Preparing for a Sigmoidoscopy

[SpideyMom]

Hi

Please can anyone advise on how I can prepare for my procedure next Wednesday?
I know I have to have an empty bowel and have been given something to to help that. Do I need to cut back on foods? Stop supplementing? Not eat on the day etc?

Basically my bowel habits have changed. From guaranteed every day to anything ranging from every other day to up to 5 days. The latter being the majority of the time. I also pass an awful lot of mucous. I've no idea why this has happened so hopefully this procedure will give me some answers.

TIA

@Ellabella989 oh gosh that sounds dreadful :-(

I used to get the pain but havent for a while. Its mostly constipation and severe exhaustion for me, bloating, wind, excessive mucous. Thankfully I have not seen any blood. If I had I would have diagnosed myself with the worst already

Oh I had mucuous too. The gastroenterologist thinks I had bad food poisoning which gave me post infectious IBS. It took about 6 months for my symptoms to calm down. It’s 18 months later and I still have the occasional flare up but I’m a lot better than I was. I still get bad bloating sometimes though

Its the constipation thats getting to me. I actually miss being able to go. The longer I go with nothing the more I get worked up that something is wrong

Do you eat a healthy diet and drink loads of water to help your stools pass? IBS-C is fairly common and sufferers aren’t able to go for days on end. It’s a horrible thing to have to deal with so if it’s that then hopefully they can give you some medication to loosen things up. The enema you have to take for the sigmoidoscopy will clear everything out too. How long has it been going on for?

It started around February this year. I was noticing that I wasnt going, in some cases up to 5 days at a time.
Initially I had alot of pain, bloating, frequent urination, mucous, and exhaustion, but the exhaustion has been for over 18 months now. The worst of the symptoms have subsided but the constipation is terrible. At its worst midway between my periods.
I told the consultant that I pass alot of mucous, which I thought would have made it easier to go. He said well that is normally the case which is why it needs investigating :-(

Constipation between ovulation and period is quite normal because of the progesterone. I sometimes don’t go for a couple of days at a time around then too. It does sound like yours is worse than that though so it’s good you’re getting checked out. My gastro said my intestines were inflamed from my IBS which is why I sometimes pass mucous. I hope they get to the bottom of it for you soon so you know the right treatment to help you feel better

OK I'm panicking.

Had the enema, lay on my left side, right leg up. Held for 8 minutes and only got a tiny bit of solid poo out. I'm worried as I still feel full, but I can't go again as I am very uncomfortable due to now having haemorrhoids. I don't even feel like I want to go again? Surely that won't be me cleared out?

I'm an absolute delight

Hopefully it will be cleared out enough for them to look. If it isn’t then they will probably get you back again another day and get you to take the laxative drink the night before instead as that will definitely clear you out

the enema worked fine they said but I really didn't like the sigmoidoscopy. AT ALL.

It was the gas they put in you. And feeling the camera inside. The lovely nurse was talking away to me. I was thinking this is ok, im distracted. Then all of a sudden I stopped talking and panicked due to me feeling I wanted to desperately go. I found that extremely uncomfortable. I think I nearly cried at one point as I was scared of having no control. I did warn them before that that is really the only thing I am worried about during the procedure, is me urgently needing to pass something. I was reassured everything was clear and to not worry but I did because I swear to god it felt like I was about to pass the entire contents of my bowel :-(

The only good thing about it was that it was over all within 5 minutes.

Nothing obvious was found, which I know is great. But now he wants extensive blood tests and further investigations so I am not sure how I really feel. Worried I guess

Glad it's over for you Spideymom! Hope you don't mind me hijacking but I am to have one tomorrow which I'm dreading...did you take someone with you? My husband is coming but I'm not sure he'll actually get to stay with me. Thank you!

No worries. I didn't @JammyChristmas so I wouldn't know if he is able to come in with you or not.

It's over really quickly really. You get over the embarrassment of what they are doing pretty fast. I sort of shut out my health fears and was just scared about not passing anything else. I didn't feel empty at all after my enema.

I had a nurse at the front talking to me, the consultant performing the procedure and another nurse behind me.

I didn't enjoy seeing my insides on the screen. Wasn't even horrible but you just know what it is. The worst part for me was the gas being pumped in. I found it really uncomfortable and cried out ouch. It reached a point where I lost the conversation I was in because I was panicking I was about to mess myself. No amount of reassurance that I was empty helped. I couldn't get past the desperate need to go. I'm pretty sure I farted whilst they were still behind me, lol. But the nurse told me to fart of i needed to haha.

I had an uncomfortable bowel movement when I got back home but I guess that was a combination of the enema and the sigmoidoscopy. Unfortunately I am severely constipated again

You will be fine, when it gets uncomfortable it really is coming to an end.

Good luck. Hopefully you will get some answers. For me it didn't show anything obvious so it's back for more tests

Thank you so much for the reply, will be very weird seeing your insides on the screen, I'm quite 'gassy' normally so it is a concern to fart all over them!! Sorry you have to go through more tests, hope you get some answers soon. x

Evening @JammyChristmas

Just wanted to say I hope today has gone well and you have got some answers

Thanks for thinking of me Spideymom, it went okay, I didn't find the camera bit too bad actually, maybe got lucky with the doctor doing it! I had some internal piles! They banded them at the time, that wasn't very pleasant and have been feeling a bit uncomfortable ever since but will clear up soon hopefully. X

Glad to hear you had answers, although its not very pleasant.

Sounds strange but I wish he has found something. I had to go back to my Gp earlier to argue it out that they send me for the bloods that the consultant has requested. As first they refused. I ended up crying. My constipation seems minor compared to my chronic fatigue, although it really isn't. I cried that it's not normal for me to feel like this. The not being able to go is worrying me alot, but I can't get over the fatigue, my energy is zero. The 2 things together are making the feel horrible.

She ended up agreeing to half the tests he needs and will reconsider after I see him in a few weeks time. I've been going to the doctors for the same reason for over 18 months now. My bowel issues have come on since the beginning of the year. Not feeling normal and not being able to go to the toilet (though I feel I need to) is making me miserable now

That sounds like such a nightmare, I don't understand why some doctors won't take people seriously, might be worth getting a second opinion if you can. Hope you get some answers soon x