# worried about colonoscopy without sedation



## Edster (Dec 1, 2008)

I have been told to move this thread to this forum.Its on Friday 6th at 8.15 amI cannot have sedation due to sleep apnea and an worried about how much pain I am going to be in .I do have a CPAP (breathing machine) can I have sedation with this ??Also any advice of how to get through the klean- prep the day beforeIts making me sick with worry ( not physically just mentally) Arghh Im going mad Thanks for your helpEdster


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## garysconstipated (Jul 28, 2007)

I also had sleep apnea a few years ago (262 lbs and 5'8") and used CPAP for 6 months when I scheduled my first colonoscopy. They wouldn't let me use the machine for really stupid reasons (it's not sterile, but neither is the endo suite, it's not approved electrically-this would take 5 min to check it)....anyway, the idiots insisted on conscious sedation, which I thought was dangerous, so I cancelled the exam. Sort of the opposite problem that you state, but the same issues. I then found another endo doc, and basically unloaded on her about how dangerous the sedation was and she agreed with me. She then scheduled the exam with no sedation (conscious sedation is creepy with haunting amnesia, at best); I'm a hospital pharmacist and often encounter patients who say that the sedation that they got for a colonoscopy has given them a lifetime of nightmares (the drug Versed is the culprit)...Anyway, the exam without sedation was a breeze, a few brief moments of cramping, but the doc was wonderful. If you have a caring doc and go into the exam with a good attitude, it's nothing to worry about. Sedation is not required. A dirty little secret is that you can get the exam with painkiller only (fentanyl) if needed. No amnesia, no nightmares etc, just pain relief. Endos like to use Versed because it's a patient-control drug; they can be as rough and clumsy as they want and hope that you won't remember it. I have seen a lot of these exams with patient who got Versed and they have a terrible experience because the doc is fast and rough. But most don't immediately remember the test. Then later, about 10% do. Not to scare you, but you are much better without sedation. I just had my 4th colonoscopy with nothing and my doc makes me laugh during the exam. And I'm only 160lb noe and could get any sedation; but I don't want it. You will do fine.


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