Colonoscopy Captures: A Contest of Inner Beauty

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around personal experiences and humorous anecdotes related to colonoscopies, including preparation, sedation options, and the overall experience of the procedure. Participants share their thoughts on the necessity and implications of colonoscopies, as well as the reactions to the topic itself.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express humor about the experience of having a colonoscopy, with playful banter about who has had one and their respective experiences.
  • Several participants discuss the discomfort associated with the preparation for a colonoscopy, suggesting it is more challenging than the procedure itself.
  • There are differing opinions on sedation during the procedure; some participants prefer to be awake and have had positive experiences with demerol, while others have had negative experiences with general anesthesia.
  • One participant mentions the importance of early detection of polyps and cancer, emphasizing that colonoscopies are not just for older individuals.
  • There are humorous suggestions about sharing internal photos and games related to body parts, which some participants find amusing while others express discomfort.
  • Some participants indicate that they are motivated to schedule their own colonoscopies after reading the thread, despite their apprehensions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a mix of humorous and serious perspectives on colonoscopies, with no clear consensus on the best approach to sedation or the overall experience. There is a blend of agreement on the discomfort of preparation and the importance of the procedure, but individual experiences vary widely.

Contextual Notes

Participants express a range of emotional responses to the topic, from humor to discomfort, and there are references to personal medical experiences that may not be universally applicable. The discussion includes anecdotal evidence and personal preferences regarding medical procedures.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering a colonoscopy, those interested in personal anecdotes about medical procedures, and readers looking for a light-hearted take on health-related topics may find this discussion engaging.

  • #61
Borek said:
Typical problem with docs - each one knows best and each one says something completely different.

Which is why I prefer multiplication table.


Last time I tried to do a colonscopy with a multiplication table, I just ended up with toilet paper.
 
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  • #62
It can't be that bad right? Discomfort for a day sounds tolerable. Indeed I would question the general anesthesia, is it for the benefit of the doctor or patient?
 
  • #63
Pythagorean said:
Last time I tried to do a colonscopy with a multiplication table, I just ended up with toilet paper.

You were lucky... most of the time it all ends in a messy brownian motion... :biggrin:
 
  • #64
Monique said:
It can't be that bad right?

For me, physically it was no more than using an old analog medical thermometer (i.e. regarding the actual examination). Intellectually, it was a 'revelation' seeing the inside of you live...

Monique said:
Indeed I would question the general anesthesia, is it for the benefit of the doctor or patient?

It's definitely not for the patient, except maybe in some special cases of extreme anxiety or maybe unusual medical reasons, but in the general case – no... I have had much more pain at the dentist, despite LA.

I can't understand why they even consider general anesthesia... who would ever dream of doing GA at the dentist?? :rolleyes:
 
  • #65
DevilsAvocado said:
I can't understand why they even consider general anesthesia... who would ever dream of doing GA at the dentist?? :rolleyes:
I was reading that it's just to get more money. Now your insurance is charged for the hospital surgical outpatient facility, the anesthetists, nurses, and they can crank out patients faster, meaning the doctor can schedule a lot more patients in a day and rack up the $$.

When I had it done in office under "conscious sedation", my co-pay was $40, when I had the general anesthesia done, my co-pay was $350.
 
  • #66
Evo said:
I was reading that it's just to get more money.

Bingo!

This is what I suspected all the time (don't want to delve too deep in this 'sensitive' issue)... but I think there's quite a big difference between countries with one-size-fits-all-public-health-care, and private alternatives... I can't remember I've ever heard of anyone doing GA for colonoscopy in Sweden? But we're going private* now, so it might be more common here also... I dunno.


*We now have schools run by venture capitalists in NYC... as the one of two countries in the world, the other is Augusto Pinochet's Chile... it sucks, some schools goes bankrupt and runs with taxpayers money, and the kids don't even get their grades...
 
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  • #67
DevilsAvocado said:
who would ever dream of doing GA at the dentist?? :rolleyes:
It depends on the severity of the procedure. I've heard of unfortunate people who needed to have all their teeth removed -- it was performed under GA, with subsequent overnight stay in hospital.
 
  • #68
I have had 2 colonoscopies, one ~ 16 yrs ago and another last year ... both were done with me under general anaesthetic no problems during and no nasty pains afterwards :smile:
( have never walked the same since :wink: ... kiddin')

The first one , 16 yrs ago, was almost immediately followed by the Endoscopic Examination down the throat and into the stomach. That was really uncomfortable, horrible gagging reflexes.

I did joke to the surgeon at the time that I hope its a different instrument that the one that went up the "tail pipe" haha

cheers
Dave
 
  • #69
strangerep said:
I've heard of unfortunate people who needed to have all their teeth removed

Ouch! This is lethal!

Or at least it used to be... a relative back in the old days, when old people all had (removable) false teeth, went to the dentist to remove all teeth, but the shock was too overwhelming and the old man got a stroke, a few days later he passed away... :/

But you're right, larger/complicated dental treatments require GA. In my country most dentists don't have the license/equipment to carry out this treatment; it has to be done at the hospital as a 'surgery'.

Talking about crazy dental experiences... as a teenager I fell headlong into the pavement (in a ridiculous situation that I'll skip) and I knocked out a front tooth. Just a few days before my mom did read about a car accident where the driver had knocked out a tooth, and put it back, and the tooth "grow back"... so, I picked up the tooth from the ground and put it back, and there it stayed for many years. Finally the tooth "went pink" and it was time for a dental implant. I had removed several teeth before and wasn't especially worried about this procedure... but the (dead) darned thing had joined/grown into the bone of my upper jaw... the dentist worked so hard he went red with sweat pouring down his face, repeatedly asking me "Are you okay? Are you okay?", I said yes, but was really waiting for the whole head to drop lose... expecting the dentist to next use his feet/legs against my chest to brace the stubborn bastard out. Finally he got it out, and then it was time for the titanium implant, which was also a "funny" experience... I'll skip the greasy details, but it's basically about putting your head as close to the floor as possible and your feet in the roof, and with the world upside-down watching a "specialist" entering the room, with something that looked like a rotary hammer drill, eager to drill a hole in your skull/jaw... :rolleyes:

640px-LargeDrill.jpg


Colonoscopy is a walk in the park in comparison! :approve:
 
  • #70
The type of anesthesia they're going to use is called a "procedural sedation". As I understand it, you won't remember the procedure but will be able to respond to the doctor for changing body position and give feedback as to the discomfort at the time. I am waiting to hear back from them about some of my concerns.
 
  • #71
dlgoff said:
The type of anesthesia they're going to use is called a "procedural sedation". As I understand it, you won't remember the procedure but will be able to respond to the doctor for changing body position and give feedback as to the discomfort at the time. I am waiting to hear back from them about some of my concerns.
Procedural sedation is another name for "conscious sedation". I hope that is really what you're getting, ask for lots of happy meds. If you feel any poking during the procedure, they will (or should) immediately administer more happy juice. The poking doesn't hurt, it's just pressure, but if you are sufficiently relaxed, you won't care. Whatever they give doesn't put me to sleep or erase memory, it might for you, it does for many. What it did for me was prevent any discomfort and left me enjoying the happiest day of my life.
 
  • #72
Evo said:
Whatever they give doesn't put me to sleep or erase memory, it might for you, it does for many. What it did for me was prevent any discomfort and left me enjoying the happiest day of my life.
A friend of mine told me the best he ever felt was after surgery on morphine, he was shocked on how euphoric it made him feel and that he certainly could get addicted to it. Not long after that I had surgery and was given morphine, but I was just sleepy :smile: Could be the dose, but people definitely can have different experiences.
 
  • #73
Evo said:
Procedural sedation is another name for "conscious sedation". I hope that is really what you're getting, ask for lots of happy meds. If you feel any poking during the procedure, they will (or should) immediately administer more happy juice. The poking doesn't hurt, it's just pressure, but if you are sufficiently relaxed, you won't care. Whatever they give doesn't put me to sleep or erase memory, it might for you, it does for many. What it did for me was prevent any discomfort and left me enjoying the happiest day of my life.
I will for sure ask for happy meds. Take home drugs would be a plus too. But right now I'm not happy, happy, happy. I'm hungry, hungry, hungry.
 
  • #74
Yeah, the clear liquids day I think is the worst. Even with the amazing dose of Miralax, no pain, at least not for me. I started buying Miralax ever since.
 
  • #76
Good :smile:
 
  • #77
Feeling ok?
 
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  • #78
Felling fine. Mainly from the enchiladas and apple slices dipped in cream cheese w/brown sugar. Food at last.
 
  • #79
Glad you can consume food again, what's better than that? Before making crazy happy posts, be sure your medication has worn off :wink:
 
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  • #80
:smile:
Monique said:
Glad you can consume food again, what's better than that? Before making crazy happy posts, be sure your medication has worn off :wink:
 
  • #81
dlgoff said:
Felling fine. Mainly from the enchiladas and apple slices dipped in cream cheese w/brown sugar. Food at last.

It is good to hear everything went well. So now I will tell everyone why some doctors are a bit fanatic about the preparation procedure.

Occasionally when a polyp is found after removal electrocautery is used to stop bleeding. The gases in the colon can be combustible. :eek: Bad things have happened.

http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/5295.pdf

I am about two years overdue for the procedure.:cry: My Doc is really pushing the issue.
 
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  • #82
edward said:
It is good to hear everything went well. So now I will tell everyone why some doctors are a bit fanatic about the preparation procedure.

Occasionally when a polyp is found after removal electrocautery is used to stop bleeding. The gases in the colon can be combustible. :eek: Bad things have happened.

http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/5295.pdf

I am about two years overdue for the procedure.:cry: My Doc is really pushing the issue.
OMG :bugeye: I hope your don't explode Edward. Thanks for not letting me know this beforehand.
 
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  • #83
Won't pumping just nitrogen help?
 
  • #84
If the flushing compounds worked properly, why was there still something in there generating methane?

But there was a recent hospital accident in the UK where somebody used an alcohol-based cleaning solvent externally on the patient during an operation, and then set fire to the vapor while cauterizing something.
 
  • #85
AlephZero said:
If the flushing compounds worked properly, why was there still something in there generating methane?

But there was a recent hospital accident in the UK where somebody used an alcohol-based cleaning solvent externally on the patient during an operation, and then set fire to the vapor while cauterizing something.
So a benefit or being unconscious is that they can put out the fire and dress the wounds and you'll wonder what the heck happened?
 
  • #86
  • #87
Yikes!

The doctor that did my first colonoscopy had recent bad burns to his face, I wonder if it was such an accident that burned him? Makes you wonder.
 
  • #88
Borek said:
Won't pumping just nitrogen help?

When my daughter had hers, the nurse said they use CO2.
 
  • #89
Evo said:
So a benefit or being unconscious is that they can put out the fire and dress the wounds and you'll wonder what the heck happened?
I haven't said anything about it but I suspect while I was unconscious (I told the anesthesiologist good night and it was lights out) they inserted something down my throat that I didn't expect. When I "woke up", there was no sense of ever being unconscious. The doctor said everything is fine, shook my hand and left, then the nurse asked would you like some water, a coke or anything (I took the coke, got dressed and left with my driver in about two minutes) On the way home I realized that there was little spot in my throat that felt really dry and it took a couple hours before loosing the sensation. Before the procedure, one of the prep questions was if I had ever experienced sleep apnea. I said maybe. So maybe they wanted to make sure the were ready to breath for me?
 
  • #90
I am never again going to the doctor's office...
 

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