Colonoscopy - do I really have to cancel everything?

[Gentleness]

I'm having mine in the early afternoon and start taking the meds after lunch the day before. I get that the afternoon and evening will be toilet based, but do I really need to stay in the morning before as well? Won't I be empty already? Or am I being insanely optimistic?

See how you feel, cramping could be the worse and you will be light headed without eating properly.

I would not drive however.

I think I've had one of these. A camera up your bum, right?

You could go to work in the morning. The only drag will be that you can't eat ANYTHING and have to stop drinking a few hours before, so you might feel a bit weak and lightheaded.

Yep, it's the bum camera. I planned to be at church as usual then drive myself to and from the hospital. I'm pretty tough but often have unrealistic expectations!

I don't mind cramping so much, but I'd rather not be there farting and dashing to the loo every quarter hour...

Will I really be feeling faint and weak? I've been ok fasting so that didn't occur to me but I suppose it will be different with the meds.

It is such an effective fast that you will be feeling weaker, especially since your sleep might get disturbed from loo visits.

It really does clear everything out! I don't think you will be allowed to drive back as they give you a mild sedative.

I had a colonoscopy earlier this year and at my hospital they were very strict about not letting you drive home afterwards, as you have painkilling meds beforehand which would mean it's dangerous. I took a cab there then had to wait until my husband collected me.
I would cancel all appointments. The meds were surprisingly grim I'm afraid in their effect and made me dizzy, tired and lightheaded. I had planned to take meds then see friends for an hour or two afterwards, but didn't in the end, and was so glad I hadn't!
It wasn't painful, just a little uncomfortable, however the effects of the meds were strong.

Thank you for talking sense to me! I will make no commitments other than to myself to not get upset about not going out in the morning.

I was given the option of sedation or gas & air and told that I couldn't drive with sedation, so I chose gas & air. I think I'm trying to pretend nothing is wrong... I really want to go alone, and to drive.

DH had a colonoscopy and definitely wasn’t up to driving afterwards, but he did have sedation. Personally I’ve found that gas & air doesn’t actually stop the pain, you just don’t care about it!

Yes. Stay at home.
I fainted and puked the morning of mine after the previous day of picolax. I was barely fit to walk.

I had sedation and gas and air. It was still quite painful, apparently my bowels have a tight corner 🤷‍♀️.

Enema or picolax beforehand and you'll poop for England to clear out a good view

Sedation during endoscopy means you cannot drive afterwards

the preparation is intense. I don't think planning anything but being close to a toilet is a good idea.

wrt driving, if you are having the procedure under sedation you will not be able to drive for many hours afterwards. my hospital insisted I leave with someone or with a taxi.

I had one last week! The clearing out was a bit grim. The procedure itself was rather interesting, but I didn't realise how sedated I felt until I came out of it later. I definitely would not have been safe to drive.

Did get driven home and get straight back to my work though. It is telling that my team noticed nothing

You won't be able to drive yourself home. They give you a sedative and you'll be out for the count while the procedure takes place, and quite wobbly after. In fact our local hospital won't let you leave without being accompanied (had it myself, so has DH and MIL).

I had mine last Monday. The prep made me feel really poorly and I vomited on the way to my appointment! I was determined I wasn’t having any sedation but my bowel was “challenging” apparently, and I ended up being sedated so they could finish the test. If I was you I’d arrange a lift home because you really don’t know how you are going to feel. In fact I was a bit rough for a few days after and posted a thread on here about it.

Interesting. Most places offer sedation PLUS gas and air if the sedation isn't cutting it. Not one or the other (although people are obviously free to refuse).

The corners are the painful part and usually when people ending up taking up gas and air too.

Is taxi not an option if you want to be able to go alone?

I'm a bit worried it might be too much without sedation, especially as you've never experienced one before. If you're already upset and stressed, having an unpleasant experience on top of that and then needing to drive yourself home might not be the best plan.

Which meds have they given you? Does it claim to be vanilla flavoured?! You may want to add orange juice or similar (nothing blackcurrant), chill it in the fridge and drink through a straw. Your tongue doesn't need that particular taste experience.

1. don't leave the house until you have to! 💩

2. Have the sedation! I only had a couple of mgs of Midazolam but it certainly helped (I had G&A too) they let me go about 20 minutes after it had finished as I was so perky.

I have had two, neither time was I advised to drive afterwards, so please don’t I also found that the clear out made me feel really weak so I am not sure I would go anywhere beforehand either. For one I had sedation, the other less sedation and a bit of gas and air, after both I wasn’t up to driving and I Ollie to think I am pretty tough

DH had one recently. The laxative tastes foul - he mixed it with squash to help nullify the taste. He then spent an entire afternoon, most of the evening and the next morning in the loo. He couldn't drive afterwards, and would recommend sedation rather than just gas and air.

A hot water bottle helped on the evening after and the next day when he had terrible cramping.

I had a colonscopy yesterday, my second .

Last time I had fentanyl and felt awful, this time a couple of puffs if gas and air.

Felt totally fine drove myself home . Today feel like I've done ten rounds with Mike Tyson .

This time my consultant was much more gentle. I just think each person is individual and might be in more pain than others and need more than gas and air
Good luck xx

FYI the sudden 'clear out' can take you by surprise - mine was several hours later, at 3am....

I had this and didn't feel properly warned about just how intense the prep can be. I was still going the next day and my skin was raw. The procedure itself was fine. It's a good idea to have a nappy to sleep in, and a pot of Vaseline - make sure you put it on before things get acidic... and have clear apple juice to hand in case your blood sugar drops. Keep drinking water as advised. If it gets very sore then stand in the shower with water running over you. I'm sure you will be fine, I know other people who had no issue, but I have a week stomach and could have done with half the dose! Good luck.

Thanks so much everyone. It looks like I'd be wise to have a better plan B.

The sedation was definitely optional and it's worrying me a bit that other places give it as a matter of course. I was going to rely on hypnobirthing techniques and gas and air! It'll be like those PFB birth plans 😊...

I had no sedation just gas and air and full colonoscopy with 15 biopsys. I was on the table for around 45mins. It was fine, bit of discomfort but bearable. I watched it on the screen at some parts! I didn't feel weak after prep, I was fine on the morning of the treatment and fine to drive home after.

I thought I'd share an update - always hate being left wondering when finding an old post!

The worst part of the prep for me was the easy-digest diet suggested for 3 days beforehand - I struggled to eat much and felt hungry a lot. The laxative - wow! Super effective. I didn't feel wobbly at all.

I didn't go for sedation. The day before I got a bit anxious after chatting to others who'd had or known of problems. But I was supposed to give 3 days notice for choosing sedation so I had no choice at that point.

Gas and air was enough to help. I'd describe what I occasionally felt as discomfort rather than pain and it was bad initially but much better after I asked to change position slightly. I did use my hypnobirthing techniques beforehand, and focused on steady breathing a lot, with a little gas&air now and then. And a couple of deep breaths of it at one point! I watched a lot on the screen. No problems identified so no biopsies thank God.

Afterwards I was given coffee and biscuits in recovery as I'd not had sedation. I was so ready for them! The gas&air did leave me a little out of it and with a slight headache - I remember the same with childbirth. So I'm glad I didn't drive home.

I went straight to bed when I got home and slept for about 13 hours afterwards, maybe more in relief that it was all clear than because of the physical effects.

Hope that helps anyone who finds this thread while preparing themselves for a procedure.

Glad to hear it all went well Gentleness.

The preparation really does take it out of you.

I'd echo those saying not to drive home afterwards. Last time DH had a colonoscopy they found a large cancerous tumour which was a shock and definitely not a god idea to drive then.
Obviously that's an unusual worst case scenario, but depending on the reasons for the colonoscopy or any hospital test really it's good to go with a sensible person if you can.

Well done OP! I had a sigmoidoscopy which doesn’t go as far and it was the most painful thing I’ve experienced, it was before I had my son and I likened it to what I imagined childbirth to be like.. I wasn’t far wrong! x