Thanks all I am definitely going to ask for sedation. One thing that is worrying me is that I have read Colonoscopys are dangerous. This is really concerning me and is making me worried about having it. Am I allowed to be put completely asleep for it?
what sort of risk am i looking at from Anesthesia?
Before you can have any procedure, you have to get to the hospital, and getting there is probably riskier than the procedure itself. Do you worry about driving? Catching a bus? Crossing the road? Climbing the stairs? If you don't worry about these things why do you worry about the risks from a colonoscopy or anaesthetic?
I'm afraid that once you find yourself on the cancer bandwagon (and no-one gets on by choice!) then being risk averse can seriously shorten your life. If you need a procedure then you need it, and not having it because it carries some low risk could end up shortening your life by many years if you get untreated cancer. You have to trust your medics to give you the best advice - and if you don't trust them then find some different medics who you do trust!
To put it in context, last year I had a radical prostatectomy. Risk of dying within 30 days from that surgery is relatively high: about 0.3%. But, if I didn't have any treatment at all then the risk of dying within 10 years from advanced prostate cancer was up to 100%. What would you do?
To answer your specific question, before you have any general anaesthetic you should have a full pre-op assessment at the hospital. Once you've had a complete medical, any risks will be explained by the anaesthetist. Judging from my wife's reaction to her colonoscopy, you don't really need a general anaesthetic, but if you really want one then ask for one, and accept the additional (tiny) risk involved.
what sort of risk am i looking at from Anesthesia?
Before you can have any procedure, you have to get to the hospital, and getting there is probably riskier than the procedure itself. Do you worry about driving? Catching a bus? Crossing the road? Climbing the stairs? If you don't worry about these things why do you worry about the risks from a colonoscopy or anaesthetic?
I'm afraid that once you find yourself on the cancer bandwagon (and no-one gets on by choice!) then being risk averse can seriously shorten your life. If you need a procedure then you need it, and not having it because it carries some low risk could end up shortening your life by many years if you get untreated cancer. You have to trust your medics to give you the best advice - and if you don't trust them then find some different medics who you do trust!
To put it in context, last year I had a radical prostatectomy. Risk of dying within 30 days from that surgery is relatively high: about 0.3%. But, if I didn't have any treatment at all then the risk of dying within 10 years from advanced prostate cancer was up to 100%. What would you do?
To answer your specific question, before you have any general anaesthetic you should have a full pre-op assessment at the hospital. Once you've had a complete medical, any risks will be explained by the anaesthetist. Judging from my wife's reaction to her colonoscopy, you don't really need a general anaesthetic, but if you really want one then ask for one, and accept the additional (tiny) risk involved.
i like many others agree that the taking of the medication to clean your insides out is the worst of it but,if this is what has to be done then it is a small price to pay,and when its over you are usually ok ,so try not to worry about it,and hopefully everything is fine,so take care and let us no how you get on.
I just received an appointment for a colonoscopy, but- perhaps foolishly- cancelled it. I'm not worried about the preparation, because I suffer from severe from diarrhoea on a regular basis anyway. However I am nervous about the procedure. I'm well aware of the importance of having the investigation, but I would much prefer to have a general anaesthetic.
I have had 2 colonoscopies and 2 hysteroscopies, all done under general anaesthetic. I am an absolute coward and would not have had any procedure like that unless I was completely out of it. Each time I have had no after effects, pain, etc. The doctors have always said it was my absolute right to have a general anaesthetic if that was what I wanted.
I just had a colonoscopy today and it was the worst pain! I was advised the by the lady who was gonng to do the procedure to have gas and air because I was anxious and she said that the sedative wouldn’t work as well because anxiety blocks the pathways the sedative uses. I wasn’t offered pain relief.
It was unbearably painful at points I’m pretty tough but it made me cry. They asked if I wanted to stop and I said yes but then they carried on because they’d nearly finished. They hadn’t!
I was told that I had a lot of twists and a very long bowel and maybe some IBS that was making it sensitive . I thought it would never end!
Never again!
It was all healthy. My heart goes out to anyone who’s results are bad . To have to go through any of that again must be terrible !
This sounds like the first one I had. No sedative just gas and air which did nothing. I cried throughout and was petrified. The nurse didn't know what to do with me.
The second time I had one I was given a sedative and I was reclined back so I couldn't feel it so much as they went round. I watched it on the screen. It was a very different experience although I was still terrified as they were checking for a tumour in the bowel.
If you ever have the misfortune of going through it again insist on the sedative and ask about the reclined position instead of on your side. I can't stress the difference it made.
Thanks for that . I hope I never need one again. I’ve reported my concerns that they didn’t stop when I asked them to because it clearly stated in the information leaflet that they would if it was too painful.
