Colonoscopy sans sedative?

Lorenzo the Magnificent wrote:

Done sans sedative. On a scale of 1-10, the pain was a steady 2 or 3 with an occasional spike to 5 or 6. Overall, not terrible. Got to watch live while doc removed three polyps. No problems were anticipated, and he said come back in five years.

Glad to hear everything went well.

-just a guy MD-transverse mistake oops

I thought the worst part of the colonoscopy was the purging. The exam without sedatives was a piece of cake. I ran a hard workout afterward.

#stuffwhitepeoplesay

Funny to see this here. 50 years old going for my first one 2 days before Christmas. Tell you what I think. Knock me the fluck out !!!

Think ahead. Have the doctor use two scopes at the same time in case you need a second opinion.

Think ahead. Have the doctor use two scopes at the same time in case you need a second opinion.

I recently had a colonoscopy without sedative, and thought to add to this thread.

In short, not a big deal. I've had massages that were more painful. The doc saw one polyp that he didn't think was a problem, and snagged a biopsy to make sure, and for future reference.

I was pretty tired afterward, and took a 2 hour nap after slurping a large breakfast. Most likely that was from 40 hours without food and rising early for round two of the purge. I went for a short run late in the day and was moving in slow motion. Dew point was 80, and I think that I did not drink enough after the colonoscopy.

I am a nurse anesthetist and have assisted in thousands of these procedures. We give Propofol through an iv. No gas. Go to sleep quick and awaken quickly. Relatively safe. When my time is due. I am using anesthesia.

tom crna wrote:

I am a nurse anesthetist and have assisted in thousands of these procedures. We give Propofol through an iv. No gas. Go to sleep quick and awaken quickly. Relatively safe. When my time is due. I am using anesthesia.

I've had 2 of them, and they used Propofol for both. My regular family doctor referred me to the gastro practice that did it, and said he'd had Propofol for his own colonoscopy, and that was the way to go. I had no reason to doubt him, and still don't. The prep is annoying, but the actual procedure was ... I have no idea because I was out like a light. The anesthetist tells you "we're going to give you the Propofol now" and the next thing you know they're waking you up and telling you it's all over. Per their requirements, I had to have a ride home afterwards, but we stopped on the way so I could eat, since I was really hungry after the prep.

I don't see any reason to not use Propofol.

I did the no sedation ten years ago as noted in an earlier post. Watched the procedure and found it interesting, and experienced zero discomfort. Had my second last month and because of recent chemotherapy and radiation along the intestine I was advised to sedate. As previously posted, the worst was the prep. I understand the procedure is commonly done without sedation in Europe.

Lorenzo the Magnificent wrote:

Surely it can't hurt all that bad. Any of you tough guys go au natural? Advice?

No big deal. All of you pansies saying how bad it hurt are being ridiculous. It doesn't hurt at all. It's UNCOMFORTABLE, that's all. I went au naturel and as soon as I was done I went for a run.

I recover Endo patients and the #1 complain is the prep. The number #1 satisfaction is propofol.

Rarely anyone goes w/o sedation and when they do, they complain it’s very uncomfortable.

I had it done supposedly with sedatives last year and I felt fully awake the whole time. The doctor removed several large polyps too. The pain was excruciating, but it was in Eastern Europe, so pain thresholds are probably expected to be higher there.

I was put under for a colonoscopy and came to halfway through the procedure.

I can proudly say I have looked up my own bum--in real time, and technicolour. And the fun doesn't end there. The doctor, who seemed not to care I was conscious, pointed out some small dots on the colon and said he'd take a biopsy. A small arm with an attachment similar to a cookie cutter emerged into the field of view, and took a tiny disc of tissue.

If any of you have seen the movie Inner Space, it was pretty much that kind of atmosphere.

That's all I remember, but it's enough to halt conversation at a party which is probably the ideal outcome.