To be so nervous for a colonoscopy

[binkyblinky]

I've got my first ever colonoscopy on Tuesday morning 😣

Tomorrow at one I start my course of moviprep at 1pm - not looking forward to that either!

I'm being sedated but I'm so nervous for the procedure.

Docs suspect crohns in my large bowel so hopefully it won't have to go 'in' too far.

If they see anything, will they tell me there and then?

Need some words of encouragement and random 'I bet you're shitting it' jokes please

I have had my appointment come through this morning for mine. Can someone tell me what clear soup is?? Other than orange squash its the only thing I can have for 24hrs before? Clear soup?? Is there such a thing?

clear soup is basically a stock cube & hot water.
possibly plain chicken pieces.
no fibre at all.

My letter says no fibre for 3 days beforehand and no food other than clear liquid for the 24hrs before so just a stockcube and water then not envy

I've had one done twice and it was fine. Im due to have another soon but also a endoscopy and I'm really nervous for that! I tried having one before but panicked so bad it was unsuccessful so I'm worried it'll be the same again. Best of luck for yours x

@peakygal I had an endoscopy a few years ago. I was sedated and was not aware of anything until it was over. Did you have sedation?

@smartiecake yeah I was but I wasn't asleep so pretty much aware what was happening. I know it was more or less over thinking but it wasn't a great experience for me

Agree with everyone saying the prep was the worst part. I was awake and it wasn't painful apart from a few seconds where they decided to go a bit further in.

One thing I wasn't prepared for was the wind immediately afterwards and the very breezy nurse walking up and down the recovery suite saying 'let it out - we've heard it all before!' It subsided by the time I'd had a cup of tea and a biscuit.

Hope it goes well.

I had one 3 weeks ago. The prep tasted awful - v sweet and salty. Starting working after about hour and half and I had to do round two early the next morning.

I had a long wait on the day due to an issue with another patient and was soooo thirty beforehand. My first glass of water afterwards tasted amazing!

The consultant and theatre staff were fab. Sedation was like having a couple of glasses of wine so I was talking and watching the screen throughout although a bit of a hazy memory!

I was covered by a blanket and it was very modest. I was even offered privacy knicknockers with a flap over my behind for easy access but declined

Afterwards I was thankful that the prep had been so effective as it meant a successful procedure - so with every bowel movement try to think it's a good thing!!

Haha, see they haven’t improved the Moviprep recipe yet! I recommend holding your nose when taking a big gulp of it, followed by some clear apple juice to take the taste away

I am sooo glad that I got picolax when I had mine.
only 2 cups to drink and very effective.
I wonder why the other stuff is used so much?

@pinkbalconyrailing where are you? I think someone else said they took that picolax stuff but they were in America.
I'm in the UK, it'll be in a private not NHS hospital

@HUCKMUCK

Agree with everyone saying the prep was the worst part. I was awake and it wasn't painful apart from a few seconds where they decided to go a bit further in.

One thing I wasn't prepared for was the wind immediately afterwards and the very breezy nurse walking up and down the recovery suite saying 'let it out - we've heard it all before!' It subsided by the time I'd had a cup of tea and a biscuit.

Hope it goes well.

Love this! I either didn’t have it, or (more likely) I was blissfully unaware

I had Pleinvu - very effective

yes,it was in the uk in a private hospital.

The weirdest thing is after that starvation and complete clear out, my stomach settled down and is much better now. Maybe we should have fasting days, who knows.

I’ve had one. As others have said, the preps worse than the procedure.

If you work, you will need at least 2 days off, the day of the prep as you need to be near the toilet and following the procedure due to the after affects of the sedative. You won’t be able to drive either.

Hi OP, just to re assure you, it will be fine. The prep is the worse but actually it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, and what comes out is very watery rather than like when you have an upset stomach.

Take the sedation, it will make you pleasantly woozy, if you want to ask to see the screen, it really is quite fascinating, but you don't have to watch. Because of the way your bowel lies the last bit will push a bit, but not painful. I had a few polyps at two of mine, all snipped out painlessly at the time (then he dropped one , never to be seen again!) the others were clear . Wear something loose and comfy as you might be feel a bit bloated afterwards. Eating normal food afterwards feels wonderful, there is something very nourishing for the soul about NHS tea and toast. Take a small cushion or pillow to pop under the seatbelt on the way home for comfort.

I've got Crohn's-colitis. I've had many colonoscopies. The prep is the worst bit. I refuse Moviprep now as I'm fed up of puking most of it back up. My last 3 have been Picolax prep. I get in moist loo roll/baby wipes and some Sudocrem. I've never been sedated and have accepted gas and air once or twice. Better to have a scope up your arse than suffer, at any rate!

I'm going against the grain here but I actually find them very painful, but I do have crohn's with scar tissue and active disease. The prep isn't fun, do apply Vaseline to your bottom and use wet wipes, on the day of the procedure you will have stopped going to the toilet so not much chance of accident on the way to the hospital. Afterwards I've always felt very tired and a little shaky. Good luck.

Ok I've had nothing to eat for four hours. I'm currently obsessing about food in the fridge. Would a small piece of cheese be so bad?

I've been going in for colonoscopies from an earlier age as my mom had colon cancer. First time, I was breastfeeding DD and didn't want the sedative so they just gave me a narcotic to ease the pain - so I was awake and completely alert the entire time. I was a hot mess of fear, but it was not bad AT ALL. In fact, it was surprisingly fascinating and over pretty quickly. I've never been sedated since. The aftermath with a narcotic was nothing. I got up off the table, put on my clothes and had a big meal!

No cheese! Have you got any bouillon powder to make a cup a soup? Or have some non-red/purple sugary squash.

First glass of moviprep taken with flat lemonade - I can do this!

You can totally do this OP The more water/squash you drink, the easier it will be IME.

You will be fine OP - I'm the world's worst wimp but coped well.
As PPs have said, the prep is the worst. Mine was picolax (UK, NHS hospital). Once it kicks in, do not go far from the loo. At all.
The actual procedure was fine, though you will have some wind afterwards to get rid of. Remember that you can't drive yourself home after the sedative.