Test Happy Doctors

Thanks, lots. I appreciate the reassuring words. No, I don't have anyone to go with me and they are just going to have to accept that. They can't restrain me from leaving in a cab..lol.Or I'll have to sit there and read a book until they say I can go. I actually do have an appointment with one of the gastroenterologists on 3/28 and I feel better about that. Mine isn't for a cancer assessment and that isn't really a concern I have, but just to figure out what my symptoms are. Wow, only 2 1/2 glasses at night and in the morning! Mine told me it is a total of a gallon!

Thanks again; I'm appreciating all these reassuring words from everyone.

I think you should go to the doctor who will see you first before doing the colonoscopy. You need to know what to do with your insulin dosing during the fasting period etc. and if the prep is ok etc. I hope the prep doesn't have splenda in it. I am worried about fasting for this because my reflux is really bad at the moment and insulin makes me hungry but without bolus and water I hope I will be ok. I would not do that test unless I knew the doctor and liked him/her and they have an anesthesiologist there for the test to knock me out. I had a horrible endoscopy once where I was wide awake being choked by that tube and vomiting with the doctor yelling at me that I was resisting the meds! I had damage to my vocal chords after. I plan to go to my father's gastroenterologist for this since he is a great doc and he treats lots of people with D.

It's recommended to have a colonoscopy at 45-50 depending on your family history and then if you're free of polyps etc. you don't have to have another one for 5-10 years. I totally understand not wanting to do it, the thought scares me, but as long as I'm out I think it will be ok. The gas afterwards can be quite painful and I'm super sensitive to that, but knowing I don't have colon cancer will be a relief. If you catch it early it is curable, but later on it is not easy to treat. I have IBS but I have never had a colonoscopy- my mom did have one polyp so I think it's time to do it now. I have only had a sigmoidoscopy. My father had one recently and there was another patient nearby who had no problems with it whatsoever so I think you will be ok.

Good luck with it, I hope the prep and everything goes well :)

thanks, mee, sounds like you are having some similar concerns. I am definitely going to the doctor who will see me in an appointment first! I hope some of the posts in this thread reassure you as well.

you're welcome Zoe, I do... let me know how it goes and what he says... I do feel reassured reading all of this.. I'm mostly worried about the gas afterwards because I get very painful gas at times.. but I will live through it I'm sure. it's better not to worry about cancer etc. :)

It's understandable you had fears after that horrible experience with your endoscopy. As gross as a colonoscopy sounds I actually have more fears about choking; I get scared of that at dentists too. But the most reassuring thing to me is I will be out and that is one of the things I'll ask for reassurance from the doctor about. Sounds like you should ask about your gas concerns too. It makes so much difference when we have a doctor or nurse who is kind and willing to reassure us no matter how rational or silly our fears are. I keep my perspective with posts like this when I realize others (including other Type 1's) have had the same experience and that people do much scarier and more dangerous surgeries and such. Yes, what matters is that we be well.

Don't know why, but it's SOP to demand that someone drive a patient home after a colonoscopy & not a taxi. Patients leave in cabs after other out-patient procedures.

Please make sure it's written everywhere that you're T1 diabetic for them to be monitoring BG & no dextrose in IV.

Well, they're going to have to change their SOP as I have nobody to drive me!

Good suggestion, Gerri; I'm going to make sure to do that.

I hear ya! Don't see how they can stop you. My mother was recently hospitalized & fell as we were leaving the hospital. We waited for 2.5 hours for them to escort her out in a wheelchair, got disgusted & left. Three nurses came running when she fell & insisted it was their policy she go to the ER. We refused & a security guard & some administrator were sent. After politely arguing that she was fine & we weren't going to spend at least 12 hours in the ER for nothing, I finally told them I didn't give a flying s**t about their policies & my policy was to leave. Get outta our way before I call my attorney.

When I'm knocked out for a procedure, I'm going to write T1 diabetic in black marker in the area they're examining.

As bad as that endoscopy was, like being choked alive, I would say that the bowel blockage I had in the icu after coming out of dka was much worse. I seriously thought I was going to die! While it never crossed my mind I wouldn't survive the endoscopy, lol. But I never want to go through either of those again for sure! Fortunately they are now somewhat foggy memories... I am going to ask about the gas concerns, thanks for suggesting that... If I were you I would definitely try to go to someone with an anesthesiologist too so they will make sure you have enough drugs to knock you out. It makes a world of difference really, I hope they address all your concerns... I think it is much better to get all this stuff done too. And yes there are much worse procedures we could be having for sure.

yes, someone to drive you home and at my hospital, the person who brings you has to stay with you at the facility - hospital the entire time of the procedure - during recovery time, etc....they're not allowed to leave. they won't let you take a taxi home either because they're responsible for you. zoe, see if you can hire someone to take you and bring you home or maybe friend, might be good to have someone stay with you too, not sure how you'll do after being sedated, under...and able to manage blood sugars.

I have never had a colonosopy at 58 and have been urged by my gyno of almost 30 years, not any other doctor, to get one.. I am debating, but I do not have gastro isuues currently. My mother has had diverticulitis, but no cancer history in my family, except for distant cousins.

Zoe, I hope you can come to the best decision for you. I know that having someone to drive you away may be SOP for the facility, but if you wait for 2-3 hours as you mentioned, they cannot stop you from leaving on your own.

God bless,
Brunetta

At the gastro facility I go to, they make you fill out a form with the name of the person who is there with you stating that they will wait there throughout the procedure and drive you home - then the person with you has to sign it. They make you do this before they will even call you back to be prepped for the procedure.

I've always wondered why they do this for colonoscopies but not other out patient procedures. I've seen outpatients leave the hospital in cabs before so I don't understand why this would be any different.

yes, they can. they actually won't admit you or perform the procedure unless these pre-steps (ride home, etc...) are in order first. it's actually to our own benefit. anesthesia can make one do some very wacky things, one can think they're fine and be totally messed up. many people don't even remember the experience or even the day. no one should be driving after this. It's because of this, because I asked, that these pre-reqs were set in place. Too many people were having serious problems after procedure when not accompanied by someone, think there were a few deaths, car accidents, etc...I mean, even if you have an MRI and take a small sedative before hand, they won't let you drive home. It's common sense. I wouldn't dare try to drive. No outpatient policy, if you're medicated, will let one drive home either.

I forgot to add that the anesthesiologist let me wear my pump during the procedure. I called my endocrinologist's office around the time I scheduled the colonoscopy, and they gave me guidance about adjusting my basals prep day and night and the morning of the procedure. As soon as you are finished and sufficiently awake, you should be able to return to your normal routine, except for driving. The medicines used for anesthesia seem to have improved a lot in the past few years. I was very goofy for quite some time after my first one, but with the current meds felt normal very quickly.

That's the policy where I go too - they won't call you back for the procedure unless someone is there waiting for you. I guess that's how they control it.

The only difference I can see between the colonoscopy procedure and other outpatient procedures is that, for both myself and my husband's colonoscopies, we "woke up" toward the end of the procedure. I didn't like that so much because I would rather be completely out of it until after, but it made for a very, very short recovery time. They basically offered something to drink and then let me leave. I can see where, knowing this, people would get overconfident in their ability to drive home.

I'm getting a little frustrated by people saying I should get someone to drive me home; I don't have anyone to drive me home. You can't invent local friends; that is what taxis are, people you can pay to drive you. I have absolutely no intentions of getting in my car immediately after the procedure; I'm not an idiot. I plan on waiting at the facility or taking a cab somewhere to hang out for a couple hours (and have breakfast!). If I need to stay over an extra night to be safe I will do that. And rules like this, imho, are as much (or more) CYA than safety. I know how to keep me safe, I've done it for 64 years.

I agree with Sara. They won’t start the procedure unless you have a ride home. I had to have someone present in the facility. I’m not sure that they would consider a cab ride alone sufficient. I also was required to have someone with me for 24 hours after anesthesia or procedures like that where cauterization may be needed also. This is standard of care for conscious sedation and anesthesia the doctors and facility would be opening themselves to all sorts of liability and lawsuits if they made an exception.

See my response below. I don't have any one to "hire" to drive an hour plus over a mountain on a workday and sit around and baby me. "Taxis" are who you pay to drive you. If I have to sit at the facility for a couple hours and read, I'll do that. (reminder to self: bring food).

Thank you Gerri.

Thanks, Kim. Can you let me know how you adjusted your basals for the procedure? (I don't work with an endo).

zoe, contact the facility. you're not the only one with this problem. often times they will have a referral for a transport service which does this thing specifically and is connected to the facility. sorry, you can't change their rules and policy. no one knows how they'll react under anesthesia and it can last for hours often days. And, it's not about you being an idiot, they can't change their rules for you, they're liable, plain and simple. if it's deemed a medical necessity then have them admit you and stay overnight. I would also suggest having someone with you after procedure, you don't know how you'll react and able to manage your blood sugars.