Sue, Steve, Amanda, Helen and everyone else who have shared in this thread, thank you so much for sharing your experiences, I have just read through all 87 pages and it's been really helpful to read of other people going through similar experiences and picking up the tops about drinking the Plenvu with an ice lolly on hand! 

I am due a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy this coming Friday and it's all come about in a round about way!

In January I went to the GP after finding a lump in my arm pit, she put me on the 2ww list for suspected breast cancer. I went for a mammogram and ultrasound, the mammogram found nothing in the breast but highlighted an enlarged lymph node in my armpit which was confirmed in the ultrasound and threw biopsies were taken from it. 

The consultant asked me some questions and when I told her I had been having night sweats and was extremely tired (sleeping 14+ hours on a weekend) she sent me for blood tests. 

I haven't had the biopsy results back yet altho I was told I would do within 2 weeks and it'll be 4 weeks in a few days. 

I did however manage to chase my blood test results up, my red blood cells came back low so my GP did some further blood tests and had me do a FIT test as I had also been to the GP twice with stomach pain and acid reflux. Also have had mucus in stool for quite a while and other changes in bowel habits. 

The FIT test came back as over 200 and also a diagnosis of microcytic anaemia as my HB is 91, serum folate less than 2 and serum ferritin 5.2ug/L

My first referral for the breast cancer was on 16th Jan so it's all been going on for a while. 

As I said I have both a Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy on 8th Feb. I'm doing my best not to worry about the results as I can't change what they will be but I am feeling anxious about having to drink the Plenvu and also the Gastroscopy and having to swallow the camera!!

Going to chase the lymph node biopsy up again tomorrow as when I phoned last week I was told the results were back but needed to be reviewed by a consultant. 

I want a refund on 2024 so far!! 

Hi Becca, 

it sounds like you have had an awful few months and I am sure you must just want to get the answers to what is going on- I think the waiting and the not knowing is very difficult to deal with. 

obviously I didn’t have the same issues/ symptoms as you in terms of bloods and lymph nodes etc however I just wanted to reply and to say that honestly the plenvu is not as terrible as you expect it to be. My first dose was absolutely fine, It wasn’t really that unpleasant to drink and I didn’t have any pains / cramps at all just some ‘gurgling’ and the feeling of having to sit on the toilet for maybe about 90 mins or so - I didn’t know what to expect but it’s not like having diarrhoea from food poisoning/ virus, it is literally like passing urine. 
my second dose was more problematic but honestly I think it was just because my stomach was obviously empty, it was 5.30am and it is more ‘salty’ than the first dose- I was sick and felt like I vomited up the whole second dose however it still had the effect required and my bowel was perfectly clear. 

the colonoscopy itself was honestly absolutely fine, I did have sedation but was completely aware of everything going on and it was only mildly uncomfortable for a few minutes at certain sections. 

i didn’t have gastroscopy on this occasion but have had it previously and again was sedated and honestly wasn’t aware of the tube. 

I am sending you very best wishes for your procedures and for your results. I hope they get you some answers and that you get good news. 

take care x x 

Thank you so much for your reply Thistle! 

Oh wow, I can't imagine having to drink it at 5.30am, that sounds like it adds a whole other difficult factor onto it. Mine are 5pm and 9pm. 

I'm just genuinely not very good at drinking water that has stuff added to it, if I want to take a Berocca the only way I can really do it is if I do it as a shot, lol!! I have however been having to have some laxatives drinks so I'm slowly getting better. I also hate salt, like I don't add it to anything so the fact that the 2nd one is particularly salty isn't filling me with much confidence. I know I need to do it tho, my plan is 125ml every 15mins with an ice lolly and some juice. 

I'm hoping I'll be able to have sedation with the gastroscopy seen as I'll be having that and the colonoscopy one after the other. She mentioned sedation for colonoscopy but only numbing spray for gastroscopy - if I had to choose only one with sedation I'd rather the gastroscopy! 

Before my current job I worked as a Youth Worker in a Hospital, I have acted as a cheerleader so many times for young people drinking bowel prep and encouraged and held the hands of teens having feeding tubes put in, really wish I had my own cheerleader for Thursday!! 

Appreciate you replying Thistle, thank you x 

Hi Becca, gosh sounds like you've not had a good couple of months..but is good waiting for colonoscopy and so on is not too long.. altho from experience all waits feel so long..

I know what you mean about the plenvu but first drink is not as bad as I feared it would be and the ice pop or drinks straight after really help as does holding your nose..2nd dose my stomach did not tolerate well but didn't seem to matter as bowel was clear...I agree it is not like having an upset stomach and does not hurt at all but more like passing urine.. 

I've had 3 colonoscopies as part of all this and never found any painful or even uncomfortable..I did have sedation for each.

I do hope you get your biopsy results soon and that news is good..worry is so hard isn't it, and I do hope you find things out soon..altho I didn't have great news and have had to go through surgery and so on I think the worry beforehand was harder to cope with..

I know that the medical and clinical teams review all cases and results at their weekly multi disciplinary meetings so suspect that this will be the case for your results and they'll ring you after they hold the meeting..my NHS Trust has theirs on Wednesdays so was always a bit of a tense wait on that day to see if I got a call.. 

Anyhow do let us know how you get on and I would def say my worries about procedures were all proved a bit wrong as they have all been not as bad as I dreaded, take care Helen x

It was the second dose that was worse for me. And it was after the 2nd dose that's when it really kicked in with the toilet etc. You need to be pretty close to a loo as your not holding it in. It's like a hosepipe! 

Fingers crossed you get good news though. 

Hi Becca , gosh you’ve had a time of it over the past few months.  Thankfully you’ve been seen now and all the relevant tests etc under way. 

I’ve had three colonoscopies over the past five years , and can only add to what the others have said.  The procedure itself really isn’t a problem, the prep can be “ full on “ but that’s the point of it, and personally as I knew what to expect thanks to others experiences it wasn’t that bad.   Stay very close to the toilet as it’s like turning on a tap !    Also plenty of wet wipes / Vaseline after each bowel movement as the frequency can leave you very uncomfortable.   I kept my prep in the fridge and think it helped.   I also brought the time of the second one forward an hour so I could get to bed a bit sooner.  

wishing you the best of luck.  I only had colonoscopy and was told there and then that everything looked ok.  Hopefully you won’t have too long to wait.   Take care.   

Thank you Thistle!! I have my drinks made up and in the fridge, first lot is at 5pm and I have been and bought a nice selection of clear fluids and some ice lollies. 

X

Thank you Helen. I've got the drink prepped in the fridge ready for 5pm and a nice selection of clear drinks and ice lollies. I think the prep is what I'm worried about more than the actual procedure! 

Thanks Steve, thankfully I live in a very small flat so I can get from my bed to the loo on about 8 steps!