Three of them. The worst part by far is the prep. You have to put powder in a drink like Gatorade or even water and drink so much it will make you want to cry. Then you sit on the toilet for hours as you poop everything out of your colon. By comparison, the procedure itself is a breeze, and you sleep right through it.
I had mine this past December. The prep is the worst part but really it isn't that bad. Or wasn't for me. The actual procedure is quick and you're asleep so you feel nothing. When you awake you might feel a little groggy but other than that there are no after effects. But will be ready to go get something to eat! LOL You should definitely take your GP's advice. Better to be safe than sorry.
@skmokisses My experience as well! The prep wasn't fun, but the procedure was a breeze! And if there is a problem you need to find it early so it can be fixed!
@fanuc2013 For sure!! I just found out a friend's husband was just diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. Poor thing put his off last year and is kicking himself now.
I have had 2. They found Precancer on the second one. Get it done. You have to camp out in the bathroom for a day, but if they catch cancer early it can be removed. My grand father died of colon cancer at an early age.
I've had several. Noting to it. Don't delay. FYI, my wife wound up with stage 3 colon cancer. It was only discovered by my persistent nagging to have her get a colonoscopy. That was at age 53. I wish I nagged sooner and harder. (she recovered, but it was a rough journey)
I’m terrified. can you tell me what your experience was like?
1. Stop taking iron one week before the day of your procedure. 2. Check with your doctor if you take blood thinners, aspirin or are diabetic. 3. Begin a clear liquid diet the day before your procedure. Drink at least 8 glasses of water during the day, no red liquids, coffee, alcohol, or dairy products. 4. Take 4 Dulcolax takes at moon. 5. At 5 PM start drinking the refigerated 64 oz. Gatorade/8.3 oz Miralax power mixture, an 8oz. glass every 10-12minutes. Be sure to drink all of it. It may cause bloating and nausea. 6. Stay close to the toilet. Continue clear liquids until bedtime. Do not eat or drink anything including water after midnight or 6 hours prior to ARRIVAL time. 7. On the day of the procedure drink a 10ox bottle of Magnesium Citrate 4 hours prior to arrival time. It should work in about two hours. 8. Be sure to take a list of your meds. 9. You need a driver who will stay with you the entire time, otherwise they won't do the procedure. 10. It takes about 30 minutes to recover. 11. The total procedure will take about 2-3 hours. 12. Once you are home, eat something light, avoiding greasy and spicy foods. After a few hours resue your normal habits.
Warning: This is the general plan my doctor gave me. Be sure to get written instructions from your own doctor for your procedure.
You may have to adjust your schedule depending on the time of your procedure. Talk to your doctor about that.
Be sure to have a large bowl or bucket on hand to handle the nausea. It comes on in a flash and you may not make it to the toilet in time.
As some people already said... the preperation isn't fun. You go on a diet, which is okay, ... but then the day before and the morning that you go into the hospital you have to consume a bunch of laxative. Sitting on the toilet, isn't that bad, you can read a book. But getting the laxative inside... not my thing at all.
Anyway, for me, the colonoscopy itself took a few minutes (over here, it's local sedation btw, we are not put under at all). And I didn't feel a thing. And they even burned out two polyps. But I didn't feel a thing. For everyone that has the opportunity to do this once every 2-3 years after your 35th b-day, you should absolutely do so. Because bowl-cancer can be prevented and is fairly easy to treat if you spot it early. Over here, it gets repayed by the mutuality fund in full if you follow the doctors advice and go on time.
Yes, and the procedure itself isn’t bad. The prep is a drag, because you are prescribed GaviLyte or something like it that cleans out your system. So you’ll be spending a LOT of time in the bathroom during that process. They may have a different schedule for you, but this was what mine was like:
Like others have said, they knock you out, and when you wake up (which seems like moments later) it’s all done ! Then you’ll want to go eat. There was a diner next door and with my sister, who took me, we had lunch—with other patients ! 😄
My experience was like many others - the prep was the unpleasant part, the procedure was fine.
I was given "Suprep." You're given two bottles of prep and you do the prep sequence twice. The is: dilute the bottle of stuff to 16 oz and drink that mixture in about 15 min. The taste is unpleasant but not terrible. Then, over the next 45 minutes, drink 32 oz more of clear liquid. My choice was gatorade, because gatorade keeps giving you the minerals you need.
Your 2nd prep sequence is 6 hrs before you check in for the procedure. My procedures were always first thing in the morning, like 7 am. So I would start my 2nd prep at midnight.
When I drank the prep, for me it took about 20 min for the sudden need to sit on the toilet. And then you're off and on the toilet for the next hour or so. Then I would try to nap from 2AM to 6AM before going to the hospital.
it was not as bad as you think. The prep is the hardest part. Need to stay close to the bathroom lol. The rest you are out cold for and if they find anything you will be glad that they did. you can PM me if you have any other questions.
I've had several including endoscopy. The prep isn't as horrible as it used to be. I didn't feel anything. The only issue is the anesthesia like any other procedure. If you trust the doctor doing your procedure you have nothing to worry about in general.
I’ve had 5 or 6 (lost count). If they find anything threatening they do another a few months later, and another. Once the threat is over the next is 6 years. What a great sense of relief when they they say “come back again in 6 years”
The worse part is the prep and with that comes a loss of control of the urge to run to a toilet, again and again. That .may leave you with a chancy feeling about the drive to the clinic for the procedure itself. For peace of mind there, consider wearing an adult diaper on that trip and carry an extra one, just in case. Neither will likely be used, but the peace of mind is priceless.
As most people have said, the prep is terrible. I chose not to be put out and it was a very painful experience, especially since they have to inflate you to see properly. They went very far up which made it worse. Next time I will ask to be put out.
Yes I had one and I had the same fear as you did. It's not bad at all. They knock you out.....do their thing....and then you wake up and get dressed... You feel nothing. And you'll be so happy that you got it done
I have had three, and the procedure is painless with no after-effects. The prep isn't fun, but it is easier than it used to be. If you already drink a lot of liquids, it will be easier.
The most terrifying thing about it was the insertion of the IV line. The prep the night before is honestly no fun, either...I mean...you DO have to empty everything out of there.
They wheel you in...and then the "twilight sleep" hypnotic comes down through the drip, and you are out till they wake you up.
I had one a couple of years ago. It was no problem to have that done. Over here, it is done while being conscious, with only a little sedation. And even then, it is no problem.
The prep is the worst part....at the office/hospital they give you an IV sedative;you wake up and someone drive you home(you are legally drunk) Not fun buut nothing to worry abouut
Prior to the procedure you’re given instructions on using certain products (or might be given by the doctor) that will clear your lower colon the night prior to the exam. Then you on the exam day are given a mild sedative to help your body relax. A photo / camera probe device is inserted anally and moved along your colon while the doctor performing the procedure monitors a screen as the probe shows if there are any issues. You will likely be asked to have someone to drive you back home when you are done with the exam. This is because of the sedative.
it is horrible. the prep is the worst. you can't eat, you can only drink liquids. you must empty your bowels so you are stuck home. it is horrible but it must be done!
There's nothing to it. Your under anesthesaia during the whole procedure, out cold. The cleansing prep liquid/pills you take the day before is not really that bad either.
@TigerLili No, I don't think so. The doctor doesn't stretch it out. An air line and fiber optic camera line are inserted through you spincter and into your colon. The air line is about the diameter of a common pencil and the fiber cable is a little smaller than that.
@Pretzel probably. I myself have to be in preeeety bad shape before going to the doc. I do not look forward to a romantic procedure like having a camera up my backside. Unless I can share pics of it on SW.
Last time I went to the doctor was cause of unbearable jaw pain. Due to the stress, my BP was like 180 over 100. I got sent to the ER thinking, "Welp, this is it. I am going to kick the bucket".
But they did tests and everything seemed normal. My BP even went back down to it's normal 140 over 90.
I will confess, as I left, I though, "Well if my heart is still in good shape, I guess I do not need to quit smoking after all." 😄
@Confined I know. I had it scheduled in 23 and then I had to have emergency surgery to have my mitral valve replaced and I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I will though.
Yep, and now I can shoot a 2 litre Pepsi , dead center of the target 15 yards away!!!! Then I drop my pants and "load my mortar" with the pepsi and back on out a few mow yards, so nobody gets the "leftover blast of prep} and then I blast the whole target down with the Mortar load of sodapo[ :P:? Morale of the story: Never waste the oppurtutiny to "unload" and let everyine know....lol.
Nobody likes the prep, but the actual procedure is something you wont feel. Its embarrassing so I read up on a bunch of butt jokes to harass them with. 😂. They have heard them all.
The prep is the worst part about it because you’re fasting while emptying out your colon Otherwise, the procedure is a nonevent It’s done almost as soon as it starts….as far as you know
