Anyone had a colonoscopy that had to be abandoned?

[jjourneys]

Had a dual gastroscopy / colonoscopy yesterday (last has these done 2021, when they went fine), but yesterday the endoscopists (2, who both tried) couldn’t advance the endoscope along my colon / bowel due to too much restriction / turns / and the pain was too much (despite them upping my IV pain and sedation and being on gas and air) and the nurse who was checking on me said about 3/4 x if you want them to stop they can and they can do by CT instead, so had to give up.

Of course I’m now worried and there were questions about had I had previous abdominal surgeries (I haven’t).

I am physically small, low BMI, and these are factors for not being able to do this procedure because of this, but just reaching out in case anyone else had this?

I have chronically bad aneamia and lost 10kg in the last year without trying. And my platelets are too high too.

Thanks Sprookjesbos, yes probably the reason for mine too maybe … just weird it was ok a few years ago, unless this is something that develops or gets worse over time? Do you get daily gurgling stomach noises? The weightloss was a surprise to me at my blood test appointment, and only asked nurse to weigh me as a friend had mentioned in passing to me re my weight a day or two before. Then the records showed I was 65kg Jan 2025 blood test appointment, then 55kg Jan 2025 blood test appointment! 😬 literally not been doing anything different .. anyway will update over next week as and when I know more. xx

I had a colonoscopy in 2017. No problems at all, I was diagnosed with Diverticular disease. After a flare up with complications last June, I was booked for a sigmoidoscopy in October.
It had to be stopped as the pain was unbearable. I was very distressed as I expected it to be like the colonoscopy, uncomfortable but not painful. Adhesions and narrow, inflamed bowel were given as the possible reason.

I had a CT colonography in January. I was dreading it but it was absolutely fine, no pain or even discomfort at all.
After the failed Sigmoidoscopy I had problems with air being passed - I thought it was from my vagina - but the CT Colonography discovered it is a colovesical fissure - bladder.
Probably caused by a combination of diverticulitis and damaged in the failed sigmoidoscopy.
I saw surgeon on Thursday and I need to have surgery to remove bowel and repair bladder. Also a stoma, hopefully temporary.
It's all a shock.
But please don't worry about a CT colonography, it's just air that goes in.

Thanks for the comprehensive reply as these take a while to type, and sharing your experience really helps me (and others who read this thread in future)!

Lots to think about there as there is diverticulitis in my family, and it’s amazing they discovered your fissure with the CT, I will have a few re-reads of your post I think :).

Good luck with your future procedures, and if you remember please post and update with how things go x sending much love and strength

I had an abandonned one too after camera at both ends under a single sedation. The stomach one was done first and fine, but the sedation was wearing off when they started going in at the other end. The practitioner crossly told me to stop screaming in pain, and then grumpily gave up and pulled the camera out.

Can’t understand why they don’t give proper sedation in UK! I have to have colonoscopies every 2 years and am given propofol (am not in UK) and am completely knocked out. No way I’d want to be awake for that! Can you request full sedation given the history?

I have you on 'watched' threads and I will update🤗
I've to have another sigmoidoscopy but with all the drugs this time 'pray emoji'.
Just to be sure the 'unseen' area is cancer free.
Though after MRI and multiple CT's I think only my feet and hands haven't been scanned, it'll turn out to be me big toe!😀

They’ve booked my colon CT for one week tomorrow, so now I have MRI this coming Saturday, followed by colon CT the Tuesday after. Apparently the ‘prep’ for the colon CT isn’t the same as ‘prep’ for the colonoscopy, and is easier and you don’t have to have a completely empty bowel (like with colonoscopy). I will get diarrhoea apparently, but the prep for the colon CT has a dye in it (like the dye they inject for a standard CT) and they pump air into your colon to expand it to get a clear picture. I will update if I get any more info.

Hope everything went ok yesterday, OP

Thank you x yes they got the images they needed despite only one dose of the contrast dye because I had a minor allergic reaction (facial swelling). Tbh if I get the option in the future, I’m going to request colonography as opposed to colonoscopy if I can, knowing what I know now (and that I’ve experienced both). I know the colonography might be less preferred by the NHS in some way, but it’s a lot less risky procedure, as well as a lot more comfortable to the patient, and at the end of the day, they largely get the same images.

I know they can take samples and remove polyps with a colonoscopy, but the level of complication is 1:300 for colonoscopy whereas it’s 1:3000 for colonography. Also now I know I have a particularly ‘loopy’ colon for the camera, I’d share my experience with health professionals in future if I need to have this again with any decision making process (which I’ve got a feeling I probably will).

Thanks for checking in though. x

Hi just seen your thread OP. I have had both endoscopies and a colonoscopy. The endoscopies were no problem but the colonoscopy was dreadful and had to be abandoned as sedation didn't work nor did had and air. I had a CT scan a few days later, no issues found 👍. Should I ever need a colonoscopy again I will ask for a general anaesthetic. DP is French and they have them as normal there.

Thanks for the post HP2025 … I’m glad I’ve posted things and others have offered their experiences as it’s all good searchable information for any first timers etc.

I must stress the first time I had a colonoscopy done (5 years ago - done has a solo procedure, not dualled with the gastroscopy done this time), I felt it was fairly problem and pain free, even though they took a polyp on that one too. So if anyone is reading it, and due to have one, don’t panic beforehand as many are quick and problem free ❤️.

Glad all went well OP, and hope the results are good. And thanks for stressing that although you had real problems, some people find a colonoscopy ok to handle.

. I've had to have a couple now - the first one identified a clearly-visible large tumour, and during the process I had several polyps removed and the bowel around the tumour tattoed so that the surgeon could see where it was from the outside. I've had a second one since, although this one was a bit quicker due to me now only having half a bowel following the surgery. Personally I found the procedure both times mildly uncomfortable but not painful - althoguh the prep is horrible,

I'd urge people not to ignore symptoms such as bleeding and to carry out and return any bowel screening tests they may get sent just due to fear of the follow up process that may folllow.

Bowel cancer is generally slow growing and relatively easily treatable if caught early ,as I can testify (I had no symptoms but did a routine screening FIT).

I’ve had a letter back from the consultant and largely positive, but have to go back for another MRI and another gastroscopy.

He says there isn’t anything sinister, however a few benign findings that require further investigation.

1. dilation of ducts from liver to bowel (common bile duct). So am going to need an MRI of liver and pancreatic ducts for closer look.
2. a hernia growing between my stomach and first part of my large bowel, so wants another gastroscopy of gullet and stomach for direct visualisation.

He’s downgrading my urgent as doesn’t seem to be any sinister pathology, but once above images are done he will write to me and see me in his clinic.

So that’s good … I feel like we are getting somewhere with why I can’t hold food nutrients and why I’m losing weight, which are my symptoms.

Haven’t ‘Dr Googled’ anything but that seems a straightforward result / plan going forward for now.

And obviously relieved there isn’t anything sinister to worry about, but at least there is something to investigate causing this?!!