Fifty Plus (50+) - Colonoscopy.........Way OT

This week I am scheduled to get a 5 year follow-up colonoscopy and wanted to drive myself to the doctors office to avoid bothering friends. Friends have told me that to drive I would simply need to ask the doctors office not to sedate me during the procedure.

When I went by to pick up the materials from the doctors office and mentioned that I wanted to stay awake you would have thought I had said I was planning a mass murder.

They freaked. When I said I knew a doctor who has had this done they said it was absurd.

Has anyone ever had a colonoscopy done awake, and if so, how was it? I may still opt for being awake just to aggravate the very unpleasant nurses.

Agreed- way off topic. Don't do it- Get a a few drinks inside you- but then you won't be able to drive in any case.

dont' know either.
I have to call and scheduled myself for my first one.
not looking forward to it at all.

Ouch! Yep, it can be done with you awake, but this is 2007, not 1807! Without sedation it can often be difficult to get around the spleenic or hepatic flexures, which makes the whole examination worthless. Also, with a patient fully awake it can be hard to deal with stuff like polyps, necessary biopsies, etc. I personally prefer sedation and have someone drive you home.

Umm.....I do 'em for a living.

You can't operate a motor vehicle for 24 hours after receiving sedation. Period.

I have done those procedures on unsedated patients. Think "natural childbirth", where the woman begs for an epidural about ten minutes into hard labor. We're pretty skeptical.

Note: picked up lots of early curable cancers this year. Get your colonoscopy. Do yourself a favor and get one, under sedation. Life is hard enough as it is.

Hammer Man,

My first one was no big deal. The only hard part is fasting the day before. My friend drove me over, I had something injected into a vein on the back of my hand, I went to sleep and then woke up. Afterwards we had lunch.

The nurse did manage to miss the vein, possibly because she was talking on a cell phone, but that was corrected and it was lights out.



stapfam,

Sorry, no alcohol allowed. Maybe I could give the nurses some to mellow out their attitudes.

Well said, weak link!

Weak Link,

Sorry to hear you say that, but it is probably the path of least resistance. Thanks for all the help guys.


Now its off to get a MRI of my neck. Isn't this a great way to spend a week of vacation?

I think it's great we're talking abut this, most men don't.
I was very, very, very, apprehensive and put off the test 5 years longer than I should have. I finally gave in at 55. Good thing I did.
The test turned out to be a breeze. In my case, too, the first nurse missed the vein, an unforgivable act! You come in very dehydrated from the cleansing routine the day before so the veins are harder to find than usual.
Take the sedation. It'll make for a nice break in the day.
Finally, one word of advice "Charmin".
pkgman

Do yourself a favor and get one, under sedation. Life is hard enough as it is.

Listen to this man. The procedure under sedation is quite delightful.

La la land is the only place to be when getting one of those done.

mentioned that I wanted to stay awake you would have thought I had said I was planning a mass murder.
Maybe you could get the Doc to make a DVD and share with us!
Mud:eek:

I just turned 40 but noticed this thread under the "new posts" search. Forgive the intrusion but I had one done two years ago. The procedure itself was quite pleasant. Here is how mine went:

Dr.: Ok Mr. Hall, we are going to start the procedure now. We are inserting the scope now.
Me: Ouch. But Doc, I can feel everythi....
Me: (next immediate thought) Wow, so this is the recovery area. How long have I been out?

I have no idea how long the procedure took or anything. Lights out.

Now the prep work is brutal. Some people do fine with it. Not me. I was getting examined for bleeding which they thought was from a flared hemarrhoid but wanted to be sure. Going to the pot and wiping every 10 minutes was quite painful. Also I do not think Sprite will ever taste quite as delicious again since they recommended mixing Sprite with the cleaner-outer RX.

We use something called Miralax combined with Gatorade. It goes down good.......

With me, the problem is not so much the procedure (we are meeting with the colonoscopy guy next week) but the veins! Last week I got stuck 5 times while trying to get a draw for blood work. I had to return the next day for anothe tech to finally do the draw.

However, the worst is inserting an IV.

1. I waited 2 hours in a Kaiser clinic while 3 teams of "experts" tried to get an IV in prior to my going to the hospital in an ambulance for my atrial fibrillation. They never succeeded.

2. When I had my AFib repair done in CA, I went to a lab in Sunnyvale for a very special and necessary CT Test. I had warned them in advance about my IV insertion problems, but no one ever believes you. They are all so sure that THEY can do it. They messed around with several folks trying, and never were successful. I went home.

The next day, I went back, and a cardiologist tried - again without success. Finally I told them that they might be able to use my foot. They finally had to after contacting UCLA medical center and getting a protocol.

3. And on and on. I have missed out on a couple of other CT and MRI contrast scans because of this problem.

Then they tell me I have "bad veins!" Bad for them, maybe, but good for me - at least so far.

One med tech recently told me that I must have a plaque build up. I think he forgot that we draw blood from the veins, not the arteries.

Anyway, back to colonoscopy - we will give one a shot in the next few weeks. Not one of life's better moments, though, I guess.

Good that WL saw this post. Doesn't get any better than right from the Doctor's mouth.

Also, from someone on the other side of the table, take the drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. Just thinking about this process requires drugs....

This week I am scheduled to get a 5 year follow-up colonoscopy and wanted to drive myself to the doctors office to avoid bothering friends. Friends have told me that to drive I would simply need to ask the doctors office not to sedate me during the procedure.

When I went by to pick up the materials from the doctors office and mentioned that I wanted to stay awake you would have thought I had said I was planning a mass murder.

They freaked. When I said I knew a doctor who has had this done they said it was absurd.

Has anyone ever had a colonoscopy done awake, and if so, how was it? I may still opt for being awake just to aggravate the very unpleasant nurses.

Had it done couple of times and I was sedated and starved when they woke me up and the nurse say's, "All done and you'll hear from the doctor soon". They make sure you got someone with you before they perform it so you have someone to drive you home. But on those 2 occassions, I drove home after I snatched the car keys from the lady. The doc and nurse wouldn't know.

Another thought.
How long will you be expected to be off the bike?
(I had mine done in the winter).

I must be one of the few people around the twilight stuff they normally use does not have the desired effect upon. I remember struggling with the doc and the nurse. Not a pleasant memory. I had one done at 50 and they found and removed five yes 5 polyps. I have my next consult for the procedure scheduled for this August. From here on out it's honest to pete general anesthesia for me and colonoscopy. BFD, it's worth it to me to avoid colon cancer.

I drove home after I snatched the car keys from the lady. The doc and nurse wouldn't know.
1) You were DUI and could have gotten tossed in jail.
2) Get in a traffic accident and you might as well give your house keys to the victim. No way to wiggle out of it. None. It's on your consent form and on the discharge papers. Can't plead that no one told you.

Just sayin'.

Anyway, back to colonoscopy - we will give one a shot in the next few weeks. Not one of life's better moments, though, I guess.

- i found mine to be a delightful experience... my doctor is a Sikh, replete w/turban, beard and mustache...

- went for my procedure, got prepped, then wheeled into the exam room... i find the doc munching on a Happy Meal™ and reading the sports page of the local paper ... the two nurses are pinching each other, giggling, and playing grab-a**...

- one of the nurses looks at me w/the surgical cap and squeals, "Ooh! He looks like a Frenchie! Let's take his picture!" ... she grabs the business end of the scope, waggles it in front of my nose, and takes my picture...

- i don't remember a thing after that... except when waking up in the recovery room... my doc leans over, gives me a big smile, and says [in a very India-Brit accent], "Dood. You need to eat more fiber."

:-)

I must be one of the few people around the twilight stuff they normally use does not have the desired effect upon. I remember struggling with the doc and the nurse. Not a pleasant memory.
Talk to your doc about Diprivan (monitored anesthesia care).

1) You were DUI and could have gotten tossed in jail.
2) Get in a traffic accident and you might as well give your house keys to the victim. No way to wiggle out of it. None. It's on your consent form and on the discharge papers. Can't plead that no one told you.

Just sayin'.

I realize the consequences but I was careful to drive and after a nourishing meal they give you after the procedure which ain't enough. The nearset restaurant you can find despite it's poor selection on the menu, it's not called eating but devouring to make up for lost nourishment. Anyone going through with that deserves a big meal after going NPO for 24 hours and flushed inside out. I don't look forward to it again in another 3 years.

Childbirth without drugs is possible and not absurd (speaking as a dad who withnessed, not experienced it, twice.) Colonoscopy without conscious sedation is another story, something you don't wanna do. (Listen to Weak Link and the others.)
My experience as a nurse who has seen lots and lots of patients come back from colonoscopies is that nobody ever says anything bad about the procedure. They don't remember nothin' unpleasant. Could it be because of the drugs? Yep!

- i found mine to be a delightful experience... my doctor is a Sikh, replete w/turban, beard and mustache...

- went for my procedure, got prepped, then wheeled into the exam room... i find the doc munching on a Happy Meal™ and reading the sports page of the local paper ... the two nurses are pinching each other, giggling, and playing grab-a**...

- one of the nurses looks at me w/the surgical cap and squeals, "Ooh! He looks like a Frenchie! Let's take his picture!" ... she grabs the business end of the scope, waggles it in front of my nose, and takes my picture...

- i don't remember a thing after that... except when waking up in the recovery room... my doc leans over, gives me a big smile, and says [in a very India-Brit accent], "Dood. You need to eat more fiber."

:-)

Did you have this done at the 7-11 store?

http://blog.kir.com/archives/7-11.jpg

I realize the consequences but I was careful to drive and after a nourishing meal they give you after the procedure which ain't enough. The nearset restaurant you can find despite it's poor selection on the menu, it's not called eating but devouring to make up for lost nourishment. Anyone going through with that deserves a big meal after going NPO for 24 hours and flushed inside out. I don't look forward to it again in another 3 years.

Oh, you were careful, then it's OK, just like the drunk who drives "carefully."

What does needing a good meal have to do with anything? If you are not fit to drive, get a cab.

Did you have this done at the 7-11 store?


- nope... in that case, the doc would have been having a Big Gulp™ and three-day-old red hot off the rollers by the register...

:-)

Talk to your doc about Diprivan (monitored anesthesia care).

Thanks, I'll remember that. Think there's any way he'll let me get away with just taking a few liver pills for prep?

Oh, you were careful, then it's OK, just like the drunk who drives "carefully."

What does needing a good meal have to do with anything? If you are not fit to drive, get a cab.

It worked for me but I hear your advise. Big meal speeds up recovery from my one day starvation and sedation. TWL, what's your say on that?

Do not operate heavy machinery for 24 hours after receiving IV sedation.

At 55 I had a sygmoidoscopy (sp?) and could watch the monitor. Nothing
I would call pain but weird discomfort when the doc 'looked backwards',
I guess looking for the light of day. I always tell the dentist to minimize
the anesthetic but when I had the colonoscopy (again sp?) I was glad
to have been out.

I had to have an upper GI biopsy to test for celiac and the anesthetic
included an amnesiac. Good thing that my wife was with me because I
didn't recollect even having the meeting with the doc much less the
discussion. I apparently did participate!

Wow, you really do get a discussion going when you bring up a health issue to a group over 50!

As I said, this is a follow-up procedure and the first was a breeze, except for the nurse missing the vein....which bothered me because she was chatting on a cell phone, not because it was uncomfortable.

Thanks for all the advice. I am not bothered at all, except for needing a friend to take me over there. Really hate to waste someone's time.

As for riding, I expect to ride Thursday evening after a nap. I wasn't riding when I had the first one, but there was no discomfort at all.

Today on the other hand.......I went to get a MRI of my of my upper neck and just couldn't get under the scanner, and it was an open unit. Weird. I am going back on Friday and will get a sedative for that one, and will walk to the appointment since it is only about six blocks away.

Thanks again, and I hope folks won't hesitate to get a colonoscopy. Just think of it as preventative maintenance. After all, you wouldn't ignore a BB or lubing the chain would you?

- i found mine to be a delightful experience... my doctor is a Sikh, replete w/turban, beard and mustache...

- went for my procedure, got prepped, then wheeled into the exam room... i find the doc munching on a Happy Meal™ and reading the sports page of the local paper ... the two nurses are pinching each other, giggling, and playing grab-a**...

- one of the nurses looks at me w/the surgical cap and squeals, "Ooh! He looks like a Frenchie! Let's take his picture!" ... she grabs the business end of the scope, waggles it in front of my nose, and takes my picture...

- i don't remember a thing after that... except when waking up in the recovery room... my doc leans over, gives me a big smile, and says [in a very India-Brit accent], "Dood. You need to eat more fiber."

:-)

Do you find having a root canal "delightful?"

This must have been in Florida, right?:rolleyes:

When I had my first one the doctor didn't give me anything, but he did find cancer and I had to go under the knife. I did swithch doctors after that and the other doctors don't even ask they just do it. and I am a lot happier. After finding the cancer I have to have it done every year now. It's so much fun I could cry.

Today on the other hand.......I went to get a MRI of my of my upper neck and just couldn't get under the scanner, and it was an open unit. Weird. I

Ditto. The tech would not let my wife in to hold my hand, so after about 5 minutes, I said "Let me out of here" and I meant it. The thing is, you aren't having the MRI because everything is ok, you are having it because everything isn't OK.

So, it just adds to your already tense situation.

head_wind,

A few years ago I had a sygmoisoscopy (sp) and the doctor walked in and said he was going to use me to teach the nurse how to do it. It was weird to hear him say 'turn left...now right' and other stuff.

Sometimes you just have to check your dignity at the door!

Do It!!!!!!

Hello All

Have never had one done, and probley never will.
Thinking about getting a tatto, that says "Exit Only"
I'm 62, and doing just fine, thank you. I can see no
reason, to have anything stuck up my ***.
I'll deal with anything that happens, when it happens.
:(

I woke up during one and the Doc just asked if I wanted 'out' or if I wanted to watch on the tv monitor. I watched and he explained things as it went along. It was actually interesting. However, I did have the sedatives and muscle relaxers on board. You will be wanting them too. Get a friend to give you the ride home. bk

Bikehead........

Really surprised your GP hasn't suggested you get one, or several by now. It may be a bit bothersome but it's nothing compared to colon cancer.

An acquaintance almost died form colon cancer, and it took months before he could return to work. He said it was about a year before he felt as good as he did before the cancer.

Good luck, but I really recommend you consider it.

Procrastinator that I am, I waited until after age 60 to get my first colonoscopy. The doc removed a large polyp which turned out negative. He said afterward that he was really worried about the lab results, and if I had waited much longer I could have had big trouble. A year later was my 2nd colonoscopy, another polyp. I've had 4 now and 4 polyps removed. He says I'm a "grower".

I was lucky. I've got it down pat now, no big deal I just gotta keep going back.

I'm tellin' everyone who reads this...listen to doc TWL and the other medical people. Get this procedure done if you are over age 50.

Hammer Man,

My first one was no big deal. The only hard part is fasting the day before. My friend drove me over, I had something injected into a vein on the back of my hand, I went to sleep and then woke up. Afterwards we had lunch.

The nurse did manage to miss the vein, possibly because she was talking on a cell phone, but that was corrected and it was lights out.



stapfam,

Sorry, no alcohol allowed. Maybe I could give the nurses some to mellow out their attitudes.


appreciate the reply.

It was brought up on my last visit to the VA, I guess the only good thing is all of my medial care is free.
but it has too be done sooner than later.

christ, the more I read here the more I feel depressed about it.

Hello All

Have never had one done, and probley never will.
Thinking about getting a tatto, that says "Exit Only"
I'm 62, and doing just fine, thank you. I can see no
reason, to have anything stuck up my ***.
I'll deal with anything that happens, when it happens.
:(

Bikehead,
I am also 62 and have had two colonoscopies done. The first was five years ago and I had two polyps removed. The most recent was last week and all was well and I will have another in five years.

The reason I had the first one done was because my dear cousin Andrea had an attitude similar to yours. She felt no discomfort but had a small amount of bleeding and finally decided to have it checked out. They found a tumor the size of an orange. The cancer had spread to her liver and pancreas. She never went home again. She was 56.

That's what happens when you deal with what happens, when it happens.

Amazing to read colonoscopy in the same posts as natural childbirth.

I've done both, myself. The childbirth (twice) without any aids but my husband (bless his heart). It was hard work but I wouldn't call it pain.

The other procedure, however, offered drugs, really good ones, and I enthusiastically offered up a vein for that use. No pain, no discomfort, no nada, and a nap to boot. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon.

The other plus is that you're cleaned out totally. I lost 2 lbs. and felt great. My first solid food after the procedure was the best-tasting stuff I've ever eaten.

I agree with the others -- get it done. I'm good for 9 more years. :)

Bikehead........

Really surprised your GP hasn't suggested you get one, or several by now. It may be a bit bothersome but it's nothing compared to colon cancer.

An acquaintance almost died form colon cancer, and it took months before he could return to work. He said it was about a year before he felt as good as he did before the cancer.

Good luck, but I really recommend you consider it.
+1 You don't feel cancer, until it's to late.

Procrastinator that I am, I waited until after age 60 to get my first colonoscopy. The doc removed a large polyp which turned out negative. He said afterward that he was really worried about the lab results, and if I had waited much longer I could have had big trouble. A year later was my 2nd colonoscopy, another polyp. I've had 4 now and 4 polyps removed. He says I'm a "grower".

I was lucky. I've got it down pat now, no big deal I just gotta keep going back.

I'm tellin' everyone who reads this...listen to doc TWL and the other medical people. Get this procedure done if you are over age 50.

Every year I go they find at least 4. I'm I lucky or what?

After mine I think I could have blown myself home on a bicycle without pedaling. My wife drove me home with the windows and sun roof open, but really, there was no odor.

Seriously, I can't imagine driving myself home. I have had it twice and each time I was basically cooked until the next morning.

But by all means, get it done. My mother might still be alive today if she had the procedure. I learned from her mistake.

The first one I had done about 20 yr ago was without a general anaesthetic, but with a local one for my lower regions. It was a bit uncomfortable as the probe went around the bends, but no big deal. The advantage was that I could watch the journey through my insides live on TV.
Since that time, they've always used a general anaesthetic, which of course means you need someone to drive you home.

Every year I go they find at least 4. I'm I lucky or what?
We need to invent a machine that turns polyps into gasoline. :p