Anyone had a flexible sigmoidoscopy?!

[Keysunshine]

I have one of these next week and I'm a bit worried about how painful it will be! Has anyone had one?

I have to do an enema at home beforehand as well which I've also never done before! Arghhh!

Yes I had one around 8 months ago. It was unpleasant but over quickly and I didn't have a sedative, just gas and air. It's a crampy/labour pain feeling, like you might burst, but for the time they do it it's manageable! The drink you take the night before is pretty grim, get a straw which makes it easier to get down you! The actual clearing out after the drink wasn't too bad and I managed to get a reasonable sleep but was up a few times! I was starving after the procedure and managed to go out for a huge meal ! Good luck!

I've had one. It's not pleasant, but not too bad. You can have sedation, but I didn't because I wouldn't have been able to drive to work the following day.

I had to have a special laxative the day before, and then only eat what was on the list they gave me at specific times, and drink quite a lot of water. That part was quite hard, but the laxative part itself wasn't too bad.

I felt quite queasy on the day, I think from the laxative. I was very nervous going into hospital. They gave me a gown to put on and some paper shorts, so I didn't feel too naked! I took my own dressing gown as well, and was able to keep my bra and top on under the gown.

The actual procedure was quite quick. I was dreading it, but when they inserted the tube it wasn't painful at all. I chose to watch the video. I could feel the camera inside me, but it wasn't painful. It was a bit crampy as they went around the 'corners' of the colon, and made me gasp, but otherwise not too bad. It was over really quickly and then I rested in a bed for a while before I was discharged.

I wouldn't worry, it's really not too bad, not nearly as bad as I was expecting.

Argh ok. I don’t have any laxative option or anything else, it’s just the diy enema a few hours before I go in. Planning to have a good sized breakfast and then appointment is at 2pm. Need to check how long I can’t eat for.

Good tip on dressing gown. I probably won’t go for the sedative as need to be fully functioning for work the next day...

They say they can give me Entonox for the pain? Don’t know much about that

And thank you for sharing

It's all OK. There are some uncomfortable moments but they are generally kind to you. My last one was without even G&A and it was fine. They have it up on a screen usually which is odd but interesting.

So you can watch the procedure on screen?? I’m not sure I’m keen on that!

Did anyone have to do an enema? I know it’s tmi but I’m worried about it!

Doing an enema is more awkward than anything. Lie on your left side with your knees drawn up. Plenty of lubricant on the applicator then squeeze, it shouldn't take too much pressure . Then wait as long as you can before you go to the bathroom.

A flex sigmoidoscopy will be over before you know it. Not all areas nake you put on a gown. If somebody has their pyfamas/ nightdress on then clothes can just be adjusted.

Please relax. You will be with professionals who know you are nervous. Follow the instructions for the enema. I did mine close to the loo, used plenty of vaseline, hung on as long as I could, and then it all happened in one movement.

At the hospital they gave me two hospital gowns to wear, one frontwards and one backwards and a cute pair of blue paper shorts with a discrete hole.

In the treatment room you lie on your left side, draw your knees up and let them get on with it. I watched on the screen. You may be asked to move so the scope can go around a corner. A lovely nurse let me squeeze her hand but it was over quickly.

I can't help re the enema, as the hospital gave me mine just before the procedure! I was really worried about losing control, but actually it's quite civilised and you're empty after one huge, frenetic loo trip! It's a bit crampy but it isn't awful.

I didn't want sedative or gas and air as I'm very anxious about feeling sick, so I had mine without anything. They keep things as dignified as possible and the nurses are very kind. It is rather uncomfortable - the camera and tube is surprisingly thick, and metal and cold! - and they have to apply some pressure to get it around the first bend. As someone said above, the sensation is very crampy, the tube moving round is quite intense and they fill you full of air so it feels like you might burst. The nurse was trying to chat to me to distract me, but I just concentrated on deep, steady breathing. It wasn't nice, I won't lie, but they were quick and I got through it. And you get to see the inside of your bowel on screen.

Good luck - it's a few minutes tops, grit your teeth, be brave and it'll be done!

I was given new medicine that gave me constipation just before I was due to do the enema. Panic! Got myself sorted and the enema was a very strange experience.

Found the sigmoidoscopy v.painful but I have years of damage. No pain relief in the surgery but the kind nurse let me squeeze her hand to death.

Hi,
I had a flexi sigmoidoscopy recently and, yes, I did find it very painful in parts. I had asked for sedation but I must have received a very low dose as I have sedation for major dental work and I was nowhere near as sedated as I am when at the dentists. I should ask for maximum dose - always. Why doctors never want to give maximum dose of sedation I will never know. I had assured the doctor and nurses many times that I would not be on my own overnight. Anyway, all went well until he started to turn a corner - at the top of the colon I think - when I let out a yelp of pain. He said 'Just relax - it won't take long'! How can you relax in this situation I wonder? None of the three nurses came to stand by me and none offered the promised gas and air. One eventually came over and said 'we're nearly finished'. Then the tube was removed and something quite solid inserted. I hadn't expected this as I thought you always had to agree beforehand to whatever they might need to do. So, my advice would be to ask for MAXIMUM sedation. I realised that they don't seem to like giving this for possible pain so you have to say that you are very anxious about the procedure. Then you might get some - but not a lot unless you keep pushing the anxiety point.