COLONOSCOPY SCHEDULED, WANT TO CANCEL

[Jimbo39]

I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Friday (August 5). The closer I get to the date, the more apprehensive I get. Ive never had one (I'm 60) so I probably need one. It's just I'm so hypersensitive right now.

I read about one guy on this forum saying it took him over a year to recover.

The prep is Prepopik. I looked up the ingredients: sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and anhydrous citric acid.

I read about some of you brave souls having it done without any kind of sedative. I'm not sure I can do it. On the other hand, I need to be careful about anything that would affect my GABA receptors ( I'm in Valium withdrawal). Any suggestions on something mild?

Any experience with this?

 

[TigerLilea]

I had one done about eight years ago and I didn't have any problems with it at all. I didn't have a sedative - the colonoscopy was at 11:00 and I was able to leave at 11:45. If you have sedative you have to wait for two hours after the procedure before you can leave.

 

[Sushi]

@Jimbo39 I've had several, but never without at least twilight sedation. The full anesthesia is easier at the time but it took a much longer recovery. The twilight took no recovery time at all--I felt fine on leaving the hospital and didn't have to wait a couple of hours. I just got dressed and left.

One thing to consider with a colonoscopy and ME/CFS is electrolyte balance. Some preps are safer than others in terms of electrolyte balance. My doc chose the "drink several liters" prep because of my dysautonomia and the need to be careful about electrolytes. I'm glad I had colonoscopies as they found polyps during each one. If you are 60, it is recommended that you get one. I didn't find the colonoscopy itself to be a big deal, but the prep day was certainly a pain in the ass.

 

[Jimbo39]

had one done about eight years ago and I didn't have any problems with it at all. I didn't have a sedative - the colonoscopy was at 11:00 and I was able to leave at 11:45. If you have sedative you have to wait for two hours after the procedure before you can leave.

I can't imagine how you could have done that. No pain, discomfort?

 

[Jimbo39]

I've had several, but never without at least twilight sedation. The full anesthesia is easier at the time but it took a much longer recovery.

@Sushi. That's an easy name to remember. I'm half Japanese and grew up on it. Instead of fish Friday, it was sushi Friday. I can't take anesthesia. Never heard of twilight sedation. I'll have to google it.

One thing to consider with a colonoscopy and ME/CFS is electrolyte balance

How did you manage that?

the prep day was certainly a pain in the ass.

And not the colonoscopy? Yeah, I heard the prep is horrendous. Pretty much sitting on the throne for 24 hours?

 

[Stretched]

I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Friday (August 5). The closer I get to the date, the more apprehensive I get. Ive never had one (I'm 60) so I probably need one. It's just I'm so hypersensitive right now.

I read about one guy on this forum saying it took him over a year to recover. ... Any suggestions on something mild?

Any experience with this?

I can appreciate your concerns and think they are well founded. I'll share my experience for you to
ponder. It may help you better prepare - or reconsider and get a long Oxycontin rx (not).

I had my one and only big C when I was about your age by my then GP referred GNT.
If I knew then what I have since learned I would never have had it!

I expected a somewhat caring physician. He turned out to be exactly what he worked on, with
about 30 patients, unbeknownst to all about turning up for the same proceedure, all in little tent like
alcoves on an otherwise open office floor. So much for decorum in a dignified setting; and this was in one of
this city's prestige hospital complexes.

I told him of my CFS/ME status and made sure he had my med profiles. His flitty nurse anesthesist
asked/stated right at proceedure time 'you're in otherwise good health,right?' - and then off to sleep!

When It was over I was foggy and in pain and stood as this doctor addressed us en mass. It was like an
army draft physical, but it took six months for my GI system to settle down; and years later my gut still is problematic, in fact, has grown more so.

He claimed he found H-pylori, and only when asked did he say he had to snip off internal polyps... . This
guy was seedy and a patient would not be able to discern what was done. I feel he likely did more
harm than good given the after effects, which have now grown much more troublesome than prior.

IMO, this proceedure should not be for routine screening, but reserved as a last test AFTER other uninvasive
screening absolutely calls for it, like a digital prostrate exam (which has plenty of attesting literature about its whimsical medical necessity) - why get one when PSA scores are low along with low statistical correlation for
real disease?

Think this through. I've heard of others suffering from this draconian proceedure which removes plenty
of Hamiltons from patients' wallets into the doctors' coffers. No more for me, period.

 

[Sushi]

How did you manage that?

The prep itself balances electrolytes. Many don't like it because you have to drink so much and it doesn't taste good but I was told it was the safest one for me. They also gave me a saline IV beforehand as that is a good idea for an ME/CFS patient.

I told him of my CFS/ME status and made sure he had my med profiles. His flitty nurse anesthesist
asked/stated right at proceedure time 'you're in otherwise good health,right?' - and then off to sleep!

Thankfully, I had very different experiences. It is important to choose the doctor carefully.

only when asked did he say he had to snip off internal polyps... . This
guy was seedy and a patient would not be able to discern what was done.

I was given photos of the polyps that were removed in the doc-patient meeting afterwards.

And not the colonoscopy? Yeah, I heard the prep is horrendous. Pretty much sitting on the throne for 24 hours?

The colonoscopy was nothing but then I had twilight sedation or full anesthesia. The prep is bad the first time but the second you know how to organize it and what supplies you need to be comfortable. It is unpleasant but not horrendous. For me learning how to time the meds was important. We don't all have the same rate of motility.
P.S. I always had an appointment beforehand to discuss health issues and make the best plan.

 

[Jimbo39]

@Stretched. Wow! Sounded like an assembly line process. No wonder he knocked you out. If you were awake you'd probably been howling. If I do this, I want to be awake. My integrative gastro is a pretty gentle soul.

 

[Stretched]

Thankfully, I had very different experiences. It is important to choose the doctor carefully.
I
P.S. I always had an appointment beforehand to discuss health issues and make the best plan.

Good thinking. You really did have an experience on the other end of the continuum... .

I think women can in general handle these kind of invasions with more equanimity. As my wife says,
no big deal, we've been prodded, poked and pulled on by OBGYN's since teenage years.

Well, if I ever have to get another 'hose job' of any kind, I'm to be awake - with pliers in one hand holding the
the good doctor's testicles... . An eye for an eye, so to speak.

 

[snowathlete]

I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Friday (August 5). The closer I get to the date, the more apprehensive I get. Ive never had one (I'm 60) so I probably need one. It's just I'm so hypersensitive right now.

I read about one guy on this forum saying it took him over a year to recover.

The prep is Prepopik. I looked up the ingredients: sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and anhydrous citric acid.

I read about some of you brave souls having it done without any kind of sedative. I'm not sure I can do it. On the other hand, I need to be careful about anything that would affect my GABA receptors ( I'm in Valium withdrawal). Any suggestions on something mild?

Any experience with this?

Apart from if you are hypersensitive to drugs, it's nothing to worry about in my experience. I had to have one when I got ulcerative colitis and it was unpleasant, obviously, but really not that bad. I was given a sedative which is standard practice in the UK, but sedatives and painkillers often don't work on me, and basically it didn't. I was completely with it throughout, watching on the screen, asking questions, watching them take biopsies, and I remember it all. It doesn't hurt, the needle injection of the sedative is the worst bit and that's just a standard injection in your hand. They also inject a muscle relaxant to stop your bowel doing it's thing, so you can't avoid that I don't think, though if you are a calm person and if you feel reassured that the procedure itself isn't that bad, you might be able to convince them to not give you the sedative? You obviously can't avoid the prep. My colitis is made worse by such things but it isn't in your system that long so I was back to normal in a few days. There are different preps with different ingredients I think, so maybe ask about options if you are known to be sensitive to any particular ones?

 

[Jimbo39]

There are different preps with different ingredients I think, so maybe ask about options if you are known to be sensitive to any particular ones?

Does anyone have any input as to which preps are best?

Any feedback on which sedatives are least likely to affect CNS?

 

[Horizon]

I've had many and you don't feel a thing. The sedation is what worries me most since i don't recover well from it. Next time I'm asking for non anesthetic alternatives.

 

[Jimbo39]

I chickened out. Rescheduling at a latter time. I can't take any sedatives since I'm in Valium withdrawal. I want my gut to heal more before I do it drug free. It was doing great up to 3 weeks ago. What a baby.

 

[TigerLilea]

I can't imagine how you could have done that. No pain, discomfort?

There was just once it was a bit painful but only for a couple of seconds and the doctor warned me ahead of time that I might feel something. It is just when the tube is turning a corner that there can be slight pain. The rest of the time you can't feel anything. Also, it's interesting watching everything on the screens as it is being done.

 

[TigerLilea]

Pretty much sitting on the throne for 24 hours?

Every person is different. My sister had that problem. She advised me to keep a stack of magazines in the bathroom and be prepared to be in there for four to five hours. After an hour of sitting there and waiting I got bored and went about my day as normal. Even when I had to go it wasn't an urgent run to the bathroom and it was over and done with in a couple of minutes.

I'd say the worst part for me was about an hour or so after the colonoscopy when all of the trapped air was trying to escape. I had a lot of gas pain for about an hour or two.[/user]

 

[TigerLilea]

IMO, this proceedure should not be for routine screening, but reserved as a last test AFTER other uninvasive
screening absolutely calls for it,

A colonoscopy is the only test that accurately finds colon cancer. The occult blood test only finds 33% of cancers, and the Sigmoidoscopy only catches about 30% of colon cancers.

 

[PennyIA]

I can state that the type of prep provided can make a big difference as well.

My first one they messed up my prep-order and I didn't get started as early as I was supposed to as a result and ended up being put on a MUCH more harsh prep process.

Colonoscopy #1 I was on the toilet a solid 8 hours, miserable, cramping, horrid, horrid, horrid experience.
I really REALLY wish someone had recommended rescheduling the test for another time instead.

Colonoscopy #2 I made about six trips to the bathroom, maybe five minutes each. No cramps, no discomfort. Slept the whole night... it wasn't too bad.

Each time I was put into twilight sleep. Remember NOTHING from either exam. Had pretty medium-level fatigue and PEM for about two days post-Colonoscopy. But after that it wasn't so bad.

 

[Jimbo39]

Colonoscopy #2 I made about six trips to the bathroom, maybe five minutes each. No cramps, no discomfort. Slept the whole night... it wasn't too bad.

@PennyIA. Do you remember the name of the prep you used the second time?

 

[PennyIA]

@PennyIA. Do you remember the name of the prep you used the second time?

Suprep once the gentle one.

I don't remember the brand of the brutal one, but I drank two half-gallon orange-ish containers where I got the container with powder in it and added water and was supposed to drink the first one 12 hours before and the second one 8 hours before. And I got super sick and threw up the last half of the second one.

 

[erin]

I had a colonoscopy 2 years ago. Initially I was so upset that I had to go through this. I was really scared. Prep was difficult. I have terrible skin conditions called lichen sclerosis, it didn't help to spend the night at the loo and keep rubbing the skin with toilet paper. The morning arrived and I was so nervous. Where I had the colonoscopy was very clean and the whole thing was over within some 40 minutes. I was completely anesthetized. When I woke up I felt very merry, I don't know why. I was surprised that it was over. I was kind of bloated for days prior to this and afterwards I felt very light. I actually felt quite well for months. It was a good cleansing. DR said there was some inflammation in the colon. They did a biopsy and the result was clear. I was glad to have it in the end. No pain, lightness, nice trip with the anesthetic and good result. The worse part was prep. And this was because of lichen sclerosis.

That's my experience. I hope you make he right decision and whatever it will be good for you in the end. Good luck.