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Colonscopy really worried

Posted , 10 users are following.

dan48682
dan48682

I'm in a real mess

I was meant to have a colonscopy 6 weeks ago but cancelled last minute since then stomach pain has got worse and so has nausea. Lost 5kg in 3 months ( got told that is because I'm diabetic and changed my diet) also blood when I wipe which I've been told is piles.

Feel really unwell and I'm petrified it's bowel cancer. After what I've read I am worried it's going to be too painful to have done. I'm really struggling

Why can't they give everyone virtual colonscopy and save the pain

0 likes, 158 replies

158 Replies

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  • adam98194
    adam98194 dan48682

    Posted

    Hi Dan. Glad it all went without a hitch and that everything looked clear, The biopsies will be fine I'm sure. What you do need to prepare yourslef for tonight is possibly disturbed sleep - like you the sedative had little effect on me and I felt quite ravaged for a few days after, and especially at night time - I'd lie on the side that you lie on for the test and it would bring it all back. I'd suggest some Kalms if you've got anything like that just to get your through the next couple of nights. 
    • dan48682
      dan48682 adam98194

      Posted

      Cheers Adam

      You mean not lie on the side I had it on?

  • dan48682
    dan48682

    Posted

    I remember something near the end. I was laying down and the sister wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tightly my stomach. Any idea what that was. Was too much pain to ask at the time
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      No - maybe you were getting a bit near the edge of the trolley. I fell off one once! Sometimes you can get get a bit gassy too because I think they use ordinary air to pump your gut up which it cannot get rid of straight away instead of carbon dioxide which the bowel can absorb. I expect it's a cost issue. But I wouldn't think they would squeeze you because of that. It might also have been to get you into the right position because that affects things too. But these are just guesses.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Thanks. When should I worry if the pain in my bottom doesn't get worse? I'm guessing my painkillers have worn off
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      It could be gas, it might be the constant loo going yesterday or something to do with the camera. General rule of thumb is that if things aren't getting worse any odd effects take a couple of days to wear off but if does not or if it starts getting worse then I should raise it with them. I really recommend the Germaloid Ointment. If it is any ano/rectal irritation then you get really good relief from it. You needn't use the contraption. I just use a finger. If it's gas it passes off once the bowel gets back to normal but you will fart a bit. I think they should all use carbon dioxide because it is much kinder on the distension front. The one thing you do know now is that there are no blockages so any issues are functional and a lot of people find that a huge relief to know.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Thanks ive got some Lidocaine at the mo. I'll get some that tomorrow
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      The lidocaine by itself may do it cos I think that's the key ingredient in the other ointment. I used to have terrible trouble in that area, piles and a fissure. The fissure was just pure murder. But that pain is unbearable. I was a bit surprised I didn't get soreness but I did use the ointment after each bowel movements and used wet wipes. My guy said there were some piles present but not worth treatment. If you have those, they may have got a bit upset by the prodding around.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Just been to toilet first time and used to seeing blood on toilet paper but also this time bloody stools which freaked me out. Is that just cos of what I've had done? Should it go away soon
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      That sounds from the biopsies. That's probably why this has all been painful. If it's a small amount of blood that should clear up in a couple of days as it heals but if it is more than just a small amount, if it gets worse or does not go away then give them a ring. It's bound to be from the procedure because you weren't bleeding when you were passing from the laxatives. I presume the blood is red coloured and not black.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Yes its bright red and loose. I just read the leaflet and says some people get tear in their colon or heavy bleeding from biopsy site. I expected some on the tissue but first time ever in toilet. I'm worried it's going to get worse or he's damaged something

      I have no abdominal pain

      I was hoping to get some sleep tonight

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Bright red is much better than any other colour and black is the one you have to report straight away cos it isn't coming from the bowel at all. I had that very seriously once.This is bound to be the biposies. The bowel is full of blood vessels and it does bleed quite easily. If it is not a large amount I would give it a couple of days to settle. If it gets worse, doesn't settle or if you get a fever then let them know because you may need antibiotics. It is more common with biopsies. I had a red bleed once (in the stools and not on the tissue like in piles) and it took 3 days to stop. I had burst a blood vessel. In fact they gave me a colonoscopy because of it. With you of course they have already seen your bowel so it is the other way round. This is doubtless why you are very sore. If in any doubt at all, then give them a call tomorrow.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Feel unwell. Really bad. Most of blood gone but woke up really really nauseous and thought was gonna be sick. I felt sick before all this but now it's worse
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that Dan. I hate that feeling. I expect your digestive system is all out of sync because of the clear out. Takes a bit of time for very thing to be in the right place. When I had terrible nausea about 15 years ago. They gave me a drug called (trade name) Maxalon (I think). I'll look it up and let you know. You can't take it too often but it made a big difference with me and seemed to work in about 10 minutes. I think it releases the stomach contents from the stomach to the duodenum. I expect they've tested you for Heliobactor Pylori. I got that 5 yrs ago which led to some ulcers but they got rid of it with antibiotics and one of the drugs ending in "azole" - a ppi. Glad the bleeding seems to have stopped though.
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Metoclopramide. They use it with chemo patients who get bad nausea.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Is it normal to feel sick?

      I thought it went too well yesterday. I mentioned to other half it was the first day I hadn't felt sick in months. Even walked her to bus stop and home again. Should have known it wouldn't be this easy. I feel worse than before and that's saying something. I stupidly thought that was it and was fine

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      You obviously have a quite sensitive digestive system so I don't think it is much of a surprise that this will have upset the synchronisation of your digestive system, probably the clear out and the adding of air during the procedure. The digest system is synchronous and everything moves in waves and if you upset one bit then often the whole thing goes barmy for a while. That is why ulcer sufferers sometimes get the runs, although the ulcer is in the stomach or duodenum, and IBS sufferers get upper stomach issues and headaches. You have had three things that can upset that synchronisation. First, the clear out; second the introduction of air into the gut and third the quite severe stress you have been under. A good medical friend of mine once said to me to remember that the body is never static but that it is always trying to correct problems - sometimes making you feel worse in the short term - and I think your digestive system may be working to fill up and settle down but that the balance has been temporarily disturbed. The other problem with me is this: when I have a test and it is negative I am really pleased and relieved for a day, but them my too active mind turns to other worries. I call it "test-itis". The mind needs to settle down too and the mind influences the stomach very heavily. I really hope your system settles down because you need a break from it all.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Thanks again

      I guess I'm just annoyed. I just thought I wouldn't feel sick again. In fact I'd forgotten about it until I woke up and boom it was there.

      I'm just glad I've got a few days booked off

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      The relationship we have with chronic conditions is one of the most fascinating we know. We hate them. We get angry with them. And yet when you have a bout it is sometimes better than waiting for the next one to come on. I had IBS as I told you for years: in fact, from aged 12 til about your age. It nearly ruined my time at university at one stage and yet my relationship with it was complex. I think this is overwhelmingly likely to be your body's reactions to what it must see as very disturbing: huge bout of diarrhoea, things going the wrong way up your colon, air being put in your gut that it takes time to dispel. When I had my heart by pass, the surgeon said "remember it's just a dream to you because you were out cold for 10 hours, but, to your brain, it is like being knocked down by a sixty ton truck crossed with meeting ninth century Viking invaders on a bad day." I had to laugh. I hope things settle a bit. I'd put a 3 day thing on it. It should all be appreciably more settled after that.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Thanks you give great advice

      Looking back despite all the grief I had yesterday I didn't have the nausea

    • babs49935
      babs49935 dan48682

      Posted

      Feeling sick could also be the after affects of all the stress you have been through leading up to the procedure. Hopefully when your system gets back to normal and you have a couple of stress free days you will feel better.
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      I notice on the NHS website that nausea is one of the reported side effects by some people of this procedure but it should only last a day or two.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      It was worse when I woke up but seems to have gone gradually. The blood on the toilet tissue is there but not in the stools thankfully
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      I'm glad of that, Dan. Blood on the tissue is very rarely significant particularly after a colonoscopy. Hopefully, the whole thing will settle very soon. Make sure you eat well and the things you like and I'm sure it will realise it's business as usual within another 24 hrs.

    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Without being too graphic there is still blood when I wipe for the 1st time. I have also woke again feeling really nauseous and have lost weight. I remember after the colonscopy weighing myself and since then I'm down 3lb
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Hi Dan. I think if the blood is still continuing after another couple of days and if you haven't got piles or something similar that you should refer that to your doctor, although it is very, very unlikely to be anything of importance unless it is more than just small amounts of blood on the tissue. But if it is really worrying you I would mention it anyway. It's a bit difficult to tell unless it is "you". A lot of people get a bit of blood from time to time but the big thing is you HAVE just been checked for bowel cancer. If it was a tear I would have thought it would be in your stools but it should stop fairly soon now. It sounds like a bit of clearing up from the procedure. But if you have a doubt or it is not really getting less then give them a call. Minor variations of weight happen to us all. It is important you weigh yourself at the same time of day for instance and wearing the same (or preferably no) clothes and even standing on the scales in the same place. Your weight can easily go up and down more than 3lbs in a day. After sleep when you have less fluid it will be at the lowest and it can easily go up a few pounds during the day. Mine went down nearly a kilo after the procedure then up a kilo by day two and then down half a kilo by day three. If you have continued weight loss and no weight gain over a week then I would mention that to the doctor. The nausea is a pest. It seems to be worse for you in the morning and I wonder if that might be excess acid building up in the night. You could try something like Pantoloc or Nexium for a week and see if it improves.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      I've since been toilet again and not much blood so maybe it's just the 1st time everyday. Still feel sick but it's definitely worse when I wake up. It's horrible. Weird thing was I slept a few hours and woke feeling fine but then slept 6 hours and woke up again like yesterday feeling like death
    • babs49935
      babs49935 dan48682

      Posted

      Could possibly be a fissure. Small cut on the entrance of the anus which can take time to heal because everytime you have a motion it opens again.. Does it hurt when you go to the loo? 
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      i suggested acid because it is something that seems to be happening when you are lying down and when there isn't much on your stomach. Unless you are on any stomach medicine I would give Pantoloc or Nexium a go just for a week. You obviously have a bit of a tetchy stomach generally and I expect all this set it off again for a bit. Sounds like the blood is lessening which is what you would expect from a small wound. Blood is not uncommon with biopsies for obvious reasons but, as Babs says, each time you go it can make it bleed slightly for a bit.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      I was hoping it would have settled down but there is as much there now as there was before and the banding was supposed to stop that. Plus the nausea having gone away has come back worse than ever
    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Hi Dan. By "as much" if you mean blood then if that hasn't stopped/much reduced by tomorrow morning I would mention it to them. It's probably the problem of bowel movements starting it off each day and means it is taking longer to heal. Bit like keep knocking a small wound. But I would mention it if it hasn't improved by tomorrow. The nausea is a bit more complex because it sounds as if something triggered off an old problem for you again, although I think it is likely to be functional given the circumstances. It may be worth mentioning Maxalon to your GP. I found that almost miraculous at stopping nausea and incredibly quickly and I only took it a few times or the possibility of excess acid and trying something like Pantoloc or Nexium from Boots for a week.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Ya I think it needs time to heal and doesn't help going so much and itching too

      I have tried virtually all the anti naysea and the only one that worked for a while was haliperidol. I got all excited when I saw you mention a new one but then googled it and saw it's metaclompride which I have and not done anything sadly

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Yes. Everything is individual! I had nausea so badly for one period that I had to leave court (I am a lawyer) go to the loo. Then it would pass off and I would go back into court and it would start again. I had it on the tube and had to get off at each stop and in cabs. Everywhere. With me it was an occasional Maxalon and omeprazole. But it is individual. I did the DNA thing which costs £150 quid and gives you a DNA analysis. One section was reaction (statistical probabilities) to prescription drugs. It was fascinating and got me correct. In fact my doctor had already discovered most of it by trial and error! With the Germaloid stuff, my doctor suggested just a smear because too much can be counter-productive. There is a steroid ointment too although you need a prescription for that and you can only use it for a week.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      I meant to ask if everything was ok why did he take 2 biopsies and what would he have taken biopsies of?

      Still feel sick with stomach ache. Have to see the gp

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Hi Dan. Taking biopsies is very routine. I obviously don't know the precise reasons they did in your case. Did they remove a polyp? I had a spot on my hand and it wouldn't go away so my doctor sent me to a consultant, he removed it and said it was a small cyst caused by a small splinter but he still sent it off for analysis. He said I know exactly what it is but if I was wrong - even though the chance is infinitessimly small - what would you say and what would my insurers say? I said "fair enough". If they did anything at all whilst up there like remove a polyp or any other procedure then I think they invariably take a biopsy for safety first and that's definitely better than just ignoring it. If there is anything it's likely to be eminently treatable but Thete won't be otherwise they wouldn't have said anything to you in my view except they would write to you or your doctor.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Hi

      I'm fairly certain only banded 2 haemorrhoids nothing about polyps so wondered what they took biopsies of

      The blood seems to have stopped which is good

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      Glad about the blood. I think they biopsy for a lot of reasons and not just the one we all dread, I had a biopsy taken from my inside lip (that was absolute murder afterwards!) because the dentist said something looked abnormal. I said "cancer" and she laughed and said that wasn't on her mind at all. It looked to her like a fungal reaction. It came back and that's what it was. Given your bleeding was bright red and provoked by bowel movements they were probably just being ultra cautious with the piles and that might be where they biopsied. It could have been checking on something completely different because although we all get fixated with cancer there are other things that can be troublesome like colitis and diverticulosis/itis. But, as I say, I think when they are suspicious they shut up after the examination and don't say things like it was clear.
    • dan48682
      dan48682 etheremail

      Posted

      Thanks

      I'll let you know when I get the results. Can't thank you enough for your help these last days

    • etheremail
      etheremail dan48682

      Posted

      A pleasure Dan. Hope the tum gets back into sync soon.

      D.

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