I have a Colonoscopy very soon. Should I be sedated or not?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi everyone,
In just over a weeks time I am scheduled to have a colonoscopy. I was in the hospital overnight about 6 weeks ago now and they said that I have an inflamed terminal ileum. Exciting!
I had bad pain in my right side which made me go to hospital in the first place. Over the course of the last six weeks the pain hasnt been as bad but has come and gone with some queasyness.
I aint too worried about emptying my bowels for the procedure but I am a little bit worried about the colonoscopy and I really undecided about whether I should be sedated or not for the procedure?
I mean if its painful for me wont it hurt either way? Sedated or not?
I have read a variety of different experiences but thought I would ask a fresh question for myself.
Will the procedure be more painful if my ileum is inflamed?
Thanks in advance guys,
Big love.
0 likes, 6 replies
rachel10675 james1989
Posted
I had one last week and chose sedation. I have to say, it hurt. The medical staff were so lovely though; they're obviously used to people yelping.
(I had abdominal Sepsis and so my bowel was very inflamed so this may well have made a difference. )
My prep tip (it's nowhere near as bad as you think it's going to be):
- low res/ no meat/diet a full five days before
- drink the moviprep through a straw
- three sucks at a time (too much can make you gag)
- suck on a lemon immediately after
- drink clear cordial (elderflower is good)
- drapolene stops your butt getting sore
- wet toilet tissue
Best of luck.
etheremail james1989
Posted
Hi James - it might hurt. Generally if you are relaxed most people just feel pressure at the first bend if the gut and it is pretty painless after then. But shape of gut, individual tolerance of pain AND painful conditions can make a difference. Sedation can assist with three things: sometimes I find it assists with all three and sometimes with just one or more. It can relax you which means you are not tightening inward which closes the muscles - pushing out a bit (like going to the loo) obviously makes the gut more easily entered; it can affect your perception of time which means it seems a much shorter time than it actually was; and sometimes it means you don't have much memory of it at all. I have had it when it made little difference (I'm not sure they got the canula in properly); once when it just made me less bothered and the last time when it all seemed over in two minutes. If you have an existing inflammation in the gut I would have it just in case the area is tetchy. Best of luck! David.
dimmy james1989
Posted
jddCats james1989
Posted
Hullo, James:
I just had my third one, and yes, I highly recommend being sedated, especially since you are already having pain.
When I went through my first colonoscopy, they tried putting me under twilight anesthesia. When the doctor inserted the colonoscope, I had a lot of pain, and they had to continue giving me an extra 25 cc's until I did go "under". Those first few minutes seemed to last forever. I've discussed this with a couple other people, and one of them also took the general anesthesia route, too.
As to being in pain afterword, my biggest issue was with unexpelled gas. (I had no pain from the procedure itself.) I went home, took an over-the-counter gas relief tablet, and went to sleep for several hours. When I woke up again, I had very little pain. Hopefully, with your ileum issue, you will have very little pain, either.
My biggest post-op issue has been with diarrhea. My procedure was 07-August; today is 10 August and I'm still not regular. I hope this doesn't happen to you.
Good luck with this! Let us know how it goes.
Guest james1989
Posted
james1989
Posted
Thank you so much for responding.
Just relaxing now after having said colonoscopy with sedation. Luckily it felt like it was over in 3 minutes which is great.
No pain at all for me.
There were no signs of any issues at all inside my colon and terminal ileum but they took 4 biopsies to hopefully see what the colonoscope couldnt see to help find out why I am in pain sometimes.
Thanks for the best wishes. You are all very kind.
Much love,
James x