Painful colonoscopy

bowmsy · 2012-11-15T08:00+00:00

trelowareren, I am so glad it all went well for you, and really do hope if you get it again you have the same experience, and although there is no point in worring or losing sleep if you need it again, I wouldnt be to sure it is possible to have both bad and good experience's you can see that by reading other peoples experiences, my experience was torture but my sister had one and felt like you until she got her second and it was totaly different she said she could never go through it again, it is possible the doc has something to do with the pain or not and you may not get the same doc.

trelowarren · 2012-11-15T21:56+00:00

bowmsy, well yes I see what you mean and I'm certainly not meaning to diminish any one elses bad experience. With so may adverse experiences reported you would think there would be some monitoring and perhaps GA should be offered to those who have a bad experience the first time, in fact why isnt it? i had 2 hernias repaired under local anaesthetic which were torture if i had to have another one I would point blank refuse so i understand the experience of pain during a procedure.

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-15T23:22+00:00

Yes, well it isn't just about being a 'bad experience'. Like others here, I had several colonoscopies that were painless before my penultimate during which I had one 'sharp bite' - but tolerable - then the wholly unacceptable near torture on the last, when I was penned down by the staff while howling in pain. Not only is that unacceptable it suggest some serious risk. From this thread alone, it is clear that this is a major issue and not from people being over-sensitive, fussy or silly. There is something seriously amiss and I would have hoped by now that a GI specialist in the field would have posted some kind of explanation.

All I want is an explanation. If it's really necessary, and safe, then I will put up with it. Please tell me the truth.

osborne · 2012-11-16T20:31+00:00

oT.om Peters, have you checked up on sedation and pain relief , it maybe worth looking into. Seems each doctor decides what is suitable, tough luck if not suitable. Perhaps some change in medication each time so get recorded previous meds copied for each colonoscopy, this could be helpful if future tests needed. Best wishes. I was in pain but it sure was painful. Nurse suggested twice that doctor discontinued proceedure or give extra pain relief. The proceedure was discontinued. You had a real tough time. My sedation and pain care was useless if the camera moved a fraction it was awful, but no pain if not moved, was very painful inside afterwards. ( not the first time when no pains at all) Did you have same bowel prep each time, I didnt.

rachel90 · 2012-11-16T22:25+00:00

i was in alot of pain and was given pethidine which i reacted badly to.. as it stopped my heart... ive nw been given an appointment to go bk and see my consultant in january aftrr they failed to complete the procedure in september.. everybodys pain threshold is different.. and what some people find unberable others cope.. i definately agree different doctors different rules... theres pain n then theres agony n unberable n i think at that point they should discontinue before they do any damage.

bowmsy · 2012-11-17T12:42+00:00

Hi rachel90 I agree that everyone has different pain threshholds and mine is very high, i walked about on a broken hip for six weeks before the docs discovered what was wrong with me and they were amazed that I had walked at all never mind six weeks, so when I went to get this colonscopy done I was not worried at all , I was screaming with the pain and nobody cared or stopped it apparantly I would forget it, wrong I remembered every last second, when I told the doc when I went back for the check up she said sorry some people absorb the drug quickly, so tough if you do I thought , not good enough as it has put me off for life which could cause me real problems in the future.

rachel90 · 2012-11-17T12:46+00:00

ye i definately agree

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-17T13:03+00:00

"I was screaming with the pain and nobody cared or stopped it apparantly I would forget it, wrong I remembered every last second, when I told the doc when I went back for the check up she said sorry some people absorb the drug quickly, so tough if you do I thought , not good enough as it has put me off for life which could cause me real problems in the future."

+1

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-17T13:08+00:00

Interesting -- http://171.66.127.115/content/97/9/432.full

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-17T23:51+00:00

I'm of a mind to pass the link to this thread over to the GMC. Something is wrong. We'd all accept that therapy can be painful - for treatment not investigation - but at what level does pain and risk of perforated bowel for purely diagnostic or screening purposes become unacceptable?

I'm very unhappy that no doctor has dropped into this thread to give us some balanced opinion.

What do you think, folks?

Guest · 2012-11-18T00:36+00:00

Doctors don't give a fig :D :[ Nah well I guess some care to a degree

Guest · 2012-11-18T00:39+00:00

They care more if you are paying

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-18T02:13+00:00

I pay. Well, BUPA pays. Made no difference to me. I don't believe that they don't care, but there is clearly an issue. The procedure nurses have to pen us into the cots and tell us to be silent. In my case I remember it vividly and with no doubt. I was penned-into the cot/cradle while shouting about the pain. Others here on this thread share similar experiences. This is a scandal and needs to be looked-into and explained. If it's the best medical practice and we (I) need it, then maybe I'll live with it. If it's about convenience and timing for the procedure then that is outrageous and, frankly, of 'Saville' proportions.

Guest · 2012-11-18T03:04+00:00

Virtually everything that goes on in a Hospital has some degree of unpleasantness, we have to accept that likelyhood so that we can get better

Tom_Peters · 2012-11-18T09:06+00:00

House -- Don't be silly. Who likes going to the dentist? Funnily enough, I don't mind as mine keeps me comfortable and pain-free at all times but before she was my dentist I'd have swum the Atlantic in preference to an hour in the chair. Things don't have to be painful for us to get better. There's a medical heaven y'know. All doctors and nurses who inflict pain will be subjected to a 'hell' of having their teeth and toenails being pulled in purgatory for a thousand years

When the twenty-four hour news cycle is looking for 'scandal' material this will come up and bite the b*ggers where they bit us!

Painful colonoscopy

Guest

450 Replies

bowmsy

trelowarren

Tom_Peters

osborne

rachel90

bowmsy

rachel90

Tom_Peters

Tom_Peters

Tom_Peters

Guest

Guest

Tom_Peters

Guest

Tom_Peters

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!