Help! Colonoscopy tomorrow and terrified

Several years ago the nhs was not obliged to tell you the percentage risks of procedures/operations so being ignorant of them, we went ahead without this knowledge and went through with it with much less fear if any.  That says it all really doesn't it?  The nhs are obliged to tell us everything now presuming we make our own informed decisions.  I felt exactly like you do, two weeks ago.  I know I had would have had less fear if I didn't know these facts of things going wrong.  I almost cancelled it, just like you.

Because the nhs are now obliged to give us the percentages of things going wrong, somehow it makes us more afraid of going ahead with what they see as a necessary procedure for us.  I felt exactly like you do, two weeks ago after reading the information leaflet and actually cancelled it.  However after thinking about it I decided to go ahead because it might just increase my lifespan and I am glad I did.  Like me, the likelihood of any mishaps is small, and you will go through it with no ill effects.  In the grand scheme of things the procedure is there for your own benefit.  Like everything else 'this too shall pass, and will be only a memory this time next week'.  Think of the thousands and thousands of people who have had this procedure with no problems.  They don't come on this forum to let you know how easy and valuable it was to them.  Good luck.  Actually we are fortunate we are given this opportunity, years ago it wasn't available and more people could have had longer and healthier lives.

yeah, I am a little bit worried about mine too, coming up on Monday the Jan. 26th.

I had a ileostomy reversal done in august of 2014, but the same doctor that did the reversal is sending me for the Colonoscopy, so I guess he feels  it is alright to do at this time. 

I need to remember to tell the doctor doing the Colonoscopy that I just had a reversal.

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes and advice. Had it done this morning and am back home now feeling a lot happier. I had Entonox and it really wasn't too bad at all, a bit uncomfortable no more. The worst bit was afterwards when my stomach felt sore and distended because of the compressed gas they use to open up the colon, but after a couple of trips to the loo I felt a lot better. The doc said it all looked good but he took half a dozen biopsies so just waiting for the results now. Now that I've had it done I feel glad that I did and would advise anyone else to do the same.

 

How did it go? I had my first colonoscopy last Tuesday and it was very painful and then I haven't slept since so I understand your worries. It may be a routine procedure but it's invasive and as you say potentially causes damage. It has certainly caused me some psychological stress.