How bad IS a colonoscopy?
#101055 - 08/24/04 04:47 PM
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Ok, I know I need to have one done. Sigh. 
On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the worst thing in the world and 1 being a pice of cake), what would you rate it pain-wise? I guess I'd like to have two seperate answers, one for the prep part and then one for the actual procedure.
Thanks in advance to anyone who answers this personal question.
Edited by Sara-Sage (08/24/04 04:47 PM)
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Tina,
I'd give the prep about a 4 or 5 (more on this in a second), and I'd give the procedure about a 2 or 3.
Definitely check out the top post in the Crohn's board about the prep, and follow Jill's advice. Also, if your poop is complete liquid by the time you finish your first dose's effects, YOU CAN SKIP THE MORNING DOSE (if your doc tells you to take one). I had to do one dose in the evening the night before and another in the morning. The morning one served no purpose except to make me weak and thirsty, as I was already emptied out!!! (Had I not had to do the morning dose, I'd probably only rate the prep about a 2 or 3.)
The phospho soda is pretty gross to choke down; the D wasn't that big of a deal to me because I'm pretty familiar with that. I took the stuff in about 8 oz of white cranberry juice, which was tolerable. Thinking about it later made me nauseated, but it was tolerable. (I tried choking down the morning dose in a small amount of gatorade, and that was AWFUL! I think it's easier to drink more of something kind of nasty than a little bit of something COMPLETELY nasty.)
The procedure itself wasn't bad. I was nervous because I have never been in the hospital, and I had to put the gown on and get an IV and all that kind of stuff. They put me in some kind of twilight zone where I was fading in and out of consciousness. I did wake up a couple of times in pain, and I'd say "Ow!" The pain never lasted longer than about four seconds, and then I'd drift off to never-neverland again.
I'm happy to answer any questions you have, as mine was just over a month ago and is relatively fresh in my mind!
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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Sara,
I thought I posted on your other thread, but I don't see it! Sorry that guy was rude!  I had a colonoscopy last month, the prep was annoying, but I was sedated for the procedure itself so it wasn't painful. I did have a crampy PMS kind of discomfort for a couple days afterwards which motrin relieved. Hey, I'd send that guy a short note card and tell him that you're sorry he's over worked and you don't want to add to the heavy burden that is his chosen field so you will going elsewhere!  
missyb
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I just had mine about four weeks ago - and the prep, for me, was a 8.5 - the test itself was a 1.0
The prep depending on what they have you drink can bee ok or bad - I got sick as soon as I drank it so I had to drink it all over again - oh it was horrible...
But the exam itself was wonderful I actually dont remember a thing (which I heard is a good thing) and after I would not have known anyone had been up in that area...there was no pain or anything...I have heard different painful stories from others though...
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Donell 
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Well I am wondering same thing. I know about prep as it is similar to one for barium enema although specialist here has directed the older form of drinking one gallon or I should say four litres of preparation.
I have done this before a few years ago and I found it no worse than the newer method of soda method. Latter was terribly salty.
My concern as I made in a separate post if after test if in fact polyps are removed. But I am glad after waiting almost three months to get appointment that is now getting close. Brantford Ontario hospital does not do them every day due to lack of staff and equipment.
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I agree with the others, the prep is worse than the procedure, provided you are sedated for the procedure. They will offer to let you watch the process on the monitor which sounds pretty neat and of course would not sedate you to do so. But don't be fooled. They have to pump air into you to expand the colon and it is a constant dull pain. So go ahead and get sedated and it will be all over before you know it and you will have felt nothing. And remember this about the air, what goes in must come out...later.
Good Luck, and you will look back on this as something easy.
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Oh, neither one is a big deal.
The prep is just inconvenient. You will be running back and forth to the bathroom with diarrhea, but it's not like having diarrhea with cramps or pain----just like water shooting out of a fountain (excuse my graphic description!)
All I remember about the procedure is getting my IV, talking to the doctor, and then asking the nurses when they were going to start it. They laughed and said, "Honey, you're finished with it!" I couldn't believe it! I felt fine----no pain or soreness afterwards. I was just sleepy--I'm sure because I didn't sleep well the night before because of the prep!
It's a piece of cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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With mine (last winter) I'd rate the prep as 8.5 or maybe 9 and the procedure as maybe 3 (partly from fear, my first one, and if I did it again tomorrow then the procedure would be more like 1.5 because I wouldn't be so afraid.
Do pay attention to what others have said -- if you can get clear on the first dose (evening) don't even think about doing the second morning dose. That about ruined me.
Pay attention to Jill's prep instructions and follow them closely. Pay special attention to the dehydration thing (I thought I would die) and make sure that the MOMENT you get in there they hook up the IV (instead of waiting around for 3 hours like I did, which made the dehydration nearly unbearable).
If I have to do another one, I'm going in the evening before and have them start my IV and stay there overnight. It was THAT BAD for me here home alone. I nearly called the ambulance. Really. In retrospect, I also would not have taken the whole dose all at once, I'd have divided it in half and for sure not swallowed the morning dose! (For a 350 lb. guy maybe it's necessary, but I weigh 125 and was close to empty when I started -- on purpose.)
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Be sure you tell them in the hospital you want some VERCED with your meds. It will take care of about 99% of your discomfort/pain and you won't remember the other one percent.
I do *not* respond much to pain control drugs, so I warned them to LOAD ME UP. I said I don't want to see anything, hear anything, feel anything, nothing, and you don't want me fighting you (which I've done before) so load me up and put me down. They did. The Verced (pronounced ver-SED) is a big part of that!
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I'm still afarid of the procedure. 
I heard from a co-worker that her sister had it and wasn't sedated AT ALL so it was very, very painful. Now I'm worrying that in Canada they don't sedate their patients. Does anyone from Canada know if this is true? Thanks.
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PROBABLY you will go in there the day before and they give you the prep stuff and talk you to about the procedure. Ask them then about the sedation part. If they told me they were doing it with no sedation I'd just tell them they weren't going to see me in there, period.
I went in the day before, met with the nurse, got the stuff, got a couple sheets of info that answered a lot of questions, and sat with the nurse asking questions (and getting them answered) for a long time. Likely you will do this too, eh?
Put your mind at ease about the procedure --- call them today and ASK about sedation. Tell them you're not doing it without it and that should take care of it.
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Kelly,
Oh, I WILL NOT be having it done if there's no sedation! I don't care if they find gold in there, there's no way! 
I called my doctor and left a message about wanting to see a new doctor and he wants me to come in next week. Maybe he'll know.
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Sara-Sage
#102017 - 08/27/04 03:02 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hey,
I had a colonoscopy done in London a few months ago and I had lots of sedation. I too know of people who have had it without, I think it really depends on the doctor. For example, you don't want a doctor suggesting they can do it in their office(!), you want it done in the hospital in an endoscopy unit.
I don't think it's a Canadian thing though, just ask ahead and make sure they're willing to give you the sedation...if they're not, keep looking for a new doc!
Good luck,
Kelly
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I have one done today. It is not bad on a 1 to 10 I would say that it is a 6 to 7. The drink that you have to take before the colomoscopy is the worst. I went today for my 2nd one, the first time it did not go well, I did not drink enough of the meds. before I went. Today was good they gave me pills instead of the drink. Today was good the give you so many meds, when you get to the hospital you do not feel a thing.
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Oh, that's so good to hear. I think that I will 'only' get it done if it's with sedation. That jerk doc I had a consultation with obviously doesn't use sedation if he was telling me over and over again that it's extremely painful (that's all in another post).
Thanks, I feel a bit better. And yes, it would have to be in a hospital or a something like that.
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I am going to have colonoscopy on Wednesday. Both my family doctor and specialist doing test advised that it is under medication. It is the standard here in Brantford, Ontario anyway but my understanding is standard throughout Ontario anyway and if you do a search on Google it appears to be the same everywhere.
They are talking in the States about doing it without medication in some hospitals because of the cost I presume.
I had one friend who did have it without medication because he suffers from a sleeping sickness and was afraid to take sedative. He said it was uncomfortable but liveable.
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Thanks for letting me know that! I feel a bit more relieved.
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