I work in a PACU and see patients weekly try to come alone, they may say they are getting an Uber but often times we have seen them on camera get in their car a block away and drive under the influence, we now require the driver to sign in at the beginning of an appointment.
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At my colonoscopy, they called my contact (husband) after my check in to confirm his availability. They also asked how far away he would be so they’d know the timing for the pick up call.
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How do people who do not have others who drive and can take time off work to be the colonoscopy driver get to and from colonoscopies? There are probably people who live in big cities with good public transportation who do not have cars, and whose friends in the area do not have cars.
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It’s been a while since I have plugged the idea of doing the procedure without anesthesia. No worries about a ride or anything. Recovery has been much easier and I saved $$. It’s uncomfortable, but for me wasn’t especially painful. If you think you can possibly relax during the procedure, I recommend asking the doctor if it’s an option.
My son has 'scopes every other year, and until recently DiL did not drive (no license). They took an Uber home every time and nobody cared.
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My colonoscopy was done at an inconvenient time for my wife, and I didn’t want to pester anyone else to drive me to and from my colonoscopy, so I had it done without a sedative. That way I was able to drive myself there and back. The doctors and nurses seemed shocked that I’d do it without a sedative, but I’d read that most colonoscopies in Europe are done without a sedative. Wasn’t a problem at all.
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But he has a support person to take care of him. That is what they care about. He’s not walking into an Uber alone.
They actually call them “support person” at our practice - not drivers. The support people also go back during recovery to get all of the results and instructions in case the patient doesn’t remember anything coming out of anesthesia.
And @ucbalumnus I don’t know what people without drivers do, but in this city, there is no good public transportation.
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At my husband’s last colonoscopy another male patient had a casual female friend/neighbor as his driver. I am sure he told the nurse before that she should not come back during recovery, but they brought her back anyway. He was still half out of it when they brought her back and kept getting out of bed and trying to leave while barely covered. I suspect she saw/heard way more than she bargained for.
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Not going to happen! 
I love the great sedative.
No way I could relax without.
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Well, today is Prep Day. Work is going to suck without lunch, but I’ll battle.
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You’ll have the best sleep ever tomorrow!
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My first colonoscopy was in Boston done by a doctor from Europe (found out later from her nurse). I did not know I could have had general anesthesia as she did not offer.
I was conscious during the procedure but the pain was so bad I thought I would die. The doctor had to stop half way. I usually have quite high pain tolerance. That was a very awful experience.
Needless to say, I did not go back to her. All my colonoscopies after that were under sedation.
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That’s horrid robcfb - I’m sorry that doc put you through that!
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When I worked as a RN at a colonoscopy center, we occasionally had patients that declined anesthesia. Some had the same attitude as you, others had to stop mid-procedure to receive anesthesia/sedation, and some came out after getting through it without drugs saying it was horrible. One guy who had said he had no anxiety about going without sedation told me “Don’t EVER let me do that again!”
Different strokes!
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An American I met who lived in France told me she had an upper endoscopy there and that it was standard that it be done without sedation. She said it was the worst thing she’d ever experienced.
I cannot IMAGINE having a scope put down my esophagus into my stomach without sedation. Just. NO.
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I can’t imagine that either. Yikes!
My husband used no sedation the first time and said never again.
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My dad did it without sedation, but he had a really high pain tolerance. He never even had any type of anesthetic for dental work. The man was a beast. When my brother had a colonoscopy, though, Dad told him that he should have sedation … so at least my dad realized that he was not the norm.
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Wow - no pain meds for dental either? Your dad was a special person in that regard. I need extra novcaine!
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I had a tooth extracted without anesthesia of any kind back when I was a teen… It is really not as bad as people think. I only ask for local shots if I have to have dental work. But I would never ever have a scope up or down my GI tract without sedation! Pain or no pain, it is just gross. I want to see or feel absolutely no part of that 
.
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