Painful colonoscopy

To my mind it's shameful that they go through all the consent palaver 'understand what the procedure is for?' 'understand the risks and expected outcome?' etc. which they make you sign to say you've understood without telling you that a very significant number of people will undergo excruciating agony and if you are unlucky enough to you're unlikely to get more meds to make you comfortable and if you tell them to stop they pin you in the cot like a calf being castrated. It really stinks, and is utterly and totally unacceptable. Yes, there will always be an unfortunate few who don't do well with any medical intervention but this isn't an unfortunate few, it seems regular. I would like to know what % of those who were in agony also suffered a perforated bowel (a known and stated risk).

Tom, have to agree. At no stage was I told this could be painful, very painful. In fact nobody gave me any information whatsoever. In this day and age, you should be able to control pain. I got the impression as they were running late, that it was a conveyor belt and too much sedation would have left me in the recovery room for too long.

Yes my procedures were started at 4.15pm and I was taken to the recovery zone about an hour later but at 6.00pm I could see the staff itching to get away.When I specifically asked that my family were not present when I was given the report the recovery nurse walked in with my sister to give me that report.When I pointed out quietly to her I did not want a family member with me she said' well I'm waiting to go home' but I insisted on being debriefed in another room----- we at that point standing in the middle of the recovery room with another patient present .This also added to my annoyance and like you Jean I felt like a body on a conveyor belt.

I also was constantly told by the endoscopy staff that the procedure was not painful just uncomfortable wind pains .It is also written in the literature they sent me previously explaining the 2 procedures.

Quite honestly we should all complain to the doctor concerned, the hospital complaints procedure and inform our GPs. I haven't. Why? Because I think the risk of upsetting medics will have an adverse effect. Like complaining to the waiter....who spits in your soup. An outrageous suggestion? Maybe but as outrageous as pinning someone in agony to the side of a cot while you stick a camera up his or her anus and up the colon? Has anyone here complained?

Yes, I have done an online complaint and I shall also be complaining to my GP.

I should have said that I complained here patientopinion.org.uk

Why not do the same.

Go to Google and look up patientopinion dot org dot uk then search on colonoscopy.

Here is a link to my complaint. Perhaps some of you can add yours.

www.patientopinion.org.uk/opinions/83615

My hospital has on it's website a section for Complaints,comments and Suggestions,I made a comment on my treatment and described what happened---but I've had no response which makes me wonder if anyone reads them.I also complained on the NHS Choices website where you can also leave a comment on the endoscopy section.I'll also complain to my GP but don't think it will make any difference,I'll try that Patient opinion site too.

I had a colonoscopy done around 4 years ago with removal of a rectal polyp. I have never, ever felt pain like I suffered during that proceedure. Yesterday they told me I need another one - probably in around 3 weeks. Now I am a nervous wreck, and cannot even sleep due to the anxiety of facing pain like that again. I would rather have a general anaesthetic to have this done, then maybe I could face it, although I also found taking the huge amount of bowel prep drink a nightmare as every mouthful kept trying to come back up. Most unpleasant. I have no-one to accompany me or stay with me for the recommended 24 hours following the proceedure, but the doctor did not suggest any alternative, e.g. an overnight in hospital. Does anyone care in the NHS any more? I was a Nurse Manager, and don't remember staff being so unfeeling.

Nam, so sorry to hear of your bad time. Been there First thing to do is find out exactly WHY you need another colonoscopy; why, and what to they expect to achieve, and what outcome? It there are other signs or symptoms, or tests that suggest something serious or sinister then you'd be best advised to go along with it. If it is just 'screening' then why? If you must have it then tell the Dr and your GP about your experience last time and your fears and say that you won't sign the patient consent form unless they can assure you that you'll get any medication needed to keep you out of pain, in writing. Add it to the form just before the procedure.

As for bowel prep, there are different schemes. I had one where I fasted the day before but no bowel prep then arrived 0900 on the day of the procedure, and was given a private room (I have private insurance) to drink a couple of flasks of prep on the day itself. Much better than all that Picolax at home

Good luck whatever you decide but if your doctors think your condition really needs examination you might rue the day you declined a colonoscopy; untreated bowel problems are not nice let alone the potential for being life-threatning.

I have now added my experience on the 'Patient Opinion' website and 4 people from my hospital trust plus 1 person from the Royal College of nursing has read it---now I shall see later on in the year if it's made any difference although lots of people have had very good experiences at my hospital so maybe I was unlucky with my treatment room team and having a late afternoon appointment----although an earlier one wouldn't have made any difference to the pain I had.Perhaps if more people were to voice their experiences (this is not complaining) then maybe the powers that be will start to sit up and take notice.I haven't been to my GP yet as the Gastroscopy results are still not through and I still can't face meeting a doctor--even though mine is kind.Did anyone find that the literature they were given before hand describing what would happen to you during your scoping visit was inaccurate?? I did as I did not meet the person doing the endoscopies before the procedure--he did not sign the consent form either it was the staff nurse at my pre assessment who signed it to save time I was told,nor was I able to ask him any questions nor did he have a chat with me before starting and I don't think he even read my notes.The biopsy results take a lot longer than the 10-14 days quoted in the write up too

I found the prep a piece of cake. OK, I had liquid diahorrea for 24 hours, but it was OK, nothing worse than I get with diverticulitis anyway!! I wonder if the prep inflames the bowel and then makes the procedure more painful. Sorry to see I'm not alone in my experience :-(

Like Nam I too had difficulty with the bowel prep,I had Moviprep which I thought after the first glass--oh it's not too bad but by the 4th glass I was having a job to keep it down--it really was awful.