Hi Rich, I hope you're well and all at your end.

I am supposed to have a Colonoscopy done soon and I am very very nervous anxious worried and scared. Especially more after reading some of the threads on here about painful experiences and terminated procedures due to patients having alot of pain and some also who have taken gas and air along with sedation.

The sedation and painkiller medicines that have been mentioned are fentanyl/mizadolam/pethidine 

I think these are the ones I have seen mentioned and alot of patients saying they didn't work for them.

Is not possible to get stronger painkiller medicines such as Morphine or Propofol? I think these have been mentioned that could be given. 

Is it not possible to have this procedure under general Anaesthetic?

Also alot of patients said the endoscopists don't wait for the drug to kick in they start as soon as the patient has been given sedation.

I have never given birth, never had an operation in older age (luckily), never been given drips, never had a cannula fitted on my hand. 

The Covid test brought me to tears too.

I am so worried and scared I have lost my appetite stopped eating and am losing weight I don't know what to do.

I do want to do the test and get it over and done with but I am so worried I should not have a painful experience and God forbid if it happens I don't want to move around and perforation to happen in my intestines or colon.

And what are the chances of a perforation happening anyways, and God forbid if it happens can the endoscopist know or tell straight away as perforation and internal bleeding can be life threatening.

I hope to hear from you soon, I am a nervous wreck

Thank you 

Cutiee4 

Hi Cutiee4,

I'm glad you managed to find me.

I'm not going to guarantee you a pain free experience. Everybody is different, as are their bowels and i've looked after some patients who've had no issues at all on one occassion, but experienced more pain and discomfort on others. What I can do is remind you that you're in control of your procedure and you can withdraw your consent at any time - whether they've started the procedure or not

If you can't tolerate it, there are other techniques that can be used to look at your bowel, such as a CT colonography. This is only really a good first choice for people who are unable to manage taking bowel preparation. Colonoscopy is more likely to find small polyps and there is the added benefit of being able to take samples and remove polyps from the bowel at the time of your colonoscopy which is impossible with a scan.

Likewise, the drugs on offer work very well for some patients, but not for others. Again, it's simply because every patient is different and there are factors that affect how well the drugs work that differ from person to person.

The unit I worked on did regular "propofol lists", they were generally utilised for procedures thatt were longer and more complex that would be extremely difficult to tolerate while awake, and for patients with learning disabilities and difficulties who would find the procedures distressing without deep sedation. An anaesthetist is required when providing this kind of sedation in case of any anaesthetic complications.You would have to ask the unit you are due to attend about having propofol.

With the above in mind, I can honestly say that I have seen very few procedures aborted due to discomfort and would always suggest people attempt to undergo the procedure with conscious sedation first. 

Painkiller-wise, pethidine and fentanyl are similar to morphine, they are both strong painkiller, while propofol itself has no pain killing properties, it is an anaesthetic drug.

Complications are rare, I won't quote any figures because these will differ from endoscopist to endoscopist, because some endoscopits will perform higher risk procedures than others. Perforation is not always apparent at the time of endoscopy, but you will be advised of the symptoms to be mindful of before you leave.

During your colonoscopy, you may well be asked to change your position to help make the procedure easier and more comfortable, the nurses will help you reposition if required. If the endoscopist wants you to keep very still (if he/she is removing a polyp, for example) they will let you know.

I hope I have helped to alay some of your worries and wish you the best for your colonoscopy.

Best wishes

Rich

Hi Cutiee4,

I'm glad you managed to find me.

I'm not going to guarantee you a pain free experience. Everybody is different, as are their bowels and i've looked after some patients who've had no issues at all on one occassion, but experienced more pain and discomfort on others. What I can do is remind you that you're in control of your procedure and you can withdraw your consent at any time - whether they've started the procedure or not

If you can't tolerate it, there are other techniques that can be used to look at your bowel, such as a CT colonography. This is only really a good first choice for people who are unable to manage taking bowel preparation. Colonoscopy is more likely to find small polyps and there is the added benefit of being able to take samples and remove polyps from the bowel at the time of your colonoscopy which is impossible with a scan.

Likewise, the drugs on offer work very well for some patients, but not for others. Again, it's simply because every patient is different and there are factors that affect how well the drugs work that differ from person to person.

The unit I worked on did regular "propofol lists", they were generally utilised for procedures thatt were longer and more complex that would be extremely difficult to tolerate while awake, and for patients with learning disabilities and difficulties who would find the procedures distressing without deep sedation. An anaesthetist is required when providing this kind of sedation in case of any anaesthetic complications.You would have to ask the unit you are due to attend about having propofol.

With the above in mind, I can honestly say that I have seen very few procedures aborted due to discomfort and would always suggest people attempt to undergo the procedure with conscious sedation first. 

Painkiller-wise, pethidine and fentanyl are similar to morphine, they are both strong painkiller, while propofol itself has no pain killing properties, it is an anaesthetic drug.

Complications are rare, I won't quote any figures because these will differ from endoscopist to endoscopist, because some endoscopits will perform higher risk procedures than others. Perforation is not always apparent at the time of endoscopy, but you will be advised of the symptoms to be mindful of before you leave.

During your colonoscopy, you may well be asked to change your position to help make the procedure easier and more comfortable, the nurses will help you reposition if required. If the endoscopist wants you to keep very still (if he/she is removing a polyp, for example) they will let you know.

I hope I have helped to alay some of your worries and wish you the best for your colonoscopy.

Best wishes

Rich