Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
User avatar
justsing
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 2:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby justsing » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:38 am

NO WAY SHOULD YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT POSTING THIS KIND OF INFORMATION!!!!!

Forewarned is forearmed. If we all go into post-surgical colonoscopies with "been there done that" attitude and then find out at the 11th hour that this is a vastly different procedure from the one we were expecting, then that's a bad, bad thing.

What I'm learning -- and am grateful to know -- is that I need to be proactive about asking for pediatric equipment, and that I need to check in advance to make sure my insurance will cover full sedation. I am pretty confident in my abilities to make a stink and get what coverage I need, but I sure wouldn't be able to do it from the table.

Thank you very much for putting this info out there.
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

User avatar
Joanne 814
Posts: 871
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:56 pm
Facebook Username: Joanne Flynn Hoerrner
Location: Farmington, CT

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby Joanne 814 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:40 am

Dont worry about scaring us. It is good to know, and you have helped some of us, by making suggestions, and I know I will ask for the baby scope, and be sure they are putting me out completely!!

We all freak at certian things, it's as I always say "is the nature of the beast". Just be thankful you have reached out to a lot of us, and educated us what to expect after the resection.

ONWARD!! I didnt cancel my appointmnent, but you bet I will call and express my concerns, and see what they do!

Joanne
Age: 51
Dx: Nov 07 @ age 43
Stage IIIC, RCa
Colon Resection: Nov 07, 4 of 27 LN
Chemo/Radiation: 28 treatments w/constant 5FU (Jan-Feb 08)
Chemo: Folfox, 12 cycles (Mar-Aug 08) DONE 8-8-08
CT Scan 1-09 NED

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby Magnolia » Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:34 am

Good advice, lamerex. I find I can tolerate a lot more discomfort if I know I have to power to stop it when I need to. Feeling helpless makes it all so much worse. The sedation affects different people differently. I usually fall asleep at some point. My mom doesn't. She just relaxes a bit. We're all different. Hopefully, you get enough sedation so you can relax enough not to fight the scope. When you're involuntary muscles push against it you get a lot of cramping. Stuff isn't meant to go in that direction, after all.
Dx Stage IIIC CC 3/10/06
Surgery 3/20/06
Folfox 4/06 - 10/06
Avastin 4/06 - 4/07
NED!


http://www.CoverYourButt.org
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

User avatar
pearlgirl
Posts: 594
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:18 pm
Location: Eastern United States

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby pearlgirl » Fri Sep 19, 2008 6:12 pm

lamerex4 wrote: Express your concerns to your physician and set up a 'password' in advance that means STOP! If you are lucid enough to verbalize your password, the doctor will know it's not 'just the drugs talking'.


That is an excellent idea! Thank you for thinking of it, and sharing it. That gives me a little peace of mind.
Husband DX CC (T2N0M0) 9/06
LAR 9/06
Recurrence, now CRC 1/08
chemo/rad, 6 weeks, ended 5/2/08
2nd LAR/ temp ileo 6/19/08,
8/4/08> 6 months chemo
ileo reversal 4/09, in remission

User avatar
PGLGreg
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Waimanalo, HI

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby PGLGreg » Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:00 pm

After the colonoscopy that showed I had rectal cancer, I've had two others. I don't recall any pain or discomfort from any of them. However, my GI doc told me the anaesthetic that would be used blocked recollection, so for all I know I was screaming in pain throughout the procedures. If so, I don't remember it.
Greg
stage 2a rectal cancer 11/05 at age 63
LAR 12/05 with adjuvant radiation+5FU,leucovorin 1-2/06
NED for 12 years, cured

User avatar
kitty,rn
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:13 pm

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby kitty,rn » Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:09 pm

pearlgirl wrote: I remember wondering if EVERYONE'S tests are that painful, but the drug just makes you forget about it. That terrifies me. A pain of that level has to register somewhere in the subconscious even when you have amnesic drugs to help you "forget" it.

FINALLY someone else has said what I was always saying before my very first colonoscopy! As a nurse, I knew Versed caused amnesia of a procedure and when people told me the colonoscopy was a "piece of cake" I'd always counter with "you just can't remember if it was painful because of the Versed! Even my husband looks at me like I have two heads when I say that subconsciously, the possibly painful experience is there. (It begins to sound like one of those philosophical arguments: "If a tree falls in the woods does it make a sound?")

I also want to repeat that I'm glad to be forewarned and so I'm forearmed-- Thank you for this thread and information!
Stage I rectal cancer 2/07, age 51, found during colonoscopy
Laparoscopic LAR 4/07
Rectovag fistula caused by anastamosis staple; loop ileostomy 5/07
Flap repair of fistula 7/07; Failed 8/07
Open LAR for takedown of fistula 1/08
Ileostomy reversal 2/08

DeeDee
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:31 am
Location: St. Louis

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby DeeDee » Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:47 pm

I had my first post resection colonoscopy last Feb. I was asleep the whole time. Actually this one was better than my first one where the cancer was diagnosed. I didn't even have any of the cramping that I had with the first one. I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I am always asleep before they even start the procedure.
Hugs,

Dee
Stage 2 Rectal Cancer
Tomo Radiation and resection 12/06
Folfox stopped after 3 due to toxicity
Ileostomy reversal 04/07
NED

vancouver eve
Posts: 1507
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:04 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby vancouver eve » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:47 am

Maybe a silly question but I was wondering if the pediatric scope is able to do the same job as the other equipment? I will sure be asking about the pediatric scope when I have my next colonoscopy nexy August.

Does the sig. scope on its own hurt as much? I have that in 5 months? I wonder if they have pediatric sig. scopes?

User avatar
justsing
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 2:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby justsing » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:59 am

The pediatric scope will be able to see everything a regular scope could see. I think the camera itself may actually be the same size. It's just that the flexible tubing is smaller. Don't know about the sigmoidoscope, but I'm pretty sure everything comes in kid size!
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby Magnolia » Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:49 pm

My understanding is the sig is more uncomfortable. People are not ususally sedated for that.

As a nurse, I used to assist with procedures other than scopes where MAC anesthesia was used. Patients were ususally asleep, or nearly so. A few would squirm or moan slightly few times during parts of the procedures that could have been causing pain. None remembered a single thing. Many didn't remember getting dressed after the procedures. It would appear that, while some patients do feel some discomfort, pain is certianly blunted, and there is no memory of it. My mom was awake for both of her scopes, but heavily sedated. She has some memory of parts of the procedure. I don't remember mine, but I remember clearly everything that went on right after waking up each time. Same with my three eye surgeries, and port insertion and removal, all done with MAC. In fact, with the eye surgeries, (not Lasik) I was much more awake than I was for any of my scopes. My eyes were numbed locally, but I remember being able to hear what the docs were saying, and some of the conversation. It's fuzzy, but not a complete blank. I'm sure if people were "screaming in pain" they'd remember.
Dx Stage IIIC CC 3/10/06
Surgery 3/20/06
Folfox 4/06 - 10/06
Avastin 4/06 - 4/07
NED!


http://www.CoverYourButt.org
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

User avatar
justsing
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 2:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby justsing » Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:53 pm

I'm not sure I know what MAC is. I had fentanyl and versed and I'm pretty sure I had an entubation. But it's kind of a blur.
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby Magnolia » Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:03 pm

That's MAC. I don't know why they call it that. Most of the time patients are not intubated. Sometimes they have an oxygen mask or nasal oxygen cannula, which just goes about 1/2 inch into the nose to deliver oxygen. I can't swear you weren't intubated, but it would be unusual. I worked part time in a free standing surgi-center while I was in treatment. Things may work differently in a hospital based setting. We never intubated anyone. If the case was that complicated, it needed to be done in a hospital. Surgery is not my usual field. I trained as a sub for the recovery room nurse there, and then moved into the OR later. Nice flexible hours to fit in around treatment schedules.
Dx Stage IIIC CC 3/10/06
Surgery 3/20/06
Folfox 4/06 - 10/06
Avastin 4/06 - 4/07
NED!


http://www.CoverYourButt.org
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

User avatar
pearlgirl
Posts: 594
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:18 pm
Location: Eastern United States

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby pearlgirl » Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:22 pm

Magnolia wrote:My understanding is the sig is more uncomfortable. People are not ususally sedated for that.

As a nurse, I used to assist with procedures other than scopes where MAC anesthesia was used. Patients were usually asleep, or nearly so. A few would squirm or moan slightly few times during parts of the procedures that could have been causing pain. None remembered a single thing. Many didn't remember getting dressed after the procedures. It would appear that, while some patients do feel some discomfort, pain is certainly blunted, and there is no memory of it... I'm sure if people were "screaming in pain" they'd remember.


Thanks, Magnolia! That is reassuring.
Husband DX CC (T2N0M0) 9/06
LAR 9/06
Recurrence, now CRC 1/08
chemo/rad, 6 weeks, ended 5/2/08
2nd LAR/ temp ileo 6/19/08,
8/4/08> 6 months chemo
ileo reversal 4/09, in remission

User avatar
PGLGreg
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Waimanalo, HI

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby PGLGreg » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:12 pm

Magnolia wrote: I'm sure if people were "screaming in pain" they'd remember.

Oh? Why are you sure of that?
Greg
stage 2a rectal cancer 11/05 at age 63
LAR 12/05 with adjuvant radiation+5FU,leucovorin 1-2/06
NED for 12 years, cured

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Painful Colonoscopy Post Colon Resection

Postby Magnolia » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:58 am

OK, I'm not "sure" sure, but some people are awake enough to remember some parts of some precedures. I would think that "screaming pain" would be something one would remember. I remembered part of my first scope quite clearly. My mom remembered nearly all of both of hers. Versed doesn't selectively erase memory of just pain. It fuzzes up ALL memory. If you're snoozy, you remember almost nothing, including pain, if you feel much at all. If you are awake, the memory is fuzzy. I worked as a recovery room an OR nurse while I was in treatment. I saw a lot of people have a lot of different procedures under this type of anesthesia. Some appeared to feel some discomfort, but didn't remember it, some didn't seem to feel anything. None remembered any pain. The ones who seemed uncomfortable only moaned a little and were given a little extra medication. I really believe anyone awake enough to feel "screaming pain" would be awake enough to remember. Versed's a great drug. It's not magic.
Dx Stage IIIC CC 3/10/06
Surgery 3/20/06
Folfox 4/06 - 10/06
Avastin 4/06 - 4/07
NED!


http://www.CoverYourButt.org
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 118 guests