My Experience

I have two first-degree relatives with colon cancer, so I was scheduled for a colonoscopy. The preparation consisted of drinking a gallon of Colyte prep.

I have had bad experiences with “conscious sedation” so I opted to have the exam without sedation. It’s important for people like me, who are allergic to sedation drugs, to know that this test can and is done (although infrequently) without sedation.

At the hospital, I made everyone aware of my allergies, noted “no sedation” on the procedure consent form, changed and was quickly taken to the exam room and met with the endoscopist. She did a rectal exam, noted my enlarged prostate and then started the colonoscopy procedure.

The exam was slightly uncomfortable, but not bad at all. The doctor then noted that I seemed uncomfortable and that I obviously “needed something.” Over my objections, she injected the sedative midazolam into my IV and the reaction was not pretty. The exam was not completed and I had to stay overnight in the hospital.

The doctor was very apologetic and was surprised when I asked if we could re-do the exam in the morning. This seemed like a good idea to me since I was already prepped and had not had anything to eat. So early the next morning, the nurse woke me up for an enema and I was back in the endoscopy suite. The exam was done without sedation and it was not really uncomfortable at all. I did have several polyps and they turned out to be problematic.

The procedure itself, even without sedation, was a breeze. Even after having an allergic reaction to midazolam, it was worth getting the exam; one of the polyps turned out to be cancerous and they removed it just in time. If I had stormed out after being given the drug that I was allergic to, I would have been in bad shape.