Painful colonoscopy

I'm an experienced colonoscopist and can sympathise with the comments about previous colonoscopies. Pain during colonoscopy is usually due to looping of the instrument which stretches the bowel and it's attachments. The amount of sedation doesn't determine whether the scope will loop or not. Essentially it comes down to the expertise (and training) of the individual colonoscopist and there is unfortunately huge variation. Most units now collect data on caecal intubation (whether the colonoscopist gets all the way round the colon, should be more than 90%) and some units also collect data on \"comfort scores\"- this isn't available to Joe Public but individual colonoscopists should know it- try asking! How should an individual waiting for a colon deal with this? Tricky particularly as you don't want to upset the doctor about to perform the procedure but if it is hurting a lot ask them to stop (it is usual to experience minor discomfort)- giving more sedation isn't necessarily the answer and giving too much can be dangerous, particularly in those over the age of 70. Hope this helps!

Hi, Just had a colonoscopy today and I have to say that I found it only uncomfortable when he seemed to go around the bends. I took extra gas and air but beside that it was pretty interesting. I was suprised to see that the doctor had written that I had tolerated the procedure with difficulty. I guest they see so many people they must have a good idea of good tolerance to really not being able to tolerate. Well i gave myself 10 out of 10.

I had my 3rd colonoscopy today. And it was very tramatic. The first 2 I had some years ago where uncomfortable with mild pain. but today was very painful, I was given sedation which relaxed me slightly to begin with. I think it was when the scope reached the bends, it was excruciating! I was calling out in agony I was told it shouldnt hurt that much and maybe im not relaxed enough, I had the gas and air and I moved onto my back which was a bit more comfortable, but again certain areas were very painful. I felt as though I was immune to the sedation drug, because I can remember absolutely everything. The doctor seemed genuine in telling me he was sorry I found it so painful. He said that maybe I fought against the drug by being so worked up that it didnt work. I felt embarassed and tearful once it was over and could not wait to get out of there.

just to add, I was up dressed and ready to go, 15mins after the procedure, thats how 'sedated' I was!

Having just returned from my own colonoscopy today I am so relieved to find others have had similar experiences to me.It was such agony my bowel went into spasm and it became too difficult to complete the procedure. I too will not undergo another without more effective pain relief.

I too got a colonoscopy, and having a high pain thresh hold, and thinking I would be getting sufficiant pain relief I wasn't worried, how wrong was I , the pain was torture, I saw it through as to stop it would mean doing it again, not a chance, once bitten, not a word though about it from the medical staff as far as they are concerned it's nothing, I really think they skimmed on the sedation so much because it had no effect and I remeber the lot, I'd like to see them go through with it with the same sedation they gave me, it's out ragious that people have to go through this or risk leaving themselve open to getting cancer, or other life threating things, they know this so don't feel they have to change the way this is given.

It obviously has not changed much then as I too had one last week and it was agony and I stopped them. I was given sedation and another lot but I did not feel any different, but after about half an hour when I was on the way home in the car I fell asleep. When home I went to bed and slpt for 4 hours my husband kept coming and looking at me to check I was breathing!

I had discomfort for about 3 days after as well and I am not a wimp and hardly ever take painkillers, I had a knee replacement with spinal block and light sedation and it was a breeze nothing like what I suffered last week. The nurse did tell me that could be more *uncomfortable* if you have had a hysterectomy (as I have) but in a scale of 1 - 10 I would say the pain was 15 and never again.

I had a colonoscopy today and it all went very well. Removed one small polyp and saw a small diverticular pocket but nothing else thankfully. Having read up on the web about the process I was keen to see and hear what was happening and also had read that in some hospitals they offered the procedure without anesthetic or pain relief. I asked my consultant about it and she said we could try and that I could have the anesthetic/pain relief if I felt I needed it during the procedure.

There was no pain until she started into the transverse colon (I guess around 18 inches in) then there was a fairly severe stomach cramping which did make me wince. I guess this happened a few more times during the procedure but overall it was tolerable and made much better by the fact that I saw the entire process on video and could talk to the consultant throughout. She had me move from my side to my back with one leg up a couple of times to ease the process. She got all the way to the caecum and moved back and forth a few times to check all was clear.

I would not hesitate to ask to not have anesthetic and pain relief again, however having read the above posts maybe I was lucky with the operator even though it was in an NHS hospital that has been recently slated.

Being able to feel part of the procedure and see what the doc was seeing gave me confidence that the results were OK and also walking out of the hospital feeling fine (except for the wind!) was great.

Must add that the weirdest feeling was when the doc irrigated the colon to see better and I could feel a cold sensation coming from inside!

I had my first and hopefully last colonoscopy yesterday and can say it was the most painful experience of my life so far. I suffer from severe all over body muscle cramps and believe me, those are excruciating but the colonoscopy was much worse. The staff nurse had told me I may suffer a little discomfort. LOL!! Oh yeah,you don't say? I was in agony. Although only for about 5 minutes it was sheer hell and the prep talk didn't go any where near to describe the level of pain possible. Judging by the post here it seems it may be about time they came clean about the possible pain. I had the usual peth and midaz mix and honestly think I was immune. I was fully able immediately after the procedure and despite warnings to the contrary felt fine to drive home. I didn't, but am confident I could have without difficulty and was discharged 10 minutes after the procedure. As for any future Colonoscopy examinations... Stick em up your A..E! No Thank You.

The dazzle / pain relief only seems to start working after the flipping thing is over :D :[

In Reply to House: 'The dazzle / pain relief only seems to start working after the flipping thing is over '

Perhaps true but for me it didn't seem to work at all but yes, they gave me the meds only seconds before the procedure whilst on the op table so there wasn't really any time for them to get to work. The nursing staff descibed the days schedule as a conveyor belt system. I really do believe that I'd have had better treatment if I'd stuck my Ass in the air on the Argos conveyor belt!