Colonoscopy

[3teens2cats]

I have a colonoscopy later this week to check for suspected crohn's disease. Really nervous about the procedure. I have been offered sedation or just gas and air. Will it hurt? And if they find anything do they tell you during the procedure? Also do you feel anything inside you? Can i go home straight away afterwards? Sorry I know I should have asked the booking in nurse these questions but my mind just went blank when she asked.

I found it didn’t hurt but was uncomfortable, so my first one was without sedation but had sedation after that one. It’s the air they use to inflate you that I found uncomfortable personally. The sedation is very mild but effective.

They did tell me the diagnosis there and then. You can go home straight after if not having sedation, but need to wait a bit if having sedation, and then you need a responsible adult to take you home and stay with you for 12-24 hours (can’t remember which!).

Thank you. Can you remember how long it takes?

It’s uncomfortable and odd but not really painful. I would take pain relief of some sort. I can’t remember how long it look sorry. Sometimes they tell you depending on what they are looking for and whether it’s obvious - other times they will wait fir results of biopsies they take.

It’s not super-fun but it doesn’t take very long - so try not to worry too much.

Hi, I literally had one on Friday, actually had gastroscopy and a colonoscopy

I was really nervous as well but everyone was so lovely at the unit and I had sedation

I went in at 1.45 but actually probably had procedure about 2.30? I was home just after 4pm

You have to have someone collect with you and stay with you for 24hrs after sedation and I had to give details of who was collecting me plus number for hospital to call them on. And I had to sign to say I’d be collected etc

I was called through from reception by healthcare assistant, she took my details, went through consent forms and took my blood pressure etc and then she put a catheter into vein in my hand

I then got changed into gown, everything off apart from my bra but I’d taken dressing gown and slippers with me so could wear these

I was taken through to room and there were three people in there. The advanced nurse practitioner doing the actual tests and two nurses, I know the one gave my arm a really reassuring squeeze and her eyes were so kind

I lay down on the bed and they went through again what to expect

I don’t think you are having the gastroscopy but honestly the colonoscopy part was fine, I think it was a bit painful when they inflated by intestines a bit and I just told them but things are still hazy and I definitely couldn’t feel the scope moving at all

I was taken to recovery were I was just kept an eye on and had blood pressure etc done and then I was allowed home. The nurse went through report and I came home with that so it’s all in writing for you x

Top tips for the prep stuff, it’s not fun and for me the worst bit was the awful nausea I got during the second dose

I also wasn’t well when I got home and was still having diarrhoea but also by then a very very sore bottom. Can’t tell you how much Vaseline and toilet wipes are your friend x

Have the sedation, it's fab. And you get to watch it all on the screen if you're a loon who finds such things interesting, like me

YYY to using vaseline on your bum from the start, and flushable wetwipes if you can find some. Your bum will get SO sore otherwise.

My mum has to have one recently - she found it okay, as Pp have said, it’s not exactly fun but it’s fine. She had the sedation and said she was really glad she had.

Agree, and after too. I’ve only stopped using it today (the Vaseline)

Have the sedation if offered, it means you won’t be worried about any discomfort and more relaxed. You’ll be awake enough to be aware of what’s happening without caring 🙂

They will generally talk you through what they see as they go, certainly they have with mine. At my last one they confirmed that my aggressive Crohn’s had returned to the site of my last resection within two months but it is very well controlled with meds.

Take the bowel prep properly.

Thank you so much for your replies. I think i will take the sedation, just so I'm a bit calmer.

Quick update for anyone else having a colonoscopy who stumbles across this.

My appointment is this afternoon so i started the bowel prep teatime yesterday as per the hospital instructions. I was terrified. When my tummy normally kicks off the pain is awful so that's what I was dreading. But it's been ok. It's picolax and of course this is just my experience but it really has been ok. It took about 4 hrs for anything to shift and things were a bit explosive for about an hour but then it stopped. I decided not to go to bed just yet incase but fell asleep on the sofa. Woke up an hour later and figured it should be OK to go to bed.

This morning I had to be up early to take the second dose. My tummy was gurgling like crazy and I was worried about being sick but I shoved a boiled sweet in and that was fine. This time I was back in the toilet after only 20 minutes but it's less frequent and no where near as bad for the moment. Sudocrem worked a treat for preventing soreness.

This morning I will be drinking plenty to flush myself through and then having a soak in the bath.

Good luck with it, I had mine on Monday and it was fine. Don’t forget to abstain from fluids for at least 4 hours before appointment. In fact I had a 5pm appointment and was told to have nothing after 8am, but I’ve subsequently read the advice for four hours.

OP - hope everything goes well for you x

Thank you. Home safe and well.

I won't lie it was pretty horrible. Apparently I have a very floppy, bendy colon! It felt like a broom handle being shoved down a hoover pipe! I opted for the sedation but I really don't think it worked very well and I wished I had the gas and air to focus on but I am probably just unlucky. They gave a top up dose of the pain killer. He got all the way up to the entrance to the small bowel and found significant ulcers in there. Obviously can't go any further with a colonoscopy so now I am to have an mri. They are still saying crohn's though. Biopsies were taken and he did comment on the excellent bowel prep so I must have done that right.

I’m really sorry it wasn’t very nice and hope they get you sorted with some treatment soon

Take it very easy tonight and tomorrow x

Sorry that it was unpleasant OP but hope you are feeling better and it will help to plan your treatment.

As an aside it is a really bad idea to flush toilet wipes, they should not be called flushable at all, fatbergs are full of them. Yes to wipes and vaseline and baby lotion but no to flushing the wipes.