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First time Colonoscopy - My experience

Posted , 33 users are following.

Elle_25
Elle_25

Hi, I thought i'd share my experience with others, esp those going through it for their first time. When i was told the news, i was so worried and had lots of questions I didn't know what to think at first. So i'm hoping sharing my experience will help others, even if it's just one person. I'll be as graphic as I can, because these are the things people don't tell you. So if you don't want gory details, don't keep reading smile

I'm a 25 yr old female going through this for the first time (first hospital experience too). I have procedure tomorrow, and today i'm taking my \"prep\". One down one to go so far today...

I've been given MoviPrep. I've heard a lot of people talking about the taste. You're given 4 packets of powder. 2 A's and 2 B's, you mix you one A and one B with a litre of water...and drink it all within an hour. Then drink another 1 litre of water within the next hour.(then repeat later in the evening or in the morning)

The first glass wasn't bad at all, kinda of citrusy. But the other glasses were hard to swallow, mostly because you have to drink so much of it!

I found drinking the litre of water in the next hour quite difficult, i all i felt i was doing was drinking and drinking!

The MoviPrep kicked in just as I was finishing the last glass. It didn't come on all of a sudden, my tummy was rumbling and I thought it might go to the bathroom just incase. And well, it does it job and everything comes out, literally in a liquid form.

There is no pain, just \"water\". And quite a lot of it...I'd suggest preparing your bathroom to make things easier. I stocked up on wet wipes, magazines, scented candles and a bottle of water so you can carry on with part two, because you wont be going anywhere for a while. I even took my laptop with me and put it on a stool to browse the internet. You'll get bored more than anything.

You'll mostly get random episodes of water coming out very quickly, so just stay where you are. You will feel the need, it won't come unexpected.

After around 35 minutes I felt ok enough to leave the bathroom, to rest on the bed and watch tv. I had to go again after 30 minutes, again it was just water.

Now thats the worst of it over smile. Now because i drank all that water, i'm now needing to pee every 20 mintues. But i'm now comfortable resting in my bed.

I have do this all again in about 6 hours time now, so i'll report back after the 2nd round.

Hope this helps. smile

8 likes, 57 replies

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  • Jamaica47
    Jamaica47 Elle_25

    Posted

    Aged 70.  First time colonoscopy was today early morning.

    it was very straightforward - can't think why I worried about it.    They gave me some painkiller and sedative.   I very vaguely remember some discomfort at the beginning and I rember the staff chatting away and all looking at the screen but next thing I knew I was awake and someone explaining one small polyp waremoved but otherwise all ok.  I thought I had been awake the whole time but obviously I was not.   Now I can barely remember anything. 

    Now I am home I have slept a lot and feel very slightly weak and off colour.  Had a small amount of lunch but not feeling hungry for evening meal.   Tummy feels slightly sore and still passing the remains of the Picolax.  

    The prep yesterday not a lot of fun but not as bad as I thought it would be.  Keep a large tub of Vaseline and use it all the time before using the loo and after.  A bit messy but saves getting sore nether regions.

    Hoping to be back to normal tomorrow.

  • Stewart_44
    Stewart_44 Elle_25

    Posted

    Thanks for this. Am working thru moviprep. Will report later.
  • patty02379
    patty02379 Elle_25

    Posted

    I just done my colonoscopy last wednesday the only thing I find worst to do is the prep and that is it you may have some staggering or dizzy spells like the room is spinning that is normal side effect of it and then you may not even have it some people do some don't. They did a biposy on mine and it turned out I did get my results just a couple of days ago and I have a advance polyp and it is benign no cancer so that is good but she could have removed it regardless knowing my doctor she will want it out.

    • bizibill
      bizibill patty02379

      Posted

      Hi patty02379,

      First congrats on the negative, that is so major and a relief to you! - I had a bout with the big C, diagnosed positive with GIST stage 4 and told that I had one day left if they didn't start cutting, now.  That was due to bleeding internally with 2 fist size tumors observed looking like cancer via an endoscopy.  Now 14 years a survivor, life goes on and my first colonoscopy was just 2 days ago.  In all of it I did not experience any pain or even bad taste from the prep - The BMs came with fair warning and I took the advice that I found on this site and was sooo prepared.  I was nervous about not making the "clear" event as my wife was getting ready to take me to the event but everything went clear in time.  The procedure was not much more than getting a cat-nap, no pain, very professional and included the removal of 3 "small polyps" that the my gastro-doc said appeared "unlikely" but took the time to make sure I understood that the biopsy was the final answer.   

      It sounds like your exam revealed a polyp and it was left in place?  To me that seems unconventional.  The reason they go in it to get any bad stuff out... that is a good point for all reading your/my post.  If it is not your doctor doing the procedure then there needs to be some communications pre-procedure between the two professionals, in my opinion.  Establish what to do if something is found FIRST.  If I'm hearing you right, you may have to have that removed in yet another procedure?  Best of luck, I hope everything continues to go well. 

      BTW - on Elle_25 thread, I mentioned that I would add a timeline of my experience - I made notes along the way and will post it there soon.

    • patty02379
      patty02379 bizibill

      Posted

      I see that doctor on Wednesday and my husband is going to off on her she could have removed that polyp and did not and my primary doctor probably has notified her and ask her why that was not removed. I am happy it's not cancer but you do not leave polyps in your colon left there not removed she will not be getting any kind of referrals from me for anyone to go to her either.

  • etheremail
    etheremail Elle_25

    Posted

    Ask the specialist doctor why it wasn’t removed. There are some polyps due to size or precise location (in relation to a blood vessel) that can’t be removed by this procedure so I would wait to hear the explanation first.
    • etheremail
      etheremail

      Posted

      Sorry. That was for Patty!
    • bizibill
      bizibill etheremail

      Posted

      No problem ethermail, you make a good point.  Possibly a little more bedside manor would have been in order -- she delivered the good news but could have mentioned some non-alarming reason and that it would be further discussed with her doctor - if her exam was anything like mine there was little time to discuss anything,  the procedure is in an assembly line - just like when I had my cataract surgery - beds lined up in the hall slowly rolling toward the OR, when the exit opened on one side, the entrance opened on the other and I could hear someone yell "next"... this was not much different - no doors, just curtains. 

    • etheremail
      etheremail bizibill

      Posted

      Yes. I agree. I had an upper abdominal scan once where the consultant doing it said not one word for 20 minutes until the end when she said. “Feeling ok?”. I said in my best John Cleese voice: “are you talking to me?” She said “yes” and I said “I was just enjoying the silence”. Made me feel good all day. I had a very ancient GP when I was little and his fantastic bedside manner made you feel better at once and because he had learnt his craft before blood tests and antibiotics he actually looked at his patients because many illness produce “faces”. And when you went to see him at his surgery he sat a long way off on a stool and looked at you for a couple of minutes and put his finger to his lips so you didn’t say anything. Then he would say “stomach hurting?” or “feel a bit queasy?” or “chesty?”. We adored him as kids. He made you feel better just being there.
    • bizibill
      bizibill etheremail

      Posted

      ethernemail - your response to "feeling ok" made me lmao!  Yes, I have had both the professional and the mechanic type of doctors - I always tell them up front to give me a step by step before they make a move, I tell them that I both hate, and do poorly, with surprises so keep me informed as the procedure/surgery proceeds.  I am getting step 2 of two dental implants next Saturday morning and my instructions to the oral surgeon will be repeated as with the two teeth that were pulled 6 mos ago.  You have to review your instructions with them - not that they will pay attention, but it is worth a try.  It gives them the impression that your are a human, not a fixture.

  • patty02379
    patty02379 Elle_25

    Posted

    I done it went too the best surgery center ever with a staff who cares about there patients and listens too them. I was scared and realized after it was over with there was no reason to be after all. The worst part is the prep I did have staggering and the room spinning around for a couple of days but other than that I am doing good I done this 2 weeks ago.
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