Extremely painful colonoscopy
Posted , 31 users are following.
Hi, I had a colonoscopy yesterday... I would like to share my experience... I have a pain in my abdomen for 4 years and feel unwell, bloated and in pain almost every day. After many tests - almost all negative, a test for calprotectin came increased so my dr sent me to have a colonoscopy to have a look if there is any sign of IBD.
After almost a week of searching on the internet and reading discussions I thought it's gonna be ok.. many people described it as uncomfortable and said that the prep was worse for them. Also my friend has this procedure done and said she didn't feel anything as she was sedated.
I was really anxious and scared about having the colonoscopy because I have abdominal pain constantly and very sensitive gut but thought that many people had it so I will be fine.
The preparation was not really good but it was bearable. I had moviprep and didn't really mind the taste. The worst was the pain I had during drinking the liquid. My tummy was like it should explode... But I managed to drink it all and was ready to have the colonoscopy. I wasn't feeling very well and I was still going pooping that morning - even 10 mins before the procedure. I finished 2nd litre at 2am and my appointment was 8am.
Ok after few minutes I lied on my left side and was ready... the nurse gave me gas and air and it started... The doctor was a surgeon and everything but not gentle! He almost shouted on me to relax and it was just terrible - I was so scared! He put the endoscop in and after few seconds I was in so much pain! He didn't seem to stop and I started crying and screaming so he stopped and the nurse sedated me and gave me a pain killer. I have no idea why but the sedation didn't work at all - I was 100% conscious and I wasn't feeling relaxed whatsoever! They didn't give me more unfortunately and the doctor continued and asked me to lie on my back.. when I turned I never ever felt so much pain! I was in shock and pulled the endoscop out without realising how dangerous this could be! And that's how it finished... ( I had two gastroscopies before without any sedation and it was absolutely nothing compared to colonoscopy).
I couldn't stop crying until late afternoon and I was pretty in shock. Didn't feel any effect of sedation at all.
Sadly this wasn't over... at about 6'pm after a slice of bread and banana I was in pain again! Can't even describe how painful it was and I was shaking and so sick! I went to emergency where I stayed until 4am. Fortunately strong pain killers and some other pill they gave me helped so I went home. Today I had some more pain but it's so much better!
I don't want to scare anybody but just a give an advice to take strong sedation and pain killers make sure you are sedated. I think I've got something wrong with my bowel and therefore I reacted like this...
Has anyone have similar experience? I feel like looser but I am so happy it's over and will ask for MRI or CT scan instead or for conoloscopy in full anaesthesia. NEVER AGAIN! :D
4 likes, 45 replies
lynn80906 Iina
Edited
tracy35644 Iina
Edited
Hi Lina,
I had the very same experience last summer. It was so horrible that I had to take a week off and it's felt like i had been violated. I was awake for the whole thing, not sedated properly. I was screaming in pain and they gave me "benadryl" I am not sure what that would do but it didnt help the pain.
I was the last procedure of the day and after coming out of the room they pretty much told me to go home. My family wasn't even there yet and had to take a cab home because I had told them I would be ready at 6 and it was only 4 pm.
Turned out that I have tourturous bowels and they used a child's scope, I had both Endo and Colo, no cancer but the pain was extreme for 2 weeks later.
I have never written back to these posts but I completely know what you are going through. I didnt speak up to my doctor but i think its importmnt that you do if you can get past the fear.
The pain will go away it just takes time. Hang in there.
T.S
Iina tracy35644
Posted
Hi Tracy, thank you for your reply. I am so sorry you had to go through the same experience as me. I think this stays in our life forever.
So did you have the colonoscopy 2nd time using the child's scope? Was it better? I am glad they didn't find a cancer.
They were able to finish the end of my bowel - sigmoid and it was probably all good so I guess if I would have tourturous bowel they would tell me.
it just terrible not knowing what's wrong with me for almost 4 years
I want to know what's causing this pain cos it's ruining my life!
Thank you!
I.
inger35824 tracy35644
Edited
This is exactly how I feel right now !!
I've had five or six colonoscopies with never this outcome. I feel like I’ve been violated…and kicked in the tush by a mule with an extremely adept aim. Hurts to sit, sit up from laying down, toot (lol). I feel completely miserable. I called the doctor and they said it happens sometimes .. first time for me. My drugged self remembered waking up and crying cry out .. I'm sure I struggled and was hurt during that time. The doctor said to rest .. call them if it doesn't ease off .. I feel better knowing that someone else has experienced this .. sad that you did though .. I'm just hoping that this "who left the bowling ball up there" bruised feeling goes away soon ..
To all those people out there who are worried about this procedure .. rest assured this is an anomaly .. I can attest to that .. but, when it does go wrong .. it is not nice. Thought .. they said I have hemmorroids (5 kids.. of course) .. I wonder if they damaged them this time ?? Could this the case ?
craig84609 Iina
Edited
This happens more often than one thinks. It happened to me as well and I wanted to sue them. You must complain to the manager or the head of the clinic that you went to. If enough people complain then doctors will ensure that they take the time to put us out. I wish I had been able to get up and walk out, but I was druged just enough that I couldn't move or protect myself. The doctor didn't car at all. They said that you don't feel pain at all in the colon and that is why it doesn't hurt to take a biopsy. I got news for them, that is a load of Crap. I still feel pain when they blow you up with air. I had one that I was screaming and they did give me enough at that point, but years later at the same clinic with a different doctor it happened again and I got no apology and it seemed as if they were laughing about it. Well it screwed me up so bad I will not have another in two years as suggested. I may never go back in for one. They also missed the fact that I have roids and I may have a rectal abscess. These are seriously painful. I felt burning in my rectum from the scope and pressure pain from the air. I kept thinking to myself, please stop. I was sexually abused by a male doctor when I was 17 and it was an easy association that during the colonoscopy I felt violated. I will never go back to that clinic. Please complain to the manager, they need to know that it isn't ok to do this to patients. Why on earth does a doctor think it is so important to finish that they will ignore cry's of pain and if you tell them to stop, they are leagally obligated to do so or they risk a law suit. In my case I couldn't speak as the drugs were just strong enough. I was so angry with the doctor I was yelling at her when I was going into recovery. There they wanted me to eat and drink some food before they will release you and I told them I will eat at home. She said just some water, so I took a sip and said now unhook me. I nearly ripped the IV out myself. I started to get dressed before they pulled the curtain.
Iina craig84609
Edited
Thanks for your comment
I read so many discussions and most people said that it's not so bad... unfortunately we are not one of them...
I will complain to my doctor as they wrote the reason they couldn't finish it was becase I was too stressed and anxious even before the procedure started. Heh it's true but they couldn't finish it because it was extremely
painful! They didn't mention that! 😡
Most of the NHS doctor are horrible. You must go privately to see a good doctor.
It must be really awful if you are sedated in a way that you can not protect yourself and you still feel everything and the doctor doesn't stop! Uf can't even imagine that! I am so sorry that you were sexually abused by a male doctor! It's must been even worse as you must have difficulty to believe them.... I think it's better to have MRI or CT or pay for a good doctor and be fully knocked out for this procedure...or I don't know why is this happening....
Lol I also didn't take any biscuits just a sip of water because I had to.. Luckily the nurses were very nice at least! Also was up getting dressed after 5 minutes - no sleepy, no dizzy just crying all the time...
lynn80906 Iina
Posted
I did go privately. 😣
I don't feel that I was sexually abused. Just not knocked out enough!
Iina lynn80906
Posted
Did you? And it wasn't any better I guess... Well some people can't bear it for some reason... Maybe it would help if we were more sedated maybe not... Full anaesthesia would be great but there is higher risk because you can't say if it really hurts... were they able to finish it or not?
lynn80906 Iina
Posted
If I have a tooth out at the dentist they give me a painkiller so I am aware of what is going on but am not in agony!
craig84609 Iina
Edited
They have their work cut out for them the next time, as I will need a lot of convincing. Plus I will need to be put out in the hospital. I have trust issues when it comes to doctors, because of what happened to me. I can't even see a male doctor for any kind of intimate exam. So I have to find a woman. The doctor that did this to me victimized as many as 200 other men before getting caught. I told my new gastro that I didn't want another colonoscopy done at all. I think it was cool that you walked out I wish that I had been able to. They give you a medicine that is a date rape drug that tends to wipe your memory of the experience. I didn't remember the incident until the car ride home. I do remember being very angry and I yelled at my doctor. I told her if she had looked in my file then she would have known that the medicine she was prescribing me wouldn't work. I just wasn't that nice about it. She kinda made a noise that told me she was frustrated with me, but I didn't care. I was really angry about what happened. It's funny how they think that it doesn't hurt. Well in some it does. If I were you I would fire my doctor. I did the next day and it felt good. I am now seeing a new doctor.
andrea99869 craig84609
Posted
Hi lina. I had the same type of experience. I had the sedation that made my head woozy immediately but that was it. As the doc was blowing the colon up it was utter agony. I was astounded by the pain. They gave me the gas and air and that did nothing at all to help. Every time he moved it up i bellowed. I couldn't help it. It was so painful. They said it was because the colon is flat and they need to blow it up for the camera. I didn't realise it would be that bad. I was on the verge of screaming to get it out twice but they said "nearly over Andrea". It wasn't nearly over. I told my daughter that if they said i could have cancer and needed to look in the future then i would rather die it was that bad. I thought i was being a baby but now i know i wasn't. I'm sorry to hear how badly you suffered lina but glad i am not alone with this shocking experience. I hope you have fully recovered. Craig84609,,, that is utterly disgusting what you have been through. Utterly disgusting. I am appalled at these doctors. I do hope you recover well. And Tracy 35644,,, absolutely abysmal.,how they have done that to you shocking how they make us feel and if it wasn't for sites like this then we would feel alone with it. When my doctor finished he had to band 2 piles. He pulled the colon implements out then rammed something else up to do the bands. It was so painful as it was to then have that done. I was layed up for 3 days. Never ever again. I hope you all are recovering now. Andrea.
lauren37731 Iina
Posted
the exact same happened to me!! they wrote it was due to my anxiety and tears they stopped when in fact it was because of the pain!! they also lied saying i declined extra sedation - they didnt even offer this to me!! im so upset and the consultant was very rude
Emmszie craig84609
Posted
firstly I'm so very sorry you went through that . I AM suing mine . I took it to a formal complaint, 6 months later they responded . basically gaslighted me . had the nerve to lie and say i was comfortable and asleep throughout , which was a flat out lie . I am petrified of EVER having another colonoscopy .
BelleReve Iina
Edited
Joined just to reply to you. I am so sorry you suffered a similar traumatic experience to mine. Almost identical---shame on both of the "doctors."
Mine felt like I was being stabbed repeatedly. I could not help screaming out in pain. I received no sedation or pain medication. I huddled, shaking and sobbing in the stairwell after until I could manage to get to my car.
Throughout the rest of the day I was passing bloody tissue and my pain continued. Finally, in fear and desperation, I called the hospital. They wanted me to come in but admitted they would probably have to insert a scope. I could not bear the thought of any more torture and declined to go in. After a few days I stopped passing bloody tissue and the pain ended.
I later learned from a friend who has had many that this painful experience is from dr. not slowing down at twists and turns and moving too fast. I remembered them talking about how many patients they had backed up. Thanks to these incompetents I will NEVER have another colonoscopy. This happened over ten years ago and I am physically ill just relating it.
Just had to let you know you are not alone. My heart and prayers go out to you. For anyone else having one, INSIST on sedation.
craig84609 BelleReve
Posted
This seems to be more common than one thinks. There are no nerves in the colon, but there are nerves that surround it and one does feel pain when the colon is being dialated, and I can't tollerate it, not to mention that during mine I had a fissure that added to the pain of it. Doctors need to be more considerate to their patients or they won't have any.