Gummy bears are a “clear liquid”, but of course you need to avoid some colors. I don’t know about cannabis gummies.
I really love lime flavor, even fake lime flavor. I don’t eat jello very often, but i did enjoy an excuse to pig out on lime jello the day before my colonoscopy.
IANAD, and I’m certainly not here to pass on medical advice. But I’ll share my anecdotal personal experience. The day before my colonoscopy, I was careful about alcohol but I think I did have two drinks to ease my anxiety. The major aspect of my physical condition on the day of the procedure was that I had not slept well, and was really tired.
Before the procedure I received injections of Versed (midazolam) and fentanyl, a powerful sedative and a powerful synthetic opioid, respectively. They totally knocked me out, I suspect because I was so tired in the first place. I remember asking a nurse in the recovery area how long I had been there, because I had absolutely no idea (she said it was about ten minutes).
Anyway, the effects wore off very quickly. I had someone give me a ride back to their place to conform with the hospital policy of “you can’t drive after this procedure”. And once there, I got into my car and drove home with no problem. I was objectively feeling pretty normal by then.
You may have been OK, but in general, DON’T DO THIS. If you get into a car wreck, and the other party sues, and finds out that you had a procedure with sedation, you are really screwed. It may well be illegal to drive etc. within 24 hours after sedation (I got the impression that this was the case).
I tend to feel pretty decent when I first come out of the sedation. Alert, able to walk, etc. (though, as I’m dangerously klutzy, I walk VERY carefully). Then about 2 hours later, the brain says “Yeah, about that ‘being awake’ thing? JUST KIDDING” and I can’t keep my eyes open. I also tend to be mentally foggy up into right about the 24 hour mark - as I’ve found when trying to work (remotely - computer work). I’ll stare at the screen, and simply cannot concentrate. This is with propofol vs the midazolam / fentanyl cocktail; I had the latter when I had my cataract surgery and similarly, I felt “alert” enough to walk out of there, but very drowsy afterward.
Everyone is different, and so are the sedatives and dosages, so your input is valuable and appreciated. I was just relating my particular story. Sometimes unexpected things happen with drugs, and you certainly don’t want to be in the position of operating a motor vehicle if that happens. I guess my main point is that “I’m fine to drive” after the aforementioned drugs is not the same as the same feeling when drunk, when one is inclined to grossly overestimate one’s abilities and one’s sobriety. Which is why my #1 rule when drinking is: “Don’t drive. Don’t even think about it. Your judgment is totally shot.”
The “don’t do this” is a general thing, not targeted at you specifically :).
I imagine the clinics say “don’t drive for 24 hours” based both on their concerns for liability, and whatever legal restrictions there might be on doing so.
I’ve had two of them. The rules were don’t drive yourself and you can’t take Uber or the like either. Your driver must be there with you when you when you check in.
I’m not saying those have nothing to do with it , but my instructions have included more than just “no driving” - they’ve also said not to sign any legal documents or make any important decisions. Of course, not everyone will be affected - but the reason my instructions include that bit about legal documents and decisions is because “I’m fine to drive” after sedation is in fact very much like “I’m fine to drive” after drinking. The sedation can result in impaired judgment and like alcohol, you can be impaired and not realize it.
Mine have always said that as well. I don’t know for sure that my judgment re contracts etc. would be significantly impaired - but as noted, I absolutely do find that I cannot concentrate well enough to be productive, the next morning. For me, that improves pretty much right at the 24 hour mark, which is amusing.
It’s quite possible that I’m an outlier on this. Narcotic pain medication has a similar lingering effect on me, first noticed when I had Percocet after my wisdom teeth were yanked. That was on a Friday. I took my last Good Drugz on Sunday afternoon. I went to work Monday morning, and sat there staring at my computer terminal for a bit before I decided it was best I just gave it up for the day and went home.
Apparently, the 24 hour rule is based on older regimens, and is not supported (or disproven, either) by research. This article mentions a study to test patients for psychomotor function before and after sedation.
It also says that Japanese researchers seemed to think that one hour was sufficient after propofol sedation - which is mind-boggling to me. I would NOT feel safe attempting to drive at that point - and given how quickly I wake up after a procedure, I don’t think this is because I’ve been over-drugged.
I often get nitrous oxide for dental work. One bonus to that (versus an oral sedative, which I have also used) is that supposedly you can drive within a few minutes after the procedure is over. I tend to sit in my car for a few minutes before driving away, just in case my reaction time is still impaired.
I think people’s reaction to sedation is quite variable. I feel so shitty for so long after both propofol and midazolam that I work very hard to find a doctor who will do an upper endoscopy without sedation. My sister wakes up and feels fine.
Nitpicking: you CAN take Uber or whatever, as long as you have a responsible party travelling with you (that’s how I accompanied a friend for a procedure, when I’d had wrist surgery and was unable to drive).
With one colonoscopy, they just asked if my ride was here. I said “Yeah, my son - I sent him to the restaurant nearby to get breakfast”. They trusted me… but I could have been lying, as they did not demand to see him.
One great advantage of not getting sedation for these things is that when they ask me how I’m getting home, i reply, “I’m driving myself”. Then they check that I’m really not getting sedation, and continue checking me in.
It means i don’t have to find a driver. It also means i can go home as soon as they are done, and not lie around in the recovery area for an hour.
I do low sedation but was told I needed adriver in case they had to increase it (pain, polyps).
I don’t remember seeing that but I am certain that that would have been allowed. Good catch.
I had a colonoscopy on Monday. I was sedated but I ended up waking up during the procedure, at least it was latter half of the exam. In the end (ha!) it was neat to see the screen of my innards. No polyps or anything bad. The doctor mentioned that there were some diverticula and pointed some out to me as the camera passed them.
My deal is that we stop if it doesn’t work, and they won’t be sedating me. I’ve never had a problem due to not being sedated. I’m pretty good at sitting still despite discomfort.
(I know one guy who said his doctor claimed the risk of perforation was too high without sedation, because you might move suddenly. But I’ve read studies that say the opposite – the risk of perforation is higher if the patient is too out-of-it to say “ouch”. And it’s not like holding your hand still. There isn’t really a reflex to move suddenly due to intestinal pain.)
I had a relative (now deceased for unrelated reasons) who said he had a drink every evening. He didn’t tell them that this one drink consisted of a tumbler full of vodka, with a few ice cubes in it, until he had a seizure.
I’ve always had the sedation, and it’s always weird. I’ll be wheeled into the operation room, hear the radio playing, hear the machines that go bing, look at the clock, and the next thing I know they’re waking me up in my original spot. There’s no recollection that I was asleep.
And just plain old safety issues for drivers and other people out there.
yeah, they don’t account for that scenario in the paperwork - it’s unclear. I imagine someone taking it very literally would worry - a lot of patients are in household without a driver (my in-laws, for example). It ought to say “no taxis etc unless accompanied”.
I to have heard of the risk of perforation being greater with sedation. I suspect it’s not a large risk in either case, (though one Doper, DavidM, got “lucky” and fell into that group…).
ISTR that he also had Crohn’s disease or some other condition that left him at very high risk of a perforation, and his doctors knew that but he needed to be scoped. It’s extremely rare otherwise.