Why would a Dr do this???

[Gabby9]

I had a colonoscopy last week and woke up during it in INCREDIBLE pain, I was screaming and he eventually has to stop cause they couldnt keep me under. I remembered EVERYTHING! (thats the short story)  I am allergic to Demerol which is what they usually give along with Versed, so I found out they gave me Nubain instead and Versed.  
I had an Endoscopy last year and did not wake up during it, did not remember a thing, didnt even remember going home so I called the Dr that did that and found out he gave me Fentanyl and Versed.  This Dr went up on the scale to a better drug and the other Dr went down
The Dr knew that I was on Paxil long term and had been on Ativan short term.  He said both can cause a person to be difficult to sedate.  I have NEVER had a problem with sedation, I was sedated for 23 hrs while I was in labor delivering my dead son and I dont remember but a few min here and there.  If a Dr can do that this Dr should of been able to sedate me for a simple colonoscopy.!!1
Why is it that this Dr would choose to use Nubain over Fentanyl, when Nubain is less effective than Demerol which is what they usually use???????  Did my pain and this experience Have to happen?????

[Tuckamore]

Welcome to MedHelp I am so sorry that you had such a frightening experience. In my experience it was the anesthesiologist's responsibility to select the method of sedation and not your physicians. But you do need to discuss this with your physician and see that this becomes part of your permanent record to avoid this in the future.
I had a surgical procedure on my kidney and woke as they used the scalpel to open my flank, yes cut!!! It was extremely painful and frightening. That was some years ago and it has never happened to me again. So it is true that your body responds to medication differently at different time but in my case it was the anesthesiolgists error. He came to my room the next day and apologized. I could have had a legal case but to what end?
So be sure and relay this experience every time you receive sedation of any kind.
Best of luck to you in the future. Take care, Tuck

[oceanfamily1992]

I'm shocked and sorry that you had such a traumatic experience.  My immediate thought is "I just dislike doctors more everyday," but truly there are good ones, and your experience really is unusual. I do agree that it's ODD he didn't use fentenyl with the versed.  I think this should be addressed with the medical director of the facility.  During my endoscopy/colonoscopies they have to load me with twice the versed before I react at all.  I'm very very tolerant to meds.  I stress this VERY strongly to the doctor and thank God I've been successfully sedated and my procedure pain-free with two different doctors on opposite sides of the US.  I say that because I noticed a difference in what pain meds and policies were used between where we lived in TN and now in OR. Anyway, again, I'm sorry.  I pray you heal and don't feel fearful and upset anymore.....

[mcclos10]

It is not always that one drug is better than another.  Drugs work differently for different people at different times.  Sometimes a drug will work really well for you and other times it may not.  Nubain for some people works better than the others it really does vary. Also, different doctors in different regions of the country often prefer different combinations of drugs used to sedate.  On the surface it may seem simple but there are often many things taken into consideration when making these choices.  Also, you are the sex and age group that is one of the hardest populations to sedate for Twilight sedation.  Another thing is that the more times you are given sedation in your life the more tolerant your body becomes of the medications and the more it can take to sedate you.  I am sorry you had a hard time I am sure no one wanted you to hurt.  I have had this problem a few times during procedures as well and other times I have sedated really easy.

My advice for the future is when you have testing scheduled let the doctor know in advance that you have had problems sedating in the past that way they can factor that in to whatever they choose.

[Mollyrae]

Hello Gabby. Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am sorry to hear of the frightful experience you had to face. What you went through is not common and should be addressed with the Dr. that did the Colonoscopy. If in the future you should have to undergo another proceedure that requires sedation, please ask first on what type of sedation is to be used. Tell them of your experience so that you can reassure yourself that it will never happen again. Good luck in the future.
Mollyrae