Colonoscopy?

Question

Has anyone recently had a colonoscopy and would like to share the exxperience (good, bad,
painful. sedated) with a 60 y/o man about to undergo the procedure.

Answer 1

I'm 57 and had my first one about a year ago. The day before you have to induce bowel movements to clean yourself out. This can be unpleasant, because after you drink the liquid that makes your bowels move, you can't leave the house, because of frequent urgent needs for a toilet.

In the hospital, they had me get undressed and into a gown, and then sedated me with an injection and prepared me for the procedure with anesthesia. It went smoothly, and I was never totally under, was aware of what was going on, though many do go slightly under from the anesthetic.

I watched on the monitor as they explored, took pictures and snipped out a couple of suspicious polyps. After I had returned to the room where I undressed, I was offered water, and a chance to put my clothes back on. The doctor came in with photos of the procedure and told me the polyps looked ok, but they'd be sent to a pathology lab. Then he sent me home with instructions about what to eat, now that my stomach was empty and my bowel was clear. I had a little gas, which passed.
You need someone to drive you home because of the anesthesia.

In a few days the doctor called to say that as he suspected the polyps were benign, but because they are consistent with more dangerous growth types, I'd need a new test in 3 years, rather than the 5 a totally healthy person would have.

No big deal.

Answer 2

A little info I think should be considered about this drug Versed ( Midazolam ) that is used for Sedation for many medical procedures..Sedation and General Anesthesia are not the same and quite a few people being given Sedation
think they are being given General Anesthesia!

There is simply no good or valid reason to ever purposely induce amnesia during a medical procedure. It is only a recent development in medical thinking that amnesia is somehow a "benefit" to the patient. On occasion some
some patients will remember a bad experience. Forgetting does not mean it did not happen!!
I feel that if people were aware of the effects of this drug they would Opt For Another Drug!
Erasing someones memory of what was done to them is wrong!!
In fact, many people who use Versed for " IV Sedation,Conscious Sedation" Twilight Sedation, during a procedure are Awake For The Entire Procedure but remember nothing, often Believing They Were "Out" the whole time.

Versed (Midazolam) is an amnestic. It is also commonly used for minor procedures like setting broken bones,colonoscopies,endoscopies, dental procedures like extractions,conscious sedation,twilight sleep, so that patients won't remember pain and discomfort.HOWEVER THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE SENSATIONS WILL NOT BE EXPERIENCED!!!!

A note from an anesthesiologist
I agree that using midazolam alone in painful situations is wrong. I've heard people getting colonoscopies and screaming, and maybe they remember, maybe they don't.

A note I got from someone on Yahoo Answers who did have a bad experience..This is very disconcerting... My sister said she heard me screaming from the waiting room but assumed it wasn't me. When we left we heard another female patient screaming. I did a lot of research since your post, thanks so much for the info.

Here is a note from a Dentist Who uses Versed
I've used Versed 1000+ times during oral surgery procedures and I've never had a complaint. It's a miracle drug because it is safe and it causes you to not remember an unpleasant experience. My answer to him is isn't it better to have not experienced the pain than to have forgot it. No wonder you have had no complaints they have no memory of the procedure.....

I feel that giving a drug for amnesia is cruel I would not want it done to me!

A strange development in medical thinking that it's okay for a patient to have
pain as long as they don't remember it and think they slept thru the procedure..


Here is a link for some info

http://www.freehelpforcancer.com/manages-meds/sedation

Answer 3

My MIL had one recently. She opted to be put out because the last one was tough. She was groggy the entire day afterward, but not in pain.

Answer 4

you'll be sedated