They shove all the way to the very end of your intestines and that thing scrapes as it goes around the corners. It's like it hurts in a weird way deep inside your belly. The butt part doesn't hurt at all.

I would put the pain as very bad. Probably a eight on a scale of 1 to 10 but the duration was short. It only took probably under 10 minutes anyway to shove the tube totally up where it needs to go and then the pulling it out is when they take a close look at every part of your intestines and that part doesn't hurt, especially not compared to the first 10 minutes.

I think it's doable but I'm always going to get the sedation going forward. I mean you can get through it but why would you want to?

[-]

Optimal-Ad-7074@reddit

I choose it; just did my third one without sedation earlier this year. here's my account:

they start by inserting the probe all the way up to ... whatever the end point is, just under your stomach. once they get there, then they begin the exam: basically they check you in detail while drawing the camera back out.

they inflate the colon with air, and also (gently) pressure wash it to make sure they're not missing anything. even with an adequate prep there can be stuff in there, so if you're squeamish about bile and early-stage poop, take a book or something 😋.

there's no mess, even if they are washing you from the inside. I'm not sure of the exact machinery, but they somehow capture everything. it's kind of like the way dentists use a suction device to keep you from drowning.

since your colon is 3D and the camera can only look at sections, there's a certain amount (ie a lot) of in-and-out on the way down. my dr looks at a section, rotates the camera, goes back up to the start of the same section and looks again. I don't enjoy the sensation - not that it's painful, but it feels like needing to empty my bowels, and it confirms my determination never to have anal sex. and on the upside, it's kind of nice to watch because i get reassurance how thorough he's being.

as far as pain: labour was way worse, IUD insertion was way WAY worse, and ovulation pains weren't quite as bad. in the lower intestine, most of it you don't even feel. the parts you do feel come as the probe goes round a bend and don't last long. the pain feels like a strong gas twinge, like what you get as a fart turns a corner 😋.

small intestine higher up is less comfortable, but again bearable and short lived. there's one patch up almost under the ribs where I do have to suck in a breath and be brave, where he has to pass the camera through some kind of opening. still short lived, but won't pretend it isn't intense. with my dr, if he can't get that done in one position he'll have me move until it gets easier.

that's all I can think of. hope it helps and lmk if any questions.

[-]

LuceLeakey@reddit

Thank you for the detailed description. I have one coming up next year I believe. But getting sedated is the best part of it, so I'm probably will not forgo that.

[-]

Equivalent_Rip8018@reddit

I had my last one without sedation. No problem at all. Maybe a mild cramp going around the corner- but I honestly think it is no more uncomfortable than a standard gyn exam. And so much better to not waste the day (history of polyps so I am a frequent flier- go every few years).

[-]

Conscious-Trifle-237@reddit

I've had two, no sedation at all. I'm a woman who has given birth. I didn't find it painful at all, just some sensation of pressure at times. The worst part was how cold it was in the suite. I didn't have to waste my whole day because of unnecessary drugs, and that was totally worth it.

[-]

FelinusFanaticus@reddit

I have have never done sedation free, but my dad did. He’d had colon cancer, so did a colonoscopy every 6 months for a couple of years, then once a year. Every one he did sedation free and watched the monitor. He had a low pain tolerance and was quite squeamish. He dreaded the procedures, but not because of pain. He said occasionally he felt something akin to a big fart brewing and said the prep caused more misery and discomfort.

[-]

anchises868@reddit

I have had four colonoscopies so far (my first was at 33 for reasons — my fifth will be this year because I have a one year return on this one) and I was sedated for every single one. My only near thing was not my most recent one, but the one before that, where the nurse screwed up putting in my IV and so I wasn’t getting whatever they injected to put me under didn’t work, but they said “oh shit, you’re still awake” and then fixed the IV.

[-]

Alkash@reddit

Sure, I can't see the point of a sedated colonoscopy. Sedation is more dangerous and harmful aspect of the whole procedure by far. Besides, you can watch your own colon on the telly! Neat!

[-]

noburper1980@reddit

I can not say this any more clearly than, hell no! Ain't no way

[-]

nrith@reddit

I thought sedation wasn’t for the pain as much as for making sure you were 100% still and relaxed for the procedure.

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

Then why isn’t it the norm in a lot of other countries?

[-]

Enlightened_Gardener@reddit

Its is. I replied to this above, I have no idea why you think its so common to have them unsedated, anethetic is standard.

[-]

BackgroundDeep1986@reddit

In Australia. sedation is the norm. Where are you from?

[-]

bughunter_@reddit

The first time I got scoped, I asked the doctor if I could watch the monitor. (I'm a nerd and was curious.) The doctor seemed quite pleased that I wanted to watch.

So they gave me Versed to mellow me out, but didn't give me the Propofol to put me to sleep. There was a little bit of a cramp when the scope went around the first bend into the transverse colon but otherwise I didn't feel much.

So foregoing only the Propofol is an option. (The Versed was quite pleasant lol)

[-]

CrankyDoo@reddit

I literally had a colonoscopy two days ago and asked them if there was any alternative to using propofol (it sometimes gives me brain fog that lasts for days). They did not say “no”, but seemed very reluctant, so I decided not to push the issue. Fortunately, this time I did not get any lasting brain fog. From what I understand, although it’s true that you won’t necessarily feel pain, you will feel discomfort (the colon can sense pressure and pulling), and they fear the patient shifting position while they are doing something important (like removing a polyp), which can be very bad. All this to say, they might be willing to go along with your request if you are insistent, but expect them to be resistant to it.

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

Good to know. Thank you for sharing.

[-]

Optimal-Ad-7074@reddit

from Canada: tell them you have no means of getting an escort/ride, and stick to it. that's how I learned it was an option. I mean, what are they gonna do - just let you go on and die of bowel cancer because you don't have the right kind of friends/family? fuck that for a lark.

staff here make you feel kind of special if you opt to go without 😋. Reddit is weirdly judgey and condescending for some reason, by comparison.

[-]

MooPig48@reddit

But why? I understand the birth thing

But why in the world would you want to be conscious for this? What if they have to burn off polyps?

[-]

Optimal-Ad-7074@reddit

🤷‍♀️ not the op but I have nobody in this city who can be relied on for a ride.

I'm not passing up potentially life-saving medical care just for a reason as stupid as that.

wrt polyps: I've watched them do it. didn't feel a thing.

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

You can’t feel that. The colon lacks pain sensation nerves.

[-]

More_Law6245@reddit

I had my daily colanoscopy without lubrication or sedation, it's called being employed as a project manager.

[-]

ContributionDry2252@reddit

Nope, both times without any sedation.

[-]

ContributionDry2252@reddit

Why the downvote? Just answering the question truthfully.

[-]

General_Ad_6617@reddit

If you count waking up before you're supposed to at the end of it, yes. Lol

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

lol. Did it hurt?

[-]

Cruise1313@reddit

I woke up in the middle of it and it hurt. They put my back to sleep quickly.

[-]

General_Ad_6617@reddit

No, but I could feel that he was pulling out the camera. Like he had already pulled it mostly out. I turned back to look and he was like, "Oh, no." Lol

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

That’s the worst part from what I have read. Lol

[-]

General_Ad_6617@reddit

I think that although I was awake, some of the pain relief was still active because I couldn't fully move.

[-]

The_K_in_Klass@reddit

Yes because I wasn't sure I could have someone wait and give me a ride home.

DO NOT DO IT without sedation. For all that is holy, do NOT do it.

[-]

RandomObserver13@reddit

I think it’s weird that you’d compare this to natural childbirth, but sure, go for it. Let us know how it goes.

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

Why is that weird? I had a 10lb baby at home, sunny side up. Lots of back pain and the afterbirth for a 4th child was worse than the birth.

I also used to have endometriosis when I was younger. That likely hurts worse as well.

[-]

RandomObserver13@reddit

LOL, I have no idea what sunny side up means. My mom also had a 10lb baby (me) and it nearly wrecked her (my brother ended up 2 months premature).

I’m just saying I have no idea how sticking a camera up your backside is anything closely related to giving birth. The sedation isn’t so much for any pain, it’s just for comfort and makes it easier for the doc. As I understand it there isn’t much pain at all (they would still use a local at the, um, source). I admit to a bit of snark but I’d honestly be interested to hear the results. If Katie Couric can do it I don’t see why anyone else couldn’t.

[-]

jitterfish@reddit

My guess is that sunny side up means face forward or breach.

[-]

FlyingTerrier@reddit

Why? Sounds pointless.

[-]

Unusual-Ask5047@reddit

Female anatomy makes colonoscopy more difficult. That said, I’ve known female nurses had them done sedation free. I never discount females pain tolerance. Go for it, just make sure they can provide sedation if it gets too bad.

[-]

aarkwilde@reddit

I have. I was in the hospital early last year for a range of issues, cancer being one of the major ones. Anyway, my oncologist stopped by and said he would be scheduling a colonoscopy interview near future. I said OK, we finished our talk and he left.

4 hours later a G.i. surgeon stopped by my room and asked if I wouldn't mind doing it immediately. This was a Saturday afternoon. I hadn't prepped with the meds, had been eating. But they had open time, and he seemed eager. I felt bad saying no. So I said sure.

Next thing I know my nurses are giving me an enema. That wasn't fun, but whatever, it's just embarrassing. After that they wheeled me down to the operating room. Two nurses and the doctor. No sedation. Rolled me on my side and got started.

It's uncomfortable and sometimes painful. They snipped a few samples, I couldn't feel that. But there are a lot of twists and turns, and the deeper they went the more uncomfortable it was.

The staff was professional, I can't complain. But it's nothing I would want to go through again.

If you can take the sedation I would recommend it. They don't knock you out, you can respond to questions they ask. They call it twilight or something. But you won't remember it, which is ideal.

[-]

General_Ad_6617@reddit

Twilight sleep knocks me completely out. I woke up during the end of mine.

[-]

pdx_mom@reddit

I was knocked out both times.

[-]

aarkwilde@reddit

First time I was. It's a much better option.

[-]

BT_Artist@reddit

I have so many questions, but I suspect the answers would be things I'd rather not hear.

[-]

lucid_intent@reddit (OP)

What do you mean? Sedation makes every procedure more risky. I don’t want to be groggy or limited to what I can do afterwards.

They have the anesthesiologist right there and you can opt back in to sedation at any time.

I know how to self hypnotize myself and have done it many times during actual painful procedures. This would likely just feel crampy.

[-]