painful sigmoidoscopy

However, it's unfair to 'promise' people that it will not hurt. The only promise you can make is that it did not hurt YOU.

Imagine the most traumatic experience of your life.

Now imagine someone dismissing it by saying it's not true.

I really appreciate that this procedure was not painful for YOU and I am glad about that. However for some people it is really very painful and what they need is the TRUTH that some people find it painful and therefore they should consider ways to avoid experiencing that for themselves.

Also, this procedure takes around twenty minutes and, from the start of the movieprep, more like 13 hours, so that is also misleading.

Wishing you continued good health x

my attitude is that anything that invasive is likely to be uncomfortable but I have to agree with most of the posts to say mine was painful.

i thought I had a high tolerance to pain as I have had pancreatitis so this flexible sigmoidoscopy was a surprise.

although overall quite a quick procedure,the pain came from me when they put the air in and probed further which was at the end of the test.

fortunatley everything is fine for me,but you need to acknowledge that if there are problems there is likely to be pain!

the trapped wind afterwards was painful too....be prepared for that everyone...and buy yourself a kite!

These procedures are terriblly painful for majority of the people who have to endure them, and I just hope that anyone haveing to go through this, and reading your post is not lulled into a false sence  of security.

These procedures should NEVER be carried out without being knocked out, the pain is horrendous to the point of some people almost fainting.

I have to have Endoscopies every years down my throat and they would not dream of doing this unless we were 'out of it' and the same should happen the other end.   

Heaven forbid i am every diagnosed with a serious suspected disease of the colon,  because there is no way in the world that I would go through this procedure again,  I would cause all the trouble I could to be heard that patients need to be allowed to have this done under the same method as via the mouth to the stomach,  I know nothing much of that but we can still follow orders i.e. to swallow when needed to get the tube down etc.

The flexi Sigmoid tests are EXTREMELY DISTRESSING AND PAINFUL, and I would hate anyone not to realise that its only the few that claim just discomfort.

I mean, I live in the US, and bicycled cross country.  Twice.  But I don't believe that everybody can do the same.

I had a flex sigmoidoscopy some 15 years ago, and I KNOW that I will never have another sigmoidoscopy nor a colonoscopy.  Luckily I have no family history of such cancer, no issues that prompt me seek such attention, and a lifestyle that is pretty healthy (little meat, physically active, etc.).  Yes, I will take my chances, but life is a risk.  I accept that.

If that is not painful for you, then that's fine, but I will take my chances and totally avoid anything like that happening to me.

The fact that the majority of people who post HERE describe a painful experience does not mean that sigmoidoscopy is a painful procedure, in general. It isn't indeed. People are more prone to talk about their bad experiences than the good ones. What really annoys me about this forum is that it seems you enjoy scaring people. 

Reading all these post are very frightening! I'm due for a sigmoidoscopy next week, and I'm terrified! I suffer from extreme anxiety . I have been experiencing pain in my rectum for about a year , giving the impression of possible a fissure or hemorroids. I want to feel positive that it'll be ok . This is the reason I'm responding to your post . I'm aware that people's tolerance of pain varies . I'm very scared but I have to do this . I'm really hoping based on your experience that mine as well , will be a good one .

even though I found it painful, I know two friends who say it wasn't painful at all.

However, if I had to have it done again, I would refuse the movieprep and ask for an enema as I think that, in itself, is a terrible experience which left me in pain, and I would definitely ask for sedation.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on

So please before you spout on as you have, you are lulling people into false security..... You were just a lucky one seemingly but most intestines of normal people go through quite awful pain, compared by many as worse than child birth.

Hi Jane, I had my flexi in January after months of weird and inexplicable symptoms linked to IBS. I'd had bloating, cramps, noises in the night etc beforehand but this bout came on like a train crash but also presented new worrying symptons like a sense of fullness in the back passage. I am prone to health anxiety and googling myself into terminal illness and worried myself sick about cancer. Your stool test suggests all your sysymptoms are totally explicable by what they've found already. All I can say is that I've had two endoscopies and a sigmoidoscopy and each time been amazed at how symptoms have almost magically cleared up once I've been reassured nothing is wrong (for the first endo strong antacids also helped!) My point is, I think our brain and anxiety does have a strong hold on body symptoms....IBS can erupt from time to time but the anxiety it causes fuels the symptoms.

Omg thank you, I'm terrified but had 2 before, I'm having serious cyst removed and been told by the consultant it's 2/3 hour procedure, reading your post has giving me some hope, thanks x