Scope

No, never for a pouchoscope. Is he planning on dilating a stricture during the scope or any other kind of more intense procedure?

I think it's within your rights to refuse sedation but he might have a reason for wanting sedation that he hasn't explicitly communicated to you.

No I never was sedated. It's a bit uncomfortable but it's so quick I wouldn't want to be bothered being put out.

If it's just a routine check up I'm not sure why it would be necessary for sedation but perhaps he has something else in mind.

had one on saturday i was sedated dr said easier to do cause i tense up otherwise

I've never been sedated for pouchoscopy.

I have the EGD and pouchscope once a year. My Gi doctor has anesthesia put me out. The first Gi doctor I went to, made me have my colonoscopy and edg done without pain meds or sedation. I watched both procedures on TV! It was so painful. Not to mention how it tramatized me.

I've had both. If you don't get the twilight then you can drive yourself to and from, which is nice. it's fast and really not painful, just really uncomfortable. i've since had twilight for my others since my doc offered it. i just request light sedation so i'm not all groggy afterward.

Unless it's for something more extensive than a routine pouchoscopy (e.g., EUA for seton), I don't get sedated - my choice, as they do seem to prefer to sedate patients these days. If you do not want sedation, I'd give his office a call and discuss with him.

I will be scoped tomorrow and will be in the twilight zone.

I was scoped April 10. I was sedated this time. Had not been in the past and found it to be painful. I am glad I was sedated this time as they found an ulcer.

Ween

What happens next after they find an ulcer? Where is your ulcer?

My ulcer is right at the base of my pouch. I also have a prolapse. Dr. Shen told me I need to lose some weight so my belly won't rub on my pouch anymore.

Will that "fix" the ulcer?

I am getting scoped next week.
I will be knocked out.
They want to ballon the area where the pouch is stapled to the rectum.
He said they will try it manually and if that does not work. ...balloon it.
I guess there is a stricture there.
So they have my blessing to knock me out.
Besides I need a good catnap.

Hello all,
I am curious to know how often any of you had a poucheoscopy as I had only one in 14 years, on my 7th year since the take down. I am seeing my surgeon for the 1 st time since and wonder if I should ask for one. I have been more or less ok all these years and have been pretty reluctant to have one done since. Am I being silly???
Thank you.

If you're having no problems the main reason for pouchoscopy would be to screen for cancer in the little bit of rectal cuff left behind during the surgery. It's not very common, but it does occur sometimes.

With my first GI, I had several flexible sigmoidoscopies and it was easy. He just bent me over the exam table and was in and out in ten minutes.

I recently had to change docs due to a move and the new guy made me go to a separate clinic. They wanted to give me anesthesia which I declined but I still had to pay for it. The prep directions I was given were the same as for a colonoscopy and none of the techs there (other than my doc) seemed to know what a flex-sig is.

The bill so far was about $3000 but misc. bills are still coming in. With my old GI it was about $200.

I think GI docs have figured out a way to make a bundle off of this relatively simple procedure and are taking advantage.

I was told to do a scope at 1 year post TD. All was good and told to repeat in 2 years. I have platinum level HMO plan and my co-pay was $100. I ate green Jello the day before and only had a 1/4 cup of the SuPrep before bed. Kind of kept me awake most of the night with loud gurgling, but it cleaned me out in the AM. My scope pictures are crystal clear with no visible "crap".

It sounds like you got “hosed” (pun intended) by this new GI, but then his exam might have been more involved than the prior one. It is always best to have an understanding beforehand of what services will be performed, what the approximate cost will be and how much of the cost your insurance will cover.

I've used two colorectal surgeons. One believes in scoping every year. The other scoped me every year but after ten years of no problems he now has me on an every three years schedule. Fine with me. Early on I wanted sedation. For the past five years I've chosen no sedation. I like driving myself to these procedures and resuming a normal life right after. Almost no discomfort and what discomfort there is, is because of the air they "pump in" to get a better luck. It only lasts a few minutes.

I think how often you have the pouch scope depends on your diagnosis. I have FAP. I grow the adenomus polyps rather quickly. Some of the polyps that grew in less than a year already had cell changes to them. I grow the polyps in my stomach, duoendum, and rectal stump.

Both my colorectal surgeon and GI doctor have told me not to go over a year without both the EGD and pouch scope.

Just had one Wednesday and wouldn't do it without the twilight. I have a low tolerance for pain.

Thank you all for the replays to my question.
Will see my surgeon end of June and I feel, after reading your replays, I might ask for a scope then.
I will update.

I for one am sick of pain everything I do seems to involve it. while I have had them done with mild to moderate discomfort last time he went in WAY too far and I turned white as a ghost. it hurt pretty bad so I am electing to be put out altogether. I also just has an abscess that was fixed on the fly with numbing needles (ouch!) and that hurt like crazy! So with my sleep apnea etc I want to be out completely. Maybe a sedative would be OK but just this once I don't want any pain. Oh I am going in tomorrow. Hopefully there is nothing to see as I feel fine now.