# First Colonoscopy at Cleveland Clinic Toronto



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Good morning everyone. This is my first post, I'm so grateful to have found this IBS forum, I had no idea it existed and I'm sure it will prove to be of enormous benefit over the coming months. Just to add to the discussion about first experiences, I attended the Cleveland Clinic at BCE Place, Toronto, last month for my first colonoscopy. It was a prerequisite to my fistula surgery in two weeks time, the surgeon wanted to have one done to make sure there weren't any other issues needing his attention. I expected the worst, because I have friends who have had colonoscopies and told me repeatedly that the procedure itself is not painful, but drinking the laxative is killer. As for the laxative I had been dreading, I was told to take Pico Salax, and after "psyching" myself up to get "into the zone" to drink the stuff, after hearing horrible stories, I took my first gulp and realized...it tastes like orange soda pop! Boy, what an immense relief. I went to the Cleveland Clinic because the waiting list for a hospital colonoscopy is one year. I could not wait that long...you see, my fistula was misdiagnosed for almost five years, I was told it was just a boil and not to worry...but that's a whole other story for a whole other forum, LOL. So I paid the $495.00 membership fee and went to the Cleveland Clinic instead. All I can say is, if I had the money, I would go "private health care" all the time. The service and courtesy extended to me and my mother (who was there to drive me home) was unbelievable. The clinic is wonderful, I had three nurses and the anaesthesiologist attending to me, my surgeon was very gracious in answering questions (his name is Dr. Theodore Ross, from WCH), and following the procedure I was given food (toasted bagel, jam, tea, apple juice). No one rushed me to get out. I was put into "twilight sleep," a more gentle general anaesthetic, I was told, which is very good for me as I do not come out of normal anaesthetic very well. The procedure lasted fifteen minutes perhaps? I had no pain afterward, just bloating and gas of course, but that wasn't painful either. I opened my eyes just as I was being wheeled back into my room, and experienced no grogginess at all. Overall, it was a very good experience, thankfully.


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