Has anyone had a colonoscopy?

[Pilotbaby]

Has anyone ever had a colonoscopy? Are you fully under anesthesia/ fully asleep? Is there a lot of pain after? Do you think its safer to have it done in a hospital or is a regular Dr.'s office ok? Any tips or things to consider beforehand? Thank you in advance.

[emily_gracesmama]

My husband has had 3 his father dies from colon cancer so they started him on early screenings every five years starting at 30. He has them in office but it's basically a surgical center. They do put him out for it. He is not able to drive himself to or from and he is a bit woozy afterward and typically sleeps for a few hours. The prep is not to uncomfortable for him anyway. I would say make sure to have help around since the prep requires um frequent bathroom trips and afterward rest is necessary but he is usually back to himself by dinner. They tend to schedule earlier in the day around 10 since you have been fasting since the night before. You do get clear liquids like broth to drink while prepping.

[LKMang]

My mom died of colon cancer so I started screenings last year at 34 years old. You are totally out for it. I was given propofol. The prep is the worst part, def have child care for the night before and the day after. You'll need a ride home. After the procedure, I was out of it for a little but just laid in bed for a couple hours and I was okay. I could eat normally afterwards and was really hungry. I had mine done at a surgical center and it was fine. The actually procedure was easy compared to the prep. You are on a liquid diet the day before the procedure. Chicken broth helped a lot. I also recommend not eating too huge of a meal the day before you start the liquid diet (since everything in you has to come out. sorry, gross!)

[ChristinaLucia]

Please don't quote since I will delete later, thanks!

I have had 2. The first I was pregnant so I had was not twilighted. It was absolutely fine. That one was in a hospital by one of the top docs in the country since everyone was scared to do one on a pregnant woman.

The other one was in the office. That one I was out of it and it was so much worse. They gave me a different prep and I was so so so sick from it. Literally it took me a week to recover. So I am not sure if it was the prep or the medicine. I don't to anesthesia well.

The actual procedures is easy. Prep is not great.

[Philly Mom]

I have had 2. An office that does them is normal and probably more pleasant. The prep is the worst part. You are out for it.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

My dh has had multiple bc of colon cancer. Some preps are better than others. His main complaint with the whole thing is the day of no food. Broth, jello...don't cut it. He's never been knocked out. He always remembers the images and what the Dr. said. He's woozy- they do the twilight sleep. I have to drive him home. Start to finish is 3-4 hours usually (intake through discharge). Eta- only ever had it done at a hospital.

[ahisma]

My MIL is terrified of anesthesia and has always done them fully awake. She says it's not bad at all (other than the prep) and has even left on a cross country road-trip immediately after.

[hillview]

I had one. The prep is the worst part of it. You are pretty out of it and there is ZERO pain NONE. None after either.

[Pilotbaby]

Do you mind if I ask you what type of medicine they used to put you out? I see quite a variety of responses on line and it looks like quite a few people wake up during the procedure. I wonder if a doctor's office will do that or just use a twilight medication. Thanks for your help.

I had one. The prep is the worst part of it. You are pretty out of it and there is ZERO pain NONE. None after either.

[Kindra178]

I had one. The prep kind of sucks. Beyond that, the procedure is easy. I had a valium drip so I was kind of out of it during the procedure. Immediately following it, I had lunch and then took a cab to my office and commuted home at a regular time on the L.

[Philly Mom]

Do you mind if I ask you what type of medicine they used to put you out? I see quite a variety of responses on line and it looks like quite a few people wake up during the procedure. I wonder if a doctor's office will do that or just use a twilight medication. Thanks for your help.

I have no idea what they use and it probably depends on the anesthesiologist. You will need to ask. I have had one done at a hospital and one done in a doctor's office. The doctor's office was much better from start to finish. They had an entire procedure room and an on staff anesthesiologist. I have never woken up prior to the recovery room.

Eta: I was not allowed to leave without showing that someone was taking me home from either the hospital or the doctor's office and I was in a major city where I could have easily taken a cab home.

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[hillview]

i dont remember what it was but i was more twilight really. It was honesly not a even slightly negative experience AFTER the prep. It was totally fine.

[lalasmama]

DH has them every few years (5) for precancerous changes. DSD2 has them for... I can't remember. Colitis of some sort, I think. I had mine because 2 aunts have had GI cancers before 40, and my biomom refuses to be tested.

Like others have said, the prep is the worst part. My GI had me do a constipation protocol prep, which consisted of 3 days of fluids only, something like 10 ducolax pills, a bottle of mag citrate, and a full bottle of miralax. Make sure to find the softest baby wipes you can, because at some point, cheap TP will start feeling like sand paper!

My GI uses propofol (whatever it's called--the Michael Jackson medicine). I did wake up during it. I remember waking up, looking at the screen with my colon just out there on the big screen TV like its a cooking show, and thinking, "weird." I asked a question, and they gave me a little more so I went back to sleep.

On the way home, we stopped at Burger King for a chocolate milkshake and fries, and Panda Express for noodles and sesame chicken. I think DH may have picked up ice cream too. I was hungry!

I think the anticipation is much worse than the actual procedure!

[jerseygirl07067]

I had one this year due to family history of colon cancer. For my prep I had to take a stool softener for 3 days prior and then the day before had to drink 2 bottles of magnesium citrate. Grossest stuff! Very very sour....I tried to chug it down as best as I could. I thought I was going to have to be near the bathroom as so many people had warned me, but I went with my kids to family math night at school the night prior and had no issues with having to use the bathroom. IIRC, clear liquids only the day before also.

The procedure itself was a piece of cake. I was put under for about 30 mins, probably woke up about 20-30 mins later. I don't even really know. I am blanking out on the name of the anesthesia they used, but I believe it was the same stuff Michael Jackson overdosed on...Propofol or something like that. It was awesome, I woke up, felt a bit drowsy for 10 mins or so then after that I was totally fine. It was a great day off, DH and I went for sushi and then rented a swan boat on a lake downtown. Then we went for ice cream!!

It really wasn't bad overall, prep is worst part of it due to gross tasting stuff!

[kbud]

I've had one. The prep is terrible. I kept throwing up the drink. Then of course the "side effects" of the prep are no fun.

I don't know what type of anesthesia I had but I was "out" although I felt and remember a lot of pain. I know I was in pain and I remember the pain but I don't remember anything else. Afterwards I had a strange reaction. It's hard to describe but almost like an anxiety type attack and dizzy. I just laid on the floor and was fine.

A friend's mil had her colon perforated during a routine colonoscopy. It's an uncommon thing but one of the risks. She was very, very ill. She will have to use a colostomy bag forever.

I know many others though that have had many with no troubles.

[magnoliaparadise]

Hi,
I had one last year. As others say, the prep was the only bad part, but even that was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Plan to have your DH or someone else around to watch the kids because you might be in the bathroom a lot.
The procedure was fine. I thought I'd be grossed out, but I wasn't. They did not put me under (though not exactly with it either) and it went relatively fast. The whole thing was fine.
Good luck.