Hi, thought is update the site to give my experience and a little advice.
i had both procedures at the same time. My mother overdramatised the effects of the picolax and whilst unpleasant is manageable providing you prepare yourself to ensure you are comfortable and relaxed as you can be. Ie, plan to stay very close to the toilet and activities that allow for that, buy moist tissues and listen to your body. Most importantly drink lots of clear fluids from the day before you take it and a reasonably substantial high protein meal even if you have to persuade yourself as I did and remember you will need more if it's warm. The worse effects I had was from dehydration which made me feel sick and very weak on the day of the procedures. I did not help myself by staying out in the sun doing some DIY sanding cabinets as I wanted to keep my mind occupied and stay close to the downstairs loo! I also listened to some relaxation recordings from a few days before, especially to sleep. Read the eating plan and advice 3 times as soon as you receive it in the post, that way you'll have white bread, stock, drinks etc ready. Buy yourself something nice and energising and drink to take with you for afterwards as you'll need the energy and need a reward to look forward, ie treats and an easy dinner. Get an early night if you can with a jug of water but take a note of the last drink you can have on the day of the procedure. For each sachet I found it took two or three hours with the worst bit 4 to 5 hours in. By around 9 pm the worst was over and I didn't have a single accident but used thick cheap pads in case. A little e45 was useful too! From then on only a few watery episodes followed even after the procedure.
i was weak with a bad headache from the afternoon before until after I was given fluids on a drip as I was dehydrated. I was persuaded to have sedation by the nurse as I had both procedures. I thought I was going to get a throat spray as well but I didn't and wish I had checked to remind them to give me one. I was most nervous about the upper scope and it was all so fast it did not give me time to get ready, or I guess they thought panic but being honest it did hurt the side of my throat but I noted people just having the upper got a spray. I thought I would feel sleepy and was given buscopan but I was wide awake. To be honest I was so relieved to get that thing out of my mouth I would have let them do almost anything! Luckily the first was over quickly and the second not too uncomfortable but I kept talking quickly to the male nurse whose arm I squeezed tightly and then started watching the screen which was large, clear and colourful. When I said ouch, as the tube went around sharp bends the operator slowed. Immediately after I was taken back to the small day ward and offered tea and a sandwich. My throat was sore for at least a day after but my tummy was fine and returned to normal a day afterwards. The nurses were fantastic and very attentive, despite being busy and I am glad I did not have it done at a busy London hospital but a friendly rural country one. I sent them a thank you card.
i await my biopsy results in 4-6 weeks and pleased, as an ex smoker that nothing was found on the oesophagus or an ulcer following a divorce. No evidence for anaemia was found, the reason to investigation.
i hope this helps
Thank you for sharing your expierience, I'm 63 and having a colonoscopy this afternoon, I to have been terrified, I woke yesterday morning at 5 am with cramps and diarrhea ,stress I think, I took first sachet picolax at 9 am 9.50 I ran to the loo didn't quite make it ,then a succession on trips lasting all day .it was like water pouring out of a bucket. 4 pm I took my second sachet, off and on the loo till midnight. Just been again and it's 7.45 am I used moist wipes and bought every cream known to man but I'm still a bit sore. I am still dreading the colonoscopy but the other part of me just wants it over with. I to read many horror stories and yet even though I was terrified of the prep it wasn't as bad as I thought, it was the fear of the unknown and reading to much about the negative things. I will let you know how it all goes and will be glad when my tummy stops growling.
Hi, a BIG THANK YOU to you for your on depth info on these double procedures that you recently had done. I too have these same procedures on 31st Oct and scared too! However, I am so pleased to hear that you can also be sedated for colonoscopy too because I have been sedated before for Endoscopy but nervous for bottom one!! You truly have reassured me and thank you for taking the time to write it on here! Hope your results were good and you are now well. Best wishes C. X
Hi
your most welcome, i am still suffering with the chest pain and tomorrow having treadmill test to rule out angina, i think its because i keep persisting with dr, i just want to no what is causing this so i can get on with my life. If this is acid as all of stomach is inflamed including gall bladder why am i getting no relief? I wish u well with tests and can assure you they are nothing to panic over the sedation relaxes you completely.
regards
Steph xx
Hi, I am too having same 2 procedures too on 31st Oct '14. Your message was very helpful in reassuring me as many positive ones have been on this site. Was just wondering how you got on and truly hope it was all positive news for you. Best wishes. C. x
Thank you once again Steph and again for your reply. Good luck with treadmill and hope it gives you the answers you are looking for. I myself have a barrage of test to come even having gone thro an awful lot already. ...but its worth it if it gives me answers too. Good luck and wishing you only the best. Regards. Chris xx
I will keep u posted.. Hoping to find out that these are all clear and then work towards getting better, as after all is all we all really want eh. Yet i have to do more tests just want one to find answers lol
Steph xx
I will keep u posted.. Hoping to find out that these are all clear and then work towards getting better, as after all is all we all really want eh. Yet i have to do more tests just want one to find answers lol
Steph xx
Thank you for taking the time to describe your experience. One always hears the negative stories. Your detailed account is very reassuring and I feel ready to take on the dreaded Moviprep.
Hi; I am sorry to hear how nervous you were.I have had both the colonoscopy and endoscopy down into the stomach, and had them both without any sedation - my choice. As with a lot of these procedures the description and waiting are worse than the procedure. I found neither of them too daunting and felt very little discomfort during the colonoscopy and, being awake, it was fascinating to watch the pictures on the screen. An advantage of being awake with no sedation is that as soon as it is done you can walk home or back to work and carry on as normal. I have also had a flexible sigmoisoscopy which is a shorter version of the colonoscopy and that, too, went without drama. The camera down the throat is fine once it has passed the 'gag point' - you really cannot feel it in your stomach.
A few weeks ago I also had to have a cystoscopy which is a camera into the bladder which, for us men, means shoving the camera up the penis. I had to wait a couple of hours for it and was really concerned (no sedation even if you wanted it). As a man, knowing the delicateness of such regions I was convinced it would hurt like hell but, in fact, after minor stinging when lubrication and local anaesthetic is inserted down the penis one feel almost nothing and it was practically the easiest of all the procedures. The reason I mention the cystoscopy in this thread is because it is important to understand that the imagination about what is to happen is always (for me anyway) far worse than the procedure and I have found having it done without anaesthetics really isn't too unpleasant, is safer, and there are no after effects from medication.
Thanks so much for this!! I'm having the same procedure done in 2 days and I am pretty freaked as well especially living here in the UK where they don't really knock you out like in the US.
I feel much better after reading this and hope my experience is like yours!
I never thought of that, last time I had both done at the same time too, and they put me pretty well under.
I am only getting the colonoscopy done this time, and hope the put me all the way under this time too. I don't want to be awake for it at all.
I had it done this morning and was awake for the whole procedure. They did sedate me but it didn't really do anything as far as me being aware of what was going on.
With that said there was no pain and I actually thought it was pretty cool watching the video. The doctor was great and spent a lot of time explaining things and making me feel comfortable.
I can't think of any time in 46 years I've been more freaked out about having to go through with something but it was a piece of cake and seriously the most painful was the needle for the drugs. Getting the all clear afterwards was a bonus!
You got nothing to worry about! Good luck with it- you'll be grand.
I still think I'd rater be out al together, but I have to see what they want to do.
How was the prep for you, did you have to drink a full gallon, and was it half at night and half the next day?
I haven't worked for over a year, and now I have Peripheral neuropathy pretty bad in my feet, due to the Chemo. I think working would be the best for me, but at the same time with the Peripheral neuropathy, it is hard for me, as we work outside.
But I feel pretty depressed these days, and feel like there is no purpose for my life, so maybe if I can get the Peripheral neuropathy to go away, I will go back to work.
Oh, you say they DO normally knock you out all together in the US?
That is what I would rather do, as I am a baby.
as far as the prep went I had 10 Senna tablets followed by 2 X 8 oz glasses of Citramag at 5 and 7 pm. The procedure was early this morning so a lot of toilet runs through the night!
Stuff was like grapefruit soda. I've heard the other stuff is awful.
Don't be depressed. Things always get better. Everything has a purpose yourself included. Trust me on this!
I wish they would give me something like that, although I have not picked mine up yet.
But according to the instructions the doctor's office gave me, it sounds like the full gallon.
Hello cry baby.In 2004 I was diagnosed with a genetics disorder.Due to the findings I had to have a felt colonoscoy.It was then decided I needed Ana Endoscopy.I never understood what thse procedures where but appriensive due to listening to other people.The procedures were carried out and the findings resulted in having the procedures done on a regular basis.A couple of years later I sat down with both the specialist and my wife and it was decided that both procedure would be carried out at the same time.Apart from the initial procedure I have never had any worries in having them done.The staff that help me both during and after have been abselutly fantastic.If we listened to each persons dealings with having these procedures carried out I don't think anyone would attend their appointments.Recently I had this procedure carried out and to me it has saved my life.I was having a lot of bowel issues and it was identified that I had developed thousands of Polyps.I have since had an Illiostomy with which has made no difference to my lifestyle.Due to the condition I still have to have regular check ups with endoscopy's of which was carried out on Fri gone.The only thing that I could'nt tolerate was the banana spray they use to numb the throat.Maybe they will make a new flavour.
Oh wow, you have an Illiostomy too.
Well, I was "lucky" I was able to have mine reversed.
I say "lucky" I mean though, everything is going OK so far.
Sometimes I feel bad for other people that have it worse than me, I have a fellow I went to school with, he had his reversal, and is having all sorts of problems with "accidents" over night.
But for him, it seems to come and go, so maybe it is something that will repair itself.
I used to have a lot of problems with my Illiostomy leaking, so I am glad it was reversed.
But you never know, they say sometimes you will have to have it again.
But Good luck to you.
Hi am new to this had my endoscopy and colonoscopy at 10 30 this morning was shaking and crying was very nervous had really nice nurse and doctor that were brilliant when I told them how freaked out I was they calmed me and reassured me I would not feel a thing had throat spray tuck and sedation next thing I woke up in ward all finished and no memory of it I'm so glad I did it and will have no problem sound it again they found polyps on my bowel and removed them I am 46 and no matter how much bad press the irish health service gets I would ressaure anyone having this done it's not as bad as I'd heard