So I am having a Colonoscopy!!

Hey michael, this is Michael. ..hahaha im a colonoscopys expert. I've had 3 or 4 in the last 2 or 3 yrs. I'm assuming that you're talking about that awful stuff you must drink the nite before and finish the next morning. I dont think you can use the orange juice and you can't use anything that has red or purple coloring. I think I mixed mine with flavored water or gator aid. As far as sedation goes....Some people choose nothing at all because alot of times, maybe all the time, they use mind altering drugs that remove your memory of the procedure. And some people are totally against this. I always used some kind of sedation because it is a bit uncomfortable. Ask what they are giving you or your options. It sorta depends on how fast the doctor works. I dont know about the ultrasound. Good luck. Cheers

hi Michael, you might be on of the very many who sail through it wi mild discomfort. I have had one that was. Yes you can take the prep with a little cordial though I didn't find that bit too bad. Defoe go for the sedation in my opinion..Why are you having the ultrasound scan? I thought it would either or.  I had the scan when colonoscopy was aborted although if a polyp had been found I would then have had to have the colonoscopy anyway. I'm not sure why you would need both and would definitely be asking my doc why

1.  There are several different bowel preps and regimes.  Do speak to your consultant and ask.  Better just follow the directions -- they probably gave you a couple of sheets of print-out with all the instructions?

2.  You are unlikely to get a choice.  It all happens very quickly.  Some folk have hardly any pain and need little or nothing.  Others...well...you've seen!

3.  US depends what they're investigating and the aeteology. A specialist physician does the US and they know their stuff.  They will look around as they think fit over an above what the referral note says.  US is great for seeing lumps and stones, and in a doppler-mode it is used to measure blood flows.

Good luck -- most people are fine.  Remember most people don't come here to post their good experiences.  They just go home and forget about it.  Obviously the comments here are heavily biased to those who had bad experiences.

I've had 3 colonoscopies since 2005 (last one was in April) and so far they've been a breeze with just some minor discomfort at times. If you read people's experiences on here unsurprisingly you'd be feeling rather nervous. But in reality very few have any problems with the procedure.

The prep is nothing really. The hospital always sends me 2 packets of Citramag laxative (magnesium carbonate and citric acid). I've never found it unpleasant to drink, but it will give you serious diarrhoea, but that's the idea.Some people are fussed about the 24 hour fasting routine that accompanies the taking of the laxative. Again it's all just minor inconvenience.

As for the colonoscopy I've never had sedation or gas although they were offered at the time. A qualified gastroenterologist always carried out the routine in my hospital. It seems the drugs they give you vary at different hosoitals.The only one I'm ever given is Buscopan which they inject into a vein on the back of your hand.The needle stays in your hand until the finish and is attached to a phial containing the drug. The Buscopan relaxes your colon and prevents it from going into spasm during the procedure. All I can say is that it works fine but it gives you a dry mouth for a while, but by the end of the procedure your salivary glands are working normally again.

And afterwards there's tea/coffee and biscuits in the recovery ward. Curiously they always seem to remove the needle from my hand after refreshments but not before.

U can take sachet with juice. I had scopy 2days ago with no pain till sigmoid but after that discomfort. Àt 2 points i felt i'll gonna pass out. Doc stopped procedure little befote terminal ileum due to oain if he moved scope forwarrd. As quick as abcd. Just go have it. Dont think much.

I had my first colonoscopy about a month ago. Not 100% about the cordial but from what I remember I think you can add things to it to make it taste better with no issues as long as it isn't anything red coloured. I just went with it as is but after reading other people's experiences I think putting it in the fridge to make it cold makes it easier to drink. It isn't particularly nice but at the same time it wasn't as bad as I expected.

With regards to sedation or gas and air I went for the gas and air option and I had no major issues. Was a touch uncomfortable at times but not unbearable. Obviously different for different people. I have a fairly high pain threshold I think so went with the gas and air option mainly because I didn't want to feel groggy afterwards or have to take the day after off work etc - with the gas and air you are good to go after 10-15 minutes as it leaves your system very quickly.

I appreciate it is different for everyone but the main thing I would say is try not to worry. I know it is easy to say that when it isn't you going for it but I was really worried about mine and thankfully it turned out to be a much less traumatic experience than I was expecting.

Hope all goes well.

Hi;  sorry to hear of your fears. I have had a full colonoscopy with no sedation (I don't take any unnecessary medications). It wasn't painful, lasted about 30 minutes and it was fascinating to watch the image on the screen. In many ways the process is safer is you are fully awake because you need to move onto your back and then the other side to facilitate the camera going round bends and this is easier and safer if you do it yourself. I would say, at worst, when they inflate the bowel, it feels like the morning after a very good curry.

As long as you follow the diet plan you could take their sachet in anything. I found it better just to shove it in warm water; and after following the diet properly I suffered no horrendous toilet episodes. As Michael, below, says you shouldn't use any dark liquids as these can stain the bowel and make observations difficult. I kept to plain water and my entire insides were spotlessly clean.

An advantage of opting out of sedation is that you can go home on your own as soon as the procedure is finished. With sedation you have to go to recovery for a couple of hours and then be escorted home.

I have now had cameras in every orifice, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy up the rear, a camera down my throat to my stomach and, early this year, a camera up the penis into the bladder. I have had no sedations whatsoever, they do shove some numbing gel down you before the camera into the bladder. None of these has been particularly uncomfortable. I did gag with camera down the throat but only a couple of times. The camera up the penis held all kinds of horrors but actually did not hurt and had little after effects. the point of mention my other procedures is to point out that, like the dentist, the anticipation is much worse than the actual procedure and the rule is always to relax.