r/colonoscopy

I am really starting to get scared I start the prep in 2 days and I really thought I wouldn’t be anxious but I am. I keep thinking what if it’s to late and even if they do it it’s something super bad. Also I am really underweight 5”8 110 pounds I don’t know what the prep might do to me. Has anyone who been under bmi done the prep and been fine? My age is 23. Also I’m really anxious of the anesthetic I’ve never been put under and people say it feels like not existing but I feel like that’s terrifying…

If you’ve seen my last couple of posts on here you’ll have seen I was referred by my GP with a FIT result >200, an upswing in chronic constipation requiring laxatives frequently, and blood in stool/on wiping. I’m a massively anxious person by nature and truly made myself sick with anxiety, to the point of crying for days at a time and not sleeping.

The GP I spoke with had convinced me that I was looking at absolute worst case scenario, which I now know is way off the mark and absolutely cannot be deduced by a positive FIT result.

Anyway, I was referred on the 2WW pathway for suspected lower GI cancer.

PREP -
I was told to begin a low residue diet 4 days before, take 2 Senna at night for two days, and then had the dreaded Plenvu regime to look forwards to.

For the low residue diet, I mainly lived off chicken and mash. For snacks I had digestive biscuits, ice cream, and was allowed chocolate.

First dose of prep was 7pm yesterday. The mango flavour is no joke, it was truly disgusting. I take Laxido sachets regularly so am used to the salty taste and expected no less, that wasn’t the issue here, the issue was the strong artificial taste of “mango” 🤧 I just took big gulps and washed each down with a swig of orange Lucozade sport, however it’s worth adding it took two 500ml bottles to get each prep down, but I got both down me well below the hour timeframe.

Plenvu took about an hour for it to get into the full swing of things which wasn’t pleasant but also wasn’t the worst, given I usually tend towards constipation, I really wasn’t too bothered by it. Although I do wish I’d picked up some Sudacrem!

Second dose was due at 6am, however I accidentally slept in and so didn’t take it until 07:50 but had it down me by 8am. I had to leave the last 50mls or so because I felt so nauseous and tired, but by then I was passing clear liquid anyway.

PROCEDURE -
I arrived at the Hospital at my allotted time and was taken to pre-op by one of the Nurses. Once there, as I’d opted for sedation, I was cannulated, given a gown and shorts, and left to wait for my procedure.

I’d explained to all the staff im advance how nervous I was and that this was my first time, and they were all really understanding and put me at ease the entire time, chatting away to distract me.

Once wheeled down to the procedure room, everything was explained to me by the Dr doing the scope and I was given some painkillers and sedation.

The painkillers did definitely have some effect, I felt a bit drunk and they helped me to relax as the procedure got underway, however sedation didn’t put me to sleep or make me any less aware. I was very aware throughout and had to change position a couple of times, but honestly it wasn’t painful, perhaps just a bit of discomfort at bends, for each of these the Dr forewarned me it was coming up.

I just closed my eyes, breathed, and it was over before I knew it.

I honestly don’t think I would be even half as scared if I had to have one again in future, and it was all worthwhile for a clean bill of health at the end 🌟🌟🌟

Has anyone ever had polyps removed and when the pathology/histology came back they ended up being cancer and not just precancerous or completely benign? Is that possible?

I have had many colonoscopies because I have Crohn's. I've also had several doctors because of moves, doctor retiring, etc. I always have had really good doctors, like Mayo Clinic, Vanderbilt, etc. In my many colonoscopies, it's always been split dose, except many years ago, but even then it was a late evening start. I've done the same miralax prep from each doctor and always been clear. I've recently moved and my gp recommended a new G.I. doctor. I met him and he seemed fine. My husband had his once a decade colonoscopy with this guy and it was a great experience except for the prep. This doctor chooses a weird administration of the miralax/ducolax prep. He has you take 8 ducolax instead of 4, but you take 4 at 8:00 am and 4 at 5:00pm. He even has you finish the miralax by 10am the day before! I told my husband this would give too much time for more waste to form and sure enough, he was not completely clear for his colonoscopy. Well, now it's my turn and I plan on just doing the prep with the same medications that has always worked for me. I was talking to a friend and she said I should get doctor approval, but I don't see why I would. The medications are the same. That just gives him the chance to blame me if anything does go bad and I know that his crazy way won't work. I don't even know why he would do it that way when the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines are for split dose. But even if he doesn't like that for some reason, why on earth would he have you finish all of your drink by 10:00 am? Anyway, what would you do?

Hello! took my first dose of Sutab about 3 hours ago and nothing is happening.

I failed the MiraLAX prep before (it didn’t clean me out) and I suffer from chronic constipation.

Has anyone been in my shoes and had the Sutab kick in later and everything turn out ok?

I’m suppose to take my second dose at 2am and my procedure has a 8am arrival time. I’m worried I will fail prep again.

My dad is over 45, so the doctor recommended a routine colonoscopy since he’s at the age for it. But he doesn’t want to do it. I tried to persuade him as well but he still doesn’t want to. Anyone got any advice on how to get someone to do it?

Family history: Several people in the family have a history of stomach pain but no actual diagnosis.

Hi! I had a colonoscopy yesterday and they found and removed a 15mm and 20mm polyp. I’m only 21 and have had on and off bowel issues since I was around 15, mainly loose stools and rectal bleeding. More recently I started having black, tarry stools, which concerned my GP. I had similar investigations when I was 16, but everything came back normal then. I asked after the colonoscopy if they thought the polyps could be cancerous, they said they couldn’t tell me until the results came back, but their reaction/look on their faces made me quite anxious. I don’t really know how to feel, I already have other health issues that have limited me a lot, and the thought of having something else wrong is scaring me. Has anyone else had polyps at a young age? What did your results end up being? And is there a chance of them growing back? I feel like everything is crashing down. I just want to finish my studies and graduate but my body really hates me

1st mid 40’s. So anxious about it, facility was nice, they put in IV, I was in a big room and when they rolled people back in they were asleep, I was like what the F, lol. 😂

When it was my turn I had like 10 people in the room was put to sleep in seconds, woke up, put my stuff on. Felt 100% normal. Awesome easy experience, think they used propofol. I personally recommend a place that uses this.

2nd colonoscopy I had to find another place since the 1st spot no longer provided them. I assumed they were going to use propofol, I’m gonna check but whatever they used I have moments of foggy consciousness, like having something in my butt.

When my wife picked me up I was so out of it. Was looking at my camera roll days later and I took a selfie of myself in the hospital bed after the colonoscopy no recollection of doing this at all. My butt hurt the next day, odd experience.

Gotta find a new spot, luckily I have 5 years.

Bottom line Don’t Be Afraid. Everything will be ok.

I'm having a colonoscopy tomorrow morning so today I've been on liquids only, and started Pico-Salax at 4pm, another one due at 8pm and the third early tomorrow morning. My problem is - I had a horrible headache this morning and took an extra-strength Tylenol but realized later that it's bright red, and the instructions specifically say nothing red, blue or purple. Have I messed up? I'm in Ottawa, Canada. I've been following all the instructions on the massive amount of liquid to drink, btw.

Met with a GI doctor last week due to seeing blood on the toilet paper after wiping and pain in my lower left abdomen. They recommended a colonoscopy, but apparently the earliest appointment isn't until December. Meanwhile, both of my symptoms worsened over the weekend.

Advice on trying to get it fast-tracked? If they can't move it, is it worth calling around to other providers to see if anyone else could get me in quicker? Though I assume I'd have to have an office visit first to establish myself as a new patient.

All my bowel movements have basically been yellow and more like pee…not any stool. Is this normal or is the solution not working? I know after a day it’s supposed to be yellow but not this quickly right?!

I’m pretty lactose intolerant, and every single “sample low fiber menu” I can find is just dairy, dairy, and more dairy 😫So I had to come up with my own. It also needs to be a legit dinner for the rest of the family so we don’t spend the whole month’s grocery budget on takeout for the rest of them 😬

Here’s my tentative dinner plan. Are there any issues or ingredients I forgot to avoid?

1 day before colonoscopy - obv I’m not eating anything and they will order out or have leftovers or cereal

2 days before - pasta with garlic (strained out), olive oil, and pecorino (side salad for the rest of them)

3 days before - Chicken soup (carrots, chicken, and pasta/rice only)

4 days before - Roasted chicken, roasted (peeled) potatoes and carrots, stove top stuffing, gravy made with chicken drippings
(Make stock with bones for fasting day)

5 days before - seared pork tenderloin, risotto (plain), cooked green beans

6 days before - Shepherds Pie (only carrots, onion, garlic, ground meat, mashed potatoes, stock)

I don’t think I will worry about longer than 6 days prior. I’ve had like 8 colonoscopies, never done low-fiber more than a day before prep day, and never had prep failure, but I heard this makes prep easier, so I’m going to give it a try because I usually don’t sleep for like almost 24 hours due to the prep and it would be lovely for it to be easier 😬