Colonoscopy and bronchiectasis

Posted by papillion @papillion, Dec 9, 2019

My doctor said it’s time for colonoscopy. I’m concern about being put out. My friend got pneumonia then sepsis Anyone know about this

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@rits

I had colon cancer and now have colonoscopies every year. Ugh! I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2010 and no one (doctor) has ever mentioned any concern including for the 7 hours I was sedated for colon cancer surgery in 2015. The sedatives used for colonoscopies are similar to the ones used for bronchoscopies and I had one of those last summer. Colonoscopies take little time and you are soon awake.
I ALWAYS remind the anesthesiologist and/or my gastroenterologist, who has performed many many colonoscopies on me, that I have lung diseases and they have always said that they saw that in my records and they have always been reassuring. Colonoscopies are preventive and diagnostic. Please get it done on the schedule recommended by your doctor. No half measures. Get your whole colon looked at.

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Had an upper endoscopy recently and reminded my gastroenterologist of my breathing issues and told the anesthesiologist the same. The experience I had was perfect and I woke up breathing better than I had in a long time. Have no idea what they did to make that happen but I’d like to bottle it!

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@ling123

Did your friend get pneumonia and sepsis because of anesthesia? I have had bronchiectasis for many years. Due to my family history of colon cancer, I have to undergo colonoscopy every 5 years instead of every 10 years like everybody else. I have not had any problem afterwards. Ask the clinic where your colonoscopy will be performed if they can give you twilight anesthesia, which is much milder than full anesthesia. You will be vaguely aware of your surroundings but won't feel anything physically that is being done to you.

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Just a question. How many years have you had it? It is new to me. I just found out. Getting a nebulizer for home and attempting to get a smartvest if insurance approves it. Do you use any of these and if so do they help.

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I have a smartvest and it has been helpful. I could not bring anything up before using it and now I am able to get a little out of my lungs. I also nebulize. I do both twice daily and think they are both beneficial. I was told I have MAC/bronchiectasis 8 months ago.

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@rockymikel Hi - just wanted to chime in. I have resisted the notion of a smartvest because I knew someone my size (under 5' and 100lb) and it seemed like it beat her up even on the lowest setting (she had Cystic Fribrosis) - she had several over the years and all seemed like that.
I have had a MAC & bronch diagnosis for a couple of years (but probably had it for several years before it was diagnosed) - was on antibiotic therapy for 18 months and stopped in December. The reasons for stopping were CT showed lung lesions from MAC were gone, cough was only after treatment and producing clear mucus only, and the Big 3 drugs, taken daily, were beating me up.
I have been able to have a productive cough using 7% saline in my nebulizer, plus the Aerobika airway clearance device if the saline doesn't make me cough enough on any given day. If I have any cold or congestion, I nebulize levalbuterol before or after the saline.
What are you using in your neb? Do you have symptoms from your MAC, or are you just being monitored?

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