Colonoscopy tips?

[Chloehawkins_]

Hi all,

After having a successful lap in November, I was referred for a Colonoscopy which is now coming around in a few weeks. I was wondering if anyone could share any tips / advice, and let me know what your outcome was (good or bad) if you also have Endo and had to have one?

[My_Username]

Hi, this is my experience in case it's of use

I had very severe and extensive bowel endometriosis clearly seen on an MRI (and ended up with a bowel resection)

After the MRI, I had two colonoscopies, both with colorectal surgeons (not endo specialists) and neither could see anything wrong.

When I saw an endometriosis specialist privately, he told me that most colorectal surgeons are not trained to pick up endometriosis and don't know what to look for. He told me that most bowel endometriosis grows on the outside and doesn't actually break through the wall of the bowel, so what you see is a puckering of the bowel wall rather than any implants in the bowel.

In terms of the actual procedure - the first guy used air to inflate, as they'd run out of carbon dioxide, and it hurt a lot. The second guy used carbon dioxide and it made such a difference - no pain at all!

I hope it goes well.

[Jade2006 in reply to My_Username]

ask for lots of sedation , gas and air .

My first one was so painful, I was on my Period at the time but had no choice but to get it done asap it was horrific as I have endo so I was suffering a lot any way and she used far to much gas to pump me up ,

Second time was a breeze , no pain and they actually used less sedation drugs on me that was done by a man , first one was a lady .

It’s good to get checked , they found polps a few in my bowl so had to have removed and sent a year later and I’m under surveillance so next one now in 4 years x

Bowl prep is awful as you know x

[Cats1311]

hi Hun!

I’ve just had a colonoscopy a few weeks back and was so worried due to the amount of pain I’ve been in with suspected bowel endo! However I was shocked by the sedation as it felt like a general anaesthetic, I didn’t feel a thing but apparently I did as I was talking to them throughout it telling them where it hurt etc? But I don’t remember anything or any of the pain. So hopefully if you’re sedated you shouldn’t remember anything or at least not be in pain. My colorectal surgeon suggested endo as my whole part of left colon was rock solid and not palpable which is where I’m having the pain. But just ask for loads of sedation and pain relief and hopefully you’ll be okay