What can be found from a colonoscopy?

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

I have had bowel problems for years.. lower end lacks proper sensation so need suppositories to 'go' but often it's loose when I finally do. Pain has increased over the years and I had a sigmoidoscopy about 10 years ago showing diverticular disease (despite being only in my 30s then and with a very good diet)

However this summer it got much much worse.. awful pain and what the gP thinks was partial obstruction. Since then I have been in continual pain.. just above my bladder my bowel actually sticks out, anything more than soups causes extra pain (and the worst rumblings) it's like a burning soreness . Diverticultis usually causes left sided pain but this is right sided..where the appendix would be(but mine has gone)

So.. another colonoscopy on 10th Nov. I'm on tramadol for the pain and it is barely touching it.. moving hurts, the pressure inside is horrible and I'm losing weight as I can't eat.

I'm at the point where if they offered to whip that bit out I'd say yes please (but know it's not that simple)

Can anyone tell me, will a colonsocopy show what is wrong, that far round/down? I'm more worried that we won't get answers than what we might find.. because something is wrong. Anyone had bowel pain in that area? I just want it to stop..and to be able to eat :/

Like you, I have diverticula disease. I was diagnosed three years ago, but I'm having some more investigations as I have some more symptoms including right sided pain. I've been told that you can develop diverticula anywhere along the bowel, but that it's more painful on the bends. Although lots of people have diverticula disease not all get diverticulitis and never get symptoms. Hope all goes well ??

Sorry I didn't answer your question....I'm not sure how far along the scope goes, I've also had an ultrasound, CT scan, gastroscopy and an xray. I'm going in next week to have a biliary scan. At one point my pain indicated gallstones, but that was ruled out by the USS, and told that it could be the bowel that runs behind my gallbladder causing the pain.

I was under the impression they can only see the larger intestine but I have not medical knowledge.

That sounds awful op, I hope things get sorted soon.

in theory I think they can get all the way to the join with the small intestine.

I had one a few years back to look for polyps but they couldn't get the scope round a bend so had to give up. i had a barium enema instead but that was because it would also show up the polyps to some degree. don't think this would apply in your case.

hope they can find out what's causing the problem

Just checked with a nurse as I wasn't sure .. a colonoscopy shows them the bowel, large intestine and part of the small intestine (you have to be awake but sedated to move around to help them get it all the way in) and a sigmoid thing only goes as far as the large intestine.

I have had many problems in this area but not the same as yours .. good luck!