# Am I the only one who had pain during the colonoscopy???



## HEPPERS

Ive just been reading through the bulletin board about colonoscopies and people say they were sedated. Me too but at first it was great I felt totally asleep then towards the end I started comming round and the pain was horrendous. The cramps were terrible. Am I the only one who suffered this. Im now so scared to ever go back to a hospital. I was given the sedative via an injection then they got to work on it. I just dont get it. Everyone says it was a breeze??????


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## georgeb

Just a guess here cause I haven't had one but.... I think pain as a reaction to having a foreign object stuck up your bum is probably pretty normal.


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## coppin

Heppers...during the colonscopy i was fine..and even straight after..but once the demerol wore off i was having lots of cramps etc...i even went to the emergency dept at nite cause it was worrying me...they gave me shots in the butt of bentyl, something else i cant remember and finally more demerol...I spoke to the GI who did it and he said they took biopsies, and i was to rest..(I went to work the whole weekend after the colonscopy)...but once they put me on meds for what they now say is acute colitis and IBS..the cramps stopped finally...Im wondering if u had biopsies taken as apparently if u have then that can cause pain/cramps...i know it hurts..but in hindsight im glad i finally had the colonscopy as they found my problem out..Good Luck------------------AussieDeb


> quote:In this world we all need humor


 aussiecoppin###aol.com


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## HipJan

shhhh...don't want to scare anyone here! my colonoscopies are a bit painful. I would partially wake up towards the end and yell out a bit. I was told that I have lots of twists and turns in my colon, and that things are kind of compacted in there because I'm rather small. I pretty much have to expect some pain during my colonoscopies but, no, the average person doesn't. however, right afterwards, I don't necessarily feel bad (I did after my sigmoidoscopy, though, due to gas); afterwards, I think the trick is to pass some gas (they made me try to do that).


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## LadyM

Didn't wake up and feel, was heavily sedated, anything while the procedure was being done, but for two weeks after I hurt right in my belly button, why, I have no ideal, but they found inflamation(colitis) in about the same spot so I figure sticking something up there and hitting the inflamed bowels might have aggravated that.


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## atp

Most people don't experience pain, and fear of pain should not keep anyone from getting this test done!!That said, I was one of the few who does experience some pain. I was sedated...in la-la land from muscle relaxants and painkillers. But I came out of the sedation briefly several times during the procedure with bad cramps... I remember thinking it was like really bad menstrual cramps, just in a different spot. But while I remember that it hurt at that time, I don't remember the pain, because of the drugs making me not remember much of the procedure.The dr had told me before the procedure that younger people often require more painkillers than older ones, because our muscle tone is higher and therefore there is more resistance... after all, the muscles usually push things out, rather than things going in... I guess I had enough painkillers to knock out someone twice my size, but my muscles were really tight. Coincidentally, I had been under a LOT of stress prior to the procedure, which had been scheduled for quite a while...and that probably was part of the problem. My dr didn't take any biopsies, I don't think, and he also didn't go all the way up the colon because he didn't see anything abnormal and he thought it was better to stop than keep going and risk injuring me because he was getting so much resistance at that point.I remember farting several times after the procedure, and just kind of giggling, and being slightly embarrassed but not...and the dr said it was good to fart and I was supposed th yeah, and I also remember when I was coming out of it and in pain, they told me I needed to just relax...hard to do when you're nearly out of it and cramping. I think the pain seems worse when you are out of it like that, because you're not really aware of much else.I wouldn't let that experience keep me from having another procedure if my dr wanted me to. I still think the prep is by far the worst part of it.


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## webbsusa

I didn't have pain during the procedure, but I didn't have biopsies done, either. I was told afterwards that the test itself took five minutes or less.Like someone else said, they wouldn't let me go home until I had passed some gas. As I recall, that wasn't a problem.







The worst part for me was the prep. I also felt pretty crappy the rest of the day and the next day from the sedative or whatever it was--my stomach is very sensitive to anaesthetics (sp?) and I felt very icky and weak for about 36 hours after the test.I was very scared beforehand about pain and waking up before the test was over, and I had shared that with the dr. Maybe they gave me a little more than usual to put me out more than usual? Because I don't even remember how I got into the recovery room--I draw a blank from when I rolled over on my side to when the nurse woke me in recovery to see how I was doing and to tell me to keep passing gas (apparently I could do that in my sleep!







)


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## Jeffrey Roberts

Moved to the *Colonoscopy* forum.Use the *Hop to:* below to jump to it.Jeff


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## Guest

I was sedated enough not to remember any pain but the GI man with the 73" snake said I cryed out several times when certain spots of the colon was touched, which caused spasms. That evening I had a horrible head ache. Something I rarely get. The next day I had some sore spots in the abdomen and spasms, with tons of gas. Couldn't eat much either.------------------L.B.


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## kinetic

73" snake? is that how long that thing is? I've been wondering that for awhile.... when I had a colonoscopy I didn't feel a thing... not even afterwards... I had no idea anything had happened other than i felt like i fell asleep and woke up... HOWEVER.... the endoscopy.... *shudder* I had that proceedure done twice... the first time it wasn't too bad.... I had to refuse the sedation they offer for that because sedation makes me panic and hyperventilate... so when i went back for it a second time i didn't think it would be bad... but they wanted to look as far down as they could get.... that time it hurt.... they had the whole thing in me and it wasn't pleasant.... so... if anyone is having an endoscopy done... take my advice... take the sedation... lol


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## Guest

Heppers,







I know exactly what you mean I had sever pain I had two things of Demeral, but nothing worked, I quess I'm small too, oh well I understand completely. You are not alone I had sever pain for two days after and severe gas too. The doctors say there is nothing wrong with me, go figure.


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## te34resa

What's this?! Sedated?!! I'm from England and had a sigmoidoscopy 2 days ago and didn't get anything at all! Just a nurse holding my hand and talking to me throughout it. I had horrible stomach cramps and of course felt everything! Perhaps they're just sadistic?!


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## Guest

I have had 2 colon scopes once about three yrs ago and had no pain, then the current one, and it was the worst thing, I requested to be put out cold, and they did, but during the scoping of the sigmoid colon, I woke up and remember a very uncomfortable feeling with a lot of pain although I didn't get the full pain effect becaue of the anastectic, they gave me a double dose when I started to wake up and move around and the GI doing the procedure said I had a lot of pain when he was taking biopsies of the colon. They came back fine Thank God. but I have IBS-C to the max and it's killing me.


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## jenEbean

I too have lots of pain during a colonoscopy. They use a pediatric scope on me but I still feel every twist and turn even with lots of sedation. I am due for another one in Feb and am dreading it already. I don't understand those that say there is no pain...I wish!


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## Eric Extreme

I must of been one of the lucky ones. The prep for the scope wasn't really a problem. The go-lytely stuff is horrible but i managed to get down the entire gallon without a hitch. I sprayed some of my ex-fiance's body splash under my nose before hand and sucked on a Certs after each cup of the stuff. I just moved the television into the bathroom and had rented a few of my favorite movies. I had a wonderful evening attatched to the loo watching movies with the porcelain gods. I found the anxiety before hand was the worst part. I took my anxiety meds about 90 minutes berfore I started the prep to calm me down. It wasnt the best experience that I have ever had but it wasnt the worst. The scop itself went well. I was given three iv's (One big one (liquids) and two little ones for drugs, plus a shot of something else) I honestly dont remember what drugs i was given but i know one was a muscle relaxer, one was for anxiety, and one was to kill my memory. The doc told me if at anytime during the procedure i needed more meds feel free to say so and it would be given to me immediately. (I live in a big city so the department has their own Anesthesiologists). I was awake and aware during the entire thing. Felt a lil uncomfortable when the scope made turns but the nurse pressed on my stomach and took care of what was causing the discomfort (air) I spent the entire time cracking jokes with the nurse. If I had to do it again I wouldnt mind. After wards I was given lunch and the other 20 people and myself were having a contest to see whom could toot the loudest. Funny as it is an elderly lady put us all to shame lol. So I actually could say I had fun that day.


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## ferrarihead

I jsut ahs a colonscopy short done a few days ago.... no medication because it was short, the pain i felt was when he put his index finger in, that was a little painful, and then when the tube went in it was ok, just when he pushed it in further or aquirted water or air that i cramped up, the whole thing lated about 5 minutes.....and i got to see it on a 21 inch color monitor....oooooohhhhhhhhferrarihead


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## Nat

Mine went extremely well. Hey, I don't like pain and I made sure that the doctor knew about it. She said to tell her whenever I couln't cope and she would give me more drugs - just perfect for me







. I only remember the beginning of the intervention and some pain when she had to do a sharp turn. I found my knee surgery to be more painful that a colonoscopy. They had to put a huge needle down my spine... now, that's scary!







Nat


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## Tattoo

I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy yesterday. There was some pain, but not that bad. I slapped away anyone who came at me with versed (I'm allergic) and got IV fentanyl only. Fentanyl made me feel stupid and slow, but it didn't prevent me from being awake and aware throughout and conversing with the doc & nurse. I asked questions, they answered. What's that? Why are you taking a biopsy there? Which one of those depressions is my appendix? The doc pointed out my spleen and liver, and the pocket created by a previous surgery. I was able to reply coherently when he asked exactly what surgery was done and why. I remember vividly everything that was done and said. The doc & nurse thought I was asleep some of the time because I had my eyes shut, but I was not.There was pain, but nothing as bad as the cramps I often feel on my own. More alarming (because sudden and sharp) than unbearably painful really, and they were brief. I hated the endoscopy (tube down my throat), but even that wasn't as bad as I anticipated, despite some gagging. I must say that seeing the insides of my intestines was amazing and wonderful. Wow. It's a whole world in there. Not at all on the same scale as seeing my lover's baby being born, but in that category. The human body is a miraculous thing.The prep didn't go right, and I was unable to keep down even water afterwards until about 2 a.m. -- which I suspect was a reaction to the fentanyl -- but the pain was totally bearable and being conscious was just fine. Not that I'm signing up to do this on a regular basis!!!


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## Guest

I had my colonoscopy just a few days ago, and looking at the posts I was lucky. There was no pain or discomfort during or after and I was even joking with the doctor about half way through it. I go back in 6 weeks for another checkup and to further discuss my course of treatment. Virginia Mason is the hospital I go to and they are wonderful. I am very lucky.Peace,MarcusB.


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## BettinaMarie

I had a colonoscopy 3 months ago. I remember yelling at one point while a nurse was pushing hard down on my abdomen. I don't remember much else. I did have a biopsy of my rectum. I still wonder why the nurse was pushing on my stomach.Betty


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## TryingToDeal

i woke up during my procedure not sure what point all i know is that it was under way and i was very upset and in pain and the dr was nervously telling the nurse to give me more medicine so i would go back to sleep i think by now drs should know how much to give a pt to keep them under


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## *Luna*

The amounts given vary for everyone. My GI doc, who probably weighed a good 100 pounds more than me, remarked that I had enough meds to knock him out, but I was still coming out of it a bit.The meds used for colonoscopy aren't anesthesia like they use for surgery. You get a sedative and a painkiller, and often you can obey orders (roll over, etc.) but have no memory of things, usually. It's the same kind of "twilight zone" anesthesia that many people have when they have their wisdom teeth out.


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## vikee

I posted this already and feel it is worth repeating here.I was given a Diprovin drip, which knocks you out quickly and also wakes you up quickly. I had no after side or after effects. When the colonoscopy was over I was essentially awake and felt fine. I had no memory or dreams during the time I was out. One minute I was out and the next thing I knew I was awake. I have always reacted badly when I awoke after being given Anesthesia during a regular operation.Diprovin is newer drug and administered by an Anesthesiologist who stays with you. I assume that way he controls the dose while monitoring other bodily functions. They had my heart monitored and I was given what I think was Oxygen. It seemed that many people hooked me up to many things.A few People have posted on being given Diprovin and all reported positive results with no grogginess afterwards. It wouldn't hurt to ask your Doctor about this. I suspect it depends on weather the Hospital (if that's where you go) uses Diprovin.This worked well for me!







Vikee


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## TryingToDeal

obey orders no my doctor freaked out when i woke up he obviously wanted me under completely


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## FPHHT!

A five minute experience wide awake is not a colonoscopy, that's a sigmoidoscopy. It goes about halfway around the colon. If you can get through that proceedure without too much trouble, then you will have no problem at all with the colonoscopy.Some of us have some problems. The sigmoidoscopy was impossible with me. They tried and tried but the pain was so bad I was passing out. I held pillows to my face to keep the noise down, and I told them to continue but they would not.They sent me to the Gastro and he did my coloscopy in a regualr surgical O.R. with nurses and masks and the whole bit. They put me completly out. They also removed two tiny polyps that he said will save me from a lot of bowel cancer potentials in about ten years. I had no pain. Just off to sleep under the big lights, and wake up in a different room sitting up in a differnet bed.Then about 1 hour later on the way home, I really started to feel the air that got pumped in. It was like having lots of air trapped inside. No bending over becuase it hurt, and then FFFAAARRRTT! AAAHHH! that felt good! Then the pain started going away and I was feeling great!That's the only way to go if your really sensitive or have a lot of "kinks" in the plumbing.


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## Blair

I've had two colonoscopes, first one was without any painkillers at all. It was very painful. But I got to see everything on a camera. The second time was with painkillers but was also very painful so I asked for more painkillers, and became very sleepy as a result and didn't remember much of anything. I beleive a non IBS person would have some pain also?


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## Fariel

Hi everyone,I just went through a colonoscopy and was given sedation. I'm a pretty small build and was given 50mg of Demerol and 10mg of Diazepam (valium), I fell asleep right away but then woke up yelling when they were inserting the scope. Fortunately I don't remember that part too vividly because of the drugs, although it was disturbing none the less. They gave me another 25mg of Demerol and 5mg of Diazepam and then I slept the rest of the time (and they took biopsies too). It took some time for everything to wear off, but well worth it. I strongly feel one should ask their doctor when the procedure is recommended to find out if sedation/analgesic will be used, if not, FIND another doctor! I think it is inhumane not to use medication to help a patient through this.


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## Blair

I asked them not to use any pain killers the first time. Had to drive home. I would just be curious if non-IBSer's would have pain? The doctor went real slow the first time also, he wasn't a bad guy. said he gave himself a Endoscope just for fun.


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## holmeboy

HEPPERS,you just got a "bum" rap on your experience. you doc should be able to give you enough drug to make sure that you don't remember a thing when it comes to your colonscopy. you might still feel a little raw afterwards but there will be no cramping etc etc.


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## holmeboy

HEPPERS,you just got a "bum" rap on your experience. your doc should be able to give you enough drug to make sure that you don't remember a thing when it comes to your colonscopy. you might still feel a little raw afterwards but there will be no cramping etc etc.


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## Jupiter119

Had my first colonoscopy today (had only had flexi sig' before which hurt a bit as had no meds). Today I was given a painkiller & somthing to knock me out but I wasn't asleep for some of the procedure & was watching it on screen with absolutely no pain at-all & asking questions! When I went into the recovery room I was reading a book while everyone else was sleeping. I've no idea why this happened...perhaps they gave me a lot of the painkiller but not enough stuff to send me to sleep.


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## Nicol

I woke up during my procedure. They were having trouble getting to my ileum but I passed right out again when they got there. I think for the most part there will be a lot of discomfort due to the cramping from all of the air they pump into you. Other than that there should be no pain unless you have something else going on in there or they just do not give you enough painkillers.


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## ijosef

I had two colonoscopies a few years back, and both were horribly painful. They gave me as much medication as they could but it had no effect- I screamed and begged them to stop both times because I was in utter agony. After the first experience they assured me that "it would never happen again." Well, the second time it happened the same way it did in the first. I remember that experience clearly (I was 15 or 16). The doctor didn't want to come into the room 'cause he thought my dad was going to hit him.Anyway, I've talked to people who've had colonoscopies and they all recalled their experiences with no pain. In fact most of them didn't even remember it. There are people who have pain during a colonoscopy and I am one of them. Luckily for most people, I'm in the minority.Joe.


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## munchkin19

I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy last week and it HURT!!! Even though I was totally asleep during the whole procedure, when I woke up I seriously thought that I was going to die. After 15 minutes of crying my eyes out, the nurse finally came over and gave me three nicce big shots of morphine. As I found out later, my colon was soooo spastic that he had to pump me full of gas, he said three times more than his worst time before me. Then, he said that he had taken seven biopsies, ouch. Although, the prep was the worst. I had to drink two full bottles of magnesium citrate, which I think is worst than fleet. Oh well, at least I didn't get a sore throat from the endoscopy.


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## ryanred5

Hi Heppers and everyoneI had a endoscopy and colonoscopy done at the end of March this year and had specifically asked for a general anaesthetic. I was scared of the endoscopy going down my throat and my doc said I wouldnt really know anything about it, but I totally freaked out and I couldnt sleep, eat and was behaving totally out of character (Im usually a mild mannered chatty friendly person) but I went on a snapper with everyone, it was awful. I asked the doc whether I could have a general and he said yes.All I remember is being in the anaesthetic room and the anaethatist putting the drugs in my hand and then that was it until I woke up with an oxygen mask on and felt like I had a rock up my behind.The doc had banded some piles I had (which was the rock feeling), plus they had taken a biopsy and I was still full of gas.My hubbie said when I was coming round properly back in my room I was farting like a trooper, but I dont remember any of that.I also had a rigid sigmoidscope at the beginning of March which I found uncomfortable but not painful and I had that done in my consultants room with nothing apart from my hubbies hand to squeeze. Just the air pain after, but I expelled it all and I was fine.Catherine


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## lbtweetie

I have had several colonoscopies (with meds) during my 12 years of tummy problems. Even one while I was pregnant with no meds. They have been okay. Nothing to painful or traumatizing. But.....I had an endoscopy last month.







My Lord it was awful! I woke up in the middle of it and my doctor kept saying swallow swallow. I was crying.







I was trying to talk (of course I couldn't)







I was trying to pull the scope out (of course I couldn't)







It was an awful experience for me and I will never allow them to do it again unless I am completely out!!


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## noir

new to the group... i have had 2 colonoscopies..the first in 2000 #2 just a year. i was diagnosed with IBS c/d in 1999.for each colonoscopy i had a different gi md.the first one i was a nervous wreck..having heard stories that i would be out of it and not remember anything calmed me a little. i was given versed and demoral,which DID NOT WORK!!! i have never felt such pain,since i gave birth to two kids each were 8+lb. babies! i was wide awake,repeating my plea to the nurse"is it almost over?" the procedure started at 12:50pm and was over at 1:40pm.between screams i watched the clock. the second test was the same, exactly...wide awake and listening to the dr. tell me he was pumping in more air....there is no pain on God's green earth than that. if i ever have to have another one of these tortures...i'd like someone to whack me on the head with a mallet to knock me OUT!! the best part was that everything was healthy.


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## djsker

I was so worked up about getting a colonoscopy. All the horror stories I heard. But remember this. Time is moving on and technology is advancing. Things aren't as bad as they used to be.I had it done and didn't feel a thing. Actually it felt good. They knocked me completely out and did the test. The drugs they used make you feel high at first then you fall asleep. They can make you wake up in 3 minutes, that's how effective the drugs are.Anyway, the worst part is the preperation. I had to drink a gallon of this stuff called Colyte. YUK! and take some laxatives. I thought what I was going through was bad, put all this together and it felt 10 times worse.


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## NancyCat

Had the colonsocopy from HELL 12 years ago. Med used was versed and for me it was dreadful, normal dose is 2 mg iv they gave me 9mg, I was awake, alert and remembered EVERYTHING (versed is an amnesic) and remember being totally out of control screaming-it uninhibited me in that way. Hubby is an OR nurse and said diprovan(sp) used alot now and it works great, also valium and demerol can be used. What happened to me was VERY unusual, but does rarely occur according to anethesia DR's we have spoken to.


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## carolauren

I had Versed and Demerol, but don't know the dosages. Didn't feel a thing. I woke up during it a couple times, just for a few seconds, I caught a glimpse of my colon on the TV monitor. I wanted to watch it, but I couldn't stay awake.The only pain I had was afterwards--I was so hungry that I went out to eat right away and wolfed down a big burger and fries.







Mistake. Sure tasted good, but I was bent over double afterwards! The rest of the day I was kind of groggy and a little sore, but that's it. The prep, however, was a nightmare. I have colon cancer in my immediate family, but they tell me I will only need a sigmoidoscopy every five years now--thank goodness.


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