recent colonoscopy experience

Specialties Gastroenterology

Published

I had my first colonoscopy last Friday. I am 46 and my mother has had two surgeries for colon CA, so I felt pretty good about being so responsible. I went to every website I could find and researched all aspects of the procedure (patient teaching, videos of colonoscopies, personal experiences, etc.) I also spoke to several people who had gone through the procedure recently including my husband and my OB/GYN. I felt very well informed and more than educated about what would happen, what I would see on the screen, and how it would feel.

I was given Versed 2 mg and Demerol 50 mg IVP and the doctor waited until I assured him that I was groggy. Everythiing went just as I expected until just after insertion when air was instilled into my colon. I experienced some of the worst pain I have ever felt. The doctor immediately instructed the nurse to give me "25 more" which I assumed meant more Demerol. He continued the exam with me moaning in pain. I felt every mm. of my colon being blown up and navigated. I tried to watch the screen because I was really interested to see my own colon after viewing so many others in my preparation for the procedure. The pain was practically unbearable. Since then, I have had trouble concentrating and sleeping because I keep reliving this scene. I feel so duped and betrayed. All of the instructions and testimonials I read stated that there is little dicomfort and the Versed gives the patient amnesia to any discomfort that may occur. I have lamazed three children and had I known ahead of time, I would have gotten into a breathing pattern and anticipated the pain. I will know better next time. And as a nurse, I will return in 5 years because of my FH.

I guess what I want from you guys is some validation that indeed this does occur occasionally and that I'm not alone in this experience.

Thanks for your input. Sorry about the length of this, but I needed to vent!

Specializes in Critical Care.

This old NYT article sites versed's approval date as 1985: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DB173AF93BA25753C1A96E948260

Although, the FDA page says 1998.

Specializes in OR, PACU, GI, med-surg, OB, school nursing.
Google Versed Horror stories, you'll get a bunch of websites on what a horrible drug Versed is and how it gives people permanent memory loss, anxiety, depression and PTSD.

I did this; in the first 5 Google pages, I got a few forums with threads discussing Versed, with some posters talking about their bad experiences with Versed. Other postings mentioned Versed in passing, without saying that it was bad. Any references given pointed to a blog called Versed Busters; no one referenced any research or data. This blog seemed to be the only website about how horrible Versed is; there were lots of anecdotal stories, and it seems as though people truly had awful experiences, but no numbers or information indicating how common such problems are.

I don't doubt that there are people who have had terrible reactions to Versed. But how many? Versed is given thousands of times every day in the US for procedures. Lots of people have bad reactions to penicillin too, but it's still a useful drug for most people when needed.

Does anyone know of any studies done on this topic? A quick Google Scholar search trying several different terms did not turn anything up.

David, I'm sorry but you are incorrect. Versed has been available and given to the public since 1986. My daughter was given it in 1988 for an EEG to find out why she was having seizures.

You are correct. The approval I referenced is for pediatric usage (I believe). According to the FDA, Versed was approved for continuous infusion in 1985. The sedation indication occurred later (from personal experience Valium and Demerol were used at least into the mid 90's.

My apologies.

David Carpenter, PA-C

I am so sorry that some of you had bad experiences. I have had two colonoscopies and the prep of the "Go-Litely" was the bad part. The towns where the procedures were done were 300 miles apart. I do not remember one tiny thing about each of them and as far as I know there was no pain, no after affects.

My question, the dr could not go all the way maybe because of the twists and turns of the colon, they actually do not know why they could not go all the way, some obstruction.

However, no cancer, and that suits me.

Have any of you had this problem, is it common and it was not present during the first exam in 2002.

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Me too. I've had versed several times and never had any noticeable side effects other than closing my eyes and waking about "1 second later". I think it's great stuff.

Added: I didn't mean me too to indicate my doc had problems. In fact he told me my next one will be needed in 2017. I must have an exceptionally attractive gut I guess.

They use Propofol where I work...People seem to do well with this.

I think the redhead stuff just has to do with the fact that most (generally speaking...not all), are more sensitive to pain/nausea and require more medication to control it. Don't know the whys.

Specializes in Surgical tech in nurseless angio suite..

I did not get my bad reactions to Versed right away, it was after years of procedures under sedation that I developed my reaction; not during the procedure, but deep depression for the rest of the day after the procedure.

Now that I know what it is, I can better deal with it. But it's hard.

I had 4 mg of Versed before the procedure and then propofol during the procedure which totally knocked me out. I had the worst feelings of depression for about a day and a half after. I don't know if it was caused by the Versed or the Propofol or what. I felt like I had been intimately violated or raped or something.

Specializes in med.surg. & GI.

People respond differently to Conscious Sedation. If you have had any abdominal surgery, have IBS, or a loopy colon all can contribute to discomfort. It can also depend on the skill of the physician. I would suggest you look for a facility that gives Propofol. Patients remember little; have a better recall of physician talking afterward; have less "hangover effect", and leave within 30 minutes or so post procedure.

Booty Nurse:

I added some links to the front page of Versed Busters.

Check out the first three, Colonoscopy Warning, Brad Ideas, and Askapatient.com.

I am scheduled to have a colonoscopy soon and have been told I will be sedated. I am a very modest person and am wondering if anything other than my bottom will be exposed during the procedure or prep. Is there ever any frontal exposure before the procedure starts or during it? I am so worried about being exposed in front of everyone in the room other than the doctor. Can anyone who may have been awake the whole time of their colonoscopy answer this for me? This is making me a nervous wreck. I know I will not have any recollection of what happened if I am sedated and that just makes it worse.

You will be okay, JeanArt. I've had multiple colonoscopies w/o sedation so that I could watch the monitor. You are well covered aside from your backside. My nurses have been very good about even keeping as much of my backside covered as possible. And my gastro and all the staff have been women. Once in a while one of the nurses may have to reach under your gown from the slit in the back to gently press on your belly to help the scope slide thru. Not often, but occasionally. Usually just having you roll to your back or from your back to your side is all that is needed to ease the scope thru.

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