Hi, i had a colonoscopy yesterday just after having the endoscopy which was painless but omg sedation and gas and air didnt touch my pain either,ive had 3children and gas and air felt diff thdn like u were spaced out,but honestly after 15 mins and crying in pain i had 2 ask them 2 stop so i know i will need anoher 1 but ive requested to be proper put out. None of my pain relief worked atall x

Jax

I thought it was just me. My colonoscopy was excruciating painful. The prep I thought was bad enough but oh no. I had sedation but that didn’t work. I was asked if I had any abdominal surgery which I replied two Caesarian. Being last on the list and there was also an emergency in theatre. It started off ok but after so far the pain became unbearable. The nurse told me to take deep breaths. I was asked if I would like more sedation well it hadn’t worked so I said no please just stop. There was mention of scar tissue from the C sections and the colon. I took that to mean they were stuck together.

I did hear a nurse say something about pain threshold. Was she referring to mine. I have had three babies two I had labour with but that didn’t compare to the pain I was feeling.

I did feel I was being a bit of wuss but after reading all these comments I now know I wasn’t.

i now have to wait for a CT scan

I am so sorry you had such pain. I had a colonoscopy last Friday. I had previously had two which were painless with midazolam. This time I asked for Midazolam and the guy wouldn't believe I only had midazolam previously. He was the Lead Nurse and horrible.  He assured me it would be painful and offered fentanyl which I can't have and entonox cause of ear perforation. His manner to a patient was disgraceful and was even a God like complex. We proceeded and with midazolam pethidine ans buscopan it was excrutiating and it is now Monday ans I am still traumatised and very tender I need cocodamol 4hrly. When I speak to my consultant I am asking her why it was so painful. I am 62 ex nurse and never heard of it being this painful. Family and friends say they were fine  I will never have a procedure done at that Hospital again.  The nurses were fab but this guy needs a course on patient manner and how to use a smaller camera. I have a high pain threshold and had total hysterectomy and reconstruction of my knee. Each were not as painful as this

I am so happy that I found this post!!! 

I have suffered from chronic stomach pain in one area of my stomach for years. I had my first colonoscopy yesterday. I was full prepared and informed about the procedure (wonderful day nurse) and I wanted to start off with no pain relief but informed them that I would request gas and air if it became worst and sedation if became too severe.

First 'turn' in the colon was fine and pain free. They then found 2 polyps in the first track and removed them. I could feel them removing them... to which I was told, that's impossible, because there are no nerve endings inside of the colon.   The doctor continued to the second turn (upper left) and I hit the roof the minute he touched that area. Gas and air were called for, but that didn't seem to control the pain.  I was passing wind (as instructed) but after that, with every further movement, I was in total pain. They decided that the only way to continue was to give me sedation. This sedation did nothing at all. I was told that it would leave me 'out of it' but I wouldn't feel any further pain.  We attempted to move to the third turn (upper right) and I was screaming out in pain. I was fully awake, no grogginess, no 'out of it' feeling. The assistant nurse said it was because I wasn't relaxed and not passing enough wind that was causing my colon to compact and make it difficult for the camera to move further along my colon. We tried again, but even the slightest movement made me cry with agony.  They gave me a second dose of sedation... nothing. I still felt all the pain, to which the assistant nurse said, 'we're going to have to stop if you can't get through this next bit'.  We gave it one last try but I just couldn't take it anymore and the procedure was stopped.

I felt utterly useless and ashamed.  It felt like they didn't believe me and the look on the doctor’s face said it all. 

I was taken back to the recovery ward, where they told me I had to wait for the sedation to wear off. I felt completely fine. I could stand up easily and dress myself. I didn't feel groggy on the drive home at all (my wife drove as you're not supposed to drive after having sedation).

And here is the problem. I have had a couple of hospital visits and each time the pain relief hasn't done anything. One time I had a mole removed from my chest.  They had to put 4 injections of local anaesthetic in me, just so I couldn't feel the pain. Even the doc commented that he had never had to do more than 2 doses.  And the other time is when I had a slipped disk, and it gave out on me, and I fell down some stairs.  The only thing that would touch the pain was morphine.

I had put this in my notes when they asked me about any worries etc.

This whole experience left me utterly depressed and embarrassed. It has also left me wondering what I can do about my clear lack of pain tolerance or lack of pain relief from certain doses of meds and what to do about any future procedures.

They have said that I will be returned to my referring doctors to discuss alternative procedures. I can only assume that will either be the same procedure under general anaesthetic or a CT scan.

Thank you for sharing your experiences, you have no idea how much that has helped me realise I'm not the only one! 

I am so sorry you went through that. They could have offered you Fentanyl which was offered to me but I can't have it. What I don't understand is when I had one 3 yrs ago at different hospital I felt nothing.  The Team were great. This time I thought they could have had some patient communication skills. I don't know why you were told to pass wind. They put air in you. I hope you recover well. 

I am so sorry you went through that. They could have offered you Fentanyl which was offered to me but I can't have it. What I don't understand is when I had one 3 yrs ago at different hospital I felt nothing.  The Team were great. This time I thought they could have had some patient communication skills. I don't know why you were told to pass wind. They put air in you. I hope you recover well. 

Thank you for your reply. I will make a note of Fentanyl for when I speak with the Doctor again. Yes, you are correct, the air that is pumped into you is what they were refering to as 'passing wind' and asking me to push that out to stop the pain.  I will let people know on here as to what the next steps are.

Thanks again.

Take care