My first colonoscopy
#16289 - 08/05/03 08:51 AM
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StansAngelXXX
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 36
Loc: Albany, NY and Hartford, CT
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Hi everyone- I've met with my new doctor and she is great. She has scheduled a few tests for me, my first being a colonoscopy for this coming Monday.  What should I expect? I am being sedated for the procedure which is comforting because I am nervous. I cannot imagine drinking 64 oz. of Gatorade with Miralax in it!! With dulcolax on top of it. Now is a good time to recommend good books to read- sounds like I'll be in the bathroom all day- a first for someone with C!! 
Thanks!
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Hi, Sarah - three cheers for you, for getting the 'scope!
If you do a search for colonoscopy, you should pull up some posts. Quite a few of us have shared our various experiences. In a nutshell, many people would probably tell you that the prep is the worst part - drinking the "stuff" and being tied to the bathroom that day. It seems there's more than one way to prep a patient - the stuff I had to drink was really yucky and I had to struggle to keep the second dose down! Gatorade would have been delicious, I think! The diarrhea wasn't really any worse than you might have with a virus, for me, anyway. (I'm "d" anyway). Once they put me to sleep, I knew absolutely nothing until I woke up - and was just woozy - no pain. My gastro doc always uses a pediatric scope, so I really had very little discomfort following the procedure. When I got home, I took a long nap because I was still woozy & drowsy. The next day, I just took it easy but really had no problems. Hope it's the same for you! Your great attitude will serve you well!
Blessings,
Kaybee C
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I am right there with you. My first is scheduled for Aug 22. I had a sigmoidoscopy 10 years ago, but I don't remember very much about it. I understand how you feel. My mom had it done last year and told me to take off my clothes and lay in the bathtub. Sounds disgusting doesn't it?
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lovejoy_22
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I'll let you know how the whole procedure goes. I'm not sure about the bathtub thing quite yet, but desperation can cause a number of actions! If I try that, I'll let you know too! I assume try the bathtub thing AFTER things start running out clear or else we'd all be in for a big mess.  Good luck to you too!
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I had my first one in June and I thought it was a breeze. The prep really wasn't as bad as I'd thought either. I had to mix a small bottle of some very salty stuff in sprite. Had to do that 2 nights in a row. Since I have D anyway with my colitis, isn't wasn't much different, except I did get dehydrated. But the actual colonoscopy procedure was nothing. GREAT DRUGS!!! I hear I was a real comediane but I remember nothing! Came home andhad the best nap of my life! You'll be fine!
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Last Friday my new doc suggested I have a colonoscopy. I have the contact details sitting on the dining room table and look at them every now & then... I am a great big chicken. However, I have a mate at work who has told me there is nothing to it - he has one done every year as his family have a history of polyps? So its just precautionary. He warns about some major wind afterwards though. Suggests to put your feet up, get a DVD or two and settling in for the night. Hmm, I will give the clinic a ring in the morning and schedule one in. Perhaps a note from the doc prescribing lots of foot rubbing and bottomless cups of peppermint tea to be made by one's partner after the procedure is in order. And possibly the day after too.
Edited by Nicola (08/19/03 04:40 AM)
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i also have to have a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy(i think that's what it's called) on Sept. 5th and am a little nervous too.
it's only 3 days before my birthday and hope that i have recovered by then.
has anyone ever had an upper endoscopy done?
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when I had my testing done i was more worried about the upper endoscopy more than the colonoscopy. They will give you a drug to relax you and make you forget the procedure when mine was all done I did not even have a sore throat.
I felt that test was the easier of the two. Its not anything to be afraid of.
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thanks i really needed to hear that!
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I've also had the upper endoscopy but it was about 15 yrs ago. I assume it's the same and it wasn't bad at all. I'd rather have that than a root canal!! 
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The colonscopy is a breeze! I had one done recently and all I remember is the nurse putting the "cocktail" in my arm (the drugs) and then I woke up in a different room and they said, "You're in the recovery room. It's all over with!" I couldn't believe it! The prep you have to go through the night before is no fun. Nobody enjoys refraining from eating and then have loads of diarrhea, but other than that, the test is easy! Don't hesitate to schedule it if you need it.
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I have to get an upper endoscopy if my blood work and x-rays don't show anything.. which they probably won't since I've had them done before. They said they give mild medication, but the thought of a tube going down your throat doesn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling at all. 
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- Jennifer
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The prep isn't much fun, but the procedure is no big deal. You're knocked out for it, and I felt nice and relaxed for a good 12 hours after.
Funny thing that happened to me though: They put air in your colon when they're running the scope through you, so afterward I passed gas uncontrollably. I was half drugged, but still embarrassed, figuring everyone could hear it! My husband was in the recovery room with me, and he thought it was hilarious. The doc said it happens to everyone.
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I thought it was a breeze when I had my upper endoscopy done. the Dr. told me he was going to spray my throat to freeze it then when he tells me too just swallow as if you are drinking water. I did swallow with no problems. I even watched the tube go down which was pretty cool!! Only when he started to pull out the tube did I feel like gagging.Normal reflex. Waited for about an hour in recovery for the freezing to leave and I didn't even have a sore throat. Now with a colonscopy; only thing I didn't like (I'm sure no one does) is the prep. the night before. Too much liquid to drink and too much time in the bathroom as if a person with D. needs this. But the scope itself, didn't feel a thing as I was put under. Just some bleeding (possibly from my UC) and gas!! Just go home and like someone suggested put in a movie and relax. Sue
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The same thing happened to me. Of course, they won't let you leave until you pass some of the gas. When my boyfriend was driving me home, as we were pulling out of the parking lot, I passed some and it was loud. I swear I'll never forget the look on his face. Imagine a cartoon with the hair blowing back! LOL That made me laugh (which really wasn't all that difficult since I was still giddy from the drugs) which of course made me pass more. I couldn't stop cracking up. I called my mom during this ride, and she enjoyed it too! LOL She was still laughing at me later on that night. And, also later on that night, my boyfriend just started shaking his head. When I asked him what he was shaking his head for, he was remembering the one from the parking lot. It must have been something if a guy was amazed! LOL
Anyway, I have to say that this may have been the funniest part of my IBS experience. 
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I have NO recollection of passing ANY gas after my colonscopy. A friend brought me home from the hospital and she doesn't remember it either.
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The upper is a cake-walk. If you are only having the upper at that time, then you will have very little prep. My daughter and I only had to 'not' eat after 8 pm the night before. That was it. Very simple and easy to recover from. The lower is another story.. blah
Good luck~~
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~Deborah
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My daughter and I were completely 'out' for our uppers, I wonder if it's common to be awake for the procedure, or not. Any comments???
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~Deborah
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The colonoscopy was the easiest test since I do not remember a thing about it. The last thing I remember was the anesthesiologist saying, "I'm injecting the sedative into your IV now" and then I was in recovery drinking grape juice. (Which I do not remember actually getting- just drinking) My mom laughed because I kept telling her the same story over and over and over again. (Story was: See this mark, mom? They tried to put in my IV, hit a valve, and blood spurted a good 3 inches into the air. I thought it looked cool!)The prep wasn't bad either cause I got to mix the laxatives into Gatorade Ice (the clear kind). But because my GI motility is so incredibly slow (just had that test too), I didn't absorb the laxatives quick enough and got pretty nauseous cause it was like an overdose.
All in all, I caught up on a lot of magazine reading for sure!
Sarah
Oh yeah, the scope results were all normal. 
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My colonoscopy is this Friday. I am not dreading it. Just dreading Thursday night. I think I might just take a pillow with me into the bathroom that night. Doesn't that sound like such fun? I'm sure that you guys know how I feel.
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lovejoy_22
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Glad your colonscopy went well. No one enjoys "the night before" but at least with the test, most of us don't remember a thing.
Just think, you now have it over with!!!
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No, Thursday night you won't get a lot of rest! Actually, after all the D was over with, I finally did get some sleep. In my case, I was hungry so I kept eating jello and chicken broth the afternoon before. Later, I wished I hadn't eaten all that, if you know what I mean!
I just noticed that you are in Henderson, NC. Another NC girl. I'm in Charlotte.
The test will be a breeze. I will be thinking of you Thursday night. Let us know how it goes.
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