Post colonoscopy question

[OneFootInTheGrave91]

Hi guys just wondering if anyone else has felt this before...

I had a straightforward and uneventful colonoscopy on Tuesday - had the full two litres of moviprep, one Monday evening and the second litre Tuesday morning.
I literally passed no gas at all after the colonoscopy however I did on the morning after, nothing like I expected though!

now, every single day since my colonoscopy I’ve had a horrible sort of heartburn sensation in my upper abdomen in the centre, and also a horrendous feeling of being starving - even after full meals! I have been having liquid gaviscon, especially during the night as it seems to be at its worst then, but on and off all day too.

has anyone else experienced this before? I’m hoping it will all settle down eventually and my digestive system is just traumatised after the bowel prep, fasting and colonoscopy.

any info or other folks similar stories would be wonderful.

cheers! Happy Saturday all!

It took a good 7-10 days for my system to get back to normal after colonoscopy. I had dreadful nausea for days.

Oh gosh, nausea is the worst! I will just wait it out and hopefully be feeling a bit more normal again in a week or so 🙂

Thanks for asking the question. I had a colonoscopy on Tuesday didn't feel too bad yesterday but today I feel terrible I don't know what's going on. But yeah like OP said it's a really bad hunger feeling. I've had 2x co codomal and they've left me feeling a bit sick if I'm honest. Currently lay on my sofa hoping I get better.

Oh no, I've got a colonoscopy on Monday, I thought the prep was going to be bad enough, let alone the procedure and now I’ve got to worry about feeling rough for a week afterwards?! 😫😫😫 Hope you feel better soon @OneFootInTheGrave91 and @Wannabemummy1992 💐

The procedure itself for me was the easiest bit. I opted for sedation and apart from waiting around the hospital it was pretty good with everything else. It felt clean and the staff where amazing so understanding no embarrassment or shame just humans helping humans. As OP said I think my system is just traumatised by the prep & the 30 hour fast. Don't let me put you off getting sorted though all bodies are different and my digestive system can be very temperamental. Wishing you luck and a speedy recovery! 😊

I had a colonoscopy in 2019 and a pill camera endoscopy procedure in April this year. Needed prep for both the procedures.
The images from pill camera procedure showed an erosion area in my stomach but it said it wasn’t a cause for concern.
I had a follow up with the gastroenterologist last week and asked him about this issue and the symptoms I had experienced.
He said the prep used for the colonoscopy can irritate the lining of the stomach and cause these temporary erosions which can cause the acid/heartburn/nausea you’ve described.
Hopefully, it will settle down in the next few weeks.

Hi 😀 just wanted to give you a little update seeing as it’s been nine days now since my colonoscopy. Those hunger pains and heartburn sensations have definitely eased now.. don’t get me wrong I’ve certainly got more of an appetite since the scope, but the discomfort has eased tremendously. It’s funny because it’s like my body is terrified of me starving it like that again so keeps going into hunger overdrive, and with the prep and the procedure too it’s all very traumatic for our insides! - I know there’s probably a more logical explanation for it however I have decided to make up my own!

Wait it out a bit and you will see some improvements soon.😀

I also felt really bruised/tender inside for a good few days too, but by the Saturday and Sunday I felt pretty much normal! Keep an eye on it, and allow yourself time to rest. Xx

Please don’t worry too much. I have awful anxiety (especially about health too) and honestly, the whole thing, including the prep wasn’t anywhere near as bad as my mind had made it be.

What bowel prep are you having? I used moviprep and the only reason I was able to finish the whole two litres without finding it foul was to mix it with lemon cordial.

when I say mix it - I mean literally 700ml cordial and 300ml water ... i drank it no problem, and let me tell you, I’m the worst for being squeamish about tastes etc! My report at the end of the colonoscopy said my bowel prep was excellent.. so it certainly worked and my colon was crystal clear!

As for the scope, do take the sedation if it’s offered, and of course, If you want it. It certainly relaxed me and although it was slightly uncomfortable at times, it was absolutely bareable and I’d do it again if I ever had to.

I feel pretty much normal now, so don’t let that worry you either!

You will do great I’m sure. good luck and try not to worry, it will be over before you know it! ❤️

Wow that is really interesting! Thank you so much for this information 😊

I had two flexible sigmoidoscopies, similar to a colonoscopy.
For the second I took moviprep. I didn't poo for five days afterwards.
Even then, it took about a month (no exaggeration) for my bowel habits to return to normal.
@OneFootInTheGrave91, it might well be that your lower gut has gone on strike because it is protesting about the assault on it. Meanwhile, your upper gut is still trying to process your food and drink as normal, so there's a conflict between the two.
I'd suggest you try a gentle laxative to get things moving. I've used senna in the past, but have recently discovered bisocodol (trade name dulcolax) which works and is very gentle and works for me.
In the meantime, take some indigestion remedies, and eat smaller meals as it sounds like your gut isn't up to larger meals just now.

@OneFootInTheGrave91 I suffer from awful health anxiety too, it’s the pits isn’t it 😣 I’ve got Moviprep as well! 😫 I’m glad it wasn’t as bad as you expected. Did you have to take laxatives for 5 nights beforehand? I already take an osmotic daily, which I am continuing to do due to the ‘low fibre’ diet (senna doesn’t do an awful lot for me, I expect it will after a few doses though 😣). I also take omprezole daily and regularly fast for 24 hours so I’m hoping all this won’t be so traumatic to my system 😕 I’ve cut right back on my eating this week, I’m just eating 2 small meals a day as I read that this can make the prep easier. What is the moviprep like without cordial as I’ve read so many people mix it? I drink 3 litres of plain water a day religiously so I am hoping this helps me with the large volume of liquid. Yes I am definitely taking the sedation, I have a lot of rectal pain (the reason for the colonoscopy as I have suspected IBD) and I don’t think I could get through it without. Thank you for sharing your experience and advice ❤️

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick my DH had his colonoscopy a couple of months ago and stuck to the advice re Moviprep and only eating icecream, jelly and liquid soup 24 hours before. He took first dose at 10 am and by 4 pm he was constantly going to the toilet, he took half of the remainder of the prep at 6 pm. He was just about making it to the toilet throughout the night, which by this stage was just watery liquid. In the morning he said he wouldn’t be able to go to his appointment. Luckily the phone line didn’t open till 10 am and by then he had stopped going so he said he would go for appointment at midday. He had sedation and the consultant thanked him for doing the prep as it really makes it easier for them to see anything. He stuck to light meals for a few days as it did unsettle his stomach. He was diagnosed with inflamed diverticulitis. He said if he has to have the prep again, he wouldn’t take as much and would do the liquid diet for 2 days before. Good luck with yours on Monday.

@Mindymomo Wow, your poor DH! 😫 I’m surprised the moviprep made him go so much if he was eating a liquid diet! 😱 I’m surprised by the difference in the information given by different NHS hospitals (I did some Googling!) as I’ve been told to eat ‘normally’ (low fibre diet) up until midday on Sunday, when my colonoscopy is Monday morning? I don’t start taking the moviprep until 2pm and it all needs to be drunk by 7pm? I hope I’m not up all night on the toilet! 🫣 Glad your DH got his diagnosis and I hope he’s feeling better now 💐

I am having one next week and the advice I have is the same - I can eat until 3pm the day before a morning procedure, which I was very surprised about. Only a low fibre diet the day before hand. I must admit I have my concerns....

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick and @Pinkblanket, I did that regime too, and it was fine.
Because I had an afternoon appointment, I did one batch of prep the day before, and another in the morning.
The doctor doing the procedure said my bowel preparation was good.
And yes, by the end, the bowel contents are liquid, so that's nothing to be worried about.
Good luck to you both.

@Pinkblanket My instructions said to have breakfast before 9am the day before and lunch before 12pm, but only ‘a third of your normal amount’. I only eat once a day anyway so never have breakfast so this morning around 11.30am I just had two pieces of white toast with some butter. I’ve finished all my Moviprep now and although everything is liquid, it’s not clear yet so am hoping it will be by the time I want to go to bed! I hope your colonoscopy goes OK 💐

@vipersnest1 Thank you, I hope I’m clear by the time I go to bed tonight!

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick, it doesn't need to be clear - the fact that it's all liquid is proof enough that it's worked.
I hope all goes well tomorrow.

@vipersnest1 Thank you ☺️

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick hope it all goes well for you today.

@Pinkblanket Thank you, it seemed to go very well. Had sedation and no pain, just a couple of slightly uncomfortable moments, which lasted seconds, where I felt some pressure. I got a report at the end if it (with some lovely pictures of my bowel 🤣), I had one small polyp removed but everything else looked normal (so no inflammation thankfully). Back to the drawing board for the pain I’m experiencing though! 😬 Oh and they said my bowel prep was good, so I’m sure you’ll be fine with yours too… 😉

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick, that's great news. I'm glad it went ok.
@Pinkblanket, operating on the remote chance that you find it painful despite sedation (sadly I did, but there are reasons why, including lots of scar tissue and a pain disorder), you can also use gas and air on top, or like me, have some additional pain relief (fentanyl in my case).
Just do the prep as you are told to, and the rest should be ok.
Weirdly, I didn't find the prep that bad, possibly due to a very sluggish bowel, so I didn't really get any cramps, and didn't really have to gallop to the loo like some folk do.
I had an enema for the previous flexi sig and was still laying there half an hour later with no urge at all. The nurse that was looking after me seemed to not have encountered that before and was quite astonished.

@vipersnest1 Thank you again ☺️ I was the same as you, didn’t find the prep bad at all either. I’d know when I needed to go but I didn’t feel I needed to rush (I could definitely hold it all in if needed) and I didn’t have any cramps either! Everybody is so different though, I’m sorry you found yours painful 💐

Thanks @vipersnest1 , I have used gas and air twice before, it had no effect at all on pain relief (although it did make my hands go tingly once) so I am most certainly not using it on it's own 😂
I'm just glad to be finally having some proper investigation in long standing problems so just hope it all works as it should.

@Sickandtiredofbeingsick and @Pinkblanket, thank you.

Oh, and @Pinkblanket, I was as happy as Larry after the fentanyl (not in a 'high' way), just that I didn't feel any more pain.
I could have easily driven myself home afterwards, but had already arranged with a neighbour to collect me.
My first experience was awful, the second was a walk in the park by comparison.
I think it came down to the experience of the doctor doing it. (I've put an email in to PALS as my first experience was so awful - but I was having a flexi sig whereas you're having a colonoscopy, so sedation is offered to you - it wasn't for me ,until I was told I should have it for the repeat procedure.)
I hope I haven't been a harbinger of doom there, as I know you will be able to have access to sedation, but just wanted to let you know you can get pain relief on top - mine was really helpful.