Colonoscopy

[GinWithRosie]

Has anyone had a colonoscopy (maybe even recently, during the current situation that we are in)? I'm due to have one in 3 weeks and feeling a little anxious already.

If so, could you talk me through the procedure gently please??

Also, I've been told that I will need to take a laxative solution the day before (to...erm...clear out 😳) and to 'stay near a toilet'.

I'm a primary school teacher and will be back at school in a 'bubble' by myself with 30 x 6 year olds 😳😳 Toilet is a good 8 minutes walk away in a separate building...I don't get any break from my bubble apart from two timed, scheduled breaks to go to the toilet (we eat with our class now in our rooms!) and that's it 🤷‍♀️

What was your experience of this laxative the day before...would I be able to hold on for my timed toilet breaks?

Thanks 👍

If you have sedative, you are cautioned not to drive, operate machinery or sign legal documents for 24 hours following

Or at least, that's what they said to me.

I thought I was being perfectly calm/rational, but now only have partial memory of what happened, particularly in the first 6 hours or so. It's like drunken blackouts without the drunk bit.

You may need to stay at home, depending on nature of your occupation, until sedative has completely cleared you system. You'd be quite unlucky to have any complications that meant you were in actual discomfort and needed time to recuperate (though I suppose if you had an inflammatory condition, the procedure might cause it to flare?)

Agree with some other posters, you'll only need time off before if you have to take the bowel prep during your working day (and it's unlikely that will be the morning, so you might just need the afternoon off).

Definitely get Sudacrem or Vaseline, also some gentle wipes as you might get a bit sore.

In France, you start a low residue diet 3 days before the procedure and I do think that made things easier with the bowel prep when I had mine done, so you might want to eat a very bland diet for a few days. DH had his in the UK and it was low residue for 1 day then nothing at all the day before other than sweets and clear drinks. Assume your regime might be similar to his?

We were both fine afterwards, very hungry and a bit windy! And completely back to normal the next day, so able to work.

Actually that's a really good point about sedation and driving, if you need to drive to get to work, then you won't be able to drive for 24 hours.

The prep is definitely the worst part. I had the camera without sedation and the prep was definitely the worst part.

Use vasiline on your bumhole from the off, don't wait until you're sore.

Tena nappies give you confidence to get to the hospital without messing your clothes. Even though you're pretty much cleared out, the urge is still there.

Definitely take days off work, good luck.

Good tip about sudocreme/Vaseline thank you!

I’m a primary school teacher (will be on my own with 30 year 2 children in a bubble...no TA). My school is a 45 minute drive from my home, so yes I’d have to drive there the next day.

I’m single (no DH/DP or anyone else at all who could drive me...I only moved here in July so I don’t even know the neighbours 😢)

Ah man! Why are things so hard sometimes? 🤦‍♀️😂

I know of someone who held off taking all the Moviprep and then the procedure had to be called off as she hadn't emptied herself sufficiently! It is really important for your examination to drink every last drop.

If you have any kind if diverticula issues make sure you have the sedative. It will be really uncomfortable and painful if not, even with gas and air.

Oh no @CashewNut11 that wasn’t the wisest decision 😱. I will definitely do as I’m told 😂👍

I had the camera down the throat and then up my bottom too.
Had both done one after the other with no sedation. The throat was the most unpleasant, but was fine. The colonoscopy felt strange but was fine.
I really wouldn't bother with sedation, as it just drags it out and means you have to stay in the hospital for a while after and you need someone to take you etc.
My appointment was in the afternoon I think, I didn't need the day off before to prep, I just prepped when I got home from work the evening before. Maybe I finished slightly early but it would've only been at maybe 3-4pm. I also went to work the day after too.
It's really nothing to worry about at all, the prepping or the procedure.
Good luck,

Oh, you'll also be sent info on what you can eat for a day or two before the procedure as well.

Personally the procedure itself was fine, I didn’t even notice they’d done it as the sedative was great. I was so chilled for the next 24h. Next day I looked after my son as normal. The absolute worst part was the moviprep. Staying near the toilet is bullshit, you have to stay on it! There is no way you can go to work. I wore a sanitary towel positioned towards the back as I feared leakage on the way to the hospital. (Sorry possible tmi)

I had one 2 weeks ago. I had a letter with the moviprep and the letter told me to self isolate for 14 days before. Only the letter didnt come until after the 14 days should actually have started!
I started my prep at 5pm and then started going to the loo after 2 hours and was going until 2.30am, and again at 5 and again at 8am. I was at hospital for 9. I had sedation and you cant drive for 24 hours and are meant to have someone with you for 24hrs after. I felt fine, just tired on the day but that was probably lack of sleep.
The procedure itself was fine.

I thought I felt perfectly well the day after mine, and went to buy some new shoes. Big mistake! I bought two pairs; both were too big (I wanted a size 7.5 but the shop only had size 8 in stock), yet somehow I convinced myself they'd be absolutely fine. I didn't even like one of the styles, I bought them because the sales assistant suggested them

Prep evening it is really, you'll be fine to work the day before, you just have to only have v v bland food.