To ask for your experiences of colonoscopy, super nervous

[elm26]

Hi

Been referred for an urgent colonoscopy due to a high result from a FIT test.

Should I take the sedation route or just gas & air? How bad is it, really? If I'm sedated will I still feel it? Please be honest, I'm feeling worse about this than I was labour! The thought of something going up my backside is just bleugh.

When I do the prep, do I need my DH home to watch baby? She is nearly 11 months and I can't exactly lock her in the toilet with me and by the sounds of it when I'll need to go, there is no stopping it so can't rush around putting her in play pen etc.

The prep is fairly awful - you’re basically having explosive diarrhoea for hours. There’s no way you could look after a baby at the same time so you’ll need your DH around for that. I don’t think the colonoscopy hurts - it’s just weird so whether or not you need sedation depends on how anxious you are I think. Good luck!

I have had one every year for 12 years. (Predisposition to colon cancer).

Take sedation - you’ll be awake, but won’t care what they do and won’t remember much. They could drive a Ford Cortina up your arse on those drugs! - they’re great.

The prep is hell. I’d make sure your DH is there and leave some reading material near the loo. Make sure you have squash handy because it helps get the prep down. Then don’t stray more than a couple of feet from the loo.

Good luck OP!

I'm prepping for one at 8am tomorrow morning.
First lot of stuff drunk. Don't like the taste. Used a straw as suggested (on MN?)
Don't think I'd like to be looking after a baby whilst prepping.

Get sedation!! I have no idea why they discourage it but there’s no way I’m getting sodomised by a camera without being half asleep.

Anyway I’ve had 2 under sedation and it’s fine - barely even remember it except staring at a screen for a while then having a lovely snooze after

Hi OP! I had one. I’m very petite and definitely glad for the sedation route. I would really recommend it. It is over really quickly and you feel so much better after.

With the prep, I would have someone home as I was just occupied for hours and hours! But everyone is different and some manage better.

Hope that helps xx

I had a couple a few years ago. It’s awkward and embarrassing but over fairly quickly and gave me peace of mind that everything was ok. I wouldn’t say it was anymore intrusive than giving birth and far less painful. Hope it goes well.

The prep was worse than the procedure! I had mild sedation and was more a weird feeling of discomfort. Its honestly not that bad xx

Btw sedation wasn’t offered when I had mine. But given the choice I’d probably have opted for that. Not because it hurt but because I probably would have generally been more relaxed.

Go for the sedation, it just made me feel relaxed and rather unconcerned about what was going on. Luckily. I had an all-female team looking after me so they were very tactful and discrete. You just rest for a bit afterwards until the drugs have worn off. I won’t mention the prep the night before as it’s a bit grim, the Moviprep I had to take was bloody vile. Get some extra-strength orange squash to dilute it with as it’s very unpalatable and very salty. Have your husband at hand to take care of baby as the urgency is indescribable. Good luck!

Same here. It was over before I knew it.

Definitely be sedated and have help looking after the baby. I found the starvation by far the worst bit!

The prep is definitely the worst bit. I had sedation and was out for the count. Don't remember a thing after the drip going in.

There are lots of different preps, the one I had tasted vile. You had to mix it with something like 500ml of water and then drink 500ml of plain water afterwards. I found making it up with only 300ml and washing each sip down with plain water from the 700ml I still needed made it less grim and overall volume intake was the same. The nurse seemed genuinely surprised when I said I'd had the full dose of both sachets - I'm assuming a lot of people don't manage!

If it’s possible for DH to be with baby and you during explosive prep, that’s for the best I’d say. I went to work one time! Huge mistake.

As for the process itself, I was sedated both times, not so much as went to sleep. Just enough to be relaxed. Rested afterwards in a recovery bed/ward and then …. walked home.

I had one two weeks ago. I had the sedation, it was fine except the nurse couldn’t find a vein and I have had a very sore arm the past two weeks because he
hit an artery. Honestly the procedure itself was nothing to worry about.
the prep is the worst part. I would say that yes your husband should stay to help with baby. That prep is awful to drink. My boss had one a few months ago and she found the running to the loo the worst, but I had trouble keeping the actual prep down, I was very nauseous with it.
I would recommend eating very lightly for the few days before it. They say don’t eat beetroot, seeds and especially no tomatoes. I tried to eat just very plainly the week leading up and i started my fasting two days before with only one meal on that day. It just made it easier.
they say don’t drive for 24hours after but i would recommend don’t drive for 48hrs after as I still felt unwell two days after and ended up having a minor bump in the car.

I've had 6 due to crohns disease. The prep isn't fine but get some cordial to flavour the prep as long as it's not red its fine. Welch's white grape juice and lemon and lime jelly is great for keeping fluid and sugars up. Clear ice lollies (lemonade type ones). Clear broth etc. I've had 50.50 without pain relief due to having a newborn and then the rest with sedation. Take the sedation its normally fentanyl and its great you don't really remember it. You can ask for a line to be put in and try the g&a first. Have someone to look Fter lo during prep and after as you can feel uncomfortable due to the air pumped in. Have peppermint tea on hand. Good luck OP it'll be over before you know it x

I can’t have sedation (allergic) so I just had gas and air and honestly, it was fine. It felt a bit weird and a little uncomfortable but I barely used the gas and air. The doctor and nurse doing it were lovely and chatted away throughout it. I felt completely at ease. The worst part is the bowel prep!!! 🙈 Also take some snacks with you for afterwards because you’ll be starving!

For me, the prep and anticipation was the worst. And it wasn't at all like explosive diarrhoea - it was just like weeing from my bum but not with an overly urgent need to go.

I had the sedation and would recommend. I sat with a woman after who said she had Crohn's (I think) so had them regularly and didn't. You will need someone to talk you home after if you do have sedation - don't try and get round that. Also be prepared to need to sleep for a long time after.

I was so nervous I couldn't stop crying - that sort of constant leaky eyes type. The nurses and doc were so nice though - they described the sedation has like having a few gins (it was!) and although I could feel the camera it didn't hurt at all.

Good luck, I hope everything is fine.

Are you breastfeeding? They can be weird about you having sedation if so. But sedation really isn’t necessary in my experience. The prep isn’t fun and you will need someone else watching your baby!

Thanks everyone!

That made me laugh @Vinvertebrate 😂

Good luck for tomorrow @StripeyDeckchair

I'll make sure DH keeps his work diary clear the day before and the day of so he can be with baby whilst I'm apparently stuck to the toilet ha, actually this might be a good break from parenting for me 😂 might actually get to read my kindle for a bit. He'll drive me there and pick me up so I'll opt for sedation.

Don't Google, when I had mine I made that mistake and scared myself silly.

It was absolutely fine, the prep was fine and the procedure itself was uncomfortable at certain points but otherwise I just breathed through and held a lovely nurse's hand. I watched it on screen which I know wouldn't work for everyone but helped me focus and stay calm.

i got the diluted orange, i think I’ve gone off that stuff for life after that prep. I wouldn’t bother with the straw it just means you’re getting it down you slower, just get it in to you, the more you have to taste it the harder it is to finish it all

The prep is by far the worst part. Just awful, so by comparison the colonoscopy itself is not too bad. Do have sedation. Unfortunately for me just as they started the procedure, I suddenly popped back awake. The staff were worried about giving me more so we went ahead anyway. They told me when they were going to go round a corner with the camera and it did burn a bit. The second time didnt seem as bad and I was chatting to the staff. Mixed sex staff dealing with me, but I never felt bad. A young male nurse brought me the shorts of shame which was a bit humiliating. But I was treated well. Good luck op. Try not to worry too much.

I had one a few months ago. Your dh wil need to look after your child.

Take the sedation AND the gas and air

Not breastfeeding so I'm happy to take the sedation if it means I won't be completely aware of a camera going up my bottom.

Gas & air did nothing for me during labour and with two failed epidurals, that was a shit time for it to do nothing 😂 so I don't really trust it now!

The prep is vile- I had to have the 2nd lot at 5am - and I was very sick - so felt that was cruel to make me get up so early 🤦🏻‍♀️May be just my area - apparently folk get up at 4:39 for holidays said the consultant when they planned general timings! FYI being sick didn’t matter so don’t worry if it happens to you too much.
I look to be the only one opting for gas and air so far - I had no one to collect me easily but honestly I bloody loved gas and air when in labour - absolutely the same for colonoscopy - started using tube prior to any ‘discomfort’ so I didn’t care all the way through. I could feel and wriggled with one polyp so they offered to put me on sedation at that point so there is that option still even during it. I didn’t need it and bonus of gas and air is being back to fit very quickly . You need someone to collect and stay with you for 24 hrs with sedation.
you maybe already know how gas and air works for you as I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea so perhaps that can help you decide? But honestly just felt like I was swinging on a giant swing and didn’t care 6-7 folk prodding or looking around my ass 🤦🏻‍♀️
Best of luck and it will be over is best I can say - tea and biscuit after is amazing.