I am 52 yrs old and this will be my first colonoscopy .
For about a year I have has haemorrhoids on and off very itchy and sore bottom that goes with it.
Felt the lump/s when I have had the attacks. No lumps present now.
Have had some constipation lately and have seen a little blood when wiping after staining and became very alarmed when I saw the blood red streaks thru a stool.
Sighting of blood has been small and very random hopefully due to just straining and the above.
I had an attack of piles recently and only a tiny smudge of normal colour that I could see on the outside of the stool. That was a week ago and nothing since ,piles gone thank God.
I am petrified I have cancer as I am a shocker with anxiety and always think the worst!
Saw my specialist and am booked in for the 15th August, told him all the symptoms.
He is booked out till then and if there is a cancellation , I a there!
Sorry to hear you are suffering & are anxious about having a colonoscopy. First of all try not to worry, as that will make you more anxious & that can make your stomach issues worse. Obviously no one looks forward to having the procedure & the preparation you will need to take before hand.
Everything will be explained to you at your pre-op appointment, including what it involves. You will be offered a sedative to help relax you. Before you know if it will be over & will enjoying a nice cup of tea. They will probably give you a report of the procedure, which will explain the findings. If any polyps are found they usually remove them.
They found I had diverticulitis on my colonoscopy, which in the scale of things could have been a lot worse.
It’s not the most pleasant of things to have to have done, but if it gives us peace of mind it’s well worth it.
That’s brilliant news 🙌. Glad the procedure went well. Not the most pleasant of things to have done, but very well worth it in the end. Onwards & upwards.
I had a colonoscopy in 2018. I was anxious, like you. The prep was the most trying part of the procedure because you have to stick close to the loo. The procedure itself was fine. I was sedated with fentanyl, but was able to watch the insides of my gut on screen, a very strange feeling. No pain. Afterwards I felt slightly tipsy as the sedation wore off. If I need another one, I will not be anxious.
I've had 2 colonoscopies, and as mentioned in the other replies, the preparation day is the most unpleasant. You will be back and forth to the toilet. Don't risk leaving the house. Have plenty of soft toilet paper. The procedure itself is not painful. You will need someone to drive you home, as although you will be conscious during the procedure you will have had a sedative.
Yes, thankyou SueCats I will stock up on toilet paper and stay close to the bathroom👍
As you mention soreness in the anal area I would definitely advise you apply petroleum jelly (vaseline) before and during the bowel clearance preparation stage to save any discomfort caused by repeated wiping. I hadn't even thought about it during my first bowel clearance and no one had advised it. But I was so sorry about that. I used the petroleum jelly for the next preparation some weeks later and the difference was amazing, because the skin was protected. I also used a small amount on the day of the scope procedure but check with the clinic if it's OK to do so (my clinic was fine with that). The rest of it is just following instructions, but I would recommend taking your own lightweight dressing gown with you, the ones provided by the clinic cover if you're bothered about modesty but you probably will be offered some "accessible" shorts as well. Hope it all goes well for you.
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Thankyou Littlebiker for the petroleum tip👍will certainly take this on board!
I too am a worrier...and I google everything which can drive you crazy. I've had 3 Colonoscopies and Endoscopies. Heartmatters1 said it all. You will be put to sleep and will not know what happened. I too have blood streaks on my stool sometimes, due to hemorrhoid's. I have IBS. You will be fine. There is always a lot of anxiety before any procedure. Please keep us posted. Ask God for peace of mind.
Had one in 2018 just as a routine screening procedure. The prep was a drag, but shorter than the standard ones I read about online. My gastroenterologist said that he had tweaked it to minimise the amount of time his patients had to absent themselves from work, bless him 🙏🏾 The colonoscopy itself went smoothly and I was given enough sedation to be unaware of the procedure but to wake up quickly after that. In addition to getting soft toilet paper and petroleum jelly, I suggest you do what millions of us outside the Western world do routinely every day: wash with water and then dry off with toilet paper. The extra advantage in this scenario is that you'll reduce the amount of rubbing you'll be doing with the paper. Don't worry and I hope you'll get reassuring results. All the best xx
Statistically you are far more likely to be diagnosed with IBS after colonoscopy than anything else. This happened to me on both occasions that I had one (even though my inflammation markers were elevated the second time). The best thing to do is try not to think beyond what you are doing now. Concentrate on day to day tasks and avoid discussing it with anyone or try to think too far ahead - in fact if your mind starts to wander onto it, just tell yourself that you are not going there. In fact, the worrying is normally far worse than any outcome. It will all be over before you know it and you will be able to move forward.
Yes thankyou so much, the overthinking gets ridiculous I have put myself in the grave already, so I have asked for more shifts at work so I don't have time to think about it!
Ironically, as you have constipation, the prep will definitely sort that out!
One thing I found out by accident (because they don’t tell you) is that not having eaten for a while can reduce your blood pressure (I almost passed out in the shower the following morning) so, if you don’t feel like eating much after the procedure, make sure you drink isotonic liquids like sports drinks or Diarolyte; in fact, if I recall correctly, you can probably drink this during the prep to keep your electrolytes in balance.
I am 64 and had my first colonoscopy at 49 due to same issues as what you described. My results were clear and it was just the hemorrhoids. Since that time, I increased my fiber and take daily probiotics which has helped immensely.
I have had 2 more colonoscopies and have had very small polyps both times. I would recommend doing a low residue diet for about 4-5 days prior to your procedure before the clear liquid diet day (less to come out). I also recommend the electrolyte drinks to avoid getting dehydrated. I also have used a bidet (low cost one from Amazon) for about 8 years which is much easier on your bottom than tons of toilet paper.
Hahaha! Thankyou so much, yes the bidet sounds the go indeed, the last thing is you need is toilet paper burn as well! And thanks for telling me your symptoms, I am feeling a lot better due to all the wonderful support here.😃
I can relate to your feelings as I'm booked in for my first Colonoscopy on the 17th August. Received the prep yesterday. For years it's been assumed I have IBS but then I had a CT scan which showed another condition plus Significant Diverticulor disease. However I have to take immoduim every day and my Gastroenterologist is thinking I might have Microscopic colitis. I have Rhuemtoid arthritis and there is a connection. This form of colitis isn't as bad as alcerated and treatment is the same. My test isn't until 5.15pm so it's going to be a long day but I'm told stay in near a toilet. Hope yours go well. I've opted for sedation
I feel for you, how awful having been assumed it's something else other than IBS for so long and then SD on top of the guessing leaving you to wonder as well.
I am dreading the prep, I have been told to start 2 days beforehand and I also have an afternoon colonoscopy. I mean I haven't had any other symptoms and things have gone back to normal but how normal is abnormal? Hope you get a good result, I will let you know seen as I am just before you, fingers crossed.🤔
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Gas, gurgling guts and soft stools - is this IBS?
Think my son has IBS - does this sound like he does?
Change in bowel movements 
Why did I just see bits of blood on stool?
Very unsettled and worried at the moment 
