Endoscopy and colonoscopy in two months.

[tlc-x]

I have my endo and colonoscopy in October. I'm dreading it. I've never had anything at all like this. No operations, never been under anesthetic for anything, never had anything stuck up or in me apart from injections or blood tests. So it's all new to me.

I am having a light anesthetic to put me to sleep for an hour or two because the doctor says my tummy is too sensitive for me to be awake.

I'm having both at the same time, in the same session, which i'm grateful for.

But i'm just wondering, will I be sore afterwards? Any advice or tips? Try not to scare me or anything!

The doctor says there is 10% chance that they actually find anything because all the doctors agree I have IBS even though the whole family have Crohn's Disease. And someone told me IBS doesn't make you vomit... and I do vomit. Hmm.

But yeah, we're taking that chance because I need to know what's going. I need this to be checked and i'm nervous, but I can do this. It's only a few days out of my life that are going to be unpleasant and then I can go back to Thorpe Park with my sister for Fright Night Halloween!!! Wooo!

:hug:

 

[Clash]

I'm glad you are getting the colonoscopy/endoscopy hopefully this will give you aome answers. You shouldn't be sore afterwards, honestly you shouldn't remember much about it at all. Here in the US you get a cocktail of meds that put you in twilight sedation. So you show up go through registration then when they hook up iv and push meds the next thing you know is you are in recovery. Hope all goes well!

 

[emmaaaargh]

I've had two endoscopies and colonoscopies! I've never noticed any soreness after the procedure. I did get nauseous when I woke up, though, but I'd been under for about 5 hours (no idea why it took that long for me to wake up!). For the other procedure I was just sleepy after.

One thing I will say though is afterwards, take as long as you need to to recover. Don't try and pretend you're wide awake to rush out of there, 'cause I did that once and I ended up being sick in the car on the way home. It's not great in the hospital in the first place, yeah, but it's just an hour or two and then you can go home without any more unpleasantness!

Hope it goes well.

 

[highlandsrock]

Hi Tasha

Don't worry too much about these procedures. They really are the only way for your consultant to actually see what's going on inside (unless you swallow a capsule camera). I'm surprised at the 10% quoted by your doctor as I would have thought they should be able to give you a definitive answer.

Colonoscopy (last one - April 2012) - my preference is little or no sedation as it's quite amazing to be able to see what the doctor is seeing and ask questions. The worst bit of all is not being able to eat for the day before the test but you are allowed to drink clear liquids like Bovril or fruit juice. You will be absolutely ravenous afterwards. Some people don't like the prep liquid but I've never found it too unpleasant and it does work.

Endoscopy (last one - May 2012, next one - 3rd September) - for this procedure I prefer to be sedated. East Surrey Hospital use a spray (that tastes like burnt bananas) to numb to back of your throat so that when you wake up after the test you can't feel any after effects of the camera.

I find by taking the attitude "the sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner you get the treatment" I can rationalise having cameras stuck into various orifices and treat them as positive experiences. Getting them both done at the same time sounds like a very good idea.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on

 

[EDZEL]

Hi tic-x

Welcome to you from another Newbie - I had my third colonoscopy just two days ago and I want to reassure you (as others have done) that it is not so bad. I hadn't had one in nine years (kind of fell of the hospital radar I think!) and was dreading it TBH...but technology and drugs have moved on in that time and it was fine, and I actually feel as if a weight has been lifted from my mind; I know that the next time I have one I won't be nearly so anxious.

I have no experience of an endoscopy but I can see that other folks have answered that one for you!

I was given piccolax to clean out my colon, and although it took from 4pm to 5am to actually start working (which is apparently quite unusual!!) and by the time I got the hospital at 1pm I was convinced I wouldn't be 'clear', in fact I was and once they had given me what they called 'jungle juice', a painkiller and oxygen, I was in happy land!! I even watched the whole procedure on the colour monitor as they were doing it, and chatted to the nurses. It didn't hurt at all at any point, though there was a little discomfort when they had to negotiate the bends, and when they pumped air in a couple of times... but certainly no pain at all, nor afterwards - just lots of air (not good company, lol). I don't know if it affects everyone the same way but I felt that the piccolax was a very gentle way of doing the job - I had no cramps at all, everything just went 'woosh' every so often, and I didn't even get the chills which apparently you can have when voiding so quickly. (I do remember that from the last time but I guess they gave me a different purgative - the piccolax was certainly much better tasting too - like lemsip!)

Please don't be worried about this - everyone is different of course but everything is done to ensure the patient's comfort. And my stomach has actually felt wonderful since I had a good 'clear out' I have to say - I don't know if this is common though!

Good luck and do let us know how it goes! *hug*

 

[tlc-x]

Thanks for the answers!

 

[StarGirrrrl]

I had the numbing spray for my upper endoscopy too, and my throat/mouth hurt like hell for at least two days after. Felt like I was swallowing broken glass I have to say.

Lots of wind after colonoscopy, but it was the clean air coming out and not any nasty farts

There are lots of scope prep tips around so have a look for those. If they give you Klean Prep ask if they can give you something else because that one is vile. They all clean you out but it may as well not taste too foul.

You will be really hungry when you leave the Hospital, so plan a nice dinner, maybe something you don't often have, as a treat!

 

[vanilla_chai]

Like everyone says, its nothing to worry about. The upper endoscopies have never bothered me at all (I've had 3). The prep for the colonoscopy is no fun (I've had 2 colonoscopies with another scheduled for tomorrow). I'm in the middle of the prep right now, read up on some of the threads about prep plans and you'll survive.

good luck, I hate the not knowing stage