Colonoscopy

peteb2

johnwest288 wrote: »

Your through it now Sham fair play. Do you have to have your bum on show in the waiting room? Reason I ask I have a skin condition and really paranoid about it on my legs and thighs etc. Also where do you get the prep stuff? I just got a letter saying appear at the hospital this week. Doesnt mention fasting or picking up a prep in chemist?

Where are you getting it done? I was in the Mater. You are in the waiting room until there is a bed free. then you get changed and stick in the bed until they push you away to get it done. So no one sees you.

You have to pick up the prep ahead of time from the hospital. And would STRONGLY suggest you take the day off work!!

johnwest288

peteb2 wrote: »

Where are you getting it done? I was in the Mater. You are in the waiting room until there is a bed free. then you get changed and stick in the bed until they push you away to get it done. So no one sees you.

You have to pick up the prep ahead of time from the hospital. And would STRONGLY suggest you take the day off work!!

Doesnt mention anything re prep on any paper work just dont eat before 12 mid night night before. Cant get through to hospital getting it done in Connolly, do i just go to the chemist and get it there?

EDIT
Rang them.... "did you not get the prescription"
eh No??? !
Have to head down now to pick it up from hospital!
Public Service, would a looked a right idiot wednesday turning up full of you know what!

peteb2

Well in fairness you know there ain't nothing going up without everything coming down!

Strawberry Fields

Did anyone not have a follow up consultation after colonoscopy. I was given a tablet to take for 6 months after it in the hospital but I'm suffering further trouble now with my bowels, a gp gave me immodium last night but I'll be back to see him tomorrow if things don't improve.:(

peteb2

godeas16 wrote: »

Did anyone not have a follow up consultation after colonoscopy. I was given a tablet to take for 6 months after it in the hospital but I'm suffering further trouble now with my bowels, a gp gave me immodium last night but I'll be back to see him tomorrow if things don't improve.:(

What was the tablet ? I'm on mezevant. And they gave me a number of a nurse in the gi clinic mater if there was ever anything wrong.

Strawberry Fields

peteb2 wrote: »

What was the tablet ? I'm on mezevant. And they gave me a number of a nurse in the gi clinic mater if there was ever anything wrong.

40 mg nexium. Mine started in Tallaght but was outsourced to Mount Carmel to get it done sooner.

sham69

missed my follow up consulatation, have it on the 28th January.
Stomach has been better since the procedure but there is still something there IBS I reckon.
Really depends on what I eat and drink , its just a matter of finding out whats good and whats not.
Will be interesting on the follow up consult, reckon another scope in a few months...

GIJOEDF2

Hi , I had this colonoscopy procedure yesterday 22/01/13 in westmeath hospital . about 5 mins into procedure experenced severe pains for what seem like the rest of the test but didnt get anymore sedative or pain medication ,was aware of everything that was going on and could see all on the monitor . doctor removed one polyp he found and said would need to do test again in 2 years. anyway when i got home wanted to check what i should or should not eat / drink that evening and went looking on the web for people who had this treatment and what their experencies were . what i found was quite alarming as i dont think people are made aware of the pros and cons of this procedure no matter how low the % of problems are. the links below are a bit dated and from the usa so i dont know how relevant it is to irish patients . i am not trying to scare people but would like to know what your take on this information is . i am 44 year old male .

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1784288


http://www.fibermenace.com/crc/crc_colonoscopy.html


http://roarofwolverine.com/archives/2772

peteb2

Eat whatever you want. If you look hard enough you will always find something bad. I could google "the dangers of owning a cat" and probably find a range of articles and "studies".

roundymac

A bland diet at the start, no onions wholemeal/grain cereals etc. Had mine today, a hemeroid and a couple of polups plus a hiatus hernia. B/tard hurt me, don't really remember much, am getting a flashbck of me abusing the nurse during the endoscapy, she told me before hand I would probably do that. Tried to pull the tube out of my throat aparently.

sham69

Had my follow up consultation last Monday.
Good news.
I need to go back in 3 years for another scope due to the fact that they found a polyp.
It looked fairly big ( I know it was blown up on the screen but still)
Doc said all was fine apart from that, endoscopy was clear etc.
I do need to lose about a stone or so in weight but I knew that myself.
Food wise he couldn't really advise me, if it's ibs as he suggested , it's really a matter of finding what foods work for you apart from the obvious , no junk , fatty or salty foods, ease up on the beer etc.

Overall quite relieved and stomach hasn't been bad all week, I'm guessing stress and worry were playing their part.

I've started probiotic yoghurt drinks and started drinking lots of water.
Feeling better for the first time in over a year.

Mr Velo

i've been scheduled in for one of these next week. However, i don't need to take any laxative the night before, they will give me something on the day.
Also, i will be able to drive home myself following the procedure.

Is that normal?? I was sure it was done under sedation and with the requirement to have a driver with you.

LegacyUser

Mr Velo wrote: »

i've been scheduled in for one of these next week. However, i don't need to take any laxative the night before, they will give me something on the day.
Also, i will be able to drive home myself following the procedure.

Is that normal?? I was sure it was done under sedation and with the requirement to have a driver with you.

I had Picolax and Senacot in St James, Didn't have any sedation, the camera is smaller than any average "poo" you will ever do, if you ever had a prostate exam its a similar feeling as they put in a sleeve for the camera to pass through so only feel it the once. Once it's in you won't feel it unless something goes seriously wrong like a perforation in which case its off to surgery.

As for the actual procedure, the worse you have is the feeling of bad gas / cramp as they expand using air blown in through the camera head. There was only or three times where I had that feeling. I actually got to recovery, got dressed straight away and left within 10 - 15 mins and went back to work for the rest of the day.

You will be passing wind like you ate kilos of beans and the cramping can be painful enough as the air works its way out but its not a procedure that needs any sort of drugs etc.

The Endoscope, that's the worse and I wish I had been knocked out for that.

sue z

I'm having this done on Thursday. They have given me the option of sedation and get a lift to and from hospital, or no sedation and drive myself. They said it should all be done by 1 O'Clock.

How long will it take to be safe to drive again after sedation?

helimachoptor

sue z wrote: »

I'm having this done on Thursday. They have given me the option of sedation and get a lift to and from hospital, or no sedation and drive myself. They said it should all be done by 1 O'Clock.

How long will it take to be safe to drive again after sedation?

i think they say next day to be sure, can you not get someone to pick you up?

sue z

helimachoptor wrote: »

i think they say next day to be sure, can you not get someone to pick you up?

I can and I intend to, but I was hoping to drive later that day as I should be done around 1 O'Clock. I was hoping to drive around 3

gman2k

sue z wrote: »

I can and I intend to, but I was hoping to drive later that day as I should be done around 1 O'Clock. I was hoping to drive around 3

I'm of the understanding that insurance is null and void for the period prescribed by your doctor.

Gael23

No its not ok to drive that soon afterwards. You wont be covered by your insurance as you will have been told by Dr not to drive

kormak

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I just wanted to echo what the very first poster posted...
I read most of this thread before my own colonoscopy and to be honest I very nearly convinced myself that I didn't need it and wouldn't show up to my appointment. Thank God I did attend and got my formal diagnosis.
Some of the posts in this thread were very negative and not what someone facing this procedure wants to see.

For me it wasn't too bad an ordeal. The fasting, I didn't find too bad... I took the Picolax and yes it pretty "empties" you out but that's what needs to happen. Like a really bad dose of the skits!
I arrived for my 10:45am appt. 10 minutes early. I was 6th in line and sat waiting patiently. Everyone waiting soon realized it was gonna be a long day as they did not have enough beds in the recovery unit!
At 1.30pm I was eventually admitted, given a private room, a very skimpy gown, got a cannula in the arm and was told told to sit and wait till I was called. So I sat there and waited.... and waited... and waited.... eventually at 4pm I was called and it was time to face the music.
(I might add I last drank water at 8am that day and was waiting nearly 6 hours in the hospital for my appt to begin)

And so I lay on my left side and was given some sedative. No oxygen mask was given and they quickly started the procedure.
I have to say, I know they sedated me but it felt very mild. I was still very much with it, but was expecting (again based on reading posts here) to be whacked out of it or knocked out.
I didn't really feel any pain as such during the procedure but it was uncomfortable at times. A very surreal experience watching and feeling this camera on screen meandering through a maze of tunnels that is the inside of your bum!!
They took several biopsies, again could see them doing it on screen but couldn't feel a thing.
Within 20/30 minutes, the job was done and I was wheeled into recovery. I didn't sleep it off, just lay there flaked out and farted quite a lot! Then half an hour later I was eating some tea n toast while my Mrs sat and waited with me.
It was a nervous ordeal and it's very normal to be nervous of such a procedure. But it really wasn't all that bad.