Colonoscopy feedback

Tests and investigations
1

Hello I thought I would provide some feedback on my colonoscopy as I read through a lot of forums before my colonoscopy which had a lot of mixed reviews and left me feeling nervous. I was extremely anxious and worried about every aspect from the preparation, to being sedated to wondering how painful it was going to be! Honestly I would say that all that worrying was silly and irrational and the whole process was absolutely fine and pain free. I would happily have the procedure again although not eating was the hardest part!

Firstly the Senna pills we're absolutely fine. I took these at 4pm after having a very restricted diet for 2 days before. The 10 Senna tablets seemed a lot to be taking and as a person who doesn't like taking lots of pills this was fine and I felt nothing after just a bit hungry.

Then at 5pm I took my first sachet of citramag which after hearing all the reviews about how horrible it was to drink I thought it was actually quite tasty! It was lemon / line flavour and I drank it very slowly. All I experienced after drinking the mixture was my stomach making funny noises! I then took my second 1/2 sachet at 6pm which again was fine. I then needed the loo and went a few times. I didn't feel uncomfortable the only thing that was sore was my bottom which I kept putting vasaline on and that helped a lot. Then throughtout the night I needed the loo and then it stopped but I felt absolutely fine throughout the preparation

and kept telling myself this is all necessary.

In the morning I took another 1/2 sachet at 9am and then needed the loo up until I was due to have my colonoscopy at 3pm. Once I arrived at hospital I was empty and hungry! The hospital were very welcoming and when I got into the room I said to the nurses that I was nervous about the sedation they said that they would stay with me the whole way through. As soon as I was given the sedation I was aware of everything going on. I had a mask with some oxygen which I just breathed deeply into and I looked at the screen so I could see the procedure and found it fascinating. I honestly had been so nervous before and I didn't feel anything during the whole procedure. It took 15 mins and when they finished I said is that it?! I just felt sleepy afterwards but couldn't believe how easy it had all been. I would definitely recommend having a sedation if you're contemplating it. I didn't need to be put to sleep as it was such a quick procedure.

For those of you that are worried about this it is honestly fine and it's necessary. I had a small biopsy taken as well which was good and came back clear but I would definitely advise having it. Good luck you will be absolutely fine smile

2

Glad you had a good experience Emma and it is good to post it for those who may be put off of the procedure altogether. Your experience mirrors mine - except I didn't opt for sedation. I too read enough to make me really apprehensive and posted my experience on another of these 'painful colonoscopy' threads for the same reason smile

I also read discussion threads on painful sigmoidoscopys - but thankfully didn't have to have one of those. I was interested to hear women's experience of Colorectal outpatients though - so started a discussion on that here. Haven't received much feedback yet though - since they found nothing in the colonoscopy - they may refer me there next!

3

Thanks for this ... I need it As I'm soooo anxious. So so scared. Not about the sedation but about the procedure and worst of all what they are going to find. Actually I'm more scared about the latter as I know the procedure shouldn't last too long. Just hope il have the same good news as u!

4

That's the way mine was. I had mine done on April 7. No pain liquid i took was lemon & lime. I'm glad you got through it O.K.

5

Hey it's totally normal to feel scared and I was but just follow all the preparation beforehand so that its in the best possible conditions to work with. They took a biopsy for colitis and IBS but it came back clear so I was really pleased I had the procedure. The way I viewed it was do I want to spend the rest of my life worrying about it or do I want to be proactive and do something about it. You're doing all the right steps to getting answer smile good luck you'll be fine. It will be over very quickly and it will put your mind at ease smile

6

Wow such a brave person you are. Its been two years now that I am postponing my colonoscopy due to the sedation fear. Beacuse they told me that they'll knock me out completely since they only use Propofol and not anything else. So the ansthesiogiyst should only performs it.

I've called many different GI specialists offices and hospitals and unfortunately they all use this drug now. No luck for me

7

Did u opt for it? I have loose stools and constipation with occasional mucus and a pain in my right side also. My gp thinks it's ibs and surgeon decided it wud b safer to to do colonoscopy. Stool test came back clear and gp was happy with that but surgeon wasn't. I'm so confused and worried

8

Same experience here; no sedation, no pain and wonderful support from the nurses. Laxative prep was the worst part, but eating afterwards was a delight!

9

Hi yes I did opt for it as I had blood in my stools and was worried. They advised me to have a colonoscopy then the blood stopped and they said don't worry but I pushed to have it just to be on the safe side and I'm glad I did. Seriously if they've advised it just do it. I feel so happy now knowing that I've had it and they've checked everything. Now if I get stomach aches or blood in my stool I'm not going to worry about it! If I was told I needed another in my life I would do it without a second thought. Bite the bullet and do it!

10

Tks so much for your encouragement.... I'm a mess and keep thinking these are the last few days of normal life 😟 Hope I'm just over reacting

11

Don't worry you're not alone I felt like that as well. I know you're nervous and as you've never had one of these procedures before it is nerving as you don't know what to expect. The nurses will be with you all the time and you will just be a bit drowsy and before you know it it will be over and you will find out your results as soon as the procedure is done. Just think it will be peace of mind. I was back playing tennis the next day! Trust me you'll be fine 😀

12

I had the same symptoms of blood in stools and anaemia, no pain though, and the colonoscopy found nothing - did they refer you for more testing?

 

13

Cathy I was able to have fentanyl (painkiller) and Boscopan (Bowel relaxant) without any sedative, not even gas and air and it was fine. I am a small woman. 5ft & 9 stone. I specifically requested no sedative and the colonoscopist agreed to it - in a major London hospital. That was just last week. 

14

Wow that's great u were playing tennis so fast 😄 Just wish it was over

15

You were lucky to get one dr to listen to your concerns and work with you beacuse here in America it's only thier way or highway. It's been two years that I am changing doctors and calling around hoping to find a dr that will listen to me and my concerns but I could find none. But I'm sure if I was a celebrity then the doctors would call me and ask me how they could work with mesad

16

Hi,

I just had my first colonoscopy on the 19th of February and they too found 3 small polyps which they removed too.

They found the first one near the beginning and then they found the other 2 at the second left turn and they were right next to each other. Sent those to the lab and no cancer.

As you stated it's a needed procedure and to me after it was done, I realized it really wasn't that big of a deal.

My wife needs to get hers done because she 2 1/2 years past due, so I'm getting impatient for her to get it done and behind her.

I was more concerned about the modesty part, but the nurses were understanding and they were explaining that there would just be my doctor and my anatheseologist and two female tech nurses and the room was small and not really brightly lit.

Glad it's done and don't have to do another 5 years.

17

I am happy to hear of everyone's positive experiences.  I also realize that many who post, do so because of traumatic experiences.

I live in the US, and experienced a truly painful sigmoidoscopy some 15 years ago.  No sedation as it was considered totally unnecessary as I was advised.  After the doctor completed the torture and left the exam room, the nurse told me that I should definitely have been sedated.  So it just wasn't what I felt, obviously, but what was observed, and since the attending nurses are more focused on the patient's experience, studies have clearly measured that the nurses are more cognizant of what is being experienced by the patient, than the doctor, who is busy looking at that scope device.

I have since that time (I am now 65) cringed every time I have a doctor's appointment and  hear the "need" for a colonoscopy, and I always refuse related to my past memory, which is similar to PTSD, which I have also been diagnosed with for other reasons.

I feel fortunate that I have absolutely zero family history of colon cancer, and that I do have not have the risk factors associated with colon cancer (as I never smoked, also eat very little red meat, very active, not overweight, etc).  Yes, there is always a risk of cancer, but given that I have also had two episodes of traumatic brain injury, and significant history of Alzeheimer's in my family, I feel the risks from the colonoscopy procedure itself, plus the increased risk to me from the sedatives or anesthetic agents are a larger risk than colon cancer for me. 

Over the last year, I have done a lot of research from credible sources about risks and benefits of screening test.  Although some 90% of people do fine with versed/midazolem, I feel that my previous neurological challenges are a greater threat than that of cancer.  Plus, it took me over 10 years to recover as well as I have after my last brain injury.  I don't see the risks of propofol or versed as just a "rare" chance of an adverse effect as something I want to risk.  And my last sigmoidoscopy event was nothing I want repeated, and a colonoscopy is far more invasive both prep-wise and procedure-wise.

As I also worked in health care for over two decades and know how to read research summaries (as I did so as part of a master's degree program), I do my own research, as my past traumatic "screening procedure" definitely revealed to me that I cannot really trust medical professionals to be honest.   That trust factor is lost forever for me.

Everyone has to make their own choice based on their own risks.  I've made mine, and I know that I am one deciding which risks I am willing to live with.

Again, I am happy to hear of positive experiences, but I also know from my own experience, and my research, that moderate to severe pain occurs far too frequently for various reasons (starting before the meds take effect, too low of a dose, doctor's lack of experience or the doctor is too rushed, the presence of ulcerative colitis, etc), and I choose to not go there.

18

Sorry you had such a bad experience and it is useful to know the good and the bad in order to make an informed decision.

I certainly would not have had the colonoscopy just for screening purposes without clear symptoms of suspected colon cancer.

The points you raise are all important considerations - sedation, the expertise of the colonoscopist, pre-existing bowel conditions and predictors like life style and family history.

All considered, your decision not to have another is understandable and seems wise.

19

I didn't realise you were not in the UK - I wonder if the way Dr are responding out there has something to do with insurance?

I was reluctant to have sedation because many relay having had really painful procedures with flashbacks of being out of control to stop anything whilst pleading wih the medics to stop. Furthermore the sedation means that anything they say isn't 'taken seriously' after the event, because they were technically 'out of it'

I hope you can find a Dr who is prepared to work with you - if indeed you are displaying worrying symptoms. If you aren't, I would be reluctant to just have one for screening, especially if Dr's aren't prepared to negotiate important aspects of how it is performed.

20

Yes I agree. I seemed to have such pleasant experience and was so worried about being 'out of it' or 'out of control' when I was sedated but but it wasn't like that at all. When I was sedated I knew exactly what was going on and remembered everything about the procedure as just felt very relaxed and took deep calm breaths. I saw them do the biopsy and was asking them questions! When they did the biopsy I saw it on the screen and saw them do it but I didn't feel anything but I did have a very skilled gastroentologist which I think makes a BIG difference and I felt absolutely nothing. I think preparation is key as I made sure I was completely empty and fasted for a day and a half. I honestly think the worrying before was much worse than any part of the procedure.