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.

Sedation, definitely sedation!

I have them every couple of years and had gas and air during two of them - one because they couldn’t get the cannula in and the other because I was breastfeeding. Even with gas and air it was very uncomfortable, and I have a high pain threshold. They had to abandon the second one and do it again after I stopped breastfeeding because it was simply too much for me.

The preparation is the worst part. Once you’re through that, go to your appointment, take the sedation and have a semi awake sleep. The cup of tea and biscuit after is the best bit!

I had absolutely no problem with the prep: be super vigilant about what you eat in the 48 hours prior.

If you have an en suite, just stay in your room in pjs/trackie bottoms so you can dash to the bathroom without fighting your belt buckle.

I had sedation and it was fine, but I did find I was forgetful about what was said to me. So I was told I needed a follow up test that afternoon, and would not be ready for (say) 1pm collection - but I have no memory of being told this, so was angry and tearful when I was still there at 3pm having (as I thought) no notice. My sister was waiting to collect me.

I had to have a further follow up due to the GI doctor not being able to remove a polyp, but I am now ‘in the system’ and get called every three years. I’ve a family history of bowel cancer so I consider this a housekeeping job to be done, and am glad to be monitored.

Yeah don't do this. You may need the colonoscopy repeated due to poor bowel prep .

My experience of this magic Eye exploratory medical procedure is its essential to be under sedation,
I felt real extremely discomfort sore not pleasant feeling,
like the medical tool is designed in such a way its very arkward to go through twists and turns of the body,
they the medical staff in the medical room about this,
when they did the colon aspect of this medical instrument,

It's weirdly intriguing seeing your insides of your body on a screen,
like embarrassing bodies up close and personal,

when you have this procedure they have to inflate you so they can see better,

so afterwards you can't help passing gas as you feel uncomfortable bloated feeling

the water cocoation solution to clean your insides taste is too much salty ugh 🤢,
before you have the magic eye exploratory thing,
the plus side aspect you feel squeaky clean and refreshed, and lighter like could think better with clarity.

They checked throughly too
Just found i have hitus hernia

Having read the replies a few things :

• Everyone has a slightly different experience of colonoscopies. Though the majority have sedation, some do have gas and air (and some nothing ).
• If you have sedation you can't drive home afterwards and need someone to be with you in the eve

• In the UK , standard sedation is not propofol, so you may well not sleep but just feel drowsy and may not remember each step of the procedure
• take the bowel prep exactly as it says on the pack
• Get your partner to look after children from when you start bowel prep (and eve after colonoscopy if you are having sedation )
• Colonoscopy itself takes 15-20 mins on average. Sometimes longer if polyps need to be removed
• Polyp removal or biopsy doesn't hurt at all
• Discomfort from Colonoscopy is from the scope bending round the bowel and also from the gas being pushed in to open the bowel. Pass this wind in the procedure, its normal and you will feel better

"They could drive a Ford Cortina up your arse on those drugs! - they’re great"

😂😂😂

I was most worried about the prep but it was unpleasant not unmanageable. The solution was not as disgusting as I imagined based on others reports. I followed the advice to make it as cold as possible and to use a straw. I did not need to stay in the washroom and there was no cramping or anything. I threw up some solution toward the end but I still achieved the proper clear out. So unpleasant but not undoable. Mine was drank in 2 parts - so the hardest part was getting up at like 3am to finish the 2nd half.

I felt nothing at all during the procedure - I vaguely recall being given some extra medicine or sedative or something but that's about it - I really don't remember the procedure even. My DH drove me to and from. We went for delightful big breakfast after as I was starving.

I had a colonoscopy in November and I was really terrified! I had the most horrendous piles at the time and had recently had a mastectomy of my left breast so was worried about having to lie on my left side.

I didn't find the prep that bad, to be honest. I had Moviprep which is less awful than some of the alternatives I think. I was also well used to diarrhoea having had it for about 4 months by then - but I 6th no it you follow the instructions to have a very bland, low residue diet for a couple of days beforehand, followed by a clear liquid only diet, properly, that probably helps.

I had sedation for the procedure and it worked well. I told them that I was worried about lying on my left side because it was still very sore, and they said I could lie on my back, no problem. There was one uncomfortable bit when they actually inserted the probe, because of how sore it was there anyway, but nothing as bad as I had expected, and I don't remember any other discomfort.

You will be fine. It's not a process I would like to have to undergo again - but I won't be worried about it if I do.

Have the sedation, you will feel very relaxed when you come to.
I didn't find the prep so bad. Not lovely but not awful either.

Thanks everyone for sharing your advice and experiences.

I got a cancellation tomorrow at 9am so collected the prep yesterday and did a litre at 9am then another litre at 4pm and I'm wiped out (no pun intended), I'm starving (haven't had anything since 7pm last night because I can't stomach breakfast) the prep was so disgusting I couldn't face a glass every 15-20 minutes like the instructions said so I hustled downed the whole litre within 2/3 minutes.

My bum feels red raw, I'm also really shivery which is weird! I normally run warm but I've got fluffy socks, pjs and a dressing gown on.

So nervous for tomorrow, really really anxious 😢

Had mine done with gas and air - not advisable! Take the sedation…

@elm26 well done for getting that down you. Believe it or not I would say tomorrow is easier than forcing litres of prep down because it’s out of your hands then!

Take the sedation - you’ll sort of be aware what’s going on around you but you won’t remember it in any detail afterwards. Take a book or something, you may be waiting around for the procedure to be done.

good luck and do try not to worry - it will be over before you know it. In case saying “try not to worry” isn’t helpful is there anything in particular you’re anxious about? Maybe one of us can help with specific advice

I'm not sure that taking the laxatives all in one go was a good idea, you might be having a blood sugar crash. Have some warm Ribena with a teaspoon of sugar, or something like that.

No, definitely don’t have Ribena. You can only drink clear drinks from now on.

Well some sugar and salt in warm water then. The sachets are supposed to be spaced out.

Mate got bowel polyps sorted inside 2 weeks in Autumn 2023, never had a problem apparently 2 procedures later. Feels great now, no evidence of problems.

meanwhile uterine fibroids are treated as something else, something to endure with no quick fix…

Always take the sedation
I have them regularly as I have bowel disease and can confirm the prep is worse than the procedure
However, after the procedure, the wind is awful and you may well have a couple of days with trapped farts in your neck and skull and you may decide that is worse than the prep.
Hope all goes well for you

Good luck tomorrow

You've had lots of good advice on this thread. MN at its best x

Definitely take the sedation if it's offered. I've had two of them - for the first one the prep wasn't too bad but it took a long time to get through the gallons of fluid. Second time there was less fluid to drink but it tasted absolutely foul and was a struggle to keep it down. I think the horrid one was called Plenvu, and the one that was okay was Moviprep.

Drink lots, rehydration salts can help. The actual procedure is fine, sedatives help.
Help with baby is a good idea.

Good luck, OP!

If you've drunk the potion, the worst bit is behind you.

If you ever need to go again ask for picolax - tastes like moviprep but you only have to drink about 2 glasses of it

Sending hugs & best wishes for tomorrow @elm26 this time tomorrow all be over xx

I had the sedation and didn’t feel a thing. I was able to hold a conversation with the staff . I didn’t feel out of it and wasn’t asleep, but just felt calm and relaxed and had zero embarrassment or discomfort. I was very tired when I got home and had a good sleep. As others have said the worst part was chugging the vile drink down. The bowel emptying wasn’t as bad as I thought either. I didn’t have cramps, just frequent loo trips. I didn’t feel hungry either which I expected I would as they were late doing the test so I went from midnight to 5pm. I was so worried about the whole thing but it was nothing like as bad as I imagined it would be. Good luck