colonoscopy without sedation

[mummykanga]

Has anyone had this? My friend is having one this week and apparently was offered 3 options but the sedation one means she can't drive and with covid is struggling to think how else to get home etc - I have just read up and it looks as though she should have someone with her but she lives alone. how is it with the other options (from the nhs website this is painkillers and gas and air but not positive as she can't remember what they said) Thanks

I'd imagine gas and air is option 2
Option 3 would be no sedation or gas and air.

Pain relief can be given for all three options.
If she chooses sedation somebody will need to collect her.

I have had one done and did it with full put me to sleep sedation.
I wouldn’t recommend going without sedation.
You can always call a taxi to take you home if no friend to give you a lift.

A very stoic family member has had several, one without sedation and he said never again. I'd tell her to try her best to arrange transport

I had one last year with no sedation, just gas and air. Was quite uncomfortable but bearable. Was able to drive myself home shortly afterwards with no issues. The nurse commented that women who have used gas and air before during childbirth tend to cope better as they know what they are doing with it!

I had one without sedation and it was uncomfortable but tolerable.i had no after effects or soreness.

Given the choice, which I was not, I'd choose gas & air..

I've had two, first one without sedation and it was horrible and they told me that I should have sedation the next time. Second time I supposedly had sedation but it did fuck all to sedate me and it was again horrible. There was no gas and air option for me but if there was I'd pick that, gas and air is brilliant.

Done it, no sedation was fine, not enjoyable, uncomfortable rather than painful and staff were terrific really helped put me at ease.

I had canula in my hand so they could pause and sedate me if it was unbearable.

Didnt have the option of gas and air but that would have been a good one too, certainly make it easier and avoid sedation.

I've had several done, with and without sedation, with and without analgesia. My personal preference is no sedation, just analgesia ie fentanyl 50 mcg as it has a short half life and I was up, dressed and ready to go home 90 minutes after the procedure. As it was done in my own Trust, I was able to request painkiller of choice and as I'm an anaesthetic technician (ODP) they were well aware of my expertise in the field and very accommodating in that respect. I need to be fully compos mentis so I can discuss the procedure with the consultant during and after. All the others have been clear but this time I did the FIT test and the result was WAY above normal, so I want to be able to ask questions and watch the screen as it happens. I hate the bowel prep beforehand.....see agent picolax story (Google it, very funny).

I was really sick for my second one so had no sedation but in fairness you could have transplanted by head and I wouldn't have cared. My first one I wasn't given enough midazolam so I remembered it all and was entirely unseated. It was fairly uncomfortable. Subsequent ones were with appropriate doses of midazolam and were absolutely fine. I would recommend the conscious sedation option and try and arrange a lift.

I would definitely go for sedation. The gas and air and highest concentration of iv painkillers that they gave me just weren’t enough since then sedation every time.