Sigmoidoscopy experience

I just wanted to put down my experience during sigmoidoscopy to hopefully reassure others going for this procedure.  I know there are a lot of negative experiences out there, but I don't think that these are the norm. I think if you have had a difficult experience you are more likely to write about it, whereas for all the thousands of people who didn't find them too bad - well they won't bother to write them up, so what the internet is loaded with is all the hard experiences, which is scary for anyone trying to find out what to expect.

Anyway, my experience was fine really.  I didn't take sedation, and was not offered anything else like gas. I was given an enema, which was fine in itself but obviously did given the sensation of slight cramping that you might expect when you have bad diarrhoea and really need to get to the toilet!  I chose to stand in the toilet cubicle holding for a few minutes (which they advise to let it take best effect) before using the toilet.   All fine.  I had a letter asking me to bring a dressing gown and that helped me feel a bit more comfortable rather than just being in the hospital gowns.

Conversations with various members of staff checking medication and consent, and choice of sedation, checking pulse and blood pressure.  All fine.  A bit more more waiting and then wheeled into room with all the equipment.  Several staff present doing various things like monitoring BP and pulse, and training, I believe, although my procedure was carried out by the doctor in charge.  Digital rectal exam first, fine, and then introduction of the flexible sig - a bit uncomfortable to start,  but I took a few deep breaths, all fine.  They pump air in to see better, feels a bit strange but no issues.  You do feel it a little when they angle the scope around the bends of the bowel, but really it is not that bad, and lasts 2-3 seconds.  I have certainly had far, far worse period pain lasting hours rather than seconds!  A few biopsies were taken from slightly red areas, but this took seconds and I didn't feel anything when these were taken.  I would estimate the scope was only inside me for maybe 6-7 minutes.  

The experience was fine, so please feel reassured if you are going for this procedure yourself, yes there are some people who have difficult experiences, but there are many others finding it fine who will never write up about that. 

I imagine there are many people who don't go through with appointments, but there are only upsides to this procedure - you get peace of mind, or you are on the start of the process of determining and treating whatever condition you have and becoming well again.

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