:eek:I recently had to have a Colonoscopy. You know, where a video camera takes pictures of your lower digestive system.
No “bootie jokes” thank you, I’ve heard them all this week.
When discussing this with my friends, I was surprised to find out how many young and old have gone through this procedure. I was actually hard pressed to find anyone I knew who had not themselves personally (or their SO) gone through this. It seems to be a new cottage industry for doctors. The small medical center I went to had 30 others scheduled for that day! When my SO had his at a different facility a few years back, he said it was just as crowded.
So fess up! Who else on the SDMB has had this done? Stand up and let your bootie be counted
Nope, never had one… but do I get points for my OB/GYN showing me my intestines during one of my sonograms?
I had a sigmoidoscopy – is that close? The sig just looks at the lower part of the system. It was way cool! How many of us get the chance to see our insides on TV? And everything was so clean and tidy too!
The barium enema test that followed was no picnic, however. I wouldn’t do that again for a million bucks. The tech said my intestines were pretty enough to be a centerfold, but I’ll bet he says that to all the girls.
Are you asleep for the colonoscopy, or awake?
You are given a I.V. analgesia (pain medication/narcotic)and a valium-like sedative. Some folks sleep some don’t.
The worst part is no solid food (clear liquids only) the day before, and you have to drink a gallon of (yuck) Nulytly, a nasty (suposidly cherry flavored)liquid to clean you out. You begin to dread each glass (one every 15 mins.)that you must take untill it’s gone.
I am sure if you are thirsty in hell, this is what you get to drink! Then no liquids at all after midnight the day before.
Been there, done that. Slept through it. That may be because I told the doctor who did it that if he hurt me I would hurt him worse.
He is littler than I am so I guess he believed me.
I had sigmoid and colon - I found it to be VERY painful. I guess they didnt give me enough drugs. 
Been there and done that. No I did not sleep through it. It hurt too much to even think about sleeping. He had me watch while he did it. It was horrible, worse than having a baby in my opinion. The doctor told me you should have one every five years…yeah, right.
Oh no I won’t! You can’t make me!!! 
I have heard that Sigmoid is the worst, because of the gag reflex. I don’t think I could handle that. I have a faint recolection of pain, but I am not sure since I was pretty zonked out.
I’ve had two flexible sigmoidoscopies. The thing I learned from sigmoidoscopy #1 is that once your descending colon has been inflated and nicely coated with KY, it has to go somewhere, mainly into your shorts as you drive home. For #2, I made it a point to have a noisy round of flatulence before I got dressed, THEN used some panty liners I stole from my wife. It made for a much more pleasant drive home…