Any Advice About Colonoscopies?

[MarmaladeSandwich7]

I’ve had the procedure before but it was several years ago & I can’t remember much about it, apart from the discomfort. Any advice would be welcome.

The prep was fine. I was lucky enough to get the lemon one and made it up in advance. chilled from fridge, with me sucking a lemon just before I took it with a straw - it was fine. I was able to move about during dosages and was ok.

It seems to be more popular to have sedation but I really don't want it.

Why, is it because you'll need an escort home ?

I wouldn’t class 3 or 4 years ago as several. It’s at least 9 years because we’ve been in our house with one loo for nearly that.

I have terrible anxiety and the thought of being something that may make me out of it makes me feel more anxious. I also just want to have it done and her out of there

There's gonna be a wait in "Recovery'(another room) whist you wait for them to tell you what they found so no running away!

Thankyou!

The thought of it all scares me so much.

Never heard of the crystals, I don’t think they are a thing in the UK.

In the UK lemonade is a sweet, carbonated drink.

No-one get the results of a colonoscopy on the same day do they? Surely there's a bit of a wait? I don't know for sure, but my friend (when she had her CT scan done) didn't get the results for 2 weeks. (They were negative thankfully.) Maybe it's different with colonoscopies?

Also, no-one can drive themselves home either if they have received sedation (which most people do,). You MUST have someone with you who can drive you back home. Even if you don't have sedation, I would still have someone else there to drive you home, as you could end up feeling nauseous, queasy, and groggy.

Yes they tell you there and then. It might be that they send off something suspicious for testing but otherwise yes.

DS chose to have his without sedation, just gas and air, he was fine but also they said they would be able to sedate him if he hadn’t coped with just the G&A. So that might be an option for you too.

I had a colonoscopy a few months ago.

After taking the first dose of moviprep, it took about 40 minutes for the flow to start. The feeling is quite urgent so don't stray too far from the toilet. I ended up going every 15 or 20 minutes for about 3 hours, then you are virtually empty.

I decided to put one of those puppy training pads in bed where my backside was and a good job too. It was stained in the morning but it was just leakage in my sleep. The moviprep does clear you out in 2 or 3 hours.

The procedure itself was uncomfortable, rather than painful. I didn't take any sedation. There are no pain receptacles after the entrance to your backside, so you can't feel the camera progressing. The only really uncomfortable part was when they pump gas in to widen your bowel. I was thinking about asking for the gas and air at that point. Felt like really bad wind. However, either the doctor released some of the gas or I farted it out and the discomfort disappeared very quickly.

After that, all I could feel was the in and out movement of the scope at my rear entrance.

After the procedure, I had a chat with the nurse about what they found (nothing, in my case), offered a cup of tea, which I declined and I was out of the hospital within 15 minutes. I came on my own on the bus and went home the same way.

If you have ever had an endoscopy, a colonoscopy is a walk in the park in comparison.

Thankyou that has made me feel a little less worried about the procedure

My experience was very similar to that of the previous poster. I just used gas and air - chatted to the staff. The doctor asked what music I liked and put on some baroque from his phone! I found following the recommended low fibre diet for a few days before made it all much easier.

What foods did you eat?

White bread, eggs, chicken ( without skin), potatoes were all suggested in the prep sheet from the hospital). bit boring but not difficult for a few days.

You dont have to have sedation, I didn't and it was fine. However you cant just go straight away as they have to do checks for a bit after, so im not sure the lack of sedation gets you away any faster.

This was very similar to my experience and I agree, if I had to choose I would take a colonoscopy over an endoscopy. I didnt find it too bad at all.

They'll give you a leaflet, to be honest I didnt follow it! There wasn't a lot on there I would of eaten anyway

I have just started the prep. No where near as bad from what I have read about it. Chilled with a straw and had a glass of lemonade next to me and every sip put the lemonade to my lips just to wet them took the taste away 1/2 done other half to go.

Good luck 😬 I've received my prep. Mango Plenvu what have you been given?

The poonami following this prep is very large !

Where I work we offer gas and air or sedation, however this is conscious sedation where you are given midazolam and fentanyl which is just enough to enable you to be nicely relaxed but aware of what’s happening.
I would say in most of the procedures that I have seen it’s a good idea to have the sedation, especially if you are anxious.

Moviprep. Have to do another litre early tomorrow morning.

None of this is true! I've driven home several times when I didn't have sedation. And I usually get the results on the day and leave with a letter for my GP. The only time you won't get the results on the day is if a biopsy is taken. Even then they will likely say if it does or doesn't appear concerning, where they have found eg polyps, is there diverticulitis, yada yada. I literally watch the doctor writing it up.