Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Well, first, if all you've ever had is a sigmoidoscopy, I definitely think a colonoscopy is in order.

The prep is disgusting and exhausting, but I didn't find it actively painful. You can do a Search and see what other people have said about it. I did get pretty C afterward, but I think that was partly because I ignored the doctor's advice to eat lightly for the first 24 hours - I was starving, so... Since I'm D usually, I treated it as a chance to eat some stuff I normally wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, like some prunes. I also walked miles, all inside the house. I did NOT get sick to my stomach, if that's what you're worried about. Everybody reacts differently, but it seems to me that the drugs they use now to put you out are pretty good nausea-wise.

I wasn't totally out, just what they call (or used to call) "twilight sleep". That means I could respond when spoken to loudly, but most of the time I was in la-la land. I didn't really know what was going on and, frankly, didn't care.

As for pre-procedure anxiety, I'm a big proponent of drugs in limited situations. If the thought of the colonscopy is making you anxious, try an as-needed anti-anxiety med, like Valium. It should take the edge off a little. (As with all addictive/habituating meds, do not take too much or too regularly or too often.)

One last piece of advice. If your doc thinks you might need an endoscopy, too, have them both at once. Only one prep, only one dose of anesthesia, only one recovery period. My GI calls this a "double dip". Those GI guys, they're such comedians.

I hope this helps. A colonoscopy really is a good idea and the relief of actually hearing everything looks okay in there is pretty great.

Take care.

--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator