Colonoscopy

[Octoberme]

HELP :-(

No, I am going in for my first ever colonoscopy on Monday. I am gearing up for an extremely un-fun weekend for all the " prepping " that is for sure...

But....what shoudl I be expecting with this? What should i be prepared for? Does it hurt? What about after effects - how do you feel after? Should I know anythign special to ask the doctor to do or check for???

I dunno....I am very nervouse and scared.

[Lisa]

  Octoberme said:

HELP :-(

No, I am going in for my first ever colonoscopy on Monday. I am gearing up for an extremely un-fun weekend for all the " prepping " that is for sure...

But....what shoudl I be expecting with this? What should i be prepared for? Does it hurt? What about after effects - how do you feel after? Should I know anythign special to ask the doctor to do or check for???

I dunno....I am very nervouse and scared.

The worst part of it is the prep. The procedure itself is nothing to worry about. They let me drift off to sleep and woke up and everything was over.

[Guest j_mommy]

It's not bad...the prep is no fun. Afterward you feel like your old self.

I would buy some baby wipes.....after awhile they feel better than old fashioned TP!

Good Luck!

[MyMississippi]

Hi,

Don't be nervous

As an RN , I can tell you that whenever I helped out in the endo lab in the hospital where I worked, all the patients said it was "not bad, at all".

They will sedate you well, before it is done. Every patient I ever dealt with said they didn't feel anything and most woke up in recovery not remembering anything about it. SO RELAX ! ! It's not a long procedure.

Just make sure that your drug allergies, if any, are noted on the chart. ANd make sure they know what medications you take.

THe bowel cleansing is worse than the colonoscopy

[jerseyangel]

I was nervous before mine, too. It's really not as bad as you think--the prep is unpleasant, but nothing you won't be able to handle. Maybe put a book or some magazines in the bathroom

The actual procedure is a breeze--I was out for the whole thing (I also had an endoscopy) and woke up feeling a bit groggy at first, but fine. I had no pain or anything whatsoever.

Best of luck--it's going to be fine

[Octoberme]

Awwww...thanks everyone for the replies. I am feeling a tich less nervouse now.

And yes, I do expect the prep to not be so much fun. I went and rented a whole bunch of movies, and i have a portable DVD player, lol, so I figured I woudl just set up camp in the bathroom.

Lol, thanks.

[pixiegirl]

People are so careful about saying anything bad... well I will. The prep was so awful for me. The procedure was a breeze, nothing to it.

I told my doctor that next time I need one I will fast on liquids only for days to avoid the prep. It wasn't that I had to remain so close to the restroom, that part was controllable for me. The prep gagged me and I could not drink it. I tried to hide it in chicken broth, or soda pop. You can't hide that stuff, no way.

The good news is there are a number of products on the market they use for prep so there is a good chance you won't have the one I did! And everyone is different, whatever my BF had he said, "its not so bad" and was guzzling it down! (guys will eat anything).

But really the procedure was fine for me. It was so easy for my 80 year old mother then after they were done she got dressed and said, "lets go out for Thai food!".

Susan

[Octoberme]

Lol, thanks Susan for the honesty.

Ya, I am told the prep is bad. The drinks sucks, and the bathroom time and only fuilds is even worse. but you gotta do it right. As for the prep drink...

tomorrow I have to start with drinking the 300ml bottle of citro-mag......and the on Sunday I need to drink this freekin HUGE thing of PegLyte...." apparently " it is fruit flavored, RIGHT.

Anyway, again, thanks for all the insight. I am sure I will be glad when it is done tho

[Guest digmom1014]

All I can graphically say is, when the slightest urge comes-run to the bathroom! I had a few mistakes unfortunately.

Other than that Susan is right on target.

[Octoberme]

  digmom1014 said:

All I can graphically say is, when the slightest urge comes-run to the bathroom! I had a few mistakes unfortunately.

Other than that Susan is right on target.

Lol, yes I have been told that from a few as well. I am thinking that after I drink the stuff I am gonna just STAY in the bathroom in order to avoid accidents?!?! Got my portable DVD player, my movies, and my trusty baby wipes. Lol.....I am set :-(

[jenrn]

I was lucky and tolerated my prep very well. I had to drink the gallon of stuff. The way I got through it was to try not to taste it. This may sound strange but I didn't taste a drop of it by doing this. I held my nose as I drank the glass of it. Then still holding my nose I wiped my lips with a napkin to get any extra stuff off and popped a lemon drop in my mouth for a few seconds. By the time I let go of my nose all I could taste was the lemon drop. Towards the end of drinking the prep I had the lemon drops in the bathroom because I often found myself in there drinking the glass of stuff! Like I said it sounds like a strange way to drink it but I did not want to taste it!

Good luck with yours.

Jen

[jerseyangel]

I wasn't being less than honest or afraid to post about anything bad regarding my experience. In my personal case, the prep was just unpleasant--not terrible. I had to drink the gallon of thick liquid laxative--hated it but got through with not much difficulty. Certainly nothing as bad as the illness that led me to be tested in the first place.

I think the whole point is to hear other's stories in hopes that it will give an idea of what to expect. For some it will be a horrible ordeal, for others, it's no big deal--and for most it falls somewhere in between.

[OBXMom]

You've gotten the lowdown, but I can add one suggestion. Vasoline. If your skin is the least bit sensitve, use it before and throughout the prep. Babywipes aren't always enough! Hope it is a breeze for you.

-Jane

[Octoberme]

Thanks guys for all the tips / advice and stories. I am gonna try the holding nose thing while I drink it cause I tend to gag if I don't like the taste of stuff.

And thanks for the tip about vaseline. I do have the baby wipes but I may have to try that too! I am sure all in all I will be okay and that when it is all said and done I will find it all worth it becuase then HOPEFULLY they can tell me what the heck is for sure wrong with me.

Thanks everyone. MUCHO helpful.

[pixiegirl]

Oh I'm sorry I certainly didn't mean to imply that anyone was dishonest! I just meant that some times we sugar coat things. I've known people that had different prep things and said it wasn't so bad.

In regards to the running to the bathroom, I never had that issue, I had to go often but for me there was nothing uncontrollable about it. Instead of Vaseline I used baby diaper stuff, Balmex, its basically like a vaseline type product with zinc oxide in it but it does NOT come off like Vaseline does, it really stays put! (the things we talk about!)

But without a doubt everyone has different experiences!

Susan

[Octoberme]

This is all so very helpful thanks!!

I hope that I do nto have " controll " issues!

I am hours into the fuilds only diet and I am FREEKIN starving :-(

In a few hours I gotta drink that bottle of citromag or whatever it is.....

:-(