I went in to have a colonoscopy done. I was given propopal. Right after it was given, my blood pressure started to drop drastically. The doctor had to stop the procedure. I came back another day to have another colonoscopy done. This time, my blood pressure dropped and they I started throwing up while under the sedation of propopal. The doctor could not complete the colonoscopy again. He got through half way and had to stop. I was rushed to ER. Because I developed pneumonia from the vomit going into my lungs. The doctor stated I was banned from going under. I asked if I was allergic to the propopal, he stated I was not. I asked the anesthologist, and he stated I was not allergic to it either. Both stated that the did not know why this happened twice to me. I went to a Pulmonologist who stated the same thing, that I was not allergic to propopal.Yet, he also said he has no idea why that happened to me twice. Does anyone know what happened? Am I allergic to propopal? All three different doctors said I am not allergic to propopal. Then if that is the case, then why did I have this type of reaction, twice? I have to still have the colonoscopy done because my father died of colon cancer. Yet, I am terrified to go under again and never come out alive from it. Help.Sunday, October 9, 2011
Am I Allergic To Propofal, If So, Then What Is The Alternative?
I went in to have a colonoscopy done. I was given propopal. Right after it was given, my blood pressure started to drop drastically. The doctor had to stop the procedure. I came back another day to have another colonoscopy done. This time, my blood pressure dropped and they I started throwing up while under the sedation of propopal. The doctor could not complete the colonoscopy again. He got through half way and had to stop. I was rushed to ER. Because I developed pneumonia from the vomit going into my lungs. The doctor stated I was banned from going under. I asked if I was allergic to the propopal, he stated I was not. I asked the anesthologist, and he stated I was not allergic to it either. Both stated that the did not know why this happened twice to me. I went to a Pulmonologist who stated the same thing, that I was not allergic to propopal.Yet, he also said he has no idea why that happened to me twice. Does anyone know what happened? Am I allergic to propopal? All three different doctors said I am not allergic to propopal. Then if that is the case, then why did I have this type of reaction, twice? I have to still have the colonoscopy done because my father died of colon cancer. Yet, I am terrified to go under again and never come out alive from it. Help.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
tracey b - i know that pentathol is used when propofal cannot be...
ReplyDeletePóg Mo Thóin - There are alternatives that include sedation cocktails with Versed. Unfortunately, there can be some risks with these as well. The reason they make you sign the informed consent form before giving you the sedation is because there are risks albeit somewaht minimum for most people.
ReplyDeleteMy alternative is that I refuse sedation. Most everyone is going to say it is a bad idea; however, other parts of the world do not sedate. The key to this is you want a doctor who has done this for other patients. My doctor is very gentle and has a nursing staff that coaches me through the uncomfortable parts. I have diverticulosis so my colon is a bit more sensitive and I have never regretted my choice to refuse sedation. My doctor says that when she does a colonoscopy on a patient who is awake she must take her time and go slower so as to not hurt the patient.
Gary - Allergies to propofol usually involve the patient being allergic to the egg/soy/lecitin that is use to emulsily the propofol (that's why it's milky-looking)..that doesn't sound like what happened to you. Propofol commonly causes BP to drop, something that an anesthesiologist will monitor and easily rectify. Find out if you had a real anesthesiologist (not a nurse CRNA) peforming your sedation; if so he/should have no problem providing safe sedation with perhaps other drugs. I understand your confusion; I too had an awful reaction to another drug (midazolam) resulting in a terminated colonoscopy which was repeated and the "anesthesiologist" (actually a nurse CRNA) used midazolam again with the same reaction...and they thought that this was a joke; until nobody got paid for the aborted colonoscopy. Third time I just did it unsedated and it was fine. My fourth one (last week) was going to be unsedated again since nobody would give me any answers, then the anesthesiologist who supervises the nurse CRNA told me that she could do the sedation personally and was apologetic for the lousy treatment that I initially got. Key here is to have an anesthesiologist do not supervise the case; I politely refused but then she said that it could be done with propofol only without issue (and without charge). I reluctanty agreed and didn't have a proble, and awoke immediately afterwards without a single problem. She gave me 480mg of propofol, which she said was safe (for an anesthesioliogist), my BP dropped quite a but (and she was ready for this) and brought it back up with phenylephrine,,,,,,Bottom line: make sure that an anesthesiologist does your case and is aware of the problems that you had and you will be fine. If they insist on a CRNA, consider an unsedated exam. Best of luck. I'm not a doctor, but I have learned a lot about colonoscopy sedation by experience.
ReplyDelete