Hi. I had a colonoscopy yesterday but they could only see the sigmoid left side because apparently i had a loop and could not go past it with pain. I was sedated but I felt some pain however I did not realise how i reacted to the pain. It was like I felt pain in my sleep. They decided to not go on and refer me to another future colonoscopy under general anaesthetic.
The doctor did not explain what the “unresolved loop” was, this was written in the report, he only said I could not tolerate the pain. I am freaking out because,for one, I feel unwell after the bowel prep, very strong bowel sounds and gurgling, as if I lost all my good bacteria. And I never had a general anaesthetic before, I heard it comes with risks. Plus again the horrendous bowel prep.
Has anyone else had to repeat colonoscopy because of loops or pain?
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Mrsjulesflo
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They always do mine under general anesthesia, both upper and lower. Of course everything has risks, but the risk from general is extremely low. So low that it isn't a factor unless you have multiple serious health problems. The loop isn't a problem or you wouldn't be able to pass stool. My guess is that it only formed because your bowel was empty.. The bowel sounds and gurgling are normal when you have a bowel prep and relate to fluid shifts in the bowel. Finally loss of intestinal Flora is more associated with use of antibiotics than with bowel preps. You can of course supplement them with probiotics or naturally with Live culture Yogurt, Keifer, and the like. I used to be a registered nurse, and I have a particular interest in the subject owing to my own IBS Barrett's esophagus, and history of digestive issues.
Please relax, try to think about other things, and don't believe what you read on the internet. When you do use the internet, limit your reading to responsible websites like May Clinic.
Thank you for your reassuring reply! I was worried I had an abnormal bowel shape or something! Thankfully I don’t have multiple health issues, just hiatal hernia diagnosed about 5 years ago. And too, digestive uncomfortableness my whole life. But this was my 1st ever colonoscopy. I was told I prepared very well for it. I feel weak and lost 2kg following the bowel prep. Plus the gurglings are so strong! I have already started on youghurt and some probiotics (i live in the UK and this health shop has probiotic chocolate balls you give to children. I don’t have children, i got it because i wanted to trial it before asking the doctor what type/brand I should buy when I get a clear diagnosis). I generally prefer the natural probiotics from sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers.
I will take it slowly with this until the next colonoscopy. Do you know how long I should take until I next colonoscopy? I was anxious to find out yesterday the reason of my pain (for months I have had this pain right side of belly button, visibly slightly swollen, appendicitis and hernia were ruled out) and now I have to wait until next colonoscopy where they will take biopsies, hopefully rule out IBD. I would be ok with IBS diagnosis, considering my health anxiety! I am scared of the worst!
My colonoscopy was terribly painful and I was told that it was because I had a floppy tortuous colon. It is too long so lots of loops in it. It does cause me problems with bowel movements but I'm overcoming that with trial and error. Hope all goes well for you.
Yes but only for the last 15 months since I went on the low fodmap diet which made pain and sickness worse as well. I am not really constipated now except I can't fully empty my bowel.
Yes. I had a colonoscopy last year that was terminated half way through due to the fact that I have a long loopy colon and I was in a lot of pain. The nurse told me the poor gastro was sweating to try to not touch the edges of my intestines going round the loops - a bit like the "Buzz wire game" and trying to not make the buzzer go off! He decided to stop the procedure himself. The same happened when I had one many years ago. The gastro said that this type of colon (which has many names: "long & loopy", "redundant" and "tortuous") is very common in IBS-C sufferers. Some people have these types of colons and never have any trouble with it. Other people get IBS like symptoms. In fact if you read the medical literature it is officially a condition in its own right that has symptoms that are similar to IBS. He referred me instead for a CT virtual colonoscopy where they fill you up with gas and perform a CT scan instead. Since I also have visceral hypersensitivity (intestinal nerve pain), I found being filled up with the gas very painful, but I at least managed to complete the procedure and get the formal diagnosis that everything otherwise is fine and I still have IBS.
Wow! That might shed some light on my mysterious pain! I have suffered from constipation and abdominal pain most of my adult life (now 35, started at about 25 when I moved to the UK). I have also suffered with anxiety which by this age gradually became chronic as I have more fears than ever. Like the more I learn, the more I fear! In October 2019 I had 4 weeks of unexplained diarrhea and pain around appendix and right side belly button. At A&E they ruled out appendicitis or hernia. Hence a colonoscopy was requested. Once the diarrhea stopped, my constipation was worse than ever, just pebbles. The pain around belly button has stayed there to these days and my husband says that area is slightly more raised (swollen) than left hand side. So odd! Gastro said it might be a post infection IBS. Hopefully that is the case and not a serious cause. My inflammation markers were also up 98 calprotectin. Are you prone to constipation in general too?
To give you a potted history too, I started IBS aged 30 after food poisoning from a trip to Mexico - so probably post infectious IBS. I would get bouts of IBS-D. This became chronic in my 40s when I'd go through times of work stress and that is also when the pain started to become chronic too. I was referred to a dietitian and went on the fodmap diet but there were hardly any fodmap foods I could tolerate from the method of testing I was given. From then on I used to have to consume a lot of fibre (oat bran, seeds, cellulose powder) to have a bowel movement. At the time I didn't realise I was constipated. In the past 2 years the pain became chronic again despite the diet and I found I had to pare the diet back even more (just certain veggies, protein & white rice). After the colonoscopies I was formally diagnosed with IBS-C (constipation dominant) with intestinal nerve pain. With the long loopy colon diagnosis everything dropped into place. The intestinal nerve pain is due to a loss of neurons in pain control centres of the brain due to severe stress e.g. from work, PTSD, even things like neglect in childhood. The first line treatment is 10mg Amitriptyline which works as a nerve pain agent and not an anti-depressant at that dose. I couldn't tolerate this or other centrally acting nerve pain agents like gabapentin. I am now doing well on Linaclotide for IBS-C and intestinal nerve pain - this reduced the pain considerably. I have also recently started Alflorex probiotic (which has been scientifically studied for IBS) on a 2 months free trial on subscribing to theibsnetwork.org. I can't quite believe it, but the pain has more or less gone! Both treatments are allowing me to slowly expand my diet.
I wouldn't worry about your 98 Calprotectin. Mine was 329 prior to the colonoscopies! I still was diagnosed with IBS.
It would be good for you to get referred to see someone about your anxiety if not done so already, since you'll be aware that this can irritate your IBS.
Thank you xjrs! This would even more make sense! I have had a rough childhood and generally been mildly depressed throughout life. Plus further recent traumas, like my husband having a mental breakdown last year, which spiked the anxiety too. I am aware mental issues go hand in hand with gut issues. I did read online that antidepressants will help with IBS, like Sertraline. Some studies say that amitryptiline might make constipation worse in some people, compared to the sertraline type antidepressants., so I will have to trial and error on this, I know. I will definitely ask about Linaclotide once I get a diagnosis. And also a good idea to enroll in a clinical trial. Hopefully the next colonoscopy will go past those stubborn loops. I just found out it will be in a week’s time so hopefully a second bowel prep in 8 days won’t be that traumatic for my colon! I will update here. Thank you again for taking the time to reply and reassure! x
So sorry to hear about all your and your husband's troubles. There is a definite link between IBS and traumatic life events, particularly going back to childhood:
You might already have this in hand, but I am a big advocate of psychotherapy. The main issue if past trauma isn't dealt with is that it will keep resurfacing, particularly when events later in life happen that have some similarity to the original trauma - it can send a person right back there and they respond the way they would have done as a child (fear, anger etc.). This is because these memories have become stuck from that point in time. If a person had grieved the original trauma at the time it happened, this memory instead would have been processed by the brain and banished to history. However some people are told when they are kids to 'stop crying', 'don't be such a baby', 'man up' or whatever or they are ashamed and hold the event as a secret. They get their heads down and get on with things, but the lack of grieving builds up and bites them in the proverbial later in life. This is how many people manage to put up with IBS - being well practiced at just getting on with things. There are some very clever techniques that properly trained therapists use which can unearth past trauma and then allow the grieving process to happen. This can have a huge impact on depression - like removing all that heavy baggage that people carry around with them. This provides a long term solution to (non-clinical) anxiety and depression without anti-depressants which a person may become dependent upon, though they may be useful in the short term.
Certainly Amitriptyline can cause constipation. If you require assistance with pain, unfortunately I've read scientific papers that SSRIs don't work on pain (only TCAs do this), so Linaclotide might be the way to go.
Good luck with your next test - remember it's going to help to get you a proper diagnosis and treatment, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. It would be great to hear how you're getting on.
Just had second colonoscopy and they managed to get past all loops. First results were normal looking bowel, but they took 10 biopsies. Gastro said more tests on small bowel need to be done to rule out IBD, as Crohn’s can be in the small bowel. So yes, the search continues, and I am sure everyone else here has a constant struggle with this “unseen” disease.
Well done for getting through the second colonoscopy! It can be such an ordeal. It is good that they are being careful, so that they can give you a certain diagnosis and give you the treatment that you need so you can obtain some relief. Please keep us posted with how you are getting on and good luck with it all.
Thank you xjrs for your kind reply. I am also looking to find a start in approaching the healing of past trauma. I know not all can be relieved but perhaps approaching some of “baggage “ as you said. It was only in the recent years that I noticed I became more sensitive. I am 36, this type of disease is quite typical for middle aged women, I wonder why.
I will keep testing to rule out the worse outcomes of these pains, but it feels like some form of IBS is involved anyways.
I have started, from yesterday, taking the Alflorex probiotics. It’s for 30 days. I will see how it goes. I got it as trial by subscribing to IBSnetwork which was £20.
Hi Mrsjulesflo, That is so great that you will be looking at dealing with the past. I have been twice at different times in my life and I've found it highly beneficial. It has changed the way I think about things. I am less able to accept bad behaviour from people and it has even changed who I will allow myself to have contact with. I don't know whether you have heard of HSP (highly sensitive person) and you can find out if you are one by taking this test:
It is a proven genetic variation that predisposes someone to being sensitive. It isn't a disability or an issue - it's based on evolution. In communities you need those who just go ahead and do things and don't think about risks i.e. the hunters of this world. To counter balance that evolution will always have a certain number in the community (about 1 in 20) who are highly sensitive who try to get the non HSPs to think about what they are doing and try to prevent bad things from happening i.e. those who are more risk averse or more sensitive to other people's needs. I scored 100% on that test! I strongly believe that being a HSP may give you a higher predisposition to illnesses such as IBS, where the nerves are more sensitive.
In terms of affecting women more it's possible this might be related to fluctuating hormones. Also women have more cross talk in their brain between logical and emotional centres and whether those emotional centres will have more impact on the gut/brain connection. Interesting topic.
Good that you are giving Alflorex a go. I take 1 x 290mcg Linaclotide pill just prior to bed time. It states you should take it at least 1/2 hour before a meal (to help with bowel movements), but it doesn't really help me with bowel movements (though it does for others). However, it does help me with the pain, which I tend to get more at night which is why I take it before bed time. Though it's one of those things that need to be taken regularly to allow the build up of certain gut based chemical to act on nerve receptors. You'd need a formal diagnosis of stubborn IBS-C with intestinal pain to be prescribed it I would have thought.
I have just taken that test and I scored 19; they say anything above 14 is HSP. Not surprised, I did found myself at times crying for other people’s problems, let alone mine!
Hopefully the medical investigation journey will be over soon and I will find myself a treatment routine that addresses both mind and body. I am glad you found yours!
My colonoscopy also had to be terminated as bowel loopy, and procedure very painful. Had a virtual colonoscopy instead, like xjrs found being pumped full of air very painful, but got through it. Hope all goes well for you, and you get some answers
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