I had a colonoscopy in December,  my consultant advises sedation for the procedure, it made the whole process painless and without stress. The prep didn't cause any issues, drinking plenty of water is the key for a good result.  I was able to be at home, relax and have access to the bathroom... I wish you good luck,  relax and breathe..

Hi  I had my colonoscopy Tuesday this week I had it with nothing I just wanted them to get on with it  but my results wasn’t great they found a tumour in my rectum they took 8 biopsies  she said it could have been in there a while. I just thought the feeling I had was piles  I was passing blood a lot towards these last few weeks  but funny enough since the biopsies I haven seen any blood  and I had a normal bm hadn’t had one of them in ages  but I’m feeling a bit sick with thought of food don’t know if that’s just me with my anxiety and stress over it all  or the cancer hope you had a better out come than I did. X

It's vital to keep well hydrated especially for patients with bowel issues..

Stools become hard when insufficient water is present.. 2-3 litres of water   every day is recommended by specialists... whether colorectal or urology..

Hi tangoPotter...that sensation of needing to empty the bowel, that feeling of low down pressure seems to be part of many colorectal issues.. keeping well hydrated is vital as well.. I  try to encourage my friend to take the laxative daily but she waits until the discomfort is unbearable.. your G.P or hospital should prescribe a suitable laxative for you.. take care

I keep wipes and tub of zinc and castor oil nearby  frequent visits to the loo can make you so sore

Hi just hope every one is doing ok  feeling a bit down today got wind stuck under my rib today passed lots of bloody mucus this morning  you get fed up of all this just want to be and feel normal again  lots of love to all of you xx

Hi tangoPotter,  hardly surprising you're feeling down, a natural reaction after your diagnosis... re the trapped wind.. if you can sip warm water it really helps disperse it.. horrible feeling   gentle massage can help move wind..same as winding a baby... walking about can help too..

Have you been assigned a Nurse yet..

Any family or friends nearby   I always think it really helps if you have care and support .. for those who don't,  a group of people who are experiencing the same or similar issues is a great place in my opinion. 

Take care and be kind to yourself x 

  Hi   tangPotter, yes l am the  same passing lots of  bloody mucus, now waitinhg for   results of cy colonoscopy l had  done on tuesday, feeling so down todat, the waiting is awful, sending love

,  ,

positive 46 hopefully you won't have too long to wait for results.. had my colonoscopy 17th Dec.. results are taking 18-20 weeks here in South Lanarkshire Scotland...NHS website quoting 2-3 weeks..Colorectal Consultant told me they haven't been able to offer that for a long time.. so will remain patient and positive..

Hi sorry unsure if you’ll read this being an older comment- trying to figure using here out correctly to get/keep in touch with others. 

would you mind messaging me about your own journey & your friends… I’m suspecting they’ll find a heavily impacted bowel thanks to the years I struggled on fentanyl

it took years to get normal bm which improved as the opiates further reduced alongside drastic diets with gradual exercise as I’d become obese! 
fast forward some years…
had to go back on some low dose for costochondritis diagnosis 2 Novembers ago & then weirdly a relapse again last November!!! & it’s since then everything got worse with other symptoms reappearing again after I’d been told by 2gps nothing to worry about (hence no fit test offered originally) 

would love to touch base get advice hear about your own journey etc

if happy to share of course?

C xx

Hi Chantetz...not sure if/what help my journey is for you or anyone else but will share in the hope it may be useful to you..

As a young child I had pyloric stenosis,  throughout my life I have had 'bowel issues ' normal for me to have BM every few days.. when I was taken to a Specialist I was assured it was 'normal' for me, that everyone is different. This continued thru my teens, 20's and 30's when I suffered an impacted bowel..won't go into anymore detail but it was an unforgettable experience..

I had major complex urology procedure in 1980's which involved using a section of my bowel..this was pioneering surgery which was halted due to the high ( unexpected) rate of post op bowel cancer.. as I was high risk I underwent annual investigation which were negative..

Dec 2023 I had 3 positive qFIT results following a visit to my G.P.  referred to Colorectal Consultant,  seen in April 2024 with appt for colonoscopy in June '24. Carried out prep but cancelled appt half hour before scheduled time,  as BM were not 'running clear' as needed..spoke to hospital and told Consultant would call after surgery

Didn't hear, called several times but unable to speak with anyone about this.. I have underlying complex health issues and was unable to pursue this matter..

Fast forward to Nov 24 when I had a call from G.P in regards to my asthma check up and the concerns in regards to my pain and breathlessness... he announced without preamble..I don't think this is a thing to do with your asthma,  I think you have bowel cancer... further 2 positive qFIT results and Colonoscopy 17th Dec 24..  6 biopsies and pictures taken..waiting time for colonoscopy results is 18-20 weeks here..told after that my colonoscopy should have been  as USOC  meaning 2ww.. it hadn't been..

So excuse this edition of war and peace but you asked ...

Hi Chantetz

Please do ask for any help on here about using the forum etc. And I'm sure many of us can share our experiences currently, which I know I find very reassuring, validating and kind.

My own story is pretty much told through my posts on this thread (sorry, it's a lot of pages now).

I haven't really had any health issues, fortunately. I may be a bit younger than some of us on here, and am generally pretty fit and healthy.

I did get salmonella 20+ years ago, which hospitalised me for a week, and ever since then I've had a slightly sensitive stomach and probably more BMs than 'normal', which maybe then masked other things. I got a fistula develop 5 years ago, which was mostly just an inconvenience and cleared up after 3 minor surgeries over 2 years (ad the first 2 didn't fully resolve it).

Got diagnosed as anaemic back in the summer, when i was finding i was getting cold and tired a lot. I took iron pills a while. Didn't really follow up as I felt fine. Then I started passing blood a bit and having extra BMs and my GP (who's been great, I'm so lucky there) referred me for blood and faecal tests, which showed enough to need a colonoscopy. Found a tumour, and am now going through scans etc. Seen my biopsy, Ct and mri; and MDT have met so they and I know roughly what I have [it's not great, but could be a lot worse, especially as I don't seem to have any spread to other organs (metastasis?)]. Awaiting rearranged PET scan in a week, then they'll make a plan on oncology or surgery.

All very scary of course, but this group and the support from the medical professionals I have access to has been amazing for me.

Sorry for the essay :)

Hi Chantetz

Please do ask for any help on here about using the forum etc. And I'm sure many of us can share our experiences currently, which I know I find very reassuring, validating and kind.

My own story is pretty much told through my posts on this thread (sorry, it's a lot of pages now).

I haven't really had any health issues, fortunately. I may be a bit younger than some of us on here, and am generally pretty fit and healthy.

I did get salmonella 20+ years ago, which hospitalised me for a week, and ever since then I've had a slightly sensitive stomach and probably more BMs than 'normal', which maybe then masked other things. I got a fistula develop 5 years ago, which was mostly just an inconvenience and cleared up after 3 minor surgeries over 2 years (ad the first 2 didn't fully resolve it).

Got diagnosed as anaemic back in the summer, when i was finding i was getting cold and tired a lot. I took iron pills a while. Didn't really follow up as I felt fine. Then I started passing blood a bit and having extra BMs and my GP (who's been great, I'm so lucky there) referred me for blood and faecal tests, which showed enough to need a colonoscopy. Found a tumour, and am now going through scans etc. Seen my biopsy, Ct and mri; and MDT have met so they and I know roughly what I have [it's not great, but could be a lot worse, especially as I don't seem to have any spread to other organs (metastasis?)]. Awaiting rearranged PET scan in a week, then they'll make a plan on oncology or surgery.

All very scary of course, but this group and the support from the medical professionals I have access to has been amazing for me.

Sorry for the essay :)