# Is it worth it to have a colonoscopy?



## fillederoi (Aug 20, 2013)

Hi there all,

So my question is this: My doctor thinks I have IBS, which make total sense to me. My transglutaminase test came back negative (seems like everyone has this...), but I still seem very sensitive to wheat and other foods. I've been trying a low FODMAP diet, which has helped... when I actually follow it to a T. I experience rather serious abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, discomfort all around, and most recently, nausea and heartburn have joined in. Oh the joys! ;-) So my doctor said he could order a colonoscopy but I was wondering if it was really worth it? I'm headed out of the country in a couple weeks, so I was just planning to leave it until Christmastime.

Do you think it would be worth it for me to have a colonoscopy right away? What might you see as the benefits?

Thanks a bunch,

Sheila


----------



## Freja78 (Aug 19, 2013)

I was diagnosed with ibs when I was 14. Then 10 years later, I got really bad, and it took the docs two years before they did something about it. And then I had crohns disease (found out by colonoscopy). Five years later, I got really sick again, and had a gastroscopy, and was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance. And those two (+ eggs, wheat, fruits, tomatos and nuts) gave me the symptoms you are describing now. Heartburn, nausea, bloating etc. So I would have taken all the exams I could to figure things out.


----------



## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

If you have clear symptoms of IBS without any "red flags" no bloody diarrhea, unexplainable weight loss, abnormal blood work, it may not be worth doing the test to get the diagnosis. At some point the symptoms of IBS are so clear that the risks of complications from the test is a high as the chance they would find anything. And some people find the test makes the IBS worse (physical stress of the test and mental stress of waiting for results) so sometimes doctors don't want to do it unless there is something that indicates other things may be going on.

If you aren't having bloody diarrhea at the time it probably isn't a rush job. For those that have bloody diarrhea off and on, it is important to get the test done during a bleeding episode.

Some people will not be convinced they "just" have IBS unless they have been scoped so a lot depends on your comfort level with the waiting on additional tests until additional symptoms show up (and most of the time they do not).


----------



## Emilyy (Feb 19, 2011)

I would probably do it in case something else is going on! I had a colonoscopy done and it wasn't so bad. Doing the prep is icky cuz it tastes bad and I was passed out for the scope cuz they give you lots of drugs. A little gassy afterwards but I'm glad I did it to rule out other things cuz when my IBS gets bad I start to wonder sometimes!


----------

