Which means my prep starts tomorrow. Or tonight, actually since I'm only allowed clear fluids after 10 pm tonight and nothing to eat or drink except clear fluids tomorrow and nothing at all by mouth on Thursday morning.
Everyone I've talked to about the procedure says the procedure itself is a cakewalk - you're floating on drugs through it and most people don't remember much beyond that IV injection. But the prep....ugh - the prep.
I think the best way to approach this is the same as I did my cancer treatment. Sure, it's terrible and nothing that people would do for fun, but if it's necessary for my life and health I'll do it. The good news is my gastroenterologist can do everything there in his office so I don't need to go to the hospital and the staff have been very helpful and kind on the phone.
If anyone's interested I'll give an account on late Thursday or Friday of how it went (an abbreviated account, I won't torture you with icky details)
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Ewwww! Um - well, a friend of the family recently had one, and the prep is supposed to take just a few hours, but her body reacted rather more . . . enthusiastically to the meds, so she spent a whole night on le toilet. If she had known she was already good, she could have not taken the last dose or two. The doctor told her later that this would have been fine (she was very happy with him). So - ask ahead of time what a good, ah, stopping point is. Not everyone needs the same amount of meds.
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I've heard tell from patients that have had more than one that the stomach acid, when coming through, can be quite acidic and burning to the mucosal area. Kind of like when a baby with diarrhea gets that flaming, sore, red rash.
Judicious and copious use of a vaseline barrier has worked well for some in the past. Others didn't seem to have the problem. Me? I'll be taking no chances. *smile
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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Thanks, CT, for the hint. I was planning on a liberal application of something like A&D.
I am also really dreading the not drinking anything for the whole day before my 1:10 appointment. I am a water fiend.
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Thank you all for the visuals now running through my head. Excuse me as I poke my eyes out with a dull spoon. I guess Misery does love company.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I'm not looking forward to this at all. Unfortunately, my family has a history of prostate cancer, so I imagine that it's going to be in my future (or a precedure like it, anyway).
Best of luck Belle!
Posts: 3852 | Registered: Feb 2002
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My dad's had to get several colonoscopies and he says they're no big deal except for the no food part. He's a wuss when it comes to shots, needles and bloodwork (he won't donate blood), so I hope his endorsement conforts you.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
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I had a colonoscopy done during my college years. I hated the taste of the mix they gave me. Tasted like a combination of pineapple juice and milk. The actual, um, effect of the medication wasn't too bad, though. My mom and I played Cribbage most of the night, in between the bathroom breaks.
As for the procedure itself... my nurse had warned me that the drug they give you acts as an amnesiac, so that I wouldn't remember anything. Even knowing this in advance, I was still surprised when I woke up and found myself in the recovery room. Kept wondering how I had gotten out there. *laughs*
I hope the results of your tests are good!
Posts: 1805 | Registered: Jun 1999
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I had one done when I was 12. The first time they tried I had a paradoxical reaction to the drug they gave me (Versed.) I hallucinated for 4.5 hours. It wasn't fun.
So the next time they had me in for it, I had to be put under general anesthesia. I don't remember any of it; I do remember TWICE the prep, and the fact that
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WARNING: TMI AHEAD
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the medicated enemas they had me do STILL didn't get me all cleaned out and they apparently had to, um, clean me out on the table to get the scope up. So I woke up with a VERY sore bum, which lasted about 2 days.
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TMI OVER
Take some fiber tonight before you go on clear liquids and drink lots of water to try to avoid the problem I had, is my advice.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Oh, man! I read it wrong, since a friend just had a colon removed, and I thought that was what you were having, and I was thinking, how cruel to make light of this serious condition.
But you will be fine, Belle.
In fact, it's in the bag.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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Boy, Belle has spent so much time at the doctor's office, she must be getting to know the place inside and out. I bet if anyone were lost, she could direct 'em.
This was just what I needed when I woke up this morning - to read this thread. You guys rock, you always make me feel better.
CT - they've given me a prescription for Reglan, and told me when and how to take pills today, do you think that might be to help with the situation you discussed?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: I've heard tell from patients that have had more than one that the stomach acid, when coming through, can be quite acidic and burning to the mucosal area. Kind of like when a baby with diarrhea gets that flaming, sore, red rash.
Judicious and copious use of a vaseline barrier has worked well for some in the past. Others didn't seem to have the problem. Me? I'll be taking no chances. *smile
I had to do quite a few of these preps in the past, and, after my first experience, my doctor upped my Tagamet prescription for the few days before. It helped quite a bit.
I feel for you, Belle. I hope it doesn't get too bad.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Taken the Reglan. In thirty minutes I start the "real" prep. I will refrain from giving you updates after this point until the whole thing is done. We'll just skip right over the rest of tonight, and I'll tell you how the procedure itself goes tomorrow.
You can thank me later for sparing you from the details. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Reglan is good for nausea and helps move things through the GI tract more quickly, so I doubt it would change the issues CT mentioned.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Well, everything is fine. I have no idea what i's like to have a colonoscopy, because I can't remember it. The meds were wonderful, I went to sleep, woke up, asked the nurse how long until I went in and she said "You're already done sweetie."
Dr. H said he saw no problems at all, and even thought the original recommendation was I have one every year he thinks we can skip next year and go to every two years for now.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Wow, that's awesome. I was thinking about you, but I'm still a little squeamish (used to be a lot, then I had Aerin), so they were slightly vague thoughts.
How awesome are forget-y meds?! I'm so glad you got them.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Oh, man! I read it wrong, since a friend just had a colon removed, and I thought that was what you were having, and I was thinking, how cruel to make light of this serious condition.
colonoscopy ? colonostomy. Words sound similar, but thats pretty much where the similarity ends.
And congratulations Belle!! I'm glad to hear that doctor is making appointments for you 2 years into the future.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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My brother had a colonoscopy a few weeks ago--they removed 12 polyps. All benign, thank heavens. But the doc told him that polyps are essentially precancerous, so he may be doing the annual colonoscopy. And the doc also told him that if he had any siblings, they should also have the test because more than likely they have the same problems. Oh, goody.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I am absolutely fine today, no lingering effects of any kind. Read that how you will.
The doctor's office called to check on me and I told them I was okay and they said that was what they liked to hear. The nurse was the same one that was in the room with me when I went under so I asked her if I said anything funny under the influence of the drugs and she said that I told them please don't make fun of my underwear, because I wore an old pair. She said it was just like a woman to be thinking that others might make fun of her underwear. I don't remember saying that. Pretty funny. But I mean, seriously, who wears good underwear to a colonoscopy?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Pretty funny. But I mean, seriously, who wears good underwear to a colonoscopy?
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