Well, if I don’t drown from the preparation, I will be having a colonoscopy on Monday — my first one.
Yes, I know this is a yucky topic.
I am overdue for one, actually. And I am not looking forward to it. Does anyone actually look forward to a colonoscopy?
From what I have read online, preparing for it is worse than the actual procedure. It involves swallowing some tablets, drinking a lot — i.e. two litres! — of some salty solution and spending much time sitting on the throne . . . (yes, we are getting close to Too Much Information now).
Why am I having one? Only because one is supposed to check these things out, apparently, and I have been remiss in doing so.
I know I am not the only one. I bet many of you have had colonoscopies? What can you tell me about them?
— Jillian
Jillian Page 
I have had two and they have been much like you describe although it might be because of the doctor that I actually almost enjoy the procedure. You are right though. The preparation SUCKS! Good luck!
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I have had two colonoscopies also, and yes, the prep was the worst part of it. If they properly sedate you, the procedure itself will be a non-event. You will probably sleep for most of the rest of the day after you go home – very groggy. When I had my last one, I have no clue how I managed to get dressed or into a wheelchair to be wheeled out, or up the ramp into my mom’s place for that matter, and the rest of the day was a blank also.
One wee bit of advice – make sure that they give you something for nausea when you are coming out from under the sedation, because urping up your toenails is NO fun. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Good luck!
Steve
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It may be weird but no sleepiness no nausea. Other than the preparation I found the procedure easy. I’m almost looking forward to my next one
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Well better assured than yucky no? And think how yucky it is for the prober; which will be human we hope! Just yuckking around. And Joyeux Noel ma chere! PS. Please make sure Proby is trusted and that magic wand clean!!! if you know what I mean %D%O%*
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I’ve had two, and am way overdue for my third…which I’m going to have within the next month. Yeah, the prep is a bit of a nuisance, but boy do you get cleaned out! I don’t let them sedate me overly, as I like to watch the screen/monitor as the scope wanders around my colon and they snip polyps for biopsy. No big deal…something everyone should do.
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Familial history of bowel cancer on paternal side; so perspective is great to have on the experience and the potential alternatives. I’ve only had one, un-sedated, done by a Registrar wearing a niqab. I felt it had to be more of an issue for her than me but I also assumed it was far from her first as well. It was a breeze in comparison to the endoscopy I had which involves swallowing an endoscope while conscious, either sedated, or un-sedated as I was. Now that is guaranteed to make one feel absolutely wretched and miserable.
Have fun!
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Not much to add–prep is terrible, procedure is a non-event (I drove 8 hours to a vacation after my last (of 4)), peace of mind is priceless!! Good luck!!
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I’ve had two, the worst part is the preparation. Well worth it though for the peace of mind. I hope all goes well for you Jillian.
Kaye
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The prep is absolutely the worst part. My doctors allowed me to mix lemon Kool-Aid with mine.
The best part is the steak dinner afterwards.
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Thanks for all the responses, everyone. I suspected I wouldn’t be alone in this.
My next question: some people have done it without the sedation . . . is it painful that way?
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I have to have one every year or two and have probably had around twenty now. And yes the preparation is the worst (lots of throne time). The actual event is an anticlimax as you dont really know or feel it.
The irony of it is after all that throne time you may get an enema to make sure you really are sparkly clean.
Good luck
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I have not (yet) had a colonoscopy. I have had two fecal occult blood tests that were negative. Did you have one of those first, with an indication that the colonoscopy was necessary? Or did you have to go straight to the colonoscopy? I suppose if you have a family history, that might be how it goes. Glad I do not have a history! I’ve heard about the prep before, and I hope I can go through life without experiencing first hand. Glad all is well with you!
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I didn’t do other tests. Just this one. I was supposed to do the other one, even got the kit to do it with, but never got around to it.
Thanks!
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ALOHA JILLIAN……. hope it went well….. had one this past summer, and experience was similar to most comments above …. 20 minutes; out the whole time, done, driven to a friends; rested, back to “normal”….. one polyp, removed, non-cancerous….. aloha from the north shore of maui…..
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