# Do yourself a favor, 1st timers: Don't read colonoscopy threads!



## 13945 (May 25, 2006)

Greetings.I just got a colonoscopy today. First time. Despite all the horror stories that I'd obsessed over on the Internet for the past week -- (I'd be awake; it would hurt; I'd have tolerance to the sedative because I have moderate tolerance to alcohol; blah, blah, blah) -- it was soooooo undramatic in reality. No, the prep wasn't how I'd normally choose to spend my evening, but it certainly was no big deal. (Actually, it reminded me of the after effects of a bad seafood meal. Heh. And, yes, go with Fleet if you can.) The procedure itself was utterly painless, aside from the tiny prick of the IV needle. The sedative Versed is sweet. It put me in a big ol' chatty mood. I was talking college football with my doctor while he slid that scope up into oblivion. I neither noticed nor cared. Then I drifted off into Dreamville for a while. Then I woke up in time to see my appendix. Nifty. Trust me, this procedure had less discomfort than getting a routine teeth cleaning at the dentist. Piece. Of. Cake.If you are a first timer at colonoscopy, you should do yourself a favor and make this the last post you read about it on the Web. Bottom line: This is nothing to worry about. Don't be scared by the horror posts. In fact, stop reading them, because there's no need to study up on this. Just do the prep as instructed, show up and trust the experts. They'll take care of you.


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## 19765 (Feb 28, 2006)

Thanks, that's definately reasuring to know.


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## 18649 (May 25, 2006)

Does the doctor tell you immediately if somethings wrong? Are biopsies taken regardless if they see stuff? I'm freaked, was told today i should get one because i had blood in stool a year ago


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## 20964 (May 24, 2006)

Thank you so much.I have my first one scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow & I've been so nervous.Thanks for the reassurance.As someone else asked, do you find out the results immediately?


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## 13945 (May 25, 2006)

You find out what's up right away. But you may not remember what the doctor tells you. So he'll also tell the person who brought you. If they find a polyp, they'll remove it.In my case, no polyps. He told me that the bleeding had been from roids and that he didn't want to see me again for 13 years. (Until I'm 50.) This was at a gastro specialist, not a general practitioner. I recommend that, too. These gastro specialists do these all the time, so they're very skilled at doing them gently, quickly and with the correct amount of med jollies involved.


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## onyx (Jan 13, 2006)

Just want to second Mikee's recommendation. I had a colonoscopy about a year ago, after putting it off for a year because I was worrying so much about it. Turns out it was No Big Deal. The prep wasn't any worse than what I go through every day with IBS-D. They knocked me out pretty good and I woke up with a slight cramp as they were just pulling out the scope. It was over very quickly. Trust me, I'm a huge baby and if I had to do it again tomorrow I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.


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## 16366 (May 28, 2006)

This thread is a beautiful thing...thanks for diffusing "the bomb"


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## 18275 (Jun 1, 2006)

I agree. I've had 2 colonoscopies done in the past 3 months (the first time they didn't do bios so they did another one). They really aren't that bad. The worst part is the God awful taste of the prep "syrup". If you can chill it, and suck it through a straw it's better. Or even put it over ice. The procedure itself is a piece of cake. AND DON'T WORRY, if you being to be uncomfortable, in 1 sec they give you another shot of Versed and you're out til it's over and your in recovery. Don't freak IBS'ers Colonoscopies are EASY and PAIN FREE compared to a barium test! Gina


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