Nervous about flex sig

After months of bleeding with bowel movements and left-sided abdominal pain my new GI has scheduled me for a flexible sigmoidoscopy.  I’m extremely nervous as I know I’ll be awake for the exam (I think they’ll be giving me sedation but I won’t be completely under) and I’m really worried about the pain as I’ve heard that it’s really bad.  I’m also concerned about the results.  I’ve had two colonoscopies due to similar issues (last one was almost 2 years ago) and the only thing they found was an internal hemorrhoid.  My PCP checked and said that I still have the hemorrhoid but it wasn’t bleeding.

What are the chances that this could be something serious?  I’m pretty young, 18, and I have had colonoscopies but I’m just worried with the amount of bleeding.  Also has anyone else on here had a flex sig?  What was your experience like?  Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

  • I had a flex sig last week and to be honest I didn’t really feel it,  maybe a little uncomfortable at first but not painful.    It sounds silly to say but try and relax and take deep breaths the more relaxed you are the easier you will find it.  My hospital offered gas and air if I wanted it,  maybe you can ask for similar?

     

    i have a colonoscopy in to weeks

  • I have had both flexor and colonoscopy. For

    me the preparation for both was the worst bit, it was not painful for me, rather felt like I had trapped gas at times when they went round the corners.

    internal hemerroids can be a right pain in the backside.... literally. I have a third degree hemmorroid. You should take great confidence in the fact you had the gold standard for bowel screening which is the colonoscopy only two years ago and that was normal. What was the reason for having that?

    my advice would be to do the enema properly..... as you don’t want to get on the table for the endoscopist to then say that the bowel is not clear enough and you need to come back again. Also, right all your questions down and talk with the endoscopist afterwards about your test. Don’t worry if they take biopsies - perfectly normal.

    take care.

    C.