Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/03/24/jimmy-kimmel-got-a-colonoscopy.html
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Having gone through my first colonoscopy (at 42!) I’m glad they’re de-mystifying the procedure and making it less scary, but I do wish they hadn’t made such a big deal about how awesome sedation is. Every single one of my nurses and doctors encouraged me to avoid any meds or sedation when I had it. There was little to no pain, it was really no big deal, I got to watch the procedure live as it happened, and afterwards got to just walk out of the hospital. Whereas with sedation you’re in there for hours afterwards and you have to deal with the after-effects of Propofol.
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Way to go Jimmy! This is one of the most preventable cancers. Get screened, save your own life. Yes yes they snake a cable camera up yer butt, BFD.
The nurses told my wife I was the funniest patient they’d ever had, they wondered if I was a comedian or writer. No just loopy said the Enkwife. As I tottered out they laughed and said ya’ll come back soon! 5 years I grated out thru my clenched teeth…
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I had my first a couple of years ago and also opted for staying awake. I found the entire thing very uncomfortable and alien. I’m sure my anxiousness did not help them with the procedure either. It was, for sure, convenient but next time I’ll be asking for sedation.
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I’m told they do twilight anesthesia at the hospital where I’ll be having mine. A friend volunteered years in advance to pick me up just to see what I’m like when I’m hopped up.
More importantly, it’s nice to see Kimmel once again using his celebrity for a good cause. He’s been out front when it comes to encouraging Americans to participate in a proper health care system.
They also clip any polyps they find with the device, so it’s a 2-for-1 deal.
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Had my first over five decades ago without anesthesia, using an adult size metal tube – more of a sigmoidoscopy, as they didn’t have fiber optics back then. As a 9 year old kid with colitis it was terrifying and painful. Things have come a long way since, fortunately.
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Oh, I won’t deny that it isn’t exactly comfortable and it’s definitely weird. And a lot depends on the doc who’s doing the procedure.
And like Jimmy discovered, the prep liquid you have to drink is horrendous, and that plus the 3-4 days of diet prep beforehand are probably the worst part.
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I found the prep to be the worst thing, as well. That, and for my first one I chose a 9AM appointment (“Might as well get it done early!”) which meant I had to get up at 3AM … for a nightmarish sleep-deprived cycle of prep.
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I’ve had to have 3 or 4 of these over the years. Never with anaesthetic - prefer to know/see what’s going on, and it’s just someone sticking a tube up your bum. Plus I get to drive home sooner afterwards without dragging someone else to the hospital and then losing the rest of the day. I’d say it was a mild to medium degree of discomfort at different times, with occasional high discomfort if they pump in too much air, but never painful.
(Actually the MRI/CT/x-ray scans are worse, when they make you drink gallons of muck - some sort of radioacgive white or highlighting transparent fluid - and then pump you up like a zeppelin as needed to get the best snapshots. I almost wished I had asked for some sedative for the first one of those, but the others have been ok/bearable, apart from the one before last when the procedure was fine but I threw up afterwards from having drunk too much of the muck, too quickly.)
Even at its worst the discomfort passes swiftly, and watching the pics is fun (seriously, I wanted to see the site of the disease). But my privacy bone says it is not polite to watch other people’s and I wouldn’t want anyone but medical professionals watching mine. Irrational, but there it is. So I’ll pass on watching celebrity colonoscopies, thanks.
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But nobody ever talks about that horror juice you have to drink the day before.
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Which ironically has made him a target of the neanderthals on the Right, because die peasants, die…after you vote us into office.
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And then you get to re-enact the bathroom scene from Dumb And Dumber!
I am in the UK and of course colonoscopies are free at the point of delivery - I hate to think what one might cost in the USA.
I had my first colonoscopy last Wednesday and since I live alone and had nobody to look after me, it was either Entonox (gas and air) or an Intravenous feed of some mild sedative. They popped in a canula but I managed perfectly on Entonox and whilst there was some discomfort, they do weave the device into your colon slowly if at time a little forcefully but it is all do-able with Entonox and the benefits are that you are awake to see the device as it works backwards and after 30 minutes you are good to go (after a very British cup of tea and a biscuit).
It is nothing to worry about. My appointment was for 9:30 am Wednesday and so I was asked to not eat after 9am on the Tuesday. Then at 5pm I had to mix up the first litre of Mediprep (2 sachets) and down it quickly. It was quite pleasant to be honest, a lovely lemony taste. Then a few visits to the loo and at 9pm repeat the process with the second pack. It was all easy to do and one got advance warning of a need to ‘visit the facilities’. The Mediprep sort of wears off after 2 hours so you can get to bed safe in the knowledge that no further ablutions visits are needed. A word of advice tho, just in case you might involuntary break wind in the night, put a bath towel under your bottom and wear underwear.
You do appreciate that the ‘unpleasant passing of foul smelling wind from the back passage’ is called a trump in Britain! Probably a perfect description of the present incumbent of 1600 Pensylvania Avenue methinks.
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They didn’t really show him in the recovery room waking up. Because that’s really the fun bit.
I’m waking up and the nurse comes in to check and she’s wearing a smock with winnie the phoo on it…I start laughing “HAHA You got a little phoo on your smock HAHA”
She just rolls her eyes , sighs and goes on.
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Had a scheduled colonoscopy (no symptoms, just age). After I awoke the doctor came in and said the procedure went great with no polyps or any issues ,but He said to me “obviously you snore” and suggested I get tested for sleep apnea.
I asked, exactly how long is that probe! Funny, but now I have a CPAP machine.
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I didn’t even know that was an option. When I had it done not long ago, I had the unpleasant experience of waking up halfway through the procedure. The anesthetic needle somehow worked its way out, and so I remember dreaming that I was running, but when I became more fully awake, my legs were thrashing because I was trying to fight the hose or whatever. Once the aesthetician realized what was happening, he repositioned the needle, and I remember it hurting intensely before I sank back into oblivion. I’m due for another one soon. Because of a family predisposition, I have to go through the ordeal every 5 years.
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You got your nails did too?
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Nonsense. My doc uses Propofol and I’m there a total of 1.5 hours and recover within 10 minutes of awakening. In fact, our tradition is that my wife and I immediately go out to eat and I have a huge meal. No side effects.
Stupid autocorrect.
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