<p>^Nrdsb4, My Neurologist performed an EMG on me twice, each time shortening the needle phase to just 2 or 3 “pokes”. The electrical portion was done to completion however. You may want to ask your doctor if he can abbreviate the needle portion of the test.</p>
<p>^^^^^Thank you, that is good to know.</p>
<p>Even though I’m only 22, I’ve already had my first colonoscopy. How bad is it? The mental anguish you put yourself through worrying about it is agonizing. The procedure itself is no big deal. The prep varies widely-- mine sucked because it took like nine hours and it was tedious as hell, but the stuff didn’t taste THAT bad for most of it (got a little more difficult in the middle), and with the fasting that my doctor ordered in advance of the prep meant that there wasn’t much to “clean out.” For some people it’s worse, but it’s an important procedure and the relief you’ll feel when it’s over with is unparalleled. </p>
<p>Incidentally, while we’re on the subject I’ve had several EMGs in my life. I have a neuropathy in my hands and wrists, as I’ve mentioned before. They did a needle in the calf, thigh, upper arm, lower arm, and palm of the hand. I literally feel nothing except for the palm, as long as you don’t tense up you shouldn’t feel much if at all-- I’m pretty sure these needles are thinner than the kind used for injections, they’re probably not what youre picturing. I’ll admit the palm one hurts like hell but with a doctor you trust it can be tolerable-- my neurologist has done them and I love her and know that she fiercely cares about my wellbeing, so we get through it together. It only takes a minute or two and my doctor at least lets me take a break if I need it, I stay in control throughout the test and I think that’s important. I must say, the electric portion was ten times more painful for me. I literally CAN’T stop myself from pulling away from the electrodes after a certain pain threshold is reached and we have to keep doing it over and over until I manage to stay put. But, thankfully, the pain immediately stops when the procedure is over-- no lasting soreness. So it’s easy to get over.</p>
<p>^^^^Yikes!</p>
<p>That didn’t come across as reassuring as I meant it. Let me try again…</p>
<p>Most of the test doesn’t hurt.</p>
<p>What does doesn’t hurt for long.</p>
<p>It probably doesn’t hurt as much as you’re expecting.</p>
<p>Better? XD</p>
<p>^^^^^^LOL, yes, that was a little scary sounding! I may not have to have it done-I’ve just had a procedure that may help improve my problems. The EMG will be the next step if things don’t improve within a month.</p>
<p>I will deal with the EMG if I have to, but for now won’t stress about it. Thanks for the feedback.</p>
<p>Back on this thread, answer off the top of my head, not the official definitions- sedation is a partial loss of consciousness whereas anesthesia can be general, regional or local. general means you are totally out of it, includes awwareness, muscle relaxation and feeling no pain. Regional blocks sensation from a part of the body- like a spinal or nerve block. Local is small area specific. Since a colonoscopy is merely uncomfortable the sedation helps you bear it/forget it. Sedatives plus narcotic pain medicines can be used. There is a residual effect to the sedatives so you may not remember conversations hours later.</p>
<p>I’m not the only anesthesiologist who hates needles. Used to tell blood drive people in college my heart rate would only go down after the needle…</p>
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<p>A little off topic here but is this similar to how the date rape drug works?</p>
<p>I got the stool test back, no blood in the stood, doctor told me I am off the hook for ONE year!!!</p>
<p>Dr. Wis and all interested… does that sound right or just chinsy of Keiser…</p>
<p>If you are over 50 or have any family history of colon cancer, you need to demand the colonoscopy. That’s all there is to it.</p>
<p>Bringing up this thread again for all you procrastinators. I had one today and it was every bit as easy as everyone said. I did the Miralax in Gatorade prep and it was not bad at all. No cramping, no urgency, just many trips to the bathroom. </p>
<p>I don’t remember a thing and don’t have to worry about it for 10 years. I had Versed and Demeral and, while I am not driving, I was able to make my own lunch when I got home.</p>
<p>And now go sleep the sleep of the angels!</p>
<p>I found out last night that I told H on the way home I wanted to play the ukulele. I have no memory of that at all and WHERE did that come from??!!!</p>
<p>My H had a colonoscopy and was on versed. All went well til I came into the recovery room where he was still lying down. H started making dirty jokes (I mean really dirty, not just off color) and told all the nurses that the GI doctor had “prescribed” me to … Well, lets just say take care of him, in rather graphic ways. He just wouldn’t shut up! The nurses were hysterical and assured me they knew it was the versed talking. Then he went to put on his street clothes and rebuffed my attempts to come into the bathroom to help him get dressed. Ok … Til we hear a big thud in the bathroom as he topples over. By the time we got home, he had NO memory of all the embarrassing things he had told the nurses. None. It was totally out of character.</p>
<p>^^
Reminds me of when my son had his wisdom teeth removed. Nothing dirty, but he was so incredibly loud and so stoned that everyone throughout the office could hear him and no one could stop laughing.</p>
<p>Catching up on this thread. No matter how you take it in, the worst is the elimination part- frequency, sore touche… but better to lose a day or two to the procedure than months of agony et al from neglecting it.</p>
<p>Yes, the “date rape” drug acts the same way other sedatives do.</p>
<p>My facility uses primarily propofol (general anesthetic) rather than versed/fentanyl or other narcotics and sedation drugs, although usually patients do get*** just a touch*** of those drugs. The versed/fentanyl is not the primary drug, only an adjunct. In patients receiving propofol (only administered by MD’s or nurse anesthetists), I have never observed some of this wild behavior which is being described above. Propofol wears off very, very quickly. Though it has amnesic effects, it doesn’t seem to precipitate some of this odd behavior. That’s just my experience with it, can’t speak to any others’.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t do it.</p>
<p>My wife got very sick from the stuff they made her take in the days before the procedure.</p>
<p>And Michael Savage, a national radio talk show host, had a horrible experience as well.</p>
<p>I have heard of many people being “punctured”</p>
<p>So if it were me, I say no, and I am now 55 years old, so I should be a candidate</p>
<p>Florida, look up the percentages of people who have bad reactions. It’s very very very small. </p>
<p>Then look up the percentage of people who don’t have the test, then die from something preventable. </p>
<p>I’ll take my chances with getting it done.</p>
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<p>Hmmm, let’s see, which would be worse? Getting sick from the prep or dying a horrible, painful death from colon cancer which spreads? Even a perforation, which is not a common event, would be preferable to colon cancer. It can be repaired.</p>
<p>Sorry, but I do not understand your logic. If colon polyps are found before they become cancerous, colon cancer can be PREVENTED. Once you know you tend to form precancerous polyps, you are scoped often enough to prevent cancerous lesions from ever forming. </p>
<p>If you actually got colon cancer because your refused screening which could have caught it before it became a problem, you will certainly get FAR far sicker than any prep could ever make you, and your pain and health problems will be astronomically more painful and dangerous than a colon perforation, which rarely occurs during a procedure. Please rethink this bizarre logic.</p>