# Colonoscopy



## 18144 (Nov 29, 2005)

Got my appointment for my first colonoscopy and i am soooooooo scared! The consultant told me that i will be sedated and that after i wont remember anything. What does that mean? Are they putting me to sleep? I've never been sedated so dont know what to expect, will i be consious and know (and feel!) what's going on or will i be asleep.....or be consious but cant feel it?!? Can anyone tell me what to expect and help me put my mind at ease (if thats at all possible!). Thank you


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## 16653 (Jan 7, 2007)

I've never had a colonoscopy, but I read through a lot of threads in this forum this past week because I just had a sigmoidoscopy done. It sounds like most people are totally knocked out and don't even remember falling asleep. I would suggest reading through the stories on this forum about colonoscopies...it really helped ease my mind about my trip to the doctor!


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## mommywith2 (Mar 4, 2007)

My colonscopy is today. The paperwork says that I will be heavily sedated. My father had a colonscopy earlier this year and he said he was "knocked out". From what I understand, technically you aren't "knocked out", but heavily sedated to the point that you don't remember what happened and many people tend to fall asleep during the procedure.I plan on writing out how my prep and procedure end up. So far, although I haven't enjoyed the prep, it's been survivable.Edit: mispelled word that changed the meaning of sentence.


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## mommywith2 (Mar 4, 2007)

I also wanted to add that the fear of sedation is worse than the actual sedation. I had a lapriscopy done 6 years ago and was completely put out for that. I was pretty nervous, since I had never before had sedation or anesthia (spelling??). Even when I had my wisdom teeth out, I choose needles to numb my mouth rather than gas.Then I've had two c-sections since, and was numbed from below the ribcage down. Now I get to be sedated today. The worst part of anesthia is probably the waking up. You tend to feel groggy, or at least I did. But I personally loved it. In the sense that, (for my lapriscopy) they put my on the table, told me that they anesthiolgist (wow.. what a hard word) would be in soon and they would count to 10 and I'd probably be out by the number 3. That's the last I remember. Next thing I know, I'm waking up back in the recovery. It's like the quote "Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”. Yeah, it sucks to have to have procedures done, but really, if I can do a colonscopy, for me, I can do anything. I've learned that you just have to take what comes. And although I don't enjoy having problems, I do like that if anyone I know (family, friends, internet people) have problems or worries, I've been there done that.


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## mommyc (Jul 1, 2007)

fran77 said:


> Got my appointment for my first colonoscopy and i am soooooooo scared! The consultant told me that i will be sedated and that after i wont remember anything. What does that mean? Are they putting me to sleep? I've never been sedated so dont know what to expect, will i be consious and know (and feel!) what's going on or will i be asleep.....or be consious but cant feel it?!? Can anyone tell me what to expect and help me put my mind at ease (if thats at all possible!). Thank you


 I just had my 1st colonoscopy last week and I feel completely asleep--don't remember falling asleep, just them waking me up telling me it was over. Before they gave me the med, they told me (1)I'd either feel very groggy and not know/feel what was going on and I could watch on the TV monitor, or (2)I'd fall asleep. Soon as that med was put in my IV, I'd say I feel asleep within 2min MAX! (Of course, I'd been up for almost 24 hrs. due to the effects of the prep that it wouldn't have taken much to knock me out).







After waking up I felt very groggy, but calm and happy all day. It was a nice feeling in a way. I would recommend you having someone in the recovery room afterwards when the dr. talks to you. My mom was in there with me. I was listening to the dr. , even asking questions, but later I couldn't remember if I'd dreamt it all so I kept asking my mom, Did the dr. say this or is just my imagination?







Hope your colonoscopy goes well and please try not to worry!


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## 20017 (Dec 7, 2006)

Fran, I had my first colonoscopy last January. I suffer from extreme anxiety and panic attacks, therefore i was terrified to have this procedure done. I went online and read anything and everything i could about the procedure. i promise you, this is one of the easiest procedures that i have ever had! the night before sucks (prep work), basically you'll just have to keep going to the bathroom. i don't know which method your using, however if u are using Miralax, which is what most drs recommend, then its best to drink it every 30 min instead of 15, if you drink it too fast, you could get a stomach ache, which is what happend to me. My friend did it every 30 min and she was fine. The actual procedure is a piece of cake, being sedated is practically like falling asleep, i dont remember them doing anything to me (they used Demerol and versed (spelling)). I woke up not remembering a thing, and i still dont , and when i did wake up, i felt good, no pain or sick feeling, just really relaxed and actually it was a nice feeling waking up haha. The worrying is the worst part, so try not to freak out because it really is an easy procedure!


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## millview (Jul 9, 2007)

fran77 said:


> Got my appointment for my first colonoscopy and i am soooooooo scared! The consultant told me that i will be sedated and that after i wont remember anything. What does that mean? Are they putting me to sleep? I've never been sedated so dont know what to expect, will i be consious and know (and feel!) what's going on or will i be asleep.....or be consious but cant feel it?!? Can anyone tell me what to expect and help me put my mind at ease (if thats at all possible!). Thank you


Hello,I was sedated for my colonoscopy but did not have too much as i am asthmatic and had a chest infection at the time. I remember watching it on the screen but after it seemed a bit like a dream. I was a bit unsure about the sedation bit as I had a general anasethetic for a lapraosocopy and did not know whether it would be similar but it turned out to be totally different. i felt so much better after the sedation than the general. The procedure was ok


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## 22986 (Oct 10, 2006)

fran77 said:


> Got my appointment for my first colonoscopy and i am soooooooo scared! The consultant told me that i will be sedated and that after i wont remember anything. What does that mean? Are they putting me to sleep? I've never been sedated so dont know what to expect, will i be consious and know (and feel!) what's going on or will i be asleep.....or be consious but cant feel it?!? Can anyone tell me what to expect and help me put my mind at ease (if thats at all possible!). Thank you


I was apprehensive too, but there's really nothing to it. The sedation is light, but enough to ensure that you don't feel any pain - just a tiny discomfort every now and again when they introduce air into your colon. There is not enough sedation to put you to sleep, although you can sleep if you wish. I was awake throughout, watched it on the screen and chatted away to the doctors incessantly. However, I now have absolutely no recollection of what I said!Anyway, please don't be worried: believe me, the prep is far worse than the procedure itself. And I can honestly say that I hardly felt a thing. You'll be fine, really.


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