Colonoscopy referral - pls tell me about your experiences

[SiennaSienna]

GP referred me for my first colonoscopy today (45 F). I have a dull abdominal ache in the upper right quadrant and bloating / feeling of fullness. No bleeding but quite worried :(

I had one about a year ago. The worst thing is the prep. Drink the prep cold from the fridge through a straw, have some clear squash to neck between sips of prep. Put sudocrem on your bum hole before the shitting starts! Be v near a loo or just sit on the loo w a magazine/book/iPad.
if you can be sedated that’s better, I was but wasn’t totally out of it. It was also good to see the bowel ‘live’ so to speak.

Thank you @Goatymum. I suffer from healthy anxiety at the best of times so I’m very nervous.

The prep is worse than the process
I advise you to have sedation

My bloating reduced a bit after removal of multiple polyps

As a female with bloating - have you asked gp 4 referal 4 transvaginal scan to rule out ovarian issues ? / ovarian cancer?
Also wise with bloating as a female to push 4 that to be ruled out.

Colonoscopy wise - the prep doesnt taste nice but honestly - taking the prep is worse than the procedure

Would echo the comments about the prep not being particularly pleasant - drink it very cold and have something else to drink to take the taste away.

Do follow the recommended diet for a few days prior to the prep - pretty much "white soft food / no fibre" - as it makes the emptying a lot easier!

Some Vaseline or Sudocrem for the other end can also help with any discomfort.

Procedure itself was only mildly uncomfortable - definitely bearable with gas/air only in my case - no need for sedation (and having to have someone else collect you from hospital (as was required with sedation)). However, it does depend on your anatomy, so if you have someone to pick you up from the hospital you may want to go for sedation.

I had one a month ago. Was almost incoherent with anxiety as I was on 2 week cancer pathway. I had painless bleeding and mucus with weight loss and fatigue.

Prep was pretty awful tbh - the drink made me nauseous I vomited a bit and I was on the toilet till the very early hours. Drink plenty of water - I ended up with a banging dehydration headache by the morning.

The colonoscopy itself was a breeze. I had plenty of sedation (midazolam and fentanyl) which gave me the loveliest sleep during the whole procedure and I was totally chillled afterwards. They told me the result straight after (it was inflammatory bowel disease Good luck

I’ve had I think 3 colonoscopies and the last was a virtual one (ct colonoscopy). As others have said the prep isn’t the nicest - but I try to think of it like a spa where you have a good clear out of your colon 😊. Follow the prep instructions, use sudocrem as you might get sore from wiping. Drinks lots of water. The actual colonoscopy was fine. I’ve had sedation and didn’t really remember much about it. The first cup of tea and sandwich afterwards was v nice!! It’s so worth getting it checked 💐

I have had several - and when I had the first few there was no sedation - but I did fine. Nowadays they do give sedation so I am sure that it will not be traumatic. Practice labour relaxation - that helps with any procedure.

As others have said the bomb-blast pre meds are not a walk in the park!

Thanks @worldwidetravel2017 . I actually had a transvaginal ultrasound earlier this year as part of a 'well woman check up' and that came back normal (I'm in Canada).

Thanks everyone - My doctor also sent me for a kidney ultrasound today as that had come up as slightly enlarged in a different ultrasound a couple of months ago so we shall see. So hopefully between the ultrasound and the colonoscopy they will figure it out. I just hate feeling this anxious.

It was fine. People moaning about the prep really must have had a very cushy life as it's no big deal just mildly unpleasant. If you have some sort of sedation then the procedure is fine as well. No idea what it is like without sedation

Hello there, I have a similar pain and just wanted to check what came out from your tests and scans.

The prep made me sick both times
And im due another colonoscopy v soon

How are things now ?

Without sedation was just uncomfortable at times - certainly not close to unbearable - though I think that does depend on each person's anatomy. Getting round some of the corners can be quite difficult in some people apparently.