Another Colonoscopy Thread

In My Humble Opinion
1

Looks like I’m getting one. I’ve had intestinal problems for a few weeks now, and tests show occult blood in the stool. That means I can’t see the blood with the eye, but the lab detected it. So colonoscopy is the next stage.

The doctor doesn’t think it’s an emergency but wanted to know if I could do it tomorrow (Friday) since he’ll be away for a couple of weeks. Tomorrow’s not convenient to say the least if it’s not an emergency, so I said I’d wait until he came back. He said I could even wait until after New Year’s, but I want to get this over with, so it’s scheduled for Sunday, December 22. He gave me some medicine for my symptoms in the meantime. If I’m real lucky, protesters will not burn the hospital down while I’m in the middle of the procedure.

He also gave me powder to mix with water into that gunk to clean out my intestines beforehand. I’ll do that on the Sunday morning, then show up in the afternoon. I won’t have to check in as an inpatient.

I am mid-50s and have yet to have a colonoscopy. Kept meaning to get one but kept putting it off. I have seen other colonoscopy threads on here and will look those up. But any advice or tidbits of information will be welcome.

2

The prep beforehand is the worst part. However the stuff you have to drink is much better now than a few years ago. I had one earlier this year and needed to start prepping the evening before, but mine was an early morning procedure. Follow the instructions exactly to get the best results from the exam.

You’ll need someone to go with you especially if driving. You’ll be pretty woozy for a few hours afterwards.

3

Thanks. That’s another reason I didn’t want to do it tomorrow, my wife is upcountry until Sunday night. We don’t have a car but rather will take a taxi home.

4

ask them to give you a copy of the video. great for home movie night.

5

This of course begs the question… if we lined up all the colons from these threads end to end, how long would they stretch?

Yep, lots of good information in all the threads and as JerrySTL alludes much of the process has gotton easier over time as drugs and ‘implements’ have improved. In short, give yourself a proper place to prep (handy bathroom), the procedure will be relatively quick and painless, you’re going to pass a tremendous amount of air afterwards and you will be far too woozy to drive. Actually, all that kinda sounds like a couple of frat parties from my youth.

6

verify if this is okay!–My clinic refuses to let you arrive or leave without a person accompanying you. The won’t perform the procedure unless they physically see your companion entering the clinic with you, because they can’t release you afterwards unless the companion is there( to make sure you don’t fall down the stairs as you leave). It’s bullshit, but those are the regulations at my clinic.
The prep ain’t so bad! We’ve done lots of similar threads, and they all bitch about the same stuff.
But I didn’t find it difficult. The important thing is to drink lots and lots of water! Not just an occasional glass of water from the faucet—Fill a bottle-say, an old 1 liter coke bottle–and drink from it, and refill it, so you can measure when you have drunk the required 3 or 4 liters or whatever.It’s the water that cleans you out–if you don’t drink enough, they can’t do the test, and you have to do the prep all over agiain.

Here’s my story :
Drink the powder, and then soon afterwards take one normal shit.
A half hour later, shit again. A little less “normally”, but not too gross.
An hour or so later, diarrhea begins, you shit again, not real nice. Use softer-than-usual toilet paper, but no real problems
A half hour later, more diarrhea. Not so nice.
and a half hour later, again, …not so nice.
And a half hour later, again…

And then, well… there’s not much more to clean out, so you keep running to the bathroom every 30-60 minutes, but only to remove the water you’ve been drinking. Basically, you are just pissing out your ass…:slight_smile: It’s an almost clear liquid, and it isn’t painful, doesn’t cause a stomach ache and doesn’t leave your anus tender or painful, either. Watch the liquid to see that it gets clearer–that means your guts are clean enough for the doctor to see.

When they do the procedure, you don’t know it-you sleep right through it and only know it happened because somebody tells you.
You lay there for an hour afterwards, get up and go home. You will feel weak, maybe a bit dizzy, but nothing worse.
It’s not a lot of fun, but it’s nothing to worry about, either.
Oh yeah…by law, every single thread about colonoscopies must include a link to
Dave Barry’s funny but poignant column

7

They never said someone had to be there with me, but it sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the Dave Barry! I think I remember that column.

The powder that he gave me. It’s in two packets, and he said each packet should be used in two liters of water. Said to start at 7 or 8am and not rush the drinking or I might vomit it all up.

8

Bill Engvall.

9

Setup a laptop or tablet in the bathroom with a charger. You might be in there for a while when you’re doing the prep.

My prep stuff said that sport drink of certain colors was acceptable, so I had that for lunch during the fasting period. Initially I thought fasting for 24 hours would be difficult, but probably because I new about it ahead of time it wasn’t a big deal. Not fun, but I wasn’t nearly as miserable as when I expect food, but then for some reason don’t get it.

Also, have a plan for eating after the procedure. When I came to I wasn’t woozy at all, so I as soon as I was released we went to the restaurant that I’d picked out ahead of time. The last thing you want to do is be super hungry, possibly woozy, and start playing the spousal game of “what do you want for dinner?”

I also woke up during the procedure, and it felt weird and uncomfortable, but not what I would call painful. They pushed more drugs, and I went out again. So, don’t worry about something like that happening.

10

I had one a few weeks ago and the worst part was getting up at 4 am to do Part II, which had to be completed (I think) four hours before the procedure. I took it, went back to sleep, got up once to go, and then left for the clinic.

I was told taxis were not permitted because the patient needed a trusted friend or relative, not someone who might take advantage of someone in a weakened condition. (They give you a drug that makes you forget the whole thing.)

Maybe it was getting up early or the sedative, but I was unbelievably tired. I could hardly come to in the recovery area. I went home, laid down and planned to read, and promptly fell asleep for three hours.

I was still having the effects of the colon-cleansing for the rest of the day, though. I didn’t feel normal until the next day, and my normal bathroom output returned two days later.

And that’s all I’m going to say about my innards. :stuck_out_tongue:

11

Yup, prep work is the awful part. The procedure is actually pretty simple.

If possible, schedule the procedure for Monday morning. You will not want to be at work during the prep work. If you get scheduled for a different day of the week, either take the two days of prep off from work, or god help you.

Then take both the day of and the day after off. I was pretty wiped out after the last one and ended up calling in sick on Tuesday to just sleep and rest.

12

in my experience (USA) they don’t let you out of the recovery bed until you are back together enough to think and walk.

13

When you’re about done with the last of what you have to drink, make sure you’re close to the bathroom! At the end of the liquid regimen what goes in can quickly come out. As to the colonoscopy procedure itself, it’s really nothing for concern. You’ll get a sedative via an IV. Before you can count to 5 you’ll be out. Next thing you know you’re in recovery mode coming out of your stupor. You may have some gas issues but those will go away shortly. If your test is clean you won’t need another one for 10 years. If they find something they can take care of it right then and there or point you to some treatment. I’ve had two of these procedures. First one found a few polyps which were removed. Five years later had another colonoscopy and it was totally clean. Next one isn’t for for another 10 years.

14

I’d add baby wipes to the laptop and charger - that much wiping can cause irritation.

15

Thanks everyone for your comments.

I don’t have to fast for 24 hours. I’m having the procedure done on in the mid- to late afternoon, and I just have to stop eating at noon. But I’m not sure how practical it would be to eat something at, say, 11:30am just to have it slip right out. I’ll probably have an early breakfast and then concentrate on the cleansing.

I could have the procedure in the morning, but my doctor recommends the afternoon because it simplifies the prep. I don’t have to start prepping until 7 or 8am that morning.

In Bangkok, they probably wouldn’t think twice about it if I walked out on my own afterward and just climbed onto a city bus.

It’ll be on a Sunday. But the prep work will be only in the morning and the procedure in the afternoon. I have plenty of rest time scheduled too.

16

Modern Colonoscopy? Easy Peasy. Back in my day we fasted for 3 days on nothing but bouillon and water and then they gave us “The Silver Stallion”.
I do not make this up.
The invention of tiny little cameras made colonoscopies unpleasant but not the nightmare they were. Take heart.

17

I’m afraid to ask what “The Silver Stallion” is. :frowning:

18

Oh I had to fast the entire day before. I was at work and it was a bit rough. I drank Gatorade all day, along with a couple cups of bullion to make me feel like I was eating. It wasn’t as bad as I imagined but I did feel a little deprived and puny.

19

It’s a rectoscope.

20

I don’t think it was Engvall or Barry who said this, but don’t forget to look your doctor in the eye and ask “Does your mother know what you do for a living?”