I there. Just wondered if this has been asked before. I recently had the colonoscopy procedure. Well actually I took the prep. powder on 2 separate occasions as the first time it didn't do the job quickly enough. My point is I'm sure the flushing out of the system gave my general well being quite a boost. Anyone else feel this benefit. Shame it wasn't longer lasting.
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Colonoscopy prep.
- Thread starter ruben
- Start date
Gingergrrl
Senior Member
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I got little tiny windows of 'ah this feels better' only to fall on my face again
This was fascinating to read b/c the idea of colonoscopy prep absolutely terrifies me for multiple reasons (and I will be doing it in May).
Can I ask the four of you who felt better from it what you used as the prep drink? I cannot do Magnesium based prep, and am allergic to dyes, so I am curious what the GI doctor (who I will see in May) will recommend for me.
But I always assumed that everyone feels horrific during and after the prep and this thread really surprised me (in a good way)!
I can't remember what I was given to drink for either of mine, @Gingergrrl, but it was only the taste that was unpleasant. They advised me to add something like orange cordial to help mask the flavour, but after a while, nothing will hide it! I'm well used to having to rush to the toilet, so that was nothing new.
I had the procedure without anaesthetic, as they insisted I had to have someone with me for 24 hours afterwards if I took the drugs, and there isn't anyone with that much time to sit around my house! In the end, I think it was helpful. Whilst everyone else was groggily coming around and complaining of headache, I was sitting up stuffing my face with the picnic I'd taken, and was able to drive myself to work an hour later. I was back at my desk by 10:30 am, a bit fatigued and still ravenously hungry, but otherwise none the worse for the experience.
By the time I had the second one, the combination of ME and psoriatic arthritis meant that I was no longer able to work, but it was a pretty similar experience. I asked the nurse why some people have more pain than I did, and she said the fact that I wasn't at all stressed about it would have made a really big difference. The gabapentin I was on at the time for menopausal symptoms would have helped too, as it's an anti-convulsant and would have relaxed the bowel to some extent. I really hope it's as straightforward for you.
I had the procedure without anaesthetic, as they insisted I had to have someone with me for 24 hours afterwards if I took the drugs, and there isn't anyone with that much time to sit around my house! In the end, I think it was helpful. Whilst everyone else was groggily coming around and complaining of headache, I was sitting up stuffing my face with the picnic I'd taken, and was able to drive myself to work an hour later. I was back at my desk by 10:30 am, a bit fatigued and still ravenously hungry, but otherwise none the worse for the experience.
By the time I had the second one, the combination of ME and psoriatic arthritis meant that I was no longer able to work, but it was a pretty similar experience. I asked the nurse why some people have more pain than I did, and she said the fact that I wasn't at all stressed about it would have made a really big difference. The gabapentin I was on at the time for menopausal symptoms would have helped too, as it's an anti-convulsant and would have relaxed the bowel to some extent. I really hope it's as straightforward for you.
They always put me into a twilight sleep, i never agree doing it without anaesthetic because of pain, especially when the doc. needs to take biopsies. It must be an extremely uncomfortable feeling to undergo the procedure without anaesthetic...
The last time they didn't want to let me go because they required someone to take me home, unfortunately nobody was available.
I wanted to take the bus and train back home but they didn't let me. After a lengthy discussion the doc. and nurse agreed with me to call a taxi. The nurse even followed me to the taxi, i understand they might be responsible if something hapens to me. But anyway, my home being 80km away that trip would have costed me dearly so i told the driver to bring me to the train station 500m away. I was feeling my brain fogged self, a normal person might feel completely out of the world after such sedation but that's the normal state i'm in every single day - feeling drunk, depersonalized and brain fogged. I managed to get to the hospital by myself didn't i?
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First time round I didn't even realised they'd started, as all I could feel was the plastic guard they put in first. During the second procedure I had one moment where the tube got itself into a loop (that did make me feel very crampy), but it was over in seconds. The rest of the time, I couldn't feel anything much at all.
Well done for being able to get back home unaided – they do make an awful fuss if you have the drugs. Here, they won't even let you go home alone in a taxi. My friends are all still working, and I could hardly ask them to lose a day's income just to sit in a car with me for 20 minutes, hence deciding to give it a go without meds...I have to admit I did wonder whether I'd be able to get through it!
It probably depends on a lot of factors, but not being anxious helped. Oh, and the young nurse regaling me with stories about her driving lessons during the first procedure helped too – she was very funny!