Colonoscopy process

[welsh100]

After all the advice I have received trawling thru various forums like this, the least I can do is add to it, to reinforce the positive aspects of having a colonoscopy. Remember this: some people volunteer for these procedures and others pay large sums for colonic irrigation too!!!

I felt I benefitted the most from in depth replies, so here goes:

I am a male, aged 64. October 2019 - went to A and E with bleeding from rear passage. This was a first for me. The doctor did a DRE and found nothing (which was the reason for a referral to the GP. Apparently, if no-one can find the cause of bleeding - provided you are over 50, you automatically go onto ther "urgent bowel cancer screening treadmill"??)

70 days after A and E (NHS wales target is 62 days), It was time for the procedure.

I was sent a pack of Laxido laxitives to be taken twice a day for 6 days - resulting in nothing really?? Apparently they simply make your stools softer??

I followed the instructions for Moviprep cleanser to the letter and the day before - ate very little. No more solids after 6pm. Appointment was for 1.45pm:

On the day and at 5am I was told to drink 1lr of movieprep. I had read horror stories about this preperation. So the best tips for me were: make it up the night before and chill it overnight. I also added elderflower cordial. These two things alone made it absolutely palatable. No problems at all. I drank a 250ml glass every 15 mins easily (and thru straws). Read a funny book and 45 mins after starting the prep, my bowels opened (big time). Tap On...tap OFF!!! for about an hour. First session lasted between 5am and 7am.

Then 1 hour respite (in bed). Stage 2 was a repeat of stage 1 between 8am ish to 10am ish.

In between and after stage 2, I drank a glass of 250ml of water with electrolytes in it (diarolyte) to bolster my system.

All done by 11am. Drank water till 1pm (on and off).

Arrived as appointed @ 1.45pm. VERY friendly staff dealing with a production line of similar cases (20/day, 7 days a week).

Asked if I wanted gas and air or sedation. I asked the nurse what was her experience and she said women usually have the sedative and men the gas and air. She found this strange as she thought women endured pain better than men! I asked her what she would do in the circumstances and she said sedative - I took her advice.

Needle into arm (painless), 15 minute wait and consultant comes out for a chat:

Men are simple he says! Take us 15 minutes, job done. Women are more complex plumbing and take around 30 minutes.I'll tell you the results immediately.

Went in, hooked me up to O2 monitor / oxygen temporarily / blood pressure monitor / sedative (one off shot through IV).

Don't remember being woozy/out of sorts. Felt completely "with it". Watched everything and it seemed over in a flash - didn't feel anything at all!! Lots of explanations from consultant and lots of piccies. From arriving @ 1345, procedure complete @ 1450. Into recovery room for 30 mins for a gorgeous cup of tea and biscuits and bags and bags of TLC.

I love the NHS.

Fear factor leading up to prep and op: High.

Prep pain: Nil.

Prep discomfort: Nil.

Colonoscopy pain: Nil.

Colonoscopy discomfort: Nil.

All clear, no polyps, no biopsy. But found diverticilitis in several places (lifestyle ailment based around diet). Easily remedied.

Overall: Much ado about nothing!

Any questions?

[Borntobeamum]

Comprehensive report however please respect those of us who have horrific experiences and to add insult to injury - literally, you find you actually have colon cancer.

[Oldmum55]

Welsh100 thanks for sharing your positive experience, we know that unfortunately not everybody is as lucky but at least it can help those of us who are waiting for this procedure.

[Alone07]

I had both a colonoscopy and gastroscopy done a few months ago.
I found the gastroscopy painless and over in a very short amount of time.
The colonoscopy was however not a very nice experience for me, the prep did not bother me though and found it easy just to gulp it through a straw and it being cold!
The actual procedure was very painful, they gave me 2 types of sedation and gas and air (I have a very high pain threshold as well ).
Not sure the sedation actually did anything as I felt no different, the pain felt like the worse period cramps ever and at a few points I begged them to stop.
I did manage to have it done in the end but for me it was worse then labour at times.
Its one of them your experience is your experience everyone will be different.

[goose1964]

I had one earlier today. I had to give myself an enema, which was bloody awkward and didn't do any thing. The worst bit was the lube being applied which was freezing. Otherwise no pain and really only a little discomfort.

[viques]

Glad you got a good result Welsh. Didn't they give you lovely paper pants with a hole in the back? Maybe they don't give them to men.


A good tip is to have a little tin of Vaseline handy during the prep period, your bum can get sore with all the extra work it's doing.