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Original poster

how unpleasant is the preparation for a colonoscopy?

48 replies

boaktheloo · 16/11/2013 21:54

have got the infomation sheet in the post today.
appointment next week.
am shitting myself (not yet literally)

OP posts:

adagio · 16/11/2013 23:16

Yes as bun said don't forget the wind - they blow a load of air in to expand things to get a good view, which then has to come out again later on. I found this bit possibly more painful than the pico lax - I expected the pico lax effects, I had not planned for uncontrollable wind and painful tummy for the next 12 hours post procedure.

I would not have wanted to be in work with wind, I would have been mortified (I am not sure how to articulate just how uncontrollable it was…)

Original poster

boaktheloo · 16/11/2013 23:19

can I sue the dr for misleading me if I fart into a microphone at work?
:o

OP posts:

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 16/11/2013 23:20

I had some awful stuff to drink - and I had to drink a litre of it in the evening, and again in the morning (my procedure was in the evening). The effects were not particularly pleasant, but nowhere near as bad as the taste of the stuff I had to drink.

I was quite uncomfortable after the procedure, but once I got back to my room, and had been to the loo a couple of times (the farting that MrsCakes mentioned), I felt pretty much back to normal and wanted to go home (they made me stay for a couple of hours, to be sure I was OK, but I am sure I would have been fine to go home sooner).

Original poster

boaktheloo · 16/11/2013 23:20

ok you all convinced me that I should reschedule and take the day off work!
maybe do the christmas shopping after with queue reducing farts

OP posts:

dottyaboutstripes · 16/11/2013 23:23

Mine was first thing in the morning, prep started at5pm or so the day before. The worst part was drinking the stuff, it tasted truly awful. The pooping part wasn't as bad as I'd expected! I had sedation (had gastroscopy too) and felt tired for the rest of the day, so took things easy

gobbin · 16/11/2013 23:41

Depends...are you having a colonoscopy or a flexi sigmoidoscopy?
Flexi sig doesn't go all the way round the colon, generally doesn't require sedation and needs only the bottom part of the bowel cleaned out so the bowel prep may well just be an enema. It doesn't take long and after a while to check you're ok you're free to go, although you may be tired from not eating, enema, general messing about of your body.

Colonoscopy generally goes round the whole colon, often requires sedation as getting round the bends can be sore, will often need an oral laxative and will require rest and recuperation for the rest of the day/eve afterwards.

Original poster

boaktheloo · 16/11/2013 23:46

will be the flexible sigmoidoscopy (sorry got it wrong in the title) but according to the leaflet the prep is the same: only white food for 2 days, piclolax the night before. dr said I could leave right after if I don't have sedation and go back to work.
and it was this prep that got me worried before I started this thread, now it's the after effects

OP posts:

wurzelmini · 16/11/2013 23:48

I had it and it was fine, actually asked the nurse if I could have more sachets of the picolex? - great detox!! ;-) procedure was really interesting to watch and I felt fine afterwards, I went home and relaxed so not sure whether work is a good idea, probably could have sat at a desk for a few hours if needed but much better to go and chill if possible - good luck! x

Original poster

boaktheloo · 16/11/2013 23:49

thanks a lot to everyone
will call the surgery monday first thing to ask a few questions.

OP posts:

ShoopShoop · 16/11/2013 23:57

Hmm - honestly, I really don't think going back to work is a good idea. I had the sedation because I also had a gastroscopy at the same time (crohns diagnosis). The sedation was definitely necessary for the gastroscopy, but i think it also made the colonoscopy more bearable and less embarrassing! I can remember looking at the camera image of my bowel thinking it was fascinating and being thankful that my bottom didn't have a gag reflex like my throat did .

But in answer to your original OP the prep isn't too bad. Don't leave the house if possible as you just don't know when the "urge" will take you! And I banned DH from using the same bathroom as me!

You feel tired(if you had sedation) and uncomfortable after the procedure.....and full of wind!

IMHO take the day off - most employers should be sympathetic!

Good luck :)

HazeltheMcWitch · 17/11/2013 00:09

MOIST TOILET TISSUE.

Apols for shouting, OP, but it is important.
You may thank me now.

Agree with taking the day off, btw.

Notsoblonde · 17/11/2013 08:01

Op I used to work in endoscopy and we generally used picolax for flex sig and klean prep for colonoscopy, if they are just looking at the first part of the lower bowel then it will be a sig and we didn't routinely offer sedation for this as it was a quick procedure 10-15 mins at most which is what your gp said, I think I would phone them up and clarify which procedure it is and then you can decide. Colonoscopy is a lot more involved and takes a lot longer and the prep is longer.

gobbin · 17/11/2013 10:01

I'm having a flexi sig on 26th and am expecting to go back to work afterwards, though I can make that final call on the day.

IslandMoose · 18/11/2013 12:37

I had a full colonoscopy without sedation and it was perfectly fine - certainly no worse than "uncomfortable". I was first on the morning's list and back at work by 11:00. I suspect that if you have the sedation, however, you may not be much use for the rest of the day.

flowers123 · 18/11/2013 12:43

a friend had one on Thursday at 5pm, she was sitting having supper at mine by 7.30pm. she said it was uncomfortable but not as bad as she imagined. hope it all goes well x

KissesBreakingWave · 18/11/2013 12:45

I have an uncle who uses the video from one of his colonoscopies as a screensaver.

Madmog · 18/11/2013 14:22

My Mum had this done about 18 months ago. She took her laxative in the evening, went to bed and everything felt fine. Unfortunately, she woke in the night and just couldn't hold on so her bed and carpet ended up being rather messy! Everyone is different so this probably won't happen to you, but it might be worth putting old sheet/towels or whatever on your bed and flooring. I don't think she found the colonoscopy that bad. Afterwards they made her some tea and gave her a couple of biscuits and told her to sit for about an hour. She was then told to take it easy for the day. It might have been lack of sleep from night before, but she did say she felt quite tired and went back to bed after lunch.

PosyNarker · 19/11/2013 23:44

You might have less to take with a sigmoidoscopy, but I found it the less pleasant procedure. Admittedly because I absolutely know they took me into theatre before the sedative worked and then doubled it but it still didn't bloody work (although I slept well afterwards )

It's not awful to be honest. The prep is the worst and it's a bit uncomfortable, although I would take the drugs. I didn't feel my colonoscopies at all. My sigmoidoscopy under a gun-ho resident was not pleasant, but perfectly safe.

Sigmoidoscopy in my case (I've had 3) used a wider camera so I felt a bit more, but nothing unbearable.

I also found it perfectly easy to know when to go to the loo on the laxative, but again I have IBD, so am somewhat used to 'oh shit I need to go'. I didn't go to bed until at least a couple of hours after the drink was done. If you have many people to a bathroom though, have a plan B (bucket, whatever), you really do need access to your own toileting area (whatever that is) throughout the prep.

Original poster

boaktheloo · 20/11/2013 18:57

thanks again all.
it's done.
at 8:00 yesterday, back to work at 10. could have been back earlier but they insisted that I eat a substantial breakfast before leaving.
the clearout was strangely satisfying
was fine after the procedure, just a bit bloated, but no funny farting.

OP posts:

Original poster

boaktheloo · 20/11/2013 21:15

oh and I have a hairy arse.
even though I thought I shaved it all

OP posts:

gobbin · 20/11/2013 21:56

Glad it went well x

Original poster

boaktheloo · 22/11/2013 13:55

good luck with your's next week gobbin

OP posts:

gobbin · 22/11/2013 21:33

Cheers - have done it before so I'm looking forward to 'bum tv'! Last time I got asked 'Would you like to see what we're doing? I'll turn the screen towards you.' 'Hang on, let me just get me specs back on.......Ooohhh!!'

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