What to expect going into a colonoscopy, gastroscopy and a biopsy?

So sorry to hear about your problems, it can be an especially worrying time as I know, I was in the same position as you sometime ago. I can only give you an insight into my experiences, it’ll be different for others. I suffer from Anxiety and I hate the thought of hospital procedure so can totally understand you fears.

Firstly, have you had a feacal calprotectin test done? Looking for signs of inflammation in your stool is a test that should have been done. It does sound very much like an IBD could be causing these problems, but obviously the tests you are having done will give you almost conclusive results.

Even if you are in a period of remission (no flare up), the biopsies should be able to show scarring caused by repeated bouts of inflammation, hence why you need biopsies taken.

As for the Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy, I presume you are having the combined one? This is where they perform both in the same procedure. I had that done and I was pretty much out of it for the whole procedure, I did have pain relief and sedation though, which I do recommend. I remember getting prepped for it, the doctor giving me the sedative, asking me to lie on my left side, and then waking up just before the doctor had finished.I recovered fine and there were no complications at all. I also had a follow up colonoscopy with biopsies a few months ago following two positive faecal calprotectin results. This is when they suspected an IBD, this time I still had sedation, but was alert through the whole procedure. The biopsies are not taken with a needle, they use the camera tube to feed a small grabbing device that looks like a crocodiles jaw to snap a piece of tissue from the area they take the biopsy. I watched it all on the TV screen and had a load taken and I didn’t feel a thing, and no bleeding either. Complications from these two procedures are very rare, and I’m sure yours will go fine. You should be given more sedative if having a combined colonoscopy and gastroscopy, than if just having one on its own, which will probably knock you out for the whole procedure. The worst bit by far is the bowel preparation, I loath that bit. It makes me feel quite ill, drained, weak and is just generally not a nice experience. Just make sure you have baby wipes to had, some Vaseline and a good book or fully charged tablet for when the laxative starts to kick in. Some people are ok with it, others really find it difficult, but either way it needs doing and doing properly if the scopes are to be successful, just make sure you do everything by the book, you don’t want to have to go through all this again because the bowel prep wasn’t good enough.

Do take care and wishing you all the best for the future, please do let us know how everything goes.

Hi Georgia, I can understand your apprehension over this procedure. believe it or not I have had crohns for 53 yrs and yet I had my first colonoscopy around 5 months ago and like you I was very concerned about the procedure.. Because of late I have not been feeling well they carried out this procedure to see if the crohns had flared, up fortunately it had not. and let me reassure you the procedure was no where near as bad as I thought it would be and lot of this was down to the nurses who looked after me throughout the procedure. the worst part for me was the clearing out of the bowel the night before where you have to drink a concoction. it is nothing to be scared of just slightly unpleasant.  AS regards the biopsy this is generally carried during the procedure if they find anything that they feel needs testing. For example they found that I had a ulcer in the bowel during this procedure which they took a biopsy of, you wont know that they have done this until they tell you. As I said before Georgia don't be worried it is no where as bad as it sounds believe me. Taker care .

Hi Georgia, i'm 22 and in a very similar boat to you at the moment. I've been experiencing blood, mucus, loose stools for the last 2/3 months. Had a calprotectin test that came back very high so the doctors wanted me to get scoped. Like you, I was absolutely terrified. I had a sigmoidoscopy last week. It's nothing to worry about although I know that's much easier said than done. It feels unpleasant and weird but as long as you let the doctors/nurses know you're worried etc., they'll take good care of you. It's the not knowing aspect of it that makes it much scarier and intense!!! 

I'm still waiting on results back from mine at the moment. Wish you the best of luck with everything, horrible situation to be in. 

Hi Georgia

   Yes it is a scary thing to not know about the 2 procedures.  As others commented the absolute worst part is the bowel prep to be cleaned out so they can visualize your entire large intestine.   You don't feel the biopsy at all.  I live in the US and the medication given to me knocks me out at in the room that the procedures are done.  I wake up after that in the recovery area.   I feel no pain and not aware of anything.  Some people are sedated but awake.  I have crohns and get a colonscopy every 2 yrs.  The last 2 show no inflammation but I still have symptoms.  But it is the best way they have to check your large bowel.  I also had a CAT scan to check my small intestine

The stool test mentioned by someone else is a good idea but maybe they will do that when they do the colonoscopy.   Wishing you the very best

Hello.

First of all do not be scared or worried one bit. I know this may seem hard but you are in good hands and they know what they are doing. They will do anything u want to make sure you are in no discomfort

I am 18 and I had a camera test done in January. I was only semi knocked out but you will probably be fully. You do not feel a thing and you have no idea what's happening!

A biopsy is taken from inside your body from the part of flesh that looks most inflamed. So they basically take a small snipping from your bowel or intestine. You know nothing about it, not even afterwards!

So the whole procedure is nothing to worry about. I will just say that after you will feel a bit niggly and groggy but have a nap and you will feel fine again!!

I got my diagnosis of crohns from the biopsy being tested. So at least one of the tests you have done should show up what you've got

All the best and don't let it worry you