Coming up soon.....Colonoscopy #46.....Thanks, Crohn's disease!

Yep, it's August & that means it's time for my yearly scoping. Upper endoscopy & colonoscopy. After all of these procedures, I still get a bit nervous about what he might find. For several years, I've had twilight sedation (with Propofol) for the colonoscopy & full sedation for the endo. It's fun to watch & after viewing it so many times, I'm pretty good at knowing exactly where the scope is. Pretty cool to watch the scope navigate around the Splenic flexure.

As far a the prep goes, I can only manage one dose of miralax. I just can't handle large volume of yucky oral laxatives, I get nauseous. I usually start on clear fluids 55-60 hours prior to the procedure. So, if the procedure is on a Wednesday, I go on clear fluids after dinner on Sunday. Monday AM starts with several cups of strong caffeinated tea. I never drink caffeinated beverages because it goes through my GI system (what's left of it) at the speed of a .308 (2650 FPS).

Monday PM, it's ENEMA time! Here's my setup for colonoscopy prep: https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=gallery;ox=showalbum;ax=8685

I do a series of 3 large saline/soda enemas Monday PM, Tues AM & PM & Wed AM. Smallest enema 2L, largest 4L, on the morning of the procedure(s). don't try for long hold times, don't think it's necessary. The last one is very warm (107-10😎 & gets well up into the small bowel because I'm missing (from a prior surgery) the last 1.5 - 2.5 feet of small bowel, terminal Ileum, ileocecal valve, entire ascending colon and the hepatic flexure. My GI Doc knows what I do for prep & always comments on how clean my colon is.

Last year, the prep RN (IV, BP, Pulse Ox & 1000 questions) asked me what prep I used & I told her EXACTLY what I did. She was very impressed, had a big smile on her face and asked if my GI Doc knew. Mid 40's & very attractive lady!

My GI Doc once commented that he wished he could make all of his patients do what I do for prep & I told him if he made his patients do my prep, he wouldn't have any patients except me. He got a good chuckle out of that!

Regards,

vapor

Good luck vapor on that. Hope for positive results for you.

Good luck. been there done that got the pictures have fun

After all of these procedures, I still get a bit nervous about what he might find.

in my case, the gastroenterologist did not note anything abnormal about my colon. However my primary care doc once did a sonogram of my abdomen and went on and on commenting about how I must have the worst record of constipation of any patient he ever came across; I didn't want to "out" myself as a klismaphile because I feared that he'd want to intervene since that may have come across as my having harmed to myself by so stretching out my colon.

Also, for the record, I took a 5 quart plain order enema the night before just to make sure nothing was left, but the next morning they had to postpone my colonoscopy because there was still stool up there. BTW, during my intake the nurse asked me about my prep, I noted that I had taken a very large enema the night before; she remarked that enemas only clear out the rectum, and that's all, so I taught her about the difference between a low enema and a high enema and how taking something big enough to fill the colon all the way up to the cecum would, in fact, cleanse the whole colon.

First, thanks to all who wished me well with my upcoming colonoscopy! Started my prep this morning, using my JBL bag. The valve / nozzle leaked, so I replaced all the suspect O-rings & that fixed it. Filled it with 6L of isotonic saline solution, burped the air , lubed up & sat down. This was my first enema of the prep & I took exactly 4L before my gut told me, ok, that's ENOUGH! I've NEVER be able to do that till the last enema of the prep.

We all know that the sitting position is probably the worst for taking enemas. If that's true, how did I manage 4 qts with the first enema of a series?? Defies logic! I usually use Sims or knee chest, Sims / Back / right side or knee chest / right side. Never use sitting, except with the JBL.

See: https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=gallery;ox=showalbum;ax=10017 for pictures of the JBL before & after. OK, so who can tell me why this is possible, because I can't make sense of it.

Thanks & stay safe,

vapor

What drugs are they giving you to help the process? Good luck.. you'll be in good hands

What drugs are they giving you to help the process? Good luck.. you'll be in good hands

For the Colonoscopy, Propofol with twilight sedation. I like to watch and ask questions. For the upper endoscopy, my GI insists on "lights out".

vapor

Best of luck for nothing negative showing up. Come out with a Clean bill of health!

our experience with endoscopes has been relaxation with Valium why does your doc want full sedation? Obviously if this a an annual screening, it’s a serious concern, good luck!

our experience with endoscopes has been relaxation with Valium why does your doc want full sedation? Obviously if this a an annual screening, it’s a serious concern, good luck!

A few years ago, had a bad experience with a valium / demerol cocktail. Will not ever take either one again. Besides, what's not to like about Propofol? 10 minutes after you wake up, you're good to go, no nausea, no hangover. And yes, this is an annual screening because those of us who have Crohn's disease are at a much higher risk for colon cancer than the general public.

Went through that about 10 years ago.......everything LOOKED normal, but one of the 62 biopsies tested positive. Caught the cancer in the microscopic stage. Surgery at Mt Sinai fixed that and several other Crohn's related maladies (fistula, inflamed mesentary) , all in one 5+ hour surgery.

Procedure done! Everything looking fine in the colon & duodenum. Many biopsies done along the entire length (what's left of it) of the colon & in the duodenum. Hopefully, nothing significant will show up. Total of 10 large volume enemas over 51 hours, including two 4L enemas. Used 1/2 suggested dose of miralax, no dulcolax......= totally clean colon, GI Doc happy!

Procedure done! Everything looking fine in the colon & duodenum. Many biopsies done along the entire length (what's left of it) of the colon & in the duodenum. Hopefully, nothing significant will show up. Total of 10 large volume enemas over 51 hours, including two 4L enemas. Used 1/2 suggested dose of miralax, no dulcolax......= totally clean colon, GI Doc happy!

Cognats,! Glad for the positive results. Good for you! ?

Got the call from my GI Doc @ 2130......Biopsy results show no cancer or dysplasia. Just a bit of inflammation at the colon-small bowel anastomosis. Pretty much the same situation in the duodenum. Good to go for another year!

My colon is a polyp factory and i have this barrettes throat funky thing , so since 2009 i have had an endoscopy and colonoscopy every April always during the week of my birthday and i do both endoscopy and colonoscopy sedation and drug free totally awake and it's something i so so so enjoy and look forward to and to me it's like a mega birthday present and my doctor she knows i enjoy this and some of the nurses will say , wow how do you do this and i will simply tell them , it does not hurt like everyone claims and besides if you think about it because of modern medicine how can you pass up on a chance to see the inside of your colon , do you realize just how fascinating this is and also no sedation or drugs is a lot safer and one time one of the nurses came up to me and thanked me for doing it drug free because she was scheduled for hers the following week and she was terrified of the sedation and said after seeing you do it drug free i feel so much better and she said to the doctor , i am going to do it the way Anne does it lol , at my clinic i go to i am the only one in the 12 years they have been doing colonoscopies to do them drug free so many of the nurses are amazed , i will admit doing the endoscopy is gag city to say the least lol

@Annie2

Don't they use local anaesthetic in the US . We use it in the UK (Xylocaine spray) and it totally prevents that gag reflex for about 1 hr . It's very effective and you are fully awake and can resume normally activities post procedure. About 10-15% of patients where I work also choose to have their colonoscopy without and sedatives or analgesia.

RN

RN 1993 , they don't use the spray at the clinic i use , they use a lidocaine gel you gargle with and its not that good , so now i just do it w/out for the endo

, i will admit doing the endoscopy is gag city to say the least lol

I had one done down my throat to look at my heart from the backside. I guess they look for clots before a procedure. They knocked me out and I woke up with a sore throat.

They use iv sedation for endoscopies and colonoscopies. I usually get both at one time. Wake up not a big deal. No gagging due to sedation, and get driven home

I usually follow what Toshe outlined and also get driven home with no lingering after-effects