Colonscopy really worried

Hi Dan

I understand your worries about painful colonoscopy. I had one 6 months ago and I hadn't read up about the potential pain involved so wasn't prepared in the least for it. It was quite a painful procedure, i won't lie to you, but it was over after 30 minutes. The question is - if you don't have it and then you do have something nasty which could be more easily sorted if caught early, then you are opening yourself up to all sorts of more painful and more invasive procedures. So try not to worry about the short-term pain - you will at least know then if something is amiss and they can start treatment if there is. Please don't put it off. It's too important. And actually, many people have very little discomfort, some fall asleep altogether during the procedure, and even if you do have pain, it's actually really interesting to watch the procedure on the monitor. Let me know how you get on. Best wishes

I can understand that fear. It may be unfounded. And if it's not, then you will be getting the treatment you need. They are making huge steps forward with cancer treatment nowadays - if that's what the outcome is. Remember that other things can cause some or all of your symptoms - like a stomach ulcer - unpleasant but not life-threatening in the same way. Please get it checked out. 

Dan - I had one 3 days ago and with some sedation most people don't feel anything much. I find the doctor's exam more painful. Of course you get nervous. I did too. But the condition you have (if you have one) won't make it any more or less painful generally. A lot of gastric symptoms come from the fear. I had terrible bleeding fifteen years ago and you can imagine what I thought. It was actually a burst blood vessel and nothing to worry about. Weight loss of the amount you have could just be diet or even feeling unwell and not eating. I am diabetic too. My weight varies that much weekly! So get it done and have your mind put at rest. Ask for sedation and bear in mind in the first stage (if you remember anything at all) the first bit feels like pushing but once that is over you usually feel very little. Whatever the problem is, it's better to know and be doing something. And it's probably nothing anyway and you are torturing yourself needlessly. No one likes the test but the fear of it is a hundred times worse than the reality for most people, most of the time. Good luck x

Yes, as people have written, it is often an almost painless procedure. Mine was. Some sedation and I was very chatty and found the screen pictures very interesting. I am sure everyone gets nervous, but you have to do it! Keep us up to date. We are all in this together...