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painful sigmoidoscopy

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Had Sigmoidoscopy yesterday and would need to be dragged kicking and screaming before having another! The hospital staff were lovely, I was given an enema before the doctor came to speak to me about what he was about to do. He was very nice and reassuring so up to then, all was going well. Then I was taken to the treatment room where I was asked to lie on my left side on a bed which had sides on (to prevent escape ha ha) and the procedure started. Boy oh boy, the pain I experienced was terrible cramping all over my abdomen like I had never experienced before (even child birth wasn't as bad as this). The nurses kept reassuring me and asking me to take deep slow breaths but this did not help and eventually having been unable to cope with it anymore, the doctor agreed to stop but did take two biopsies. However, because it was too painful for me to allow him to go any further, he said he was 20cm short of where he wanted to see. Now heres the question. Why on earth don't they just put the patient under total sedation? This way no pain is caused to them, the doctor can look at the area he needs to see and all in all, every one happy. It seems a waste of time to me to put people through such agony when there is a simple solution. The doctor is unable to perform a full examination because it is too painful for the patient so its not cost effective, its cruel and its a waste of everyones time!

7 likes, 208 replies

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  • sarebear35
    sarebear35

    Posted

    I had this done yesterday under sedation......what can I say it was very very painful.....because I was sedated I did not really know what was happening but I can tell you now I felt the pain...on a scale of 1-10 I would say it is 8-9. Today my insides feel very sore and achy... I am not sure whether this is normal or not has any one else had symptoms the next day?
  • helen202
    helen202

    Posted

    Ok, it really isn't that bad. I had a rigid sig at my doctors which was much more uncomfortable that the flexi sig. After reading these posts, I was concerned about the procedure as I am a total wimp when it comes to anything. It is standard to be given gas and air which is brilliant, this total relaxes you. It isn't great when they blow air in, but this is because it makes you want to go to the toilet, this passes and a few deep breathes on the gas and air and you are fine. It was over in 10 minutes, which sounds like a lot but it isn't when you are out of it on gas and air. I had two polyps removed and went home after a sandwich and a cup of tea afterwards. Seriously it really isn't painful, it just makes you have a real urge to go to the toilet, which passes. Personally having a blood test or injection is much worse.
    • Tootsie_roll
      Tootsie_roll helen202

      Posted

      I had a ridgid sigmoidoscopy this am, and after reading all these posts, I was so scared. I didn't sleep all night and cried all morning. I have a low pain tolerance, and I was scared, but I also knew that I had to bite the bullet and go through with the procedure. Anyway, I was given nothing drug wise, and I was fortunate to have a gentle Dr. I layed on my left side, they inserted some spreader, (not comfortable) blew in some air, I concentrated on breathing, which really helped, and they inserted the scope, did their thing and there was only mild pain and cramping. I have had worse period cramps than this. It was a walk in the park, and I am the biggest wimp going. In 10-15 it was done and I was freaking out about nothing! I have endured a double contrast barium enema, and that was super painful. So please don't be afraid. Everyone has different experiences and they are not all bad
    • Dor
      Dor Tootsie_roll

      Posted

      Hi you were fortunate with a rigid sigmoidoscopy but it only goes into the rectum not further up like the flexible. The pain with the flexible comes with the bends in the colon further up and believe me it is excruciating! Sedation did nothing for me and gas and air was no option at my hospital, also I since found out that my condition of diverticulitis makes the procedure even more painful and would opt to be knocked out if I need a flexible sig or colonoscopy (also very painful) in future.

      I think you were really fortunate to get the rigid sigmoidoscopy.

    • NHS_Survivor
      NHS_Survivor Dor

      Posted

      Hi, I didnt have a rigid one, I had the flexible one and it was hell.

      If you can find any hospital that will Knock you out as you call it for a signoidoscopy you will be lucky,  I havent heard of one that does this, at best in a very very few sedation may be given but anyone who has had this says it does not alleviate the pain.l

       

    • NHS_Survivor
      NHS_Survivor Dor

      Posted

      Hi again,

      Nowhere in my post have I ever said I had a rigid sigmoidoscopy,  mine went around the bends and I never had gas and air or sedation,   I would NEVER HAVE ANOTEHR,  HAD TWO AND THEY WERE EQUALLY AS BAD....

      I think the only way one may get knocked out - is to have this done privately at around £2000 but even then I am not sure they actually knock you out as you call it.

    • Dor
      Dor NHS_Survivor

      Posted

      Hi I replied to someone called Tootsie roll about HER rigid sigmoidoscopy.NHS Survivor I am really sorry you had such a difficult and distressing time with the flexible one as I did. I live in Scotland and a friend is a scope nurse who advised that should I need another I can get it with a short acting aneasthetic which allows you to be unaware when the procedure is being done.  It is not advertised as everyone would want it. It is the only way I would let anyone near me with a scope! I think areas differ.
    • NHS_Survivor
      NHS_Survivor Dor

      Posted

      Hi again,

      Well it came through to myself so maybe Tootsie never received your reply.

    • Dor
      Dor NHS_Survivor

      Posted

      It looks as if it well to Toostie Roll 5 hours ago.  There must be an error with the web page as there is nothing on a reply from me to you on this site except to say I had replied to the person named Tootsie roll..  I would not have replied to you as I did not see it on the page. I am sorry for the misunderstanding.  We have both had very painful procedures.
    • NHS_Survivor
      NHS_Survivor Tootsie_roll

      Posted

      I had to comment on your post as I would hate people to listen to your description as a walk in the park for these procedures.   If yous was, indeed you were one of the very FEW  lucky one. but for the majority of us, it is the worst  pain ever.

      Also I read that people are being offered SEDATION and Gas and Air,  Well I quizzed my GP after the first EXCRUTIATING one i had done as to could I get this done anywhere to be offered this and she said no, that the people carryhing out these procedures always claim they are a little uncomfortable for nothing more.

      Absolute Rubbish,   I had to endure a second one of these and was telling him to stop that I couldnt take any more,  I was dripping with sweat,  the nurse was holding my hand and my fingernails were digging in.   It reached a point when I demanded he STOP, and at that point he did.    If only these doctors  who carry out these things, actually had to experience it themselves,  I KNOW they would be more sympathetic.

      AFter the procedures,  I had to drive home,  was never warned of the terrible pain that came in spasms folllowing this, and 4 times I had to slam brakes on as was bent double,   I got home and my husband thought I had been in an accident as was bent over to try and help pain, the only relief I got was to bend and lie my chest flat on the kitchen table and stay in this position.  It took a long time before I could move properly again.

      Please.... anyone having to go through this, please believe that there are only a few who claim it was painless and just a bit uncomfortable,  but the majority of us would rather give birth to baby elephant than go through it again.

      I just wish someone had warned me.    I had to have a third done recently, but I refused,  I said no way.... and they did a CT colonoscopy, still with air, but was indeed 'a walk in the park' compared to the TORTURE I experience twice at the hands of the Sadist of a Dr. who preformed it.

    • andrea7412
      andrea7412 NHS_Survivor

      Posted

      "If yous was, indeed you were one of the very FEW  lucky one. but for the majority of us, it is the worst pain ever."

      Sigmoidoscopy IS NOT painful and those who experience pain are the FEW unlucky ones.

    • dBudsan
      dBudsan andrea7412

      Posted

      Clearly it can be very painful indeed, as it was for me. Had to stop the doctor it was so bad. The gas & air didn't touch the pain.

      Not sure how you can categorically say a sigmoidoscopy is not painful. It's disrespectful to those of us that KNOW it was excrutiating for us.

    • Rockshell73
      Rockshell73 Tootsie_roll

      Posted

      You are very very lucky then as I had one yesterday and I can honestly say it was so excruciating he had to stop.. Felt like freddie crugger was up there with his blade fingers doing it.. They had to cut it short as I was screaming.. Now I've had 3 children and that was a walk in the park next to this.

  • sally201
    sally201

    Edited

    I had flexi sig today, after 2 home births (2nd baby nearly 10lb) with no need for pain relief I was not prepared for how horrible this would feel. I was okay at first, relaxed, but I think I may have been more tricky (maybe anatomically?) than some patients as 20 minutes after starting they hadn't even got as far as they eventually wanted to, with trying to get around the 'loops'. It got more uncomfortable as it went along, then it just felt so bad and I had to take the Entonox I was offered. The staff were wonderful, I wasn't scared of the procedure at all and was very keen to see it on the screen, but my flexi sig had to be abandoned because shortly after starting Entonox I almost passed out with the feeling/pain and my saturations dropped and they gave me oxygen for about half an hour.

    Afterwards I was pretty uncomfortable with loads of gas and right shoulder pain which took a couple of good 'releases' before it reduced.

    I'm glad it was easy for some people but if I have to have it repeated (due to it not being completed) I will take the conscious sedation!

  • Cococat
    Cococat

    Edited

    I am so happy to have read these posts. I had a flexi sig a couple of days ago. They told me they don't use sedation because it's not a painful procedure. WRONG! I was absolutely horrified. The pumping in of the air was the worst thing. It was like I was giving birth to a stomach full of broken glass. I nearly wrenched the nurse's hand off! They told me to look at the screen and tried to get me to take an interest, but I was concentrating on just staying alive!. Never will I have another! They found a polyp, so I'm having a colonoscopy tomorrow, but that doesn't fase me cos I've had one of those before and they sedate you. Why the hell they can't give you at least gas and air for a sig, God only knows. I left thinking there must be something dreadfully wrong with me because normally this is a 'painless procedure'. Now I know I'm not alone.
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