Hi Richard - welcome to the forum. It's brilliant that someone with your expertise has joined. I've already read some of your posts & they're very reassuring for people who are fearful/unwell. 

I joined several weeks ago now after being put on the 2 week cancer pathway for possible colectoral cancer. Happily all came back clear - a colonoscopy still to do on 17th but hopefully all will be ok. I found the support here when I was initially panic stricken very helpful & I'm sure your responding to calls for help & support will do the same for others.

Thanks! ;) All the best x

Hiya

I am Jenny and i'm 37 years old

I have been having stomach pains for the last year on and off, i asked the dr about it and she said she thought it was ibs. She sent me for a tummy scan but the nurse said she couldn't see much due to gas build up in my tummy. I am a bit worried as i look and feel very bloated and i recent stool test revealed i had inflammation.

The Colon Dr sounded surprised that i'd left it so long to check but i assumed it was ibs after that diagnosis and had never had severe pain.

Anyway he has booked me in for a colonoscopy and im fretting like mad, i don't seem to have any of the traits of ibd from what i can make out on the internet..

Any idea's?

Jenny

Hi Jenny,

Sorry to hear that you've been unwell. I don't want to speculate about any diagnoses, but the stool test that was done was probably a test to look specifically for inflammation in the bowel.

Your symptoms don't necessarily have to be severe if you have IBD.

Obviously, the only way to check the findings of your stool test is with the colonoscopy. If you do indeed have IBD you may well need treatment.

Best Wishes,

Rich

Hi Jenny

I can totally identify with 'where you are' & your concerns. I had an awful time last year & had more tests (inc. a colonoscopy) than you can shake a stick at. Fretting as you say you are, comes with the territory I'm afraid & it's easy to say try not to fret BUT if you just take things day by day & try not to think too far ahead it is easier to deal with. Time does pass & each day is a day nearer to getting things sorted out. In my case things turned out well in terms of cancer which is obviously on your mind. I had an op. for something completely different & I'm now recovered. There is no reason this won't be your story too.

If there is an issue you are now on the road to getting it sorted out & that can only be a good thing. If you're worried about the colonoscopy my advice would be to go for sedation like I did. You won't remember a thing & you'll wonder why you allowed yourself to be scared. I'd have another one tomorrow if needed without being scared.

Hope this helps to ease your concerns at least a little bit - remember one day at a time. Enjoy whatever it is you are doing today & face tomorrow when it comes. Let us know how you get on.

Good luck. xx

I had my Colonoscopy which wasn't scary at all. However they did find a couple of polyps that will need to be removed, and obviously i'm hoping aren't cancerous. Im going on holiday next week so trying to keep it off my mind till after then.

Hi Rich, I hope you're well and all at your end.

I am supposed to have a Colonoscopy done soon and I am very very nervous anxious worried and scared. Especially more after reading some of the threads on here about painful experiences and terminated procedures due to patients having alot of pain and some also who have taken gas and air along with sedation.

The sedation and painkiller medicines that have been mentioned are fentanyl/mizadolam/pethidine 

I think these are the ones I have seen mentioned and alot of patients saying they didn't work for them.

Is not possible to get stronger painkiller medicines such as Morphine or Propofol? I think these have been mentioned that could be given. 

Is it not possible to have this procedure under general Anaesthetic?

Also alot of patients said the endoscopists don't wait for the drug to kick in they start as soon as the patient has been given sedation.

I have never given birth, never had an operation in older age (luckily), never been given drips, never had a cannula fitted on my hand. 

The Covid test brought me to tears too.

I am so worried and scared I have lost my appetite stopped eating and am losing weight I don't know what to do.

I do want to do the test and get it over and done with but I am so worried I should not have a painful experience and God forbid if it happens I don't want to move around and perforation to happen in my intestines or colon.

And what are the chances of a perforation happening anyways, and God forbid if it happens can the endoscopist know or tell straight away as perforation and internal bleeding can be life threatening.

I hope to hear from you soon, I am a nervous wreck

Thank you 

Cutiee4 

Hi Cutiee4,

I'm glad you managed to find me.

I'm not going to guarantee you a pain free experience. Everybody is different, as are their bowels and i've looked after some patients who've had no issues at all on one occassion, but experienced more pain and discomfort on others. What I can do is remind you that you're in control of your procedure and you can withdraw your consent at any time - whether they've started the procedure or not

If you can't tolerate it, there are other techniques that can be used to look at your bowel, such as a CT colonography. This is only really a good first choice for people who are unable to manage taking bowel preparation. Colonoscopy is more likely to find small polyps and there is the added benefit of being able to take samples and remove polyps from the bowel at the time of your colonoscopy which is impossible with a scan.

Likewise, the drugs on offer work very well for some patients, but not for others. Again, it's simply because every patient is different and there are factors that affect how well the drugs work that differ from person to person.

The unit I worked on did regular "propofol lists", they were generally utilised for procedures thatt were longer and more complex that would be extremely difficult to tolerate while awake, and for patients with learning disabilities and difficulties who would find the procedures distressing without deep sedation. An anaesthetist is required when providing this kind of sedation in case of any anaesthetic complications.You would have to ask the unit you are due to attend about having propofol.

With the above in mind, I can honestly say that I have seen very few procedures aborted due to discomfort and would always suggest people attempt to undergo the procedure with conscious sedation first. 

Painkiller-wise, pethidine and fentanyl are similar to morphine, they are both strong painkiller, while propofol itself has no pain killing properties, it is an anaesthetic drug.

Complications are rare, I won't quote any figures because these will differ from endoscopist to endoscopist, because some endoscopits will perform higher risk procedures than others. Perforation is not always apparent at the time of endoscopy, but you will be advised of the symptoms to be mindful of before you leave.

During your colonoscopy, you may well be asked to change your position to help make the procedure easier and more comfortable, the nurses will help you reposition if required. If the endoscopist wants you to keep very still (if he/she is removing a polyp, for example) they will let you know.

I hope I have helped to alay some of your worries and wish you the best for your colonoscopy.

Best wishes

Rich