# Colonoscopy - little things you worry about



## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

Well, I did the colonoscopy yesterday. Given the choice, I would still rather fight sharks off a burning gasoline barge







, but I found it survivable.Here are three things I worried about that I thought I'd write about in case anybody else is worrying:The liquid diet is more do-able than I thought, as long as you have copious amounts of chicken broth (or other protein broth) and Jello. It will probably take me five years before I can look at broth or Jello again.







According to the nurses at the center, as long as the contents of your colon are liquid, you're OK. If you are still "going" right up to scope time and if you aren't "running clear," that's OK. You haven't failed the prep!OK, it's a little creepy to worry about this, but I also worried about what position I was going to be in for the procedure --- bending over a table with my butt in the air?







But you are laying on your side for it, quite civilized, or at least as much so as it can be with somebody fixin to look up you butt...sigh...Angie in Texas, US


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## 16127 (Aug 27, 2006)

thanks for sharing!! great story. I know what you mean about jello and broth. the one piece of advice I always add for folks facing a colonoscopy is not to let yourself get pushed around regarding the prep. If you tend toward diarrehea you don't need a harsh prep. There are more gentle ones and no matter what one you do, you can stop when you're "running clear". I ended up only taking about half of the stuff prescribed and my prep was just fine for the procedure.


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## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

Another problem I worried about a lot is aftereffects of the prep. Apparently some folks have D on and off for up to a week after the procedure.I have an extremely volatile "D" type gut, but there were no aftereffects for me, other than actually two whole days without pain since there was nothing in my lower intestine (two days! What a trip!)







Like "Hey," I only took half the prep and did just fine. In fact, I had no pain with the prep either before or after.So some folks I guess have a harder time, but everybody I know personally including myself (whom I know vaguely) found the prep to be painless and troublefree.As my PCP said, just don't plan to go out that night.





















Angie in Texas, US


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## Connor_uk (May 9, 2007)

I'm a bit confused about this, I had a colonoscopy but it wasnt much like the experiences ive seen on here? i went to my GP to find out about what the next step was (reguarding my IBS) and he sent me for blood tests (wheat/gluten allergy) and a colonoscopy. For the colonoscopy i had to go to hospital where i was talked thru the procedure and then asked to drop my trousers and pants to my ankles and sit on the bed trolly, then they asked me to lay on my side and draw my knees to my chest. They popped the tube up, had a look around and that was it, no drugs, no prep just a nurse a tube and a lot of lube lol I laugh about it now, but it was one of the worst moments i ever remember having at the time, but one of those things ya just gotta do i guess! The whole thing took maybe 15-20 minutes and was worth it to set my mind at rest.


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## 16127 (Aug 27, 2006)

connor - it sounds like you had a sigmoidoscopy. it's a similar procedure but only takes a look at the very end of the intestinal track. it is sometimes done right in the doctors office and i don't think it requires much if any prep. the problem is it only looks at a small part of the intentinal track. to properly diagnose (or rule out) an IBD the docs must see the entire length of the bowels. for that you need a colonoscopy, and for that you need a more extensive prep.


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## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

Connor_uk said:


> For the colonoscopy i had to go to hospital where i was talked thru the procedure and then asked to drop my trousers and pants to my ankles and sit on the bed trolly, then they asked me to lay on my side and draw my knees to my chest. They popped the tube up, had a look around and that was it, no drugs, no prep just a nurse a tube and a lot of lube lol I laugh about it now, but it was one of the worst moments i ever remember having at the time, but one of those things ya just gotta do i guess! The whole thing took maybe 15-20 minutes and was worth it to set my mind at rest.


Oh, Connor, I think I'd die. At least with a colonoscopy you get to be unconscious for the humiliating part.







Except for OH GEEZ when you come to, farting like a foghorn OMG I've never made a noise like that in my life. Just sing REAL loud and pretend it isn't happening! :/Angie in Texas, US


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## 20248 (Apr 4, 2005)

Cottonwood said:


> According to the nurses at the center, as long as the contents of your colon are liquid, you're OK. If you are still "going" right up to scope time and if you aren't "running clear," that's OK. You haven't failed the prep!


I'm so glad you wrote that! I finished drinking the prep an hour ago and am having awful visions of being turned away for not "running clear". If it only need be liquid then that's fine


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## nurse52 (Jun 3, 2007)

Arabella said:


> I'm so glad you wrote that! I finished drinking the prep an hour ago and am having awful visions of being turned away for not "running clear". If it only need be liquid then that's fine


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## nurse52 (Jun 3, 2007)

Arabella Thanks for the info on the test..I am having colon/egd done tom. morning and i am doing my prep soon. I am just glad to be getting it over with and hopefully they can put me on some meds that will help. I have had problems since 1986 when I was dx'd with spastic colon. I just joined today and have enjoyed reading everyones comments..alot of sufferers out there!!


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## Lizzie_mummy (Jun 4, 2007)

I had a colonoscopy not long ago and before they even came near me with the camera I was crying like a baby! Anyway, gave me the drugs and I remember nothing except giviing off gas like I never had in my life


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## nurse52 (Jun 3, 2007)

Well I got the tests over with and you were right about the gas..I kept waking up and looking around cuz I just knew I did sound like a foghorn!!! So he took some biopsies of the stomach and colon and I see him next week for results...hope to never have to do that prep again!!


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## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

nurse52 said:


> Well I got the tests over with and you were right about the gas..I kept waking up and looking around cuz I just knew I did sound like a foghorn!!! So he took some biopsies of the stomach and colon and I see him next week for results...hope to never have to do that prep again!!


Yeah, I'm pretty sure I cleared the Houston Ship Channel. I ran and hid immediately, in case there was a law against that! Angie in Texas, US


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