How strange. They come to you. That`s a bit like home delivered pizza - "I`ll take 2 colonoscopies, a full colonic irrigation, and a side order of enemas, please".

Just double up on the Xanax. That should do the trick.
Producing waste since 1967

I have never had a colonoscopy, but I have to say... I would never pass up the opportunity to have Versed. I was given it for the first time before my last surgery (as a sort of apology for being stuck so many times for bloodwork and the IV, I guess), and it is quite an amazing drug.

I thought I was silent but elated; turns out I was laughing with no abandon within seconds of being given it and continued until I was under general anesthesia. I hesistate to say that you wouldn't feel pain with it, but you definitely would not care about or accurately remember the pain later.

Whatever you choose, good luck with your colonoscopy!

Ask the doctor performing the colonscopy. He should be able to shed some light on discomfort management during the procedure. Tell Doc about your existing prescription as well.
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Yo quiero Taco Bell.

Do it for yourself...

and your loved ones...

with a colonoscopy.

I saw this on a subway advertisment for Georgetown University Health Plan. I can just hear myself whispering into my sweet Poopette's ear when the lights are down low, "Oh, honey, I love you so much that I want to give you a colonoscopy."
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Yo quiero Taco Bell.

Past history has led me to associate "slight discomfort" (which is what most doctors would tell you you'd feel without pain medication) as "Brace yourself. Hopefully you pass out from the pain within moments. Otherwise, you're fucked. In the event you remain conscience, hold still or we'll have to do it again."

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Man who stand on toilet seat is high on pot.

Thunderbox,that sounds like the next big chain store.I can see the coupons in The Sunday Papers.Buy one enema and get a second one free at IHOC International House of Colons.

I've had 3 c'scopes: for 2 of 'em I was "knocked out", and both times were done in the gastro-enterologist's facility. NO hospital. The G-E contracts out the anesthesia procedure to a 3rd party that is solely responsible for the anesthesia.
I was awake for the 3rd one (until 1/2 way through the procedure), and I regretted being conscious...believe me! When the "discomfort" got TOO bad, they put me under.
Just go for the "knockout", kbinnc.

Just tell them that you're already on Xanax- I don't see why it should be a problem. I don't know how often you take it or how much you take, but I imagine they could just subtract your dose. Xanax is for sedation/anxiety, not pain, and it's very hard to overdose on.

I think that little bit of discomfort is a VERY small price to pay when you see people walking around with bags hanging off their sides from colostomies. Just that embarassment alone while it may not have me looking forward to "my first" it definitely pushes me and motivates me to do it. A little pain now could save you a lot of pain and heartache later.
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The Thunderous Crapper 63 Enjoying home toilet advantage since 2004!

Thanks to all for your posts.

Thunderbox, LMAO at your post (I'm sure you know I meant the DOCTOR'S office). But I can just see it now - a large white side-paneled truck rolling up to my workplace with the following slogan plastered on the side - "Squeals on Wheels, Ben Dover, Proprietor". Also, looking forward to the Versed.

I'll let you know how it comes out (and goes in).

If you're in too much pain to continue, find out if this would be covered by insurance.

Best wishes, truly, and plese know you can trust the poopers who are giving you advice. Many of the people on poopreport.com are here because they've had "butt trouble" and found us for support or to share and help others.

As our fearless leader dave says, "fear not - your butt is in our hands".

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.....hugging bunnies since 1969
www.daphneszoo.com

Trust me...I speak from experience: DONT let any fears re: the procedure keep you from getting it done. They put you to sleep - the next thing you know you're waking up in the recovery area. Once you're awake and walking outta there, you'll never even know you had anything done, kbinnc
P.S. - I had a "problem" that made the conscious procedure more painful than it probably is for most folks.

Oh come on Fudgepump...you can't throw out a tantilizing little morsel like that and NOT say what the "problem" was!

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Man who stand on toilet seat is high on pot.

OK...OK...(sorry, all): in June of '05 I was diagnosed with rectal cancer. The "conscious" c'scope was a combination c'scope/biopsy/rectal ultrasound (to determine if my bladder or lymph nodes were affected -they weren't). I had successful surgery on 8/30/05 and now have a "clean" rectum w/o a colostomy bag.

As I reported on this site very recently I had a colonoscopy a couple of years ago using a 'gas and air' experiment. It was murder. I would not put my worst enemy through it ... well I might!! In the UK they only 'put you out' in exceptional circumstances because they want you to move about to help them. Frankly, I would not entertain having it done other than in hospital. Tell them what you are on, and take their advice.

Only SammDammit likes it awake.

Re: the "gas and air". For some reason, Hammy, it's just not good enough to shove 9 feet of snake up your ass: sometimes they feel like they have to pressurize your plumbing as well. Who knows...

Well, the deed is done. Just like most people told me, the prep was definitely the worst part. I've never crapped so much in my life! I lost 5 lbs! I guess I really was full of shit like my husband says.

I got a huge headache that I still can't get rid of - probably due to lack of nutrition. I suspect I purged myself of years of toxins, because my complexion has improved markedly today.

The procedure itself was a breeze. I had the minimum sedation, was awake for the whole thing, remember it all, and had only mild discomfort that I wouldn't call pain. I suspect I could have done it without any meds. There was plenty of gas afterwards because they do pump you full of air.

The recovery room was hilarious with people in their little private cubbies, blowing the paint off the walls getting rid of their post-procedure gas.

I'm clean as a whistle, no polyps, no diverticulitus, etc. And I don't have to do it again for 10 years!!!

Thanks to all for your posts.

Fudge - who indeed!! But it was nearly worth it all for the lovely nurse who held my hand and encouraged me - and because of whom I managed not to scream out loud!!

kbinnc - the headache will be due to dehydration. Poo Nurse will know, but there is some stuff they can give you in severe cases of the runs to combat this.

Hamster, I'll bet you're right. I'm sure that's why I lost 5 pounds, too.

kbinnc - we'll may be partly that, and losing all that compacted shit we are supposed to have in our colons!! I didn't mind the prep too much - it was the procedure I had difficulty with. But having the system cleared out like that has obviously done you good - maybe a lesson to us all!!

I'm glad that most find colonoscopy so easy and painless...for me, and for many others, it's a horrific experience, especially the amnesia drug Versed (midazolam)...it was like a chemical straight-jacket, I was in agony (despite the usual scant doses of painkiller) and they kept laughing as I screamed..."you won;t remember a thing"...I sure do and a lot of people sure do....check out a website called versedbusters or colonoscopy warning...this is a lousy drug and they will insist that you get it because they like imobile patients who won't remember a thing....b/s....at least my doc told me I won't be billed for the incomplete colonoscopy, and when I complained about the versed that they insisted upon, he told me that lots of doc's would never consent to receive that drug...go ahead, get a colonoscopy with versed, maybe you will be the significant percentage of people who have nightmares of abuse for life...........

I'm sorry you're experience wasn't as tolerable as mine. I'm so glad it's done and that I'm healthy. I also feel like I have a "clean start" so to speak.

I loved the versed and I was not immobilized by it in the least. I told them I wanted to be awake and aware for the procedure but that I didn't want to be in pain, so she gave me the min dosage and was on standby to give me more if I needed it.

I did have a bit of amnesia from it. After I came home and slept for a bit, I woke up and remembered a conversation I had with the nurses and the doctor about "villi". He pointed them out to me and called them "hair-like structures" and I said something very text-bookish and nerdy like "Villi: they increase absorption due to more surface area." They all died laughing - I suppose that's not a typical response. He asked me what my profession is. I told him I'm a stock trader but that I paid attention in biology class.

I also later remembered asking him why anyone would choose to look at colons and buttholes all day or something to that effect. He might have been offended, but it is a valid question in my opinion - probably just inappropriate aimed at someone you've spent maybe 15 mins with! I suppose the versed temporarily disabled the filter between my mouth and my brain. I wonder what else I said that I don't remember? Glad I don't have any deep dark secrets...

kbinnc - maybe he's quite well paid for doing it!?? I don't think I'd want to do anything in the medical world personally!

And if the job only took 15 minutes, yes, it was a doddle for you! But you were anaethetised anyway, so it should have been.

I have no doubt that he's very well paid, but some things just aren't worth the price! The procedure only cost me $40. The meds to prep cost me more than the procedure itself! Although I'm thankful for it, health insurance can be so freakin' dysfunctional, but that's a a topic for another forum!

Well I suppose he hasn't got the overheads has he? Once the equipment is purchased anyway? But that seems very cheap!

Oh, I'm sure my insurance company paid him handsomely - I'd say at least $350. I just had to pay the normal dr. office/specialist co-payment, which is a standard $40. I just find it odd that the prep meds were covered by insurance too, but they cost more than the procedure itself.

glad that some people had good experiences with colonoscopy; mine was horrible with versed and I work with a lot of nurses who alos had horrible, horrible experiences with this date-rape benzodiazepine. go ahead, "trust them" they don't give A DAMN ABOUT YOU

th

I'm, 54 with a terrible family history of colon cancer, and I think that I have IBS with constipation. I have a pretty severe phobia about seeing doctors and getting any type of test in general, but due to recent bleeding and changes in bowel habits, a friend who is a nurse suggested that I at least find a doctor and get a diagnosis. Truthfully, I have been avoiding this because I know that a colonoscopy will be recommended, and although I can certianly understand the need for one (2 first degree relatives with the disease), I have been too scared to see a doctor or even discuss the test. Recently, my nurse friend asked me to be her "designated driver" and accompany her for her colonoscopy at a local hospital....an added benefit might be that I would become less fearful of the procedure........she explained that they use "conscious sedation" and IV painkillers, so the test is a breeze. Well, I was in the recovery room while she was having the test done (a routine screening) and I could hear her crying and occasionally screaming "stop, it hurts too much".....listening to her suffer was awful; I asked one of the nurses (who happened to be one of the ones that do the sedation) why she was in such agony and why they were letting her suffer so..the answer was: "because of the drugs that she was given, she won't remember a thing"! I told her that this was barbaric and that the dose of the painkiller was obviously too low; again I was told that her suffering didn't matter because the drug Versed that she was given would cause amnesia of the event. My friend was still sobbing and crying when they wheeled her into the recovery room, but she was sort of dazed and didn't know exactly what had happened, but that it was something awful. Now she is haunted by by nightmares of this "simple, diagnostic procedure"..........I asked the doctor why he didn't stop the procedure and his answer was again: "she won't remember".......another nurse told me that the drugs don't work on about 10% of the patients; the "amnesia" isn't total and that some doctors are just too rough because they rely on the "amnesia" factor........My own doctor told me 2 weeks ago that she wants to schedule me for a colonoscopy; I related this story and she said that it should not happen, but sometimes the exam under "conscious sedation" is a nightmare and that, indeed, some GI docs are rough....although she also said that men are easier to scope since we have straighter colons...her nurse called with a colonoscopy date for me (a virtual colonoscopy isn't good enough), which I cancelled; the experience that I witnessed was just awful..and my poor friend feels traumatized, violated etc. by the event..........I'm scared to death of getting this exam; my doc said that she could have the colonoscopy done with a different anesthesia drug, but couldn't be 100% sure that it would not be painful........anyone else hear of a really painful colonoscopy????????

As far as colonoscopies go, I've had probably over 30, and I thought the worst part was the prep. I recently had an endoscopy, and I was terrified of the consious sedation not being enough, so they gave me MAC anesthesia, and I was knocked out. Do NOT avoid having a colonoscopy due to fear, especially if you have symptoms. I do have an ostomy bag at this point (I got one at age 24 for colitis), and if you can avoid that fate, trust me you want to. It's not the end of the world, like some people may think, but it is not pleasant either. As a matter of fact, I am on PR, looking around, and I am a little jealous of all of you people who get to poop the old fashioned way!

I am having my 3rd or 4th colonoscopy on Tuesday. My first few went just fine with only light sedation - no biggie. I want to let you know, however, that the first time you take Versed is the last time it will make you feel that way. The doctors and nurses told me this and it is a teaching hospital. They say Versed will work, but will never give you that feeling you had the first time. It barely works on me anymore. Anyway, I had a hysterectomy since my last colonscopy and it changed my innerds! They tried to do one about 2 months ago and they gave me triple the amount of anethesia. My doctor wrote this in BIG letters on my order and they still tried to start me with less. I insisted they follow the doctor's order because I take pain medication and it takes a lot for me. I came out of it all three times saying, "STOP! It is unbearable!" We think my tubes may have twisted or something, but it was horrible this time around. Luckily, I really talked with them about this very thing before going under. I told them if it starting hurting too much and I asked them to stop, DO NOT tell me I am under anesthesia and don't know what I am saying like they did with my endoscopy! I was 100% COHERENT and the doctor kept saying, "She is sedated and doesn't know what she is saying" They stuck the tube down my mouth and I grabbed the doctor's hand and pulled it back out. We had a long, threatening talk. Just be proactive people! Talk to them ahead of time. More than likely, you will not have any pain (unless you have IBS or have had a hysterectomy).

I did it. No anesthesia. No drugs of any kind. No problem. The doc put in a port for an IV in case it was necessary. Very little discomfort, or pain. When He got to the end of the colon, and was bumping, that was disconcerting. I said, "Hey doc, I think you are at the end of the line." He pumped in the air, took a look, and replied "yes we are." That was it! A little pressure when inflating for pictures, kind of a tickle when sucking the air out. Relax, nothing to be the least bit anxious about. Now the gallon of crap I had to drink the night before.... That was NASTY!

A girl (17 years old) in one of my classes (I'm a teacher) was suddenly absent for some days. Her mother told me the girl was having diarrhea about twice an hour and was getting very weak. Finally she had to go to the hospital, where yesterday morning she was given a colonoscopy; first findings are apparently that she has colitis--what kind, I haven't heard. She is very young to have this, I guess, but it is good that the doctors were able to find out. As I understand it, colitis is treatable, and up to the time of the colonoscopy no one knew whether her condition was treatable or not. I'm sure she hated the whole experience; but at least it helped her in diagnosis, and now she can get treatment and get back to her life.

My doc showed me the bill for the procedure just before shoving the tube up my butt. The pain from the former overshadowed the discomfort from the latter. All in all I got butt-fucked twice by a sadist. No fun.

I have never been showed a bill by a doctor. Ever. It either comes in the mail or is shown to me by the receptionist when I go to pay, and that only happens if I happen to be paying a co-pay.

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.....hugging bunnies since 1969
www.daphneszoo.com

DO NOT BE AFRAID!! My husband had pain and the doctor said that it was because his colon is small and he should have a child-size thing. The next time he asked for a child-size thing (whatever it is they put in you) and everything was fine. So tell them that if you have pain you want then to switch to a child-size. Don't go to the doctor your friend went to.
Colon cancer is a preventable disease as long as you have colonoscopies every 5 years---don't let them tell you every 10 years, because that's too long to wait.
Interview your doctor before your colonoscopy and find one who you feel comfortable with.
But whatever you do, have the test. My ex got Stage 3 rectal cancer that's metastasized to his liver, and if you think a colonoscopy is painful, it's nothing compared to what he went through.
By the way, I've had 2 colonoscopies and it was absolutely painless. I told them I want enough drugs to knock me out, no being awake for me.
Be proactive, find a compassionate doctor--they do exist---and go for it. It may save your life.

I don't know what drug I was administered for my colonoscopy last year but it did not render me unconscious. I laid on my side and watched the monitor as the camera traveled up my ass. It was a memorable and scenic trip.

In my teen years I was an amateur spelunker. The colonoscopy reminded me of a trip through a moist dark, and probably stinky, cave. Luckily the stalactites and stalagmites were few and far between. The doctor must have been an ex-cowboy because he was very good at lassoing the occasional protuberance and removing it by tightening the noose. Several were removed but luckily all were benign.

I am normally a flatulent fellow but my flatulence soared to new heights after the procedure. I let one fart that was violent enough I feel sure if a golf ball had been stuck in my asshole I could easily have fired it into orbit.

The procedure was uncomfortable but not unbearably painful. The possible alternative of undiagnosed rectal cancer
would be far worse. So, all you older poop reporters, bare that ass and get ready for the garden hose onslaught. The benefits far outweigh the risks.

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Eat chilies and feel the burn!!

The benefits far outweigh the risks. Amen to that Chief. Stop thinking about doing it, and DO IT!