Had an examination a few months ago but he couldn't go far because I was in so much discomfort. They found piles which they are going to band but haven't properly looked into the bowel because of the discomfort. I'm hoping the blood on toilet tissue is due to the piles
This time in having sedation. Will this knock me out completely or will I be awake during the procedure ??
This evening I went for my flexible sigmoidoscopy & to say I was terrified was an understatement. I did not eat all day just in case I opted for sedation. On arrival the nurse showed me to my room & could see how nervous I was & she was so lovely & talked me through the procedure & said she really didn't think I would need sedation. I decided to go ahead without sedation & can honestly say this was the right decision. I could feel the air being put into my colon & the did have some slight pain very near the end of the procedure but it was bearable & I am quite a wimp. The worst part for me was when it was all over & I had wind but this only lasted for approx an hour. I am extremely lucky as there was nothing wrong which I am very happy about & the peace of mind is such a huge relief. I would certainly recommend having this procedure if you have any concerns. The whole thing lasted approx 15 mins.
View 2 RepliesHad Sigmoidoscopy yesterday and would need to be dragged kicking and screaming before having another! The hospital staff were lovely, I was given an enema before the doctor came to speak to me about what he was about to do. He was very nice and reassuring so up to then, all was going well. Then I was taken to the treatment room where I was asked to lie on my left side on a bed which had sides on (to prevent escape ha ha) and the procedure started. Boy oh boy, the pain I experienced was terrible cramping all over my abdomen like I had never experienced before (even child birth wasn't as bad as this). The nurses kept reassuring me and asking me to take deep slow breaths but this did not help and eventually having been unable to cope with it anymore, the doctor agreed to stop but did take two biopsies. However, because it was too painful for me to allow him to go any further, he said he was 20 cm short of where he wanted to see. Now here's the question. Why on earth don't they just put the patient under total sedation? This way no pain is caused to them, the doctor can look at the area he needs to see and all in all, every one happy. It seems a waste of time to me to put people through such agony when there is a simple solution. The doctor is unable to perform a full examination because it is too painful for the patient so its not cost effective, its cruel and it's a waste of everyone's time!
View 50 RepliesI have had a second sigmoidoscopy today, and I just wanted all those
people who had such terrible experiences to know it does not have to be like that. The first one I had was horrific, the pain unbearable and I said I would never go back again. I begged them to stop, but they said I could not be in that much pain it was just discomfort. It was several days before I was back to normal. This time however the experience was altogether different.
Yes there was some discomfort especially towards the end of the procedure,but nothing unbearable. The nurses were kind and I was well looked after. I have had a little wind since but that is all. I think the first time my bad experience was because far too much gas was used. The Doctor I had this time certainly seemed more self assured and was very gentle. I do hope this reassures all the people who are too afraid to go back as it is a life saver.
I have been called up for a flexible sigmoidoscopy in a few weeks and not getting sedated but my mate said i should be as she went through it and it was so painful so i'm not worried sick i have had a barium enema and i found that to be uncomfortable but not painfull so could this test be worse than that coz if so i will be demanding to be put to sleep i suffer with enough pain down there.
View 1 RepliesAfter reading all the posts on here, it made me postpone my flexible sigmoidoscopy 3 times as i was so scared on how painful it will be..Today i went kicking and screaming to have it done, I nearly walked out the hospital on more than one occasion. To say i was petrified is an understatement..
The nurse came and spoke to me asking if i wanted gas and air or sedation, this made me hysterical and i said no i don't want any of it..they took my blood pressure etc ..this was starting to look scary to me.. I went into the room to have it done, stiff with fright..They started doing the flexible sigmoidoscopy and by the time they had reached the top of my left bowel, i didn't feel any pain whatsoever, they pumped the air and still no pain, they took biopsies and still no pain.. I would just like to say that those of you who are posting that it's like torture are either very pathetic or just plain attention seekers.. saying the things you are saying could affect people's lives with frightening them to death with these comments, And will cause people not to have it done..
I am glad to say nothing was found sinister and im so glad ive had it done..To all of those who are worried about having a flexible sigmoidoscopy, please don't worry it really honestly doesn't hurt., you have nothing to worry about i promise..and if you have it done please do comment on here to back up what im saying.
it's not as bad you people think. I must admit I was fearing it a lot and this might be one of the reasons why I overreacted to the discomfort felt by the pumping of air to distend the bowels. There are no nerves in the bowels so you cannot feel any pain. Proof of this was when they did a random biopsy on me and ripped out samples of tissue from my bowels (as I watched on the screen). There was no pain at all apart from the odd sensation which felt like someone flicking a rubber band inside my gut.
It's always fear of the unknown which scares of most. After the procedure the only pain I really experienced was wind as they had probably pumped the world's gas supply into me (ok so I might have exaggerated a bit) but seriously, it's not all that bad and you'll feel ok right after one big release.
To start with, my pain tolerance is zero. I'm such a wuss that even with simple dental filling or cleaning I have to get anesthetic. I had a flex sig done 5 hours ago and in all honesty it doesn't hurt at all. I read a lot of negative reviews about it and decided to write my own to maybe help people like me who gets scared easily. Two weeks before the flex sig I always go online to research, read forum (which made me more scared). The worst part for me is the preparation. Clear liquid diet and the laxative. Which is two days before my sig test. Once in the examination room, I was so nervous to the point that I almost passed out, I anticipated the worst (probably because I read somewhere in this forum that it is worse than childbirth) and I was surprised that it doesn't hurt at all. Little background, I have internal and external hems, and reason for this test is because I had experience rectal bleeding (bright red blood) about a week ago. Going back to the topic, as the doctor begun to insert that camera tube that was the worst part. If I would rate the pain 1-10 and 10 being the most painful I would say this is easily a 2 just because of the pressure and 2 because I have external hems which is sore (because of the laxative last night). If I don't have external hem I would easily say this is a 1, walk in the park. Then came the camera inside and the air start blowing to expand my colon. This is another discomfort that I felt because it gave me a weird feeling in my abdomen. If I were to describe it, it feels like you're about to take a massive poop. Then again tolerable. It really is just uncomfortable. As the minute passes by I was just watching the monitor and taking a good look at my own colon which is pretty amazing. Then the first corner, they have to turn to the first corner and the nurse gave me a mothers tap like everything is going to be okay and it is. I didn't feel a thing. Honestly just the air and the weird sensation of trying to stop a poop of coming out and the abdomen cramp. Then they found two polyps which they needed to remove (biopsy). Removal of the poly, I didn't feel any pain. I'm not exaggerating this. I'm honestly telling the truth. Then it was all done. If I timed it correctly it took about 12 minutes. Now I know everyone's experience is different and again I decided to write this because two weeks ago I've made the mistake of going into so much forum and read the horror stories, and thought that this review might help balance the reviews. So if you're like me who's super scared, please don't worry too much. Go with the test, the peace of mind that you'll get after is priceless. I'm 28 years old by the way, male. As for the result, just the two polyps and the internal hem is the abnormality that was found. The biopsy they took (polyp) was sent to the pathology dept for further examination. The doctor said that he can almost guarantee me that the polyps are the innocent ones (not the pre cancerous ones). I wasn't recommended further testing like colonoscopy. One last thing, if I were to do this again, for peace of mind, I will certainly do it in a heartbeat as I already know that it is not that bad versus what I've read so far. And p.s I respect everyone's opinion and I understand that everyone's different. I'm just a guy who gets hurt easily with everything and can get easily scared with anything. But I did it, and I aced it.
View 3 RepliesHad the much dreaded Flexible Sigmoidoscopy today. I was determined that I would be sedated after reading the posts on here.
As it turned out, sedation didn't happen and I can honestly say that it wasn't as bad as I had feared. Yes, it was uncomfortable and it was weird seeing my insides on the screen.
I even watched the consultant remove a polyps from my rectum - no pain felt at all.
Probably the worst part of it all was the wind pains afterwards, which fortunately didn't last too long. I have no idea just how much air they pumped in, but it felt like a lot came out!
I guess I just want to give some reassurance to anyone having to go through this procedure. It probably won't be as bad as you fear.
I had a gastroscopy within the last few days. I was “sedated” with 2mg of Midazolam but this did not seem to work very well. I did not feel drowsy at any time and had considerable problems of retching and discomfort throughout the procedure. I was very much aware of the tube, and being spoken to by the nurse during the procedure.
The nurse insisted on inserting the cannula on the inside of my elbow (which has dodgy veins and was clearly very badly bruised by previous week’s blood test), and not in the back of my hand as I had expected (and had experienced on all previous cases of anaesthesia). I did query this at the time. Is it possible that the drug was not in fact administered correctly? Or are some people just not very much affected by this drug?
The hospital also discharged me nearly an hour earlier than they had led me to expect – so presumably they too thought that I did not need the usual length of recovery time from the so-called sedation!
It would be very helpful to know what might have caused the sedation to work much less adequately than expected – in case there is another time. I realise that I may have had unreasonable expectations – but other patients I have spoken to seem to have had very different experiences and several hours of drowsiness (but all these cases were private and not NHS so it is possible that they may have been sedated differently or with bigger doses).
I had an Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy this morning. I didn't know whether I wanted to do with or without sedation until the last minute. I had read this forum and asked about every single person I know, and everyone said I was crazy to consider doing it without sedation. In the end, talking to the nurse, I decided to try without it. And I am so glad I did! I would be surprised if the endoscopy itself lasted longer than 5 minutes. It is very unpleasant, don't get me wrong, I did not gag or vomit, but there were a couple of moments where I thought I was going to have a panic attack, so I just concentrated on breathing deeply and keeping calm. When it was over I was up and out of the hospital in 10 minutes, which is great!
View 1 RepliesI am having an SI joint injection Monday...I have the option of doing it with or without sedation. Thoughts? Experiences?
View 7 RepliesOver the last 12 months I've had nine or ten endoscopies. The first few were emergencies and I was not very aware of what was happening due to being fully knocked out.
Having survived the initial trauma, I now attend every 1 to 2 months for regular endoscopy checks. I had decided to try without sedation (just the spray) but the consultant virtually insisted that I have sedation. I was a bit annoyed at first at not being given much choice in the matter. They now use the spray and 3 mg of Midazolam each time. In ten seconds, I'm completely out of it and only wake up in recovery. No significant after effects and I'm usually off home in about an hour. Sometimes it goes really easily for the consultant and other times he experiences difficulties with me. Fortunately, the only time I know anything about these difficulties is after the procedure in recovery room.
I am sixteen years old and had an Upper gastroscopy yesterday!
Firstly DON'T WORRY! Alls I did was worry and it really was ok.
I checked into the hospital, and waited in my bed for about half an hour. I was then taken to a pre-theatre room, where i was told to lie on my back. I had my throat sprayed and it numbed it instantly. I then had the sedation put into a vain in my hand. The doctor then told me to lie on my side, but I couldn't as I was already sedated (That's how quick it works!)
DON'T worry about the air being pumped into you, I didn't feel a thing!
The next thing I knew, I woke up and it was all over. The procedure only lasted for 5 minutes.
I waited around for about one hour for the sedation to ware off and then I went home with my mum and boyfriend.
Today I woke up with mild stomach pains due to the fact I had a BIOPSY took of my stomach, but as the day wore on they gradually got smaller.
I thought I'd let you know about my experience of a gastroscopy and colonoscopy with sedation yesterday. I found this web site two days before my procedure and found it really useful.
I was told that I would have to have a gastroscopy and colonoscopy about three weeks ago and I've been so so worried about it ever since. I have a phobia about being sick so the thought of someone sticking a camera down my throat filled me with dread :shock: ....all that retching HELP!
Anyway I got to the hospital and after a short wait a really friendly nurse called me through to an assessment room. She asked me all the usual health questions. I explained to her that I was so anxious and was really worried about the retching and being sick. She explained that there might be some retching as this is the natural protection process to stop you choking.
The nurse said what might help is the anaesthetic throat spray. She also said that the camera had a little suction tube on it so if there was any fluid in your stomach they could suck it away. I asked if they could give me enough sedation to make me sleep, she said that they are only allowed to use so much, but I would be nice and relaxed and may fall asleep.
I was then asked to change into one of those groovy hospital gowns. The Doctor then came to speak to me and went through the consent form. I told him my fears, he was very sympathetic. He then asked me to walk to the endoscopy room. The doctor asked me if I wanted the throat spray, I said yes please! He told me that the spray may make me feel that there was a lump in my throat but I would still be able to breath and swallow normally. He then put a cannula in my arm and tried to put my mind at rest, he then asked me to lie on my left side. The nurse said she had to put a little sponge in my nose, this gave me oxygen. Also she had to put a tube in my mouth this was a type of mouth guard. The Doctor said that he would now be giving the sedation.
I felt myself relax, the next thing I knew the gastroscopy bit was over and they were nearly finished with the colonoscopy bit, with one of the nurses holding my hand. That was quite interesting as I could watch the screen (if I wanted), there was just one slight bit of discomfort, then I was taken back the to recovery area. The nurses said that I had tolerated both procedures really well. I was so relieved that I could not remember any of the gastroscopy...not even one retch :D ! The nurses then brought me tea and biscuits and shortly after was allowed to go home. I just wished I hadn't worried so much, so I hope you don't either!
I would like to thank the Endoscopy staff at DCH for looking after me so well.
I wanted to get feedback on sedation , I get procedures every 10 days for the pain I have my doctors so SGBs on one foot then the other for I have RSD in both feet and the surgeon uses versed to sedate me and I now I've built up a tolerance , they use 4 doses where as when I first started I only received 1 dose but now this last procedure I felt no relief so the sedation is not working and it's very painful to do these nerve blocks without sedation so I'm lost as to what to do I'm considering stopping the injections because of this has anyone experienced the sedation not working anymore and if so what did you do?
View 6 RepliesI have to go for a gastroscopy and want to have sedation. Will I be allowed to as I am anaemic, Hb of 5.3. Can anyone advise me?
View 1 RepliesI can see a Colonoscopy coming my way.
Just wanted to say about 4 years ago I had to have an upper tract endoscopy (tube down throat) and was beside myself over it. I'm the biggest wimp going and very frightened of invasive procedures.
Anyway, circumstance on the day were that if I had sedation I'd have no one to drive me home afterwards but I wanted to get it over and one with.
So believe it or not I asked for it without sedation. The nurse tried to dissuade me but I stuck to my guns. I did accept the throat spray though. I calmed myself as much as I could and walked into the procedure room.
I'm please to say I managed it without sedation and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. No pain and only minimal discomfort. I did mumble about getting the endoscope out quick just before the end but by then it was nigh on all over. The examining doctor said I'd done so well to tolerate it. That made me doubly proud of myself because at the time I suffered from severe panic attacks (now thankfully gone).
Back in recovery all my fellow endoscopes who'd had their procedure before me were snoring their heads off. I waited there a while because I wanted the numbness the spray had caused to my throat to wear off. During this wait I heard other patients who had been sedated fighting, groaning, moaning and shouting during their investigation. I'm sure that would have been me if I'd been left with no control.
Now possibly got to face a colonoscopy and heading to that section to see what the score is on that front.
I went for a root canal and tooth extraction at a sedation clinic due to my anxiety. I was informed in the paper work that I would be having 'conscious sedation', I guess this means they would give me something to relax my body. I arrived at the sedation clinic (consent forms signed) and was called into the room. There was no pre-surgery consultation, they took my forms and before I'd even had a chance to ask them to explain anything including the procedure they had already placed the IV into my vein. I don't remember much after that but I woke up about an hour into the operation awake, but paralyzed. I could hear the nurses gossiping and talking as if i weren't even in the room (this panicked me even more as I thought I was dead). I began to feel the pain and kept trying to go 'AH' 'AH' and move my leg and the nurse would just say, 'Are you bored?' and ignore me. I remember this 'consciousness' because I began to choke on this salty stuff and ended up swallowing it. I had no idea my eyes were going to be covered and when I woke up I had absolutely no idea where my partner was or what had just happened. I felt traumatised by the whole thing. The drug they were going to use was never stated in the paperwork so I rang up the next day to research it. They said it was midazolam. I don't care if i signed a consent form, I was never told when anything was happening and nothing was explained to me prior to the IV being inserted, leaving me in a total state of panic when i awoke.
View 1 RepliesI had my THR 6 days ago and just wondered if anybody had experienced similar problems with their spinal anaesthetic with sedation.
I was awake at the end of the surgery and could feel the stitching being done. More a sensation than pain but in the recovery area I could immediately move my unoperated leg and had excruciating pain in my operated leg. Was able to move this leg shortly after as well. Took a while for any pain relief to kick in and really shocked me, didn't expect to have any immediate pain until several hours after the op. Have to have my other hip done in 8 weeks time so praying the anaesthetic is stronger next time round.
I had a colonoscopy with sedation (midazolam and fentanyl) in Chorley Hospital a few days ago and I still feel as if I had a PTSD. I read the information sheet and expected to be relaxed after sedation, with maybe some discomfort. When I was injected with the drugs (midazolam and fentanyl), I suddenly felt very anxious. I tried to seek reassurance, but the physician was talking to somebody else, busy preparing for gastroscopy. I think it could have helped if somebody asked me how I was at that point. I also had some trouble speaking – I think I was able to speak, but I could not hear myself so it made me feel very strange. Later on I read that difficulty speaking is a side-effect of midazolam. I felt quite intense pain during colonoscopy and the kind student nurse was talking me through it. I recovered well, I think, but I remember the whole procedure (so the amnesia that the leaflet talks about obviously doesn’t happen in every case). Next day I was very irritable and anxious and sick later on.
My main grievance is about lack of information beforehand concerning pain and the nasty side effects of the sedation. The leaflet mentions that you might feel ‘discomfort’. Of course you will feel discomfort – you will have a camera up your bum, what are supposed to feel? There is no ‘may’ about it. However, there is a difference between ‘discomfort’ and ‘pain’ and these words should not be used interchangeably. The leaflet and what you are told by the medical staff makes you believe that you will be drowsy and relaxed while medication works, and then back to normal after. I got quite a shock when I had the anxiety attack after the drug was injected and realized how vulnerable and helpless I was. I was also very unpleasantly surprised at how awful I felt the next day. Had I known this could happen I would have opted for entonox. Unless something changes dramatically in the way they perform colonoscopies, there is no way I’m having another one any time soon.
I would not like to discourage those for whom colonoscopy could be beneficial from having it. However traumatic it is, it is preferable to dying from cancer. However, I think that medical staff are not well trained in empathy (only student nurses seem to have it) and you have to be very assertive with them in order to receive honest information. If you are unlucky enough not to experience post-colonoscopy amnesia, the feeling of being at the mercy of medical people who are inflicting pain on you can be disturbing. It might be preferable to experience the pain whilst being alert and able to speak, and thus having some degree of control.