Hey there,
My surgeon tried to do a scope in the office without any medication...it did not go very well
(or very far ).
He did get a finger in there to open things up a bit but even that was nasty.
He said next time he will try while I am sedated a bit.
Anybody able to tolerate scopes without meds?
Thanks
David

I have never been sedated for a pouch scope but there are plenty of folks who prefer or need to be. I don't find it painful, just uncomfortable.

Sue

2 weeks ago I passed out during my scope. I have had scopes before with no problem, don't know why this one was so bad. I never had sedation before with a scope. But I will never have another one without it! I have to have a bladder scope in a month...I'm asking for sedation for that...now I'm paranoid.

I don't get sedated for my scopes. They are usually quick and painless. I have had 2 painful ones, and that is when they have gone beyond the top of the pouch. That was very uncomfortable. But, the routine scopes even with biopsies don't hurt.

Do you have a stricture? During my first exam right after my first surgey he had to dilate a stricture and that hurt. But it was only needed once, the stricture never came back.

janna

It sounds to me like you have an anal stricture and that should be taken care of before you have any more scopes. I never have sedation and the only discomfort I have is some cramping from the air that is put in. But, I do not have any anal stricture.

Jan

Nobody would even try to scope me without sedation, okay, maybe I'm not the easiest of patients.....but I want sedation anyway, some things I just don't want to know....
LoriP

I have had my pouch scopes and also anal strictures dealt with in the office without sedation. I have a hard time getting someone to drive me so I drive myself. I also want to get back to work the same day. I just yelp a bit and get on with it. On the other hand, I used to feel very relaxed and rested after the versed/demerol sedation I got when I had pre surgery colonoscopies.

How do you check for a stricture? My doc did stick his big finger all the way up and said that it was not closed up...that is was o.k.
I asked him to give the scope another try after he took it out. He said that I am going to need these scopes for the rest of my life and he did not want me hating to have them so being sedated would be a better option. He said that it was in not that much of a hurry to do the scope because other than buttburn I am in really good health(for the first time in years)and I could do it in the next checkup in a couple of months. For the first year he wants to see me every 3 months, after that the checkups will be further apart.
Thanks for the help,
David

I have had that torture a few times and will not ever do it again without drugs!!!! Although I am having a perm ileo on June 18th with the butt sewn up so I guess I won't have to worry about that anymore.

I will say that my surgeons are more considerate about that and practically won't even do a rectal without sedation.

My advice - always ask for the drugs - we have enough pain, why needlessly have more?
-Mikaela

Dr. Robb did mine with sedation. It went really quick. He tried to do the mini-scope thing in the office, but the pouch was full. The sedation drugs wore off really quick, and I was back to life within a few hours. All I remember was talking to him about his dog being on arthritis drugs, and then BAM I was done. No problems after the scope at all for me.

You know, I think this is one of those "different for everyone" deals. If the doc did a digital exam on you and said you are "ok" then you likely don't have a stricture, because I believe that the exam for stricture is done digitally.

I have been scoped twice, both times without sedation. Aside from the fact that my husband asked to "take a looksie" (let me tell you how great it is to be laying there while your doc is explaining to your husband everything they are looking at) it was fine. Just some slight discomfort from the air creating gas cramps.

However, when I had my pouch-o-gram (which I know is an entirely different procedure), I thought I was going to die. And that doesn't bother some people, so again, I just think the sensitivity to pain varies based on the person.

If your doc offers sedation, take it, because it's probably just easier than dreading the procedure.

Good luck.