Anesthesia Question

SleeplessinBradenton · Post by **SleeplessinBradenton** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:34 pm

I am scheduled to have an Endoscopy and a Colonoscopy on July 13. I'll be getting both ends scoped at the same time!

Anyway, is there anything I should know about the "happy sleep" stuff they give you before I have this done? I made sure I told the gastroenterologist I have sleep apnea (several times!!)

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:07 pm

I just had an Endoscopy in April and had no problems. I asked if I needed to bring my CPAP machine and of course none of them were worried and said I would be fine and I reminded them over and over I had sleep apnea and asthma and to PLEASE PLEASE watch me carefully and they assured me I would. EVen when I was rolled back into the room they did the procedure in and as they were giving me the good stuff as they call it I was still reminding them PLEASE watch me lol...I don't know if because of the sleep apnea and asthma they just didn't give me a ton of the stuff or if it just didn't take affect on me like everyone else cause I ended up being awake and knowing what was going on the whole time. DOn't worry though, I was plently relaxed that I didn't care what they were doing and iut sure didn't hurt or anything and I would do it again but I was fine afterwards and they did watch me. The stuff seemed to hit me right after I was wheeled out cause I remember going down the hall to my room and all and talking to my dad when I got back in there but like then I wanted to sleep and of course thats when they came in to take out my IV and wanted me to get up and eat crackers...So just remind them you have it and stress to be watched closely and hopefully you will have great nurses to watch you and you should have any problems! The worst part I think is waiting to have it done!

Good Luck!

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:07 pm

Not to scare you, but I almost died from a simple procedure because the surgeon neglected to tell the anesthesiologist that I had OSA! After extubating me they had me flat on my back and then were all worried when I didn't breathe right. Thank God, I regained enough will power to start gasping and turn on my side so I could finally breathe right.
Make absolute sure you tell not only the doctor doing the procedures, but also the anesthesiologist that you have OSA!!!!! DO NOT depend on anyone else. Since that incident, I now wear a MedicAlert necklace warning all that I have sleep apnea...... Good Luck!

tooly125 · Post by **tooly125** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:38 pm

Make absolute sure you tell not only the doctor doing the procedures, but also the anesthesiologist

very important!

Also ask not to be left alone in the recovery room untill you are awake!
I had them bring my wife in to sit with me.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:49 pm

I thought you only had to worry about that if you were going to be knocked out. I was wide awake (though sedated) for my endoscopy and my colonoscopy. It doesn't matter then, does it?

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:53 pm

Yes, it could. It all depends on the degree of sedation and how the individual takes it. Many scopings now use a drug called Versed, which is a sedative, but will put many peolple out enough to possibly cause problems depending on what position they have you in. Colonoscopys are typically done with one on their side. I am not sure about endoscopys.
Either way, make sure they all know of your OSA, and have them monitor you closely!

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:56 pm

Tell the nurses too. Don't call it sleep apnea when you first tell them. Just say you may have apnea when you are sedated, deeply relaxed, unconscious, or sleeping. The reason I don't recommend calling it sleep apnea is that they call the anesthesia you will be receiving "conscious sedation"-so they don't consider you asleep or unconscious.

MissAmethyst that is also the reason you were aware of what was going on but didn't care. Most people also have amnesia-don't remember the procedure.

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:53 pm

Do tell them... make sure you know. But I just had nasal surgery and everything went fine. I was really conserned... maybe to much so... due to them having my nose packed off!!!!

Good Luck.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:59 pm

Tell them to Clean the scope before they do the second test. Jim

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): clean

Sorry for the poor taste, but it reminds me of a flashback of the orgional movie, Mash. A man in a the unit, wrapped up in bandages head to foot, in traction. He has a IV on one end and a Cath on the other, Three or Four Nurses are tending to his needs and are talking amongs themselves. Nurse "A" removes the empty IV, Nurse "B" removes the Cath, and they both hang them on the other ends. The patient in the bed next to the poor man, gets up and jumps out the window. Just a weird fear I've picked up. Jim

SleeplessinBradenton · Post by **SleeplessinBradenton** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:04 pm

Good point! Hahahahahaha

Jere · Post by **Jere** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:12 pm

That comment was in poor taste.

.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:33 pm

Jere wrote:That comment was in poor taste.

.

GROAN!!!!! That was even worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fubar2u · Post by **Fubar2u** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:00 am

mark your fore head osa

Im2tired · Post by **Im2tired** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:49 pm

I had a Colonoscopy about 2 weeks ago. I have a sheet with all my conditions and medications but I actually wasn't thinking about the sleep apnea. I guess I was concentrating too much on my blood sugar and insulin pump as well as making sure they didn't give me any gluten (I have type 1 diabetes and celiac disease as well as rheumatoid arthritis and the sleep apnea). In the operating room the nurses asked if I brought my CPAP with me. I didn't even think of it. Then they wanted to make sure that my dr. knew that I had sleep apnea which he did but of course I was thinking he may not have remembered. Everything was fine (I was given VERSED) and my dr. did say something about we can't put you under as much as we would like so they monitor for pain.

I guess now I need to make sure if I'm ever put under again I need to remind everyone to watch my breathing, look for signs of low blood sugar and not to give me anything to eat. Maybe I need a large sign!

bluesky · Post by **bluesky** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:57 pm

Had repair work on my achilles last fall and had general anesthesia. Told my surgeon I had OSA. He took it very seriously, and from what I see on these posts that may be a bit unusual. No idea what they did while I was in surgery, but when I woke up in post op I was on a CPAP and had my mask on - Got to my room then transferred to my own CPAP. Bottom line - no problems, but the Doc. and the Anesthologist need to know.

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