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Original poster

Colonoscopy- how bad is it??

108 replies

sunshine05 · 31/03/2022 13:13

Hi there,

I'm booked for a colonoscopy next monday and am literally shitting myself (yeah ironic lol!) I will be literally crapping myself after taking the prep solution Grin
Can anyone who's had it done tell me what it's like? My mum said it wasn't that bad and the bit before hand is worse- will I literally be dashing to the loo like I've got food poisoning?? Sad

The gastro is positive in the fact that he doesn't suspect anything seriously wrong with me - just checking me out after being on long term antibiotics and having seriously messed up guts since November Sad. This is more to rule out any other possibilities. I am a worrier/anxious person though but trying to tell myself there's no need to worry until he's checked it out and hopefully will be all clear.

thanks!

OP posts:
Tadpolesandcress · 02/04/2022 18:59

Also, the sedative made me feel really mellow, it was a great feeling!

That was my experience too. I was really lovely.

Thinkingblonde · 02/04/2022 19:09

My procedure was at 2pm on the Friday. I started the picolax solution prep and four senna tablets at 5.pm the day before, it all seemed to settle down by midnight but I had to do another prep at 6am on the Friday morning, the second lot wasn’t as bad as the first, it was all clear by 10 am.
I put a couple of puppy pads on the car seat and wore Tenna pads just in case. The nurse put me into a cubicle with a toilet while waiting for my turn.

MayMorris · 02/04/2022 19:22

Not everyone is on the loo all day. I took first dose..zilch…had the day off work for obvious reasons but that first lot did nothing.
It took till the morning before with just a couple of hours to go before anything happened.
For me it want that bad , that bit, becuase part of reasons I was having it was for symptoms like that and vomiting- it didn’t come with vomiting so it seemed ok to me 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣. But the stuff you drink is vile. You can disguise it theoretically but it is vile. You just have to get through it.

I did find the colonoscopy painful…really quite painful despite being sedated. I did say at time I was in a lot of pain but the consultant only responded by saying I wouldn’t remember …I don’t think they realised I really wasn’t sedated well. And 6 years later I do remember very very clearly. Not a lot I could do but lie there crying and trying to wait for it to be done.

But I think it is exceptional…I dont buy low pain threshold people …or high pain threshold people . different people feel different pain in different parts of their bodies differently. So my advice is to take sedation and make sure you speak out if you are in pain - but it’s likely you’ll not feel much at all and the liquid drinking is worst bit for you…it was for my brother for instance.

You’ll be able to see your insides while they do the scoping if you want. It is quick…

If you feel bloated afterwards ginger nuts or peppermint work well.

Good luck…like you say they didn’t find anything in mine so it rules out a lot of serious stuff even if it didn’t solve my problem

camperkid · 02/04/2022 19:25

I have had several pre and then post cholosystectomy.
Prep is irksome and irritating - but tolerable.
Opted for gas and air, so I could drive home. Once well away on that I found the whole process hilarious thanks to the gas and air and uncomfortable rather than painful. The team doing it were wonderful and kept up an interesting commentary as well. Facinating to watch!
Don't worry it sounds worse than I found it, and the literature they give out always has to cover all the negatives of what might happen. Slept for 2 hours in recovery and then had tea and biccies.

MayMorris · 02/04/2022 19:25

@sunshine05

gunnersgold that's awful1 Shock I'm sorry they weren't nice to you. I've had a cystoscopy (camera into the bladder) and i cried before that - I think it was just not knowing what it would be like, but they were very nice to me.
Did you have sedation for that? It’s interesting as per my previous comment that my colonoscopy was painful despite sedation but the cystoscopy was a breeze for me….in the end there’s no way of knowing how it will be….take everything that offered 🤣🤣🙄
MayMorris · 02/04/2022 19:28

@BobbinThreadbare123

I've got Crohn's disease. I think I've had about ten colonscopies. I've never had sedation but once I had a bit of gas and air. Just follow the diet instructions in the leaflet; nothing dark coloured like blackcurrant because it can stain your innards. The prep is the worst. I always vomit Moviprep back up but Picolax is much less volume so just neck it. I would suggest some nice plain biscuits and a cup of tea when it's done ( I've been given them in the hospital usually). I suggest Sudocrem and some nice balsam loo roll to treat your poor backside Grin Got to keep a sense of humour; all of this is a pain in the arse!
Yes to sudocream..good point…I read that form a bloke on line before I had mine
Eukanuba · 02/04/2022 19:37

Hope all goes well for you , I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy on the same day . Neither were as bad as that ' fishy - lemon drink ' - take it earlier than you need to so you can guarantee a good sleep . Flowers

DoctorMarten · 03/04/2022 00:17

@Tadpolesandcress

Also, the sedative made me feel really mellow, it was a great feeling!

That was my experience too. I was really lovely.

It was great. Fentanyl is powerful stuff!
Tadpolesandcress · 03/04/2022 09:46

I got midazolam. I could do with it every day 😀

gunnersgold · 03/04/2022 12:16

@MayMorris I didn't !🙈

Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 17:41

allergictowhat thats weird how they're so different. I've only had to stop high fibre foods/with bits in etc from this morning and my procedure is tomorrow. That must have been hard doing a bland diet for so long! I'm now off food since 3pm until I have it done at 1.45 tomorrow avo. Yeah that sounds grim, the watery stools ugh! Sad

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Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 17:42

allmysons I hope my experience is as good as yours or your sisters then! I'm starting to feel hungry but have to start taking the gross solution in 15 mins so I'm sure that'll pass Shock

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Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 17:45

MayMorris no sedation for my cystoscopy just numbing stuff for when they inserted the tube.

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Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 17:47

camperkid wow 2 hour sleep after! I will have to go home as soon as they let me -have 3 kids to get back to Hmm luckily 2 can let themselves in after school, the 3rd is being picked up.

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Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 18:00

The stuff I've been given to drink is called Plenvu. Doesn't seem to be the same as anyone else here has had?

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Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 18:00

1st dose is Mango flavour, 2nd is fruit punch. lets hope they taste ok....Confused

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MenopauseSucks · 03/04/2022 18:01

My colonoscopy was a disaster as the endoscope wasn't working properly.
The consultant was having very sharp words with the nurses about how they should've checked it was working before he started.
They then had to find another endoscope & start again....
I'd been given a sedative but by the time they tried the 2nd time, my blood pressure had soared & the consultant wouldn't go on. He continued to bollock the nurses.

I ended up having a CT colonoscopy, much easier, the same prep.

Fidodidit · 03/04/2022 18:05

Am sure you’ve had all the advice you need by now but just adding tuppence worth. Have had 2 with sedative and one without - with sedative, absolutely fine, would have another tomorrow without a second’s thought; without sedative - absolutely not, would rather give birth again. If they say to you “some people manage just fine without and you’ll be able to drive home afterwards” - well, they probably thought I managed just fine but I really didn’t!

BaggingTheWainwrights · 03/04/2022 18:14

The preparation is the worst part. I set myself up in the bathroom for a couple of hours with the jug of laxative drink, a book and the radio. It was quite nice to have some p&q away from the family!

I was absolutely dreading the colonoscopy but it was actually nowhere near as grim as I expected. The staff were all very used to putting patients at their ease and we had a good laugh and joke whilst it was happening. It's quite interesting to watch the screen showing the camera footage of your colon.

Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 18:16

Mango one is ok! yay! Bit sweet- I don't usually drink sweet drinks but pretty drinkable

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BaggingTheWainwrights · 03/04/2022 18:19

... also I didn't have any sedative and I don't even know it was an option. But I had no pain and it was absolutely fine.

Original poster
sunshine05 · 03/04/2022 19:30

BaggingTheWainwrights good to hear a good experience, hopefully mine is the same too!

Well I now feel sick after drinking all that stuff - just praying I hold it down as otherwise it could screw everything up and I'd rather just get it over and done with.

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Ejk1990 · 03/04/2022 19:47

Lost count of how many I've had tbh. Only one wasn't pleasant and thats because I was really unwell and couldn't have sedation at the time.

Go with the sedation and it will feel like a weird dream haha. The prep is the worst part and that isn't too bad now, used to be worse!

Just make sure your by a toilet and don't eat anything heavy the day before your prep. You will be fine!

ItsMutinyontheBunty · 03/04/2022 21:35

Have you got Plenvu for the prep? Most people say that’s far better than the Moviprep. I did throw up some of my prep after rushing it but it still worked effectively.

Original poster
sunshine05 · 04/04/2022 06:29

ItsMutinyontheBunty yep Plenvu. Had to wake up early for 6am start on the 2nd packet after a shit nights sleep Sad.

This is so horrible. I feel like I'm in a food poisoning nightmare. My backside is raw despite using sudocrem.

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