Hi,
Im not sure how many of you have been following my other thread but tomorrow is the day i go for my colonscopy and im pretty nervous.

The prep isnt that bad ... it does sound quite different from what i hear alot of you having to do.
My preop consists od taking 3 little white pills at noon today, 2pm a small packet of orange flavored stuff called PICO-SALAX mixed with 5 oz cold water and 8pm another packet with 5oz water and 5am tomorrow morning the last packet.
I am allowed pop,water,broth,apple juice, jello all day up until 8am tomorrow morning.

I have had the 2pm drink and it was not bad at all and wasnt even realy a full cup full.
My dr did say this was something new and alot better then the old prep that was used called go-lytly.

Anyways all in all im very nervous about going ... i guess im more nervous about the outcome result rather then the test itself.

So for all you that have had it how long is the actual scope/test take and do you get the results right then after the scope is done? Most of all does it hurt?

hi cath, not to scare you but i had a colonspy sept 12 and my doctor perforated my colon, in other words ripped a hole in my colon, two weeks later i am still in pain. they had to bring in a surgeon to repair me, which was cutting me from my belybutton down to my hair line and cut off 3 inches off my colon. cath this does not happen on a daily basis. It is a 1 in a million possibilty. Just make sure you tell your doctor if he remotely sees a blockage he is to stop immediately. Make sure your doctor is qualified. on a normal colonspy it does not hurt and you might have a little gas after. make sure you take someone with you to drive you home. good luck youll be fine' trainmomma

Oh my gosh Cath...you surely didn't need to hear that last post right now. I'm sure that is a VERY RARE complication. You can take an Ativan before you go to calm you, and I know things are going to be fine. You will likely get some results tomorrow, although you won't remember them. Whoever takes you to the hospital will have to talk to the doctor after your scope is finished (took about a half hour, I recall). My husband said it hurt a little, but he was so heavily medicated, it hurt for a second and he went right back to sleep. They'll be able to tell you a little about hemorrhoids and if they found polyps or other tumors to biopsy. You should be scheduled to talk to your doctor after all tests are back, but you'll know if there is something to worry about right away, because if there is, they will move fast with treatment. My husband saw his doctor for results about a week afterward and he was fine. Another case of if they make you wait, you are fine. Good luck tomorrow!!

SRMOM yes i was kinda like OH NO after reading that fisrt reply!
I know Scarlett asked about taking an ativan before going but dont know if she did or not ... y7ou said i could .... i was just concerned about it interferring with whatever they give me atthe hospital.

I dont have to be there until 11am so im thinking if i take one around 8am i should be ok even of they give me something similar dont you think?

Right now my butt is feeling like its on fire from going so much!

I am down the first 2 drinks and have 1 to go at 5am.

The drink is realy not bad at all ... tatstes just like TANG orange juice!

Also my sheet says i will be having intervenus sedation is that being knocked right out anyone know?

Ohhh im so nervous and am hoping i getthe same good results as Scarlett did.

Hi...just wanted to come on board after having 3 colonoscopies to tell you that the previous post about a perforated colon is a very rare occurrence and to not worry about that.....sometimes that happens when the colon is inflammed or infected with the linings all thinned out and shouldn't be of concern....a colonoscopy is a test that could save you life and shouldn't be put off.

With that all being said.....as far as the burning...glob on some Desitin after each time you go and use the Cottonelle wipes with aloe. Place a mini pad on your undies and keep the Desitin ointment on thick.....if you do not have desitin then use A&D ointment or vaseline....anything to give you a barrrier and coating of protection.

As far as the test....the twilight sedation is great!!! You will not remember the test and will wake up quickly...the procedure itself takes about 10 minutes...the doctor will pretty much have an idea of what he saw...I was told immediately afterwards that I had diverticulitis and that 2 polyps were removed which looked fine but would be sent off to be biopsied. They came back negative after 10 days.

It is best if you have somebody there to hear what the doctor has to say since the meds have an amnesic effect & you may not remember what he says to you. In any case...they make it mandatory to have a person there with you who will drive you hime since you cannot due to the lingering effects of the medications you will receive. You will feel completely awake...but you will get tired a few hours afterwards.

I hope that alleviates some of your fears....good luck & let us all know how things went. ~ Goody :wave:

Cath,

Thats not going to happen to you. Did you read my post about how easy the whole thing was for me? I know its nerve wraking but you are going to be fine. I didn't take the ativan the day of the proceedure. I was a nervas wreck in the waiting room and then back in the room right before I went in. But as soon as I got in the room they gave me the sedation. I tried to stay awake the nurse kept saying close your eyes...the next thing I knew I was being offered a coke in the recovery room. It was no big deal. You are going to be fine. I know thats easy for me to say now. And I know how you feel. But you are going to be fine.

I am so sorry that you read that thread with the bad story! Iv had 4 colonoscopy's and there was not any pain just some slight pressure. It didn't hurt and there were some that I was out completely. They told me very soon what the results were. Let us know how it goes.Lizard50

Thanks guys for your kind replies.

Now im just sitting and waiting until its time to go.
Im all pooped out and nothing left to do.

I can feel the anxiety starting but like Scarlett said im afraid to to take my ativan in fear of them giving me something and i overdose or something terrible.

I have to be there for 11am so hopefully they will give me something right away and i will go to sleep and wake up withit all done and hear the dr telling me theres nothing wrong other then maybe a internal hemm or fissure and im going to be just fine and can now go back to being old self again .... i know my family would love that and my kids would love to have their mom back again too :)

Thanks guys for your support and i will let you know once i get back home with good news.

Hi, Cath ~ You were right about not taking the Ativan....I know that you would like to get rid of the fears and anxiety, but like you say, sometimes other meds when mixed with the anesthetics they administer could cause more harm than good.

The worst is over, Cath....the prep is the worst part of it all AND the waiting!! You are through the worst part....the Versed (anesthetic) that they gave me was the best part of it!!! I woke up feeling as if I had the best night's sleep in my entire life!!! I even told the doctor and asked him if he could bottle some up for me to take home!!

So, relax.....everyone's experiences are different, however, the majority who have gone through it have told you that it is not as bad as you may think and has saved many lives. You will come out of it feeling the same way too...and relieved that you had it done. For me it saved my life twice....from diverticulitis eventually perforating my colon for which I have had surgical correction and having two polyps removed, that if left, could have become cancerous. That was a bonus and something I didn't even expect.

Just wanted to offer you some words of support & encouragement...be sure to post and let us all know how things went and what the doctor said. WE are counting on you to come back and tell all those people runing away with fears that keep them from having a colonoscopy.....that it isn't anything like what you had feared in the first place!!!

(((HUGS))) & prayers ~ Goody :angel:

Cath,

I hope by now (11am,cst) its over and you have been told you are ok. Let us know how it went when you get a chance. Take care,


Scarlett

Cath:

Hope you're having a nice nap today and everything went well. Let us know when you feel up to it.

-SRMom :)

Hi SRMOM I am guessing you didnt see my earlier thread i started when i got home from my colonoscopy.

My scope went realy well it was easier then i ever imagined! They gave me sedation thru the intervenous but i was awake thru it all and watched it all on the TV screen ... i guess i was maybe dopey because it did only feel like it took less then 5 min to be done.

I rememeber asking the dr every few seconds does everything look ok , no cancer, everything look good etc...
He said the bleeding was from fissure and said he didnt see any hemms and no cancer either.

He took a biopsy and i think i rememeber someone saying he removed a small polyp but im not sure if i imagined that or not.

He wants to see me in 3-4 months which kinda freaked me out along with taking a biopsy freaked me out too but Scarlett put my mind to ease saying thats routine.

My mom is glad its over ... she has been so good to me the past weeks an she nearly flipped out big time when i said somehting about being worried about why i have to see him in 3-4 months and what if the bipsy is something bad.

I also mentioned in the other thread that i want to thank you and scarlett for putting up with me and my complaining the past couple weeks you guys realy helped me get thru this and i know i dont know either of you but i did seem to feel very comforted by everything you guys said.Thank you.

Hi Cath:

I did miss the new thread you started, I found it later. It's such good news to hear how things went. I'm amazed that you were awake for the procedure and asking questions. I'm so glad it didn't hurt...gives hope to those of us who haven't had one yet.

I'm sure you will stop worrying, even about the 3-4 month followup appointment. You've been in such a state of such high anxiety, that your first instinct now is to worry, but I know you are smart and will realize that no doctor would wait 3-4 months to treat you if something was wrong. I think all doctors who perform invasive procedures do followups, because some people may have complications and not get it checked out unless they have to go in for a followup...you know what I mean?

Anyway, we are "stranger-friends" and I'm really happy if I was able to help you. You never know, maybe someday you'll help me or someone else here!

Take care.
-SRMom :)