Colonoscopy

As others have said the clearing out prep is the worst bit but important to follow the instructions carefully . I had the jug of mixture next to my chair and sipped it slowly. It can make you sick if gulped down. The other point is if you have a mild sedative as I did you need to have someone to drive you home and be with you. The lady in the next bed was not allowed a sedative as she lived alone and was not allowed to drive home if she had been given the sedative. Hope all goes well.

I was really worried when I needed a colonoscopy but needlessly. I had a sedative and barely remember it, stayed in recovery for about an hour and then given a sandwich and coffee before going home. It's a little undignified but not painful, I wouldn't be worried if I had to have another. The worst bit ,as others have said ,is the Moviprep. It tastes vile, but on advice from a friend,sipped it through a straw, chilled and alternated sips with Bovril drink which helped me get it down. Cleared me out well, and use sensitive toilet wipes!

I've had a colonoscopy so I can tell you that I barely felt a thing and there was no discomfort whatsoever. I'd previously had a barium enema so was quite worried because I did find the final bit of that horrible but by comparison, I enjoyed the colonoscopy!

Have the sedation offered.
Good luck

I had one 2 months ago, and it was fine. The diet in the 5 days leading up to it was pretty boring, but worth doing properly so they get a clear view, as it were. I used a metal straw (from Lakeland) which seemed to help the laxative drink go down more easily. For the first hour I thought it was having no effect, then wow!! And I would have used Sudocream if I knew it was allowed! The actual procedure wasn't at all painful and the staff were all friendly and professional. Please don't worry.

I not J!

J think the key word is Relax.

I have never had a colonoscopy but have a friend who has one every couple of years. She says the thought of it is much worse than the actual procedure, and it’s over much quicker than you expect.

Hope it all goes OK for you.

I can promise you that the worst part about a colonoscopy is the anxiety beforehand. I’ve had several and have always opted for the sedation. You won’t go to sleep but won’t be aware of the procedure. You’ll be given tea and biscuits and once you’ve rested for a while you can go home. You will need someone with you as you won’t be able to drive/use public transport straight away. The preparation beforehand isn’t great but nothing to worry about. These things are mainly precautionary but whatever the results show you will be given the correct treatment. Diazepam is a blessing if used sensibly and medical science wonderful to have the ability to diagnose accurately and quickly. I am one of the most anxious people you could meet so if I can handle it anyone can!! Best of luck to you ?

I've had several and as others say, please don't scare yourself. Your doctor has done hundreds of them and will know - to the exact second - how much sedation you will need! You'll lay on your side, doc will say 'relax' and then they'll say 'all done', it really is as simple as that!

You will be offered sedation so take it. If once procedure has started you feel you need more say so. You will be fine.

Insist on sedation and you shouldn’t know anything about it. Also see go regarding some temporary help sleeping and with anxiety. You don’t have to suffer, good luck x
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Alypoole, I will be thinking of you next Wednesday, as I am having a colonoscopy that day too. I had one back in November and the procedure itself wasn't bad at all. I had sedation for it. As everyone else has said the preparation is the worst bit. Stay close to the loo!!! Very best wishes.

You have had great advice, the procedure itself isn't a problem at all. The staff are amazing and so reassuring . It's over before you know it . I had mild IV sedation but I wonder if it even worked as I was fully alert !!

Two things I would say, I am sure they have already been mentioned. Start the Light Diet at least three days beforehand, I didn't , not realising and obviously the laxative did the job but it had harder to work !!!

Also, after every bowel movement I use gentle wet wipes and Vaseline . Had no problems with soreness or pain.

Good luck .

Alypoole they will give you a great tranquilliser into your vein before the procedure and this makes all the difference, believe me I have had three colonoscopies.

I’ve had two. I had sedation both times that had no effect. The first was a breeze. The second was very painful and they gave me gas and air which worked, so it was fine after the initial pain. The worst part was the purging. The doctor said that it should be taken earlier than the instructions say and I’ll do that next time. I took the first dose from 7pm and it didn’t start working until 3am. I then had to start the second dose at 6am. I think it’s just easier to sit on the loo and read a book! Only take your own drugs beforehand if you’ve checked first with the department.

Hi I had a colonoscopy last October after the bowel screening kit picked up blood. I had light sedation and was talking to the doctor during the procedure and watching the screen. I too was dreading it, but it was fine. They located a polyp in a place which couldn’t be dealt with at the time. When I returned for the polyp to be removed I had no sedation only a local anaesthetic. I have to go back in March as although the polyp wasn’t cancerous it had high potential to turn cancerous so they need to make sure it’s all gone. I am not worried about the procedure now I have experienced it, just hoping they have managed to remove the polyp completely. I will then be recalled regularly. My father had bowel cancer and has just had the 5 year all clear so please go and don’t worry. I personally wouldn’t take any medication beforehand without checking with the hospital first. Hope all goes well and I agree with others to use loads of sudocrem after the frequent trips to the loo during the bowel preparation process

I've had 2 colonoscopies and agree with everything that's gone before. It's the preparation that's not very nice in as much as you need to be near the loo for a while. Sedation means you will barely remember a thing about it. One thing I did was to jump on the bathroom scales before I started the prep then again after the procedure - lost a few lbs in the process!
Don't forget that the staff are doing these on a daily basis and will be skilled in administering it and explaining what's happening.

Alypoole, I was terrified when I had to have one, I was a real baby. The prep is the worst, but you are at home, get yourself some baby wipes. The staff at the hospital were so nice, I had sedation and didn't feel a thing but could watch it on the screen and was reassured that everything was OK. I recommend the sedation, could do with some for family events! Makes you feel "say what you like, do what you like, don't give a monkies!" Good luck, you will be fine.

I'm afraid I had a bad experience and I blame it on the lack of sedation. I felt as though I had no sedation whatsoever, but apparently I had been given some immediately before the scope went in. Ask for enough sedation.

I’m with Greciangirl on this one. I found the staff really unfriendly in the hospital I attended - it was a conveyer belt. The sedation had no effect whatsoever even though I warned them I had a very high tolerance threshold. I had 5 biopsies and a polyp removed during the procedure and can remember every second of it.

I had 3 lots of morphine some years ago when I was airlifted to hospital and a nurse said I must be a hardened drug addict to have such tolerance.

Ask for as much sedation as allowed. Hope your experience is a lot better.

I've had three. One without sedation which I wouldn't recommend. The prep is the worst part. Make sure you stay at home near the loo. Mine was done by a Male nurse which worried me, but he was so reassuring and said he'd been doing them for 15 years. The female nurse held my hand throughout. I hardly knew what was happening as the sedation was very good. Once I opened my eyes and saw the screen then drifted off again. There was no pain afterwards. My husband had his without sedation and watched the whole thing on screen while chatting with the doctor. He's very stoic!

Please don’t worry I had 3 last year and a CT one ...I didn’t have sedation and was fine it’s a little uncomfortable like trapped wind .....one thing I’d advice buy some barrier cream Sudocrem is very good stops your bottom from getting really sore...it’s used mainly for nappy rash but it soothes and has a weak anaesthetic ,I used it after every visit to the loo worked great ...good luck hope everything goes ok .

I had light sedation and watched the procedure on the screen from time to time and didn't feel a thing. As said by others the prep is the worst bit and again like the others the staff were very kind as I was quite nervous about it.

Sorry, just seen that you are having sedation.