Should a colonoscopy have hurt this much?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

[QUOTE=Rysdad]
I believe you mean sigmoidoscopy. We call it a “flex sig”–for flexible sigmoidoscopy.

Here, I believe you mean a barium enema. Barium is not radioactive. It is radiopaque. In other words, it blocks x-rays. With your colon full of barium, the radiologists can see what it looks like.

There are two basic types of barium enemas: A Full Column (a “full”) or an Air Contrast Barium Enema (ACBE). In the former, a barium solution in introduced in an amount sufficient to completely fill the colon. In the second, approximately 500 ml’s of a different type of barium solution are introduced, and air is used to ‘push’ it along in order to coat the inside of the colon.

The ACBE is usually the more uncomfortable of the two because of the amount of air used to push the barium along as well as to distend the colon, but it does provide better pictures.

And, oh yeah, we do them every day.
[/QUOTE]

Hey, I tried on the spelling. :o I’m sure your correct, I just know I felt like I was going to explode and the tech. kept saying, “just a lttle longer, just a little longer”, it was agony. I had the orther ting too, where you drink the “milkshake” (yuck!). That wasn’t neary as bad.
Anyway, the piece of mind is well worth the discomfort, and if there is a problem, much better to catch it early. I had a tumor removed from my bladder a couple years ago. The doc tells me that, if the thing had penetrated the bladder wall, it would have been a much more serious problem. If your doc recommends it, get it done, putting it off is a really bad idea..

22

I had a barium enema once.

I discovered where the phrase “shit a brick” came from when it came time to expel it. :eek:

Quasi

23

Hi lisacurl, small world - I had a colonoscopy on Monday, too. If my experience is anything to go by, what you felt is typical. I’ve had four colonoscopies. I get one every year now because my father, his father and several other relatives died of colon cancer around the age of 50. Is is painful? Yes, it hurts a little if the anesthesia is insufficient. I woke up midway through the first two times I had it done and both times I experienced exactly what you describe. I discussed this with my doctor after the second instance and he increased the amount of anesthesia for the subsequent procedures.

If you’ve ever watched someone die a lingering death from colon cancer you’d know that catching it early is worth a few minutes of discomfort. Take my word for it, colon cancer is a miserable way to end your days.

24

Mom’s had both colonoscopies and EGD. She claims she’ll never have another one because they hurt a lot and it’s horrible and the colonoscopy blew goats but the EGD is the worst medical thing that’s ever happened to her (I specifically asked “worse than my delivery?”, she thought and said yes - my delivery took 24 hours or one month, depending on how you count)

She’s been actively dodging any attempts on her GP’s part to send her to the tummy doctor for several years now, ever since that EGD.

25

[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore]
Hi lisacurl, small world - I had a colonoscopy on Monday, too. … If you’ve ever watched someone die a lingering death from colon cancer you’d know that catching it early is worth a few minutes of discomfort. Take my word for it, colon cancer is a miserable way to end your days.
[/QUOTE]

Solidarity, sister! :smiley:

My grandfather’s cancer started in his colon, so I hear ya. I was in no way embarassed or squeamish about the fact that I was having the procedure done. It saves lives! The nurses were encouraging me to pass gas freely once it was done and not to be embarassed about it, and I was like, “No problem” … prrrbbbbbbbttttt! My hub looked down proudly like, “That’s my girl!” ha

26

I really thank everyone for the feedback. When this or any other screening test comes up where the doctors use their special code word (“uncomfortable”), I’m going to be sure to mention my high tolerance for sedating and pain medication. I’m also going to mention that I had some difficulties with the colonoscopy when I have one again in future, but I’m not going to let this experience put me off having this very important screening test.

27

[QUOTE=lisacurl]
Solidarity, sister! :smiley:

My grandfather’s cancer started in his colon, so I hear ya. I was in no way embarassed or squeamish about the fact that I was having the procedure done. It saves lives! The nurses were encouraging me to pass gas freely once it was done and not to be embarassed about it, and I was like, “No problem” … prrrbbbbbbbttttt! My hub looked down proudly like, “That’s my girl!” ha
[/QUOTE]

I’ve never had the procedures you had, but I did have a laparoscopic gastric bypass and a bad experience with an upper GI.

One of the steps in any laparoscopic surgery is inflation of the surgical site with air to provide room. In my case, my abdomen. I was about 340 at the time of my surgery, plus additionally bloated the day after. It left me quite rotund, and that’s the set up for the next two related mini-tales.

Part of the post-op protocol is an upper GI to determine if there are any leaks. My stomach was cut apart, and my small intestine reconnected in a manner reminiscent of a balloon animal, so there was quite a bit of potential for leaks, and leaks mean almost automatic peritonitis.

I get hauled down to radiology, and I have the usual cocktails to drink. The tech gets me lined up on the table just right, and lay me flat on my back. Remember the bloating? I wasn’t in pain a la fresh surgical wounds, but I was in misery from the gas. And. I. waited. Unbeknownst to the techs or me, the radiologist in charge took off for a half hour coffee break, and I was left in the lurch. I finally convinced the tech to elevate the table so I was partly standing to take the pressure off my guts. The radiologist caught an earful for that.

The fun part was the second night home after surgery. All that gas has to go somewhere, and there’s only one way out. At 2:30 in the morning, I get that familiar pressure on my sphincter, and I let fly. Only. It. Never. Really. Stopped.

I farted nearly continuously for a half hour, all by my lonesome, because I was downstairs in the recliner and therefore had no witness. I grossed out the cat however, and that takes some doing. When I was done, my abdomen was noticibly smaller, the discomfort was gone, and I could sleep in the regular bed the next night.

Fart proudly.

28

Okay, I’m far, far too squeamish. I can’t imagine going through all that. My sister (the one going through breast cancer right now) has had 2 colonoscopies and says is isn’t too bad. I can’t even get a proper physical. Good gad, why would anyone want to be a doctor? Really? The money is good, but not all that great, most human bodies are pretty unattractive even when they’re clean and healthy. Then you get those people who can’t or won’t take care of themselves, or the particularly gross illnesses. I really don’t think they’re paid enough.

StG

29

For me, the worst part was all the pooping the night before. :eek:

30

[QUOTE=Caprese]
For me, the worst part was all the pooping the night before. :eek:
[/QUOTE]

Oh, yes. That salt solution you have to drink is hard on the bum. I spent most of the night in a warm water sitz bath. Still didn’t help. Ouch.

But hubby had one too, and he said it didn’t bother him. He must be tougher in those parts.

31

Stupid drink from the night before - make me poop and vomit - no fun at’all!

I woke up halfway through mine as well - screaming in pain. They adjusted some dosage and I went blissfully back out.

32

Watched the whole thing on a monitor and never felt a twinge. No pain or even slight discomfort at any time, before, during or afterward. It was very clean in there, much more so than I expected.

33

Had a sigmoidoscopy and it was most unpleasant. That was in the days when the instruments were not that flexible! So when my doctor suggested a colonoscopy I was apprehensive to say the least. But I did it and it was a piece of cake. Felt nothing during the exam and really did not remember much from the time I was given an injection to until I was on my way home. I was told that the worse part was the prep work before the exam and they were right. Had to drink a gallon of some awful concoction to completely empty my stomach. Also used an enema to clean out the plumbing before the exam. Doing all that was indeed much worse than the exam.

34

[QUOTE=Caprese]
For me, the worst part was all the pooping the night before. :eek:
[/QUOTE]

Yes, but look on the bright side - how else, short of runing a marathon, are you going to lose 5 pounds in a single day? I weighed myself before I started drinking the stuff on Sunday morning and then weighed myself again Sunday night after the stuff had done its work. I’d lost 5 pounds! In one day! Jeans that I could barely zip up the day before fit like a charm after the stuff.

I’ve had a gasric bypass and even the surgery never made me lose five whole pounds in one day, the way the stuff did.

35

One question that I think hasn’t been asked yet: At any point in time, did the doctor have both of his hands on your shoulders? :wink:

36

I had a no-anaesthetic colonoscopy and it was agonizing. I think some people have more sensitive recta than others.

Famous dialog. Nurse: “Please try to unclench your sphincter.”
Me (clutching the side of the bedframe): “But I CAAAAAAAN’TTT!!!”

It was interesting to see the inside of my intestines though.