Slightly OT--A little Nervous about colonoscopy and my SA

And, if an apnea occurs and the throat closes off what good is the 02 gonna do then?

carbonman wrote:
...A few weeks ago I had to have a cystoscopy w/ no sedation .
I'll let you do the research.
I'll take the colonoscopy anyday, sedation or not.

You and me both my friend.
"Oh. It'll only be uncomfortable for a day or two...."
Try a week!!!!!! And you know what I mean!!!!!! (so does anyone that's had one -- and I ain't bein' more descriptive than that -- you're welcome...).
He also had a problem doing an IV for the knock out drops and said, "If I can't get the IV in, we'll just go ahead without it" ......He was basically told, "you ain't doing nothin' if I'm conscious!!!! If I'm not out cold and can get up and walk, that's precisely what I'm doin'".......He got the IV in....had I known!!!

I had major surgery (sigmoid colectomy) and two colonoscopys before being diagnosed - no recovery issues and no nurses/docs noting any breathing issues. I've had one colonoscopy since diagnosis and when I asked the doc (surgeon that did the colectomy) about the OSA and bringing my machine, he said that it wouldn't be an issue and that if I really wanted I could bring the machine and mask......I chose not to.

Good luck with your tests!!!
cheers
goose

I work in a hospital in a department that does colonoscopes. I am not a health care professional, I just do grunt work in the department, been there for over 3 years. Here's the deal: the thought of the procedure and the preparation is the worst part of the procedure. The day before you will have a liquid diet ingesting nothing that is red (red will mask any irregularities on the colon walls). The night before you will take enough laxative to clean your bowels real well. This is the key to having a good interpretation of the observation being made in your colon. The procedure will take approximately 45 minutes. Please do opt for sedation. The drugs are very well tolerated with no side effects and no memory of what just happened whether or not you are awake or asleep. I have seen one person in the last 3 years that got an upset stomach after the sedation, but that's the only time I've ever seen something out of the ordinary. Recovery will be approximately one hour, and you'll want to eat light and take a nap when you get home...with your CPAP. This procedure is an important one for you since it will be a baseline from which all future colonoscipies will be compared. If no irregularities are observed it will be 5 to 10 years (depends on your doc's philosophy) before you will need another procedure. Good luck and God bless you.

Thank you, pfa, for sharing your colonoscopy department experience. I concur w/you on all EXCEPT it is NOT true that are no side effects from the medications used. While it is true there are very seldom any problems w/these meds, there is the risk of side effects from ANY medication we take, OTC or scripted. Adverse side effects may be rare but they can occur.

Again, if you have OSA and are on xPAP the risk of apnea events is NOT during the procedure when you are closely monitored, the risk is AFTER the procedure in recovery where you are not CLOSELY monitored and at home depending on the "sedation" and "analgesia" used.

I volunteered in our local hospital's endoscopy department and having Crohn's disease I am subject to annual colonoscopies.

Slinky wrote:Gently washing w/a hot wash cloth after every "trip" helps to spare the "bottom". Prep time is the perfect time for a bidet!!!

I have a "shower bidet" from http://www.hygieneforhealth.com/. They have the LA-1 (cold water only, easiest to install, but in the winter, brrr.....) and the LA-2, which can have warm water. Prices aren't bad. Service is quite good (based on two interactions: when I got the one for our bath, and then again when I got the one for my front bath).

Admittedly, I'm not as experienced with the wonderful world of colonoscopy prep as some of you are, having done one prep before my cancer surgery in 2008 and one prep on New Year's Day 2009 for a colonoscopy which my now-former PCP insisted was essential! At once! Your cancer is coming back! Your hematocrit dropped from last year!

Uh, doc... my sleep apnea, which you missed entirely, just like you missed my cancer, is being treated: that could make a difference...

No! No! Your hematocrit dropped! That means you're bleeding internally, and that means cancer!

If he had simply said, "You're in your fifties; you should have a colonoscopy -- we can schedule one after the holidays," I'd've been OK with that.

But he was hyper-dramatic and used scare tactics to force me into doing the d@mn thing during what turned out to be my mother's last Christmas season.

Plus, he used the scare tactics, insisting that the hematocrit drop meant that my uterine cancer had spread to my colon, despite the fact that all the post-surgical labs and my first four-month labs by my oncologist were negative. But when my husband was with me, he insisted to my husband that it was "a routine procedure, nothing to worry about," and, pat, pat, clearly, she's over reacting, but just between us men, we know there's nothing to worry about....

ANYway... the shower bidet was relatively inexpensive, for those who don't want to remodel their bathrooms, and fairly easy to install, and it made the whole prep a lot easier. I've gotten hooked on having it for everyday events.

Slinky wrote:Now I prefer to use Magnesium Citrate. 1 - 10 oz bottle late morning, LOTS of water and clear liquids until evening, a 2nd 10 oz bottle that evening, LOTS of water and clear liquids and 'I'm good to go and squeaky clear and clean for the scope in the AM. While we still HAVE to drink LOTS of clear liquids we don't have to drink them so fast in such a short time, we can stretch them thru out the day, just making sure to stay well-hydrated. We can mix the Mag Cit w/the usual: gatorade, gingerale, whatever. I prefer to drink less "bilge water" tasting stuff and more decent or good tasting clear liquids.

Hmm, I've had a terrible time with Mag Citrate every time I've had it, but they've always insisted I drink it straight! Funny it never occurred to me to mix it with anything, as we must mix everything else. Perhaps I should ask about it for next time.

The key is when you're running clear, no "sand", you don't need any more of the prep. But you do need to keep up w/the liquids until NPO time.

With the Miralax prep, I was running clear very late at night, so I thought I was done. By morning, however, it was no long so clear. I was worried they might not do the procedure, but the doc said I was fine. I sure would hate to suffer through the prep only to be turned away from the procedure!

And actually, the more "progressive" colonoscopists and research say the closer to prepping the procedure is the clearer the colon, and if I remember correctly, the last prep just 2 hours before the procedure was effective and not a sedation problem.

Yes, even when we don't eat, the bowels still rid the body of toxins and produce mucus, so there'll be stuff to get rid of even if we don't eat. I learned this when I had my temporary ileostomy....

Hey, twokatmew, do you post as the healingwell.com Crohn's forum??

No Slinky, that's one forum I'd never seen before! It looks interesting so will have to give a more thorough look. Thanks for the pointer.

karessamom wrote:I guess I'm lucky in a way-- some time on Wednesday (and they didn't even really tell me when) i'm supposed to start by taking 2 delcolax pills then I mix a bottle of miralax with 64 oz gaterade and start drinking that when that's gone i wait at least 4 hrs and mix another miralax with another 64oz gatorade. i think i'll do the last gatorade early the morning of?? i guess i'll have to call and see what time i'm supposed to start the prep on wed. I did learn something interesting though--my cousin who's having the same thing done on Wed. and is taking me on thurs. also has OSA (I didn't know that) they knock her out every time--and she has absolutely no problem --she doesn't even have to take her machine with her. they just put her on 02 during the proceedure and while she's knocked out.

Karessamom, I did that same prep this past spring. What they don't tell you is that Miralax gets thick if you let it sit. They *did* tell me it's not as bad if you mix it with Crystal Light rather than Gatorade, which I believe. I'd bought the 16oz bottles of Crystal Light (lemon), so I chilled all the bottles but only mixed one at a time with Miralax and drank it down as quickly as I could. It was starting to thicken a bit by the time I got toward the end of each 16oz., but at least I hadn't mixed all the Miralax and had it turn to goo by drinking time. I sure would hate to have to run out to the store mid-prep! Miralax doesn't have any taste, but when you mix it in such large quantities, it does taste/smell a bit "plasticy" and feel rather slippery. I had to think of yummy things while drinking.

I usually drink a lot of apple juice on prep day too, as apple juice helps us to "go." (I learned that while in the hospital for bowel surgery.)

Slinky wrote:Do a google search on colonoscopy prep Check out the various preps and doses and methods of prepping. Some of these arses really believe in "overkill". Of course, they aren't the ones who have to get that "bilge water" down. Gently washing w/a hot wash cloth after every "trip" helps to spare the "bottom". Prep time is the perfect time for a bidet!!!

Yes, the wash cloth trick works very well. Still, I usually get the soothing aloe wet wipes. I also keep some Calmoseptine ointment handy. (I was given this in the hospital for all my bowel surgeries and found it works wonders.) I had quite a stash there for a while, but I've gradually given most away when friends have done their colonoscopy prep. It's expensive stuff, but if you use it from the beginning, there's no "diaper rash" or other painful symptoms. A 4oz. tube lasts a long time, too.

Calmoseptine Web Site

Heck, "they" don't know what prep you use. As long as you are running clear. I find Crystal Light way too sweet for me. ESPECIALLY at prep time. There are so few salty clear liquids and between the actual prepping and for the most part only sweet clear liquids I get nauseous at the thought of any more sweet anything. I'm so grateful for green tea and chicken and beef boullion!!! Especially the boullions.

Yep, yep, our guts do keep producing "stuff" despite a clear liquid diet, no "food" and the prep; that's why current research is saying the closer to procedure time the last prep the cleaner the colon and the recommendation of finishing the last prep just 2 hours before the colonoscopy. I feel a little more comfortable about the drive to the facility with 4 hours instead of 2 tho. I haven't had enough nerve to try just 2 hours before!!!!

Kiralynx wrote: <snip> But he was hyper-dramatic and used scare tactics to force me into doing the d@mn thing during what turned out to be my mother's last Christmas season.

Plus, he used the scare tactics, insisting that the hematocrit drop meant that my uterine cancer had spread to my colon, despite the fact that all the post-surgical labs and my first four-month labs by my oncologist were negative. But when my husband was with me, he insisted to my husband that it was "a routine procedure, nothing to worry about," and, pat, pat, clearly, she's over reacting, but just between us men, we know there's nothing to worry about....

I'm sorry you had to suffer because of that awful doc, Kira. I'm you prevailed in spite of him.

ANYway... the shower bidet was relatively inexpensive, for those who don't want to remodel their bathrooms, and fairly easy to install, and it made the whole prep a lot easier. I've gotten hooked on having it for everyday events.

Interesting site. I looked for the models you mention, but I can't find them without a brand name, as they don't have a real search feature. Can you elaborate?

Slinky wrote:Heck, "they" don't know what prep you use. As long as you are running clear. I find Crystal Light way too sweet for me. ESPECIALLY at prep time. There are so few salty clear liquids and between the actual prepping and for the most part only sweet clear liquids I get nauseous at the thought of any more sweet anything. I'm so grateful for green tea and chicken and beef boullion!!! Especially the boullions.

Yep, most things are too sweet. The first few glasses of apple juice are OK, but then I dilute it with water. I usually get popsicles (not sugar free), as I sometimes have trouble keeping my blood sugar up.

<snip> that's why current research is saying the closer to procedure time the last prep the cleaner the colon and the recommendation of finishing the last prep just 2 hours before the colonoscopy. I feel a little more comfortable about the drive to the facility with 4 hours instead of 2 tho. I haven't had enough nerve to try just 2 hours before!!!!

Yes!!!! I find I feel better if I can get some sleep on prep night, but I've only been able to do that with the Miralax prep. I also ask for the first appointment in the morning, which means getting up very early. Even though I've generally finished the prep hours before, I'm usually still running to the bathroom (though less frequently) right up to when they take me in for the procedure!

BTW Slinky, what do you use for a Mag Citrate mixer?

Usually Gatorade (as the least sweet of our choices) and usually only enough Gatorade to make the Mag Cit taste bearable. The less "bilge water" I have to drink the better. And I'm a sipper, not a gulper tho I do try to get more than just a little sip down w/each swallow. I follow up w/as much clear liquid as I comfortably can. I know they say these preps are easier tolerated if chilled in the refrigerator but I find the "chilled" not only gives me BAD chills, it also tends to cause nausea and bloating so I usually go w/room temperature. Many have said that drinking the "bilge water" thru a straw placed as far back on your tongue as possible also cuts down on the hor-rye-bull taste. I can't "do" apple juice as it just does NOT sit well on an empty tummy for me. I always make sure to have a couple phenergan tablets on hand during a prep as well. My first 2 1/2 years w/Crohn's I was nauseated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have had a parnoid aversion to nausea since. AND a really STRONG gag reflex.

Wow, Slinky, I think we must be twins! I'm just the same with sipping, nausea, very strong gag reflex, paranoid aversion to nausea, etc. I was nauseated most of my life. But after all those bowel surgeries, the nausea has gone for the most part. Not being chronically nauseated does make the bouts of nausea seem much worse though!

I have tried the straw thing, and it does help a bit with taste. I think the horrible liquid hits fewer taste buds that way. Still, I can only do so many sips before I must stop (to avoid gagging). If I could drink it right down without coming up for air, I'd hardly taste it! The downside to straw-drinking ... as I learned (again while in hospital for bowel surgery), is that it increases the air we swallow, so it can cause gas.

Your comment about phenergan reminded me that I had some expired Reglan in the cabinet and took it prior to my prep after reading a recommendation for that on the web. It did work well, as I had much less nausea. I'll have to remember that for next time, too!

Yep, I swallow at lot of air when I drink or swallow - w/or w/o a straw. That's why I have to sip. That healingwell.com Crohn's forum is the best I've found on the net! Did you ever hang out at the Ask The Specialist forum at the CCFA website when they still offered that forum. Dr May was TREMENDOUS there! I don't know what I would have done w/o Dr May and that forum when my Crohn's first returned. I've never forgiven CCFA for ending that forum. Nor will I.

Yes, the Healing Well forum looks very good indeed. (I just made my first post over there!) I'd never really looked for a Crohn's forum, having had the disease all my life, so I missed out on the other one you mention. It sounds like it was great. Too bad they discontinued it.