Hi, I had a colonoscopy yesterday... I would like to share my experience... I have a pain in my abdomen for 4 years and feel unwell, bloated and in pain almost every day. After many tests - almost all negative, a test for calprotectin came increased so my dr sent me to have a colonoscopy to have a look if there is any sign of IBD.
After almost a week of searching on the internet and reading discussions I thought it's gonna be ok.. many people described it as uncomfortable and said that the prep was worse for them. Also my friend has this procedure done and said she didn't feel anything as she was sedated.
I was really anxious and scared about having the colonoscopy because I have abdominal pain constantly and very sensitive gut but thought that many people had it so I will be fine.
The preparation was not really good but it was bearable. I had moviprep and didn't really mind the taste. The worst was the pain I had during drinking the liquid. My tummy was like it should explode... But I managed to drink it all and was ready to have the colonoscopy. I wasn't feeling very well and I was still going pooping that morning - even 10 mins before the procedure. I finished 2nd litre at 2am and my appointment was 8am.
Ok after few minutes I lied on my left side and was ready... the nurse gave me gas and air and it started... The doctor was a surgeon and everything but not gentle! He almost shouted on me to relax and it was just terrible - I was so scared! He put the endoscop in and after few seconds I was in so much pain! He didn't seem to stop and I started crying and screaming so he stopped and the nurse sedated me and gave me a pain killer. I have no idea why but the sedation didn't work at all - I was 100% conscious and I wasn't feeling relaxed whatsoever! They didn't give me more unfortunately and the doctor continued and asked me to lie on my back.. when I turned I never ever felt so much pain! I was in shock and pulled the endoscop out without realising how dangerous this could be! And that's how it finished... ( I had two gastroscopies before without any sedation and it was absolutely nothing compared to colonoscopy).
I couldn't stop crying until late afternoon and I was pretty in shock. Didn't feel any effect of sedation at all.
Sadly this wasn't over... at about 6'pm after a slice of bread and banana I was in pain again! Can't even describe how painful it was and I was shaking and so sick! I went to emergency where I stayed until 4am. Fortunately strong pain killers and some other pill they gave me helped so I went home. Today I had some more pain but it's so much better!
I don't want to scare anybody but just a give an advice to take strong sedation and pain killers make sure you are sedated. I think I've got something wrong with my bowel and therefore I reacted like this...
Has anyone have similar experience? I feel like looser but I am so happy it's over and will ask for MRI or CT scan instead or for conoloscopy in full anaesthesia. NEVER AGAIN! :D
Tuve la misma experiencia el verano pasado. Fue tan horrible que tuve que tomarme una semana libre y fue como si me hubieran violado. Estuve despierta durante todo el procedimiento, no estaba sedada adecuadamente. Gritaba de dolor y me dieron "benadryl". No estoy segura de qué haría eso, pero no ayudó con el dolor.
Fui el último procedimiento del día y, al salir de la habitación, me dijeron que me fuera a casa. Mi familia ni siquiera estaba allí todavía y tuve que tomar un taxi a casa porque les había dicho que estaría lista a las 6 y solo eran las 4 pm.
Resulta que tengo intestinos tortuosos y usaron un endoscopio infantil, tuve tanto endoscopia como colonoscopia, sin cáncer pero el dolor fue extremo durante dos semanas después.
Nunca había respondido a estos mensajes, pero sé exactamente por lo que estás pasando. No hablé con mi médico, pero creo que es importante que tú lo hagas si puedes superar el miedo.
This happens more often than one thinks. It happened to me as well and I wanted to sue them. You must complain to the manager or the head of the clinic that you went to. If enough people complain then doctors will ensure that they take the time to put us out. I wish I had been able to get up and walk out, but I was druged just enough that I couldn't move or protect myself. The doctor didn't car at all. They said that you don't feel pain at all in the colon and that is why it doesn't hurt to take a biopsy. I got news for them, that is a load of Crap. I still feel pain when they blow you up with air. I had one that I was screaming and they did give me enough at that point, but years later at the same clinic with a different doctor it happened again and I got no apology and it seemed as if they were laughing about it. Well it screwed me up so bad I will not have another in two years as suggested. I may never go back in for one. They also missed the fact that I have roids and I may have a rectal abscess. These are seriously painful. I felt burning in my rectum from the scope and pressure pain from the air. I kept thinking to myself, please stop. I was sexually abused by a male doctor when I was 17 and it was an easy association that during the colonoscopy I felt violated. I will never go back to that clinic. Please complain to the manager, they need to know that it isn't ok to do this to patients. Why on earth does a doctor think it is so important to finish that they will ignore cry's of pain and if you tell them to stop, they are leagally obligated to do so or they risk a law suit. In my case I couldn't speak as the drugs were just strong enough. I was so angry with the doctor I was yelling at her when I was going into recovery. There they wanted me to eat and drink some food before they will release you and I told them I will eat at home. She said just some water, so I took a sip and said now unhook me. I nearly ripped the IV out myself. I started to get dressed before they pulled the curtain.
Thanks for your comment I read so many discussions and most people said that it's not so bad... unfortunately we are not one of them...
I will complain to my doctor as they wrote the reason they couldn't finish it was becase I was too stressed and anxious even before the procedure started. Heh it's true but they couldn't finish it because it was extremely
painful! They didn't mention that! 😡
Most of the NHS doctor are horrible. You must go privately to see a good doctor.
It must be really awful if you are sedated in a way that you can not protect yourself and you still feel everything and the doctor doesn't stop! Uf can't even imagine that! I am so sorry that you were sexually abused by a male doctor! It's must been even worse as you must have difficulty to believe them.... I think it's better to have MRI or CT or pay for a good doctor and be fully knocked out for this procedure...or I don't know why is this happening....
Lol I also didn't take any biscuits just a sip of water because I had to.. Luckily the nurses were very nice at least! Also was up getting dressed after 5 minutes - no sleepy, no dizzy just crying all the time...
Did you? And it wasn't any better I guess... Well some people can't bear it for some reason... Maybe it would help if we were more sedated maybe not... Full anaesthesia would be great but there is higher risk because you can't say if it really hurts... were they able to finish it or not?
They have their work cut out for them the next time, as I will need a lot of convincing. Plus I will need to be put out in the hospital. I have trust issues when it comes to doctors, because of what happened to me. I can't even see a male doctor for any kind of intimate exam. So I have to find a woman. The doctor that did this to me victimized as many as 200 other men before getting caught. I told my new gastro that I didn't want another colonoscopy done at all. I think it was cool that you walked out I wish that I had been able to. They give you a medicine that is a date rape drug that tends to wipe your memory of the experience. I didn't remember the incident until the car ride home. I do remember being very angry and I yelled at my doctor. I told her if she had looked in my file then she would have known that the medicine she was prescribing me wouldn't work. I just wasn't that nice about it. She kinda made a noise that told me she was frustrated with me, but I didn't care. I was really angry about what happened. It's funny how they think that it doesn't hurt. Well in some it does. If I were you I would fire my doctor. I did the next day and it felt good. I am now seeing a new doctor.
Joined just to reply to you. I am so sorry you suffered a similar traumatic experience to mine. Almost identical---shame on both of the "doctors."
Mine felt like I was being stabbed repeatedly. I could not help screaming out in pain. I received no sedation or pain medication. I huddled, shaking and sobbing in the stairwell after until I could manage to get to my car.
Throughout the rest of the day I was passing bloody tissue and my pain continued. Finally, in fear and desperation, I called the hospital. They wanted me to come in but admitted they would probably have to insert a scope. I could not bear the thought of any more torture and declined to go in. After a few days I stopped passing bloody tissue and the pain ended.
I later learned from a friend who has had many that this painful experience is from dr. not slowing down at twists and turns and moving too fast. I remembered them talking about how many patients they had backed up. Thanks to these incompetents I will NEVER have another colonoscopy. This happened over ten years ago and I am physically ill just relating it.
Just had to let you know you are not alone. My heart and prayers go out to you. For anyone else having one, INSIST on sedation.
This seems to be more common than one thinks. There are no nerves in the colon, but there are nerves that surround it and one does feel pain when the colon is being dialated, and I can't tollerate it, not to mention that during mine I had a fissure that added to the pain of it. Doctors need to be more considerate to their patients or they won't have any.
I agree with you 100% I had one today and the sedation did not work at all I was in constant pain they turned me about 6 times and pushed down on the scope which hurt even more. The doctor wrote that it was very difficult because of loops on the sigmoid and spleen so now I am left worrying if something has been ruptured or perforated. Never ever again. He seemed more annoyed that I kept saying how painful it was he kept upping the sedation but nothing worked. I am never putting myself through this horrorific procedure ever again
Hola, he tenido varias colonoscopias y nunca son cómodas. Ayer me hice este procedimiento y pensé que iba a morir. Honestamente, nunca en mi vida he experimentado un dolor crónico así, y sin que el cirujano o el personal dieran marcha atrás, me sentí muy vulnerable. Bueno, tomaron 40 biopsias y todo es por mi bien, pero Dios mío, no creo que vaya a olvidar ese día. Entiendo que tienes que estar "despierto" para poder moverte bajo las instrucciones del cirujano, pero con tanto dolor no puedes hacerlo de todos modos. Seguramente debe haber una mejor manera que esta. Totalmente bárbaro y sí, la sensación de haber sido violado también está ahí. Ya estoy temiendo la próxima. 😔
Yo también tuve la colonoscopia más dolorosa jamás. Fui a buscar mis registros de esta última vez así como la que tuve hace 8 años. ¡Muy interesante, por decir lo menos! La primera vez me dieron 200 mcg de Fentanilo. La última vez solo me dieron 50 mcg. ¡No es de extrañar que estuviera gritando a todo pulmón porque el dolor era tan intenso! Cualquiera que lea esto, pregunte con anticipación cuánta medicación le van a dar. ¡Ahorran dinero y algunos de nosotros estamos pagando el precio!
I had colonoscopy 4yrs ago with no problems at all..woke up in recovery room all done...yesterday I had one of the most painful events ever..I went to hospital for another colonoscopy started the same build up procedure..they took me into the theatre and put sedation into my arm..didnt feel any different and doctor started to explain he was starting..only a minute in and I was crying with pain he tried to continue but pain was worse so he stopped and said I would have to get a ct scan instead..I fell asleep then and they wakened me up in recovery room...I was wondering if they didnt give sedation time to work..sick with disappointment as I was hoping to get some kind of results from colonoscopy..
Lamento mucho que haya sido tan malo. Consigue tus informes y mira cuánto Fentanyl te dieron la última vez y luego verifica cuánto te dieron esta vez. Están ahorrando dinero dando menos medicación y todos pagamos el precio doloroso. Es una tortura. Grité todo el tiempo, solo me dieron más Versed con la esperanza de que olvidara la tortura.
Hello to all. I'm posting because I don't know anyone who has been in the same situation as all of us and feels better not to suffer alone.
I was sedated for the procedure (which was yesterday morning), but have been in pain ever since. I have an anal fissure (basically, a tear) caused by childbirth that led to bleeding, which is why I was sent for a colonoscopy at such a young age. I had panic attacks going into the procedure (the result of being assaulted), which is why I was fully sedated.
Since I came out of sedation I have had very intense pain between my hips and pelvis. I thought I was imagining it and kept trying to tell myself I was okay because I've heard that this procedure should be painless afterwards. Well, after a full day of pain and taking ibuprofen I called the endoscopy office and found out that my colon was curved more than average and they pushed on my abdomen a lot to get the camera through. I also was told that women generally have a longer colon packed into a smaller abdomen and the camera must make it around the uterus as well, so women (especially slender women) often have more painful colonoscopies.
I am writing this for everyone to feel less alone and also if you are considering getting a colonoscopy to go with your instinct. They can save your life if you have polyps and I know they help diagnose very painful diseases, but I wish I had trusted my instinct and declined. My original problem - pain from anal fissure- is worse now after defecating 42 times from the prep liquid and then having a tube go past the tear. If you're a woman who just a baby and is diagnosed with a fissure, I strongly urge you not to get a colonoscopy unless you have a family history of cancer or several indicators. Ideas that are helping me heal (well, before the colonoscopy wrecked me again) - stay hydrated, put your feet on a stool for bowel moments, get a prescription for lidocaine nifedipine, eat well, and find a pelvic floor physical therapist. They can actually help the problem by teaching you how to relax muscles and heal birth-related trauma. To all of you who have suffered on this board, my heart goes out to you. Much more care and thoughtfulness and support should be built around this procedure. It is anything but routine.
OMG! I had exactly the same yesterday! I’ve had two previous colonoscopies which both gave me discomfort, but nothing like the pain I experienced yesterday, it was worse than childbirth! I have had extreme diaohrea for a week so I think my bowel may be irritated as well as my colon being inflamed! They have put me on steroids to calm my bowl down and I have to go back next week as they need to get to the right side of my bowel! I’m really worried! Like you I got sedation that made not one bit of a difference and I have to say, I consider myself to have a pretty high pain threshold!