Went to ER & DR said I need a colonoscopy ... What can I expect?

Question

What all will it entail? [no pun intended]
What will I have to do to prepare?
What type of sedation will be used?
Will I know what's going on & will I remember?
Will time pass slowly or faster for me for the procedure?
And any other things you'd like to add that might help me.

Answer 1

Honestly the actual colonoscopy is really easy. You show up they put and IV in you lay on your left side they give you a sedative and you go to sleep. You wake up when you are ready the doctor talks to you and you leave.

The hard part is the prep. The day before the procedure you have to fast. If they give you Golytely you start to drink this stuff around 4:00 pm and you drink 8oz every 10 minutes until you have consumed 4 liters. At first it is not bad, but after a bit you may get sick to your stomach, but you have to drink it to clear your system. You go to the bathroom so much that your rear hurts and you are dehydrated. Then you take two pills before you go to bed.

It really is not fun, but also you must remember they are doing this to find out if anything is wrong.

Things that might help you are get some chicken broth, and gatorade, jello anything liquid, but it can't be red make sure you drink lots of fluids to reduce getting dehydrated. Get some flushable kids wipes for your rear, so it won't be as sore. Let anyone you might live with to stay away from the bathroom because when you gotta go you gotta go.

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 doctor gave me some stuff called "Go Lightly" to take the day before the procedure. This stuff is misnamed, expect to be around the house after taking it. Also, no food within 12 hours of the procedure. It needs to be clean in there so the doctor can see everything.

On the next day, they gave me twilight sedation but I remained semi-awake. There was a TV so I could see what the doctor saw but I don't remember a lot -- a kind of dreamy-awake feeling.

Then they take you to a recovery area to sleep off the sedation. They used a lot of air so he could move the hose around so you will be gassy.

All-in-all, the worst part was having to fast and stay near the toilet prior to the procedure. Good luck!

Answer 4

I recently underwent this procedure. Followed presurgery instructions and upon reporting to the surgery center I was given premedication and the last thing I remember was being told to lie on my left side. Then my wife was next to me when I woke up. Now days this is a routine procedure and the doctor can remove polyps, etc. I had one removed and have Cleon bill of health. Good Luck.

Answer 5

The prep is probably the "worst" as you'll probably need to take a liquid that will "clean you out, bowel-wise" the night before. the proceedure is painless, though you should probably have a person to drive you home. If it's like mine was, I felt nothing, maybe even fell asleep. You won't remember a whole lot and it goes fast. If you are spiritual, pray, and time will fly by.

Answer 6

You will be sedated, and the doctor will insert a colonoscope into you anus and guide it up your colon.
You will be given laxatives a few days before hand to clean out your system.
You will feel some discomfort.