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Second colonoscopy

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Guest
Guest

I had a clonoscopy 2 month ago when a benign polyp was partially removed.

I had to return to get the rest of it removed but I was so scared as I had a lot of pain when I had the procedure despite sedation.

I told the nurse who said she would speak to the doctor about my past experience.When the time came for the colonoscopy the doctor and the nurse administering the sedation and pain relief said I would feel nothing.....and they were right!

My advice is to tell the staff if you've had a painful colooscopy and you have to have a repeat procedure.I won't be afraid the next time but I will ask for strong pain relief.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    It's very interesting what you said about previous experience, I think if it's available it can be important in making the right things happen, I've never done this but I have an appointment in the next few weeks, I have so many questions and concerns that the medical people dont really want to be bothered with. I've spoken to them but I get the impression they think I'm being a bit over cautious.

    One of my concerns is the pain aspect, apparently the medical view is pain-free, but patient view is not in agreement.

    Also sedation, I am not really looking forward to sedation and would prefer to be fully awake and aware of what is happening but pain-free, is this possible?

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    You will be awake and aware of whats going but hopefully not in pain although it is uncomfortable at times.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi - Regarding sedation and wanting to be fully aware with no amnesia you can ask to do what I do. I have had 2 colonoscopies and will shortly going for my third. I just have the minimum dose of painkiller (50 of Fentanyl) and the standard dose of Buscopan which relaxes the bowel muscles. I certainly don't have the sedative (Midazolam) which is the one which stops you remembering the procedure. The team at our hospital were quite O.K. about that. You can always ask for the Midazolam part way through if the discomfort is too much because it acts very quickly, but I haven't needed to.

    Having said that, I am male in my 60's. It is a known fact that the examination is more difficult (medical euphamism for painful) for women, perhaps because they are more likely to have adhesions from previous surgery and perhaps because they have more abdominal organs than men.

  • GLENYS
    GLENYS

    Posted

    I am a 60 year old female. I had some bowel habit changes and my GP sent me for a colonoscopy. I have had a hysterectomy age 29, appendix age 13 and major back surgery with a spine full of screws. I also had my coccyx removed years ago. I am NOT a wimp and have a high pain threshold. Yesterday I experienced the worst pain of my life including labour. I had sedation which did not work and the pain during the procedure was unbearable. It had to be stopped. WHY was this I wonder. I am bettter today but keep reliving this excrutiating pain.

    Any thoughts please would try to help me make sense of this.

    PS I am and RGN!!

  • rex_carr
    rex_carr

    Posted

    [quote:fbe5d45033=\"GLENYS\"]........Yesterday I experienced the worst pain of my life including labour. I had sedation which did not work and the pain during the procedure was unbearable. It had to be stopped. WHY was this I wonder. I am bettter today but keep reliving this excrutiating pain.

    Any thoughts please would try to help me make sense of this.

    PS I am and RGN!![/quote:fbe5d45033]

    Glenys, what a terrible experience. I'm very sorry for you.

    By chance, I had a colonoscopy the day before yours ( i.e. 28th June ) I'm a 57 YO male. I've no reason to think that I was given an above normal amount of sedation for someone of my age, BMI ( 21 ) etc but...I have total amnesia of the 3Hrs 15min following the midazolam being pushed. Despite O2, my sats were pretty poor at the 30min - 45 min stage. It seems I just couldnt be bothered to breath around then.

    So, I had the exact opposite of your experience.

    I belive the reason is that

    (a) The effect of Midazloam is hard to predict from person to person.

    (b) It is administered by people with very little training in or understanding of the drug ( were you asked if you suffer narrow angle glaucoma before the stuff was pushed in to you ? - I wasnt. )

    (c) The same people who have permits to administer the drug have no training in titration of the stuff ( In my case the guy who administered the drug was the endoscopist ... so I guess he wouldnt have time to be bothered with titration )

    What is wrong is that the entire process is orientated towards least labour cost. A decent system would have a separate person administering the sedation and monitoring the pt. This, of course is what an anesthetist does....but that costs more money and why bother when you can get away without one for most pt.

    If there was an anesthetist then a proper sedation drug such as propofol could be used. I bet you would have breezed through the whole thing with that. Also the recovery time would be very short.

    Propofol is now the norm for colonoscopy sedation in many countries. Its about time it was here too.

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