Having Anaesthetic and Sleep Apnea

Hi All

Thanks to all who helped me to work this out.

Saw the Anaesthetist this afternoon, and we worked it all out. With the surgeons approval (which we got) I will not be having any sedation at all. What I will be having is a local anaesthetic in the esophagus, and also on the probe that goes down the esophagus.

I explained that I usually have this procedure without any anaesthetic, but I was willing to go there this time as the surgeon wanted to do multiple biopsies on the Barretts Esophagus. The Australian nurse there was a bit surprised, but the Anaesthetetist was from Sri Lanka, and said that in Sri Lanka they never use anaesthetics for this procedure.

So all being well I will be in, done, and driving home shortly afterwards.

cheers

Mars

PS - Edit - Just found this when following a JohnnyGoodman thread about non-obese patients -

http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/issues/ar ... -04_05.asp

Hi All

Everything went as expected. I did not have any anaesthetic except a spray in my esophagus and the procedure and biopsies went as planned. Whilst everyone else was asleep or recovering from their anaesthetic I was up and out, and on my way.

So from now, if possible, I will try to avoid a general anaesthetic, and just have a local.

But if I do have to have a general anaesthetic, I now know what to do.

Many thanks to all.

cheers

Mars

Oh yeah! The only rough part of an upper endoscopy w/o sedation is if you have a strong gag reflex like I do. I do some pretty tough gagging but my gastro just stops for a minute and lets me stop the gagging and we continue. I had to laugh as at one of my endoscopies I was gagging so hard tears came to my eyes and SHE wanted to quit. I'm trying to indicate, don't quit, just keep going .... it was funny ... we managed just fine.

You are right Slinky

Trying to communicate with a tube stuck down your throat is not easy.

I did some heavy duty gagging this time myself, but concentrated on keeping still externally (nothing I could do about the gagging), and tell myself that eventually the gagging will end. I like to hold the hand of the anesthetist, or the assistant, and the agreement is that if I squeeze very hard they stop the procedure. So far that has not happened.

Good to know that others are not having anaesthetic just because it is normal usage in our medical culture for this procedure.

cheers

Mars

Yeah, well, I had a TOUGH time convincing my gastro that "we" WOULD do my scopes w/o sedation after a botched colonoscopy due to my reaction to Versed. In fact, we were at a standoff for a couple of years until she FINALLY, after I sent her several articles about colonoscopies w/o sedation, underwent both upper and lower scope w/o sedation. Only then would she agree to doing my scopes w/o sedation. And she admitted and agreed w/me that the upper scope w/o sedation is worse than the lower scope w/o sedation because of the gagging. Unfortunately, now my excuse for no more scopes is gone and I'm a good girl and have them as scheduled - usually. I don't mind the colonoscopy - its the d*mn prep!!!

Slinky wrote:I don't mind the colonoscopy - its the d*mn prep!!!

If you chill the solution just as cold as you can get it without icing over, it goes down easier. Use a silver shaker and a martini glass to add elegance.

Yeah, sure. For some that might work. Unfortunately, not for me. The biggest problem is too much volume of liquid in too short a time frame.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful and I really do appreciate your sharing tips that have worked for you. I have had Crohn's disease for 30+ years so am supposed to have a colonoscopy annually.

Slinky wrote:Yeah, sure. For some that might work. Unfortunately, not for me. The biggest problem is too much volume of liquid in too short a time frame.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful and I really do appreciate your sharing tips that have worked for you. I have had Crohn's disease for 30+ years so am supposed to have a colonoscopy annually.

I understand, Slinky. I thought you might be a colonoscopy novice. Having survived colon cancer, I now get more colonoscopies than average, so I've formed opinions about how best to get through the prep. But I haven't had anywhere near 30, so I'm carrying coals to New Castle. A lifetime of beer drinking has probably accustomed me to large volumes of liquid in a short time frame.

Slinky wrote:Yeah, sure. For some that might work. Unfortunately, not for me. The biggest problem is too much volume of liquid in too short a time frame.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful and I really do appreciate your sharing tips that have worked for you. I have had Crohn's disease for 30+ years so am supposed to have a colonoscopy annually.

Slinky,

Dunno if it would help, but for mine, the doc prescribed 4 liters of "gunk"...and I was to drink 2 liters over about an hour, and then wait around 6 hours, and do the other two liters.

I've talked to people who have had to do all four liters at once, and I can't imagine it.

I so much prefer the Phosphosoda prep [if you can really use the term PREFER with any prep!] but now they are all in a twit about that [figures - only 3 0zs of sewer water vs 4 L of sewer water] so I've switched to Magnesium Citrate [still 10 ozs of sewer water but - sure beats the Half-Litely (ha! Lytely???) 2 L of sewer water]. What the hay, my gastro has absolutely NO WAY of knowing what I use as long as the gut is squeaky clean. The key w/the PhosphoSoda and now w/the Mag Cit is to be sure to drink LOTS of water and clear liquids to rinse the gut - BUT - you can take all day to do so!!! I tend to think the problem w/the PhosphoSoda was NOT the phosphosoda but rather users not drinking enough water and liquids over the long haul. But - hey! I "ain't" no doctor - I'm just a patient.

Congratulations on surviving the colon cancer, PST!!!! If only more would have these dang scopes and more could beat it!!!

KiraLynx - you are doing great to get 2L down over an hour! I'm a sipper. 2L in an hour would have me so bloated, nauseous and miserable I'd be upchucking and bawling and cussing as well as ....