if so did it hurt?..
2007-04-10 17:01:26 · 11 answers · asked by ladytee 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
No, it doesn't hurt. The evening before the procedure, you will have to complete a bowl prep. This is the worst part. But you will be in the privacy of your own home when it's done! You will have to drink a lot of this mixture that will clean your intestines out. It will last a few hours, so be prepared to stay home.
No eating or drinking after this is done. The whole purpose behind this is to make sure your intestines are free of any matter when the scope is done.
You will go to day surgery, be put under anaesthesia, and you will remember nothing!!!!
When you wake up, you will pass some gas ( in the privacy of your own room), and you will go home. As simple as that!!
Don't be embarrassed to have this done!!! These doctors and nurses see this every day. You are no different from any of their other patients.
My dad was too proud to have this procedure done when he turned 50. At age 65, he found out he had colon cancer and underwent a terrible bout of chemotherapy and had to have all of his large intestines removed!! He regrets not having the scope every day. If he would have had this done at age 50, he would not be living with a permanent eliostomy today.
PLEASE, be smart. Get Checked!!!!!
2007-04-10 17:21:30 · answer #1 · answered by ups girl 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, in fact, I had a colonoscopy done just two months ago. There is no pain involved. They will ask you to change into a patient gown and lie on a table. You will then be given intravenous pain medication which will make you very sleepy during the procedure. You may still hear or see what's going on around you but you will not feel anything and usually can't respond. The whole thing takes about 30 minutes or so. When you're done they will take you to a recovery area for a short time, and you won't even know that anything has happened!
2007-04-11 00:12:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lots of good info already. Let me just say - if you need to get one, don't put it off because you are worried it will hurt. My father died at 45 from colon cancer. Which meant all of us kids were at high risk. So we should have started getting them at 35. All my siblings did but I kept putting it off out of fear. Not fear that it would hurt - I was actually more worried about the prep! I am a very tiny person and was worried about the stuff I had to drink and that I wouldn't be able to keep it down. I have a huge vomiting phobia.
I finally got it done 2 months ago. Why I waited so long I don't know. I discussed my fears with my doc who was incredible. He prescribled a couple of nausea pills for me just in case, but the drink these days is much easier than what my siblings had to do even a couple of years ago.
Thankfully I came back without any polyps. It could have been worse because I waited so long. The procedure did not hurt at all. I was treated like a queen for the day from the rest of my family. The day before - I just told everyone not to talk to me and leave me alone! Schedule the procedure as early as possible! That was the best advice my sister gave me. You will be starving and you don't want to have to wait all day. Also, go home right after - no matter how hungry you are and how coherint you think you are. They have a lot of funny stories in that regard as well. Thankfully I didn't get drugged up so much that I had memory problems. In fact, I watched the last few minutes of the procedure. I actually thought I had watched the whole thing! Good luck and get it done!
2007-04-11 10:36:39 · answer #3 · answered by jkc 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You will feel pressure and they do pump air into the colon as they move the scope along. But none of it could be described as painful. You won't really remember too much about it anyway as they give you a sedative.
One word of caution, although the chances are that you will be fine . . a friend of mine had this happen to her, the doctor somehow nicked the side of the colon which caused a perforation. It was very serious and she ended up in the hospital from massive bleeding. So, a colonoscopy does deserve some respect.
2007-04-11 08:56:09 · answer #4 · answered by Panda 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
About 3 weeks ago.
It's the day before that sucks. No food, just plenty of clear liquids, and the prep. My surgeon rcommends the Fleet phosphate. It tastes like diesel fuel. And you don't want to be far from the toilet.
The day of the"scope is easy. You go to the hospital, change into a gown, and they put you in a bed. They hook up an IV.
I remember being wheeled into the room and the dr saying "here comes the good juice. " Next think I remember is a nurse saying "we're done."
i felt fine after that, but did take a long nap when I got home. The nurse did warn me not to anything heavy or greasy.
The wife made tea and muffins. That tasted great! The next morning, I felt fine.
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Honestly, the only pain was the IV!
2007-04-11 01:27:38 · answer #5 · answered by TedEx 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No pun intended (okay, pun really intended) -- they are a pain in the a-- but not really painful.
The prep is worse than the scope. You have to drink a whole bunch of prep liquid that will clean you out and just camp in the bathroom for the night -- for real. You won't be able to eat anything or drink anything other than clear liquids the day before.
When you get to the place they will give you an IV and either a general anaesthesia or they will give you a "twilight" anaesthesia, which means you aren't all the way under but you are sedated and so out of it you won't feel a thing.
As soon as you wake up and get yourself sorted you'll probably be ready to have something to eat, having fasted for about 36 hours.
Go get 'em, tiger.
2007-04-11 19:14:59 · answer #6 · answered by Parrot Eyes 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh GOD I'm just waiting to get mine done on May 3rd, too!!! Good question - all the answers here were so helpful. I can't wait for the fun juice part. :P (JK) They're doing both colonoscopy AND endoscopy while I'm out. I've had flexible sigmoidoscopy done (of the last descending portion of your colon) and with that they gave me NOTHING while they blew air up my butt and looked around. Boy that wasn't pleasant - but still I wouldn't describe it as being painful.
We can get through this! :)
2007-04-13 21:53:54 · answer #7 · answered by Helen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Colonoscopy - it doesn't hurt because they sedate you so you don't know what's going on. The worst part is the prep before hand.
2007-04-11 00:07:39 · answer #8 · answered by RadTech - BAS RT(R)(ARRT) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I didn't but my father in law has them done quite often due to having colon cancer, but they drug you up with a sedative so they don't hurt (according to him) now I am not going to say you won't be irratated afterwards, maybe a little sore. good luck! I know that is suppose to be an exit door only! and the thought is not pleasant at all, but alot of people get them.
2007-04-11 10:00:20 · answer #9 · answered by kissybertha 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You don't feel a thing. I had mine done last summer and with the meds they gave me I fell asleep during it. I had wanted to watch as I am an LPN but the sedation knocked me out. After it was done I didn't even feel like they had done anything to me.
2007-04-11 00:06:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋