In article <362dbfa8.3326...@news.exis.net>, saurus@*not*exis.net writes: >Any advice on getting a first colonoscopy? I'm a real wimp and hear >it's not too bad, but would like to hear some more. >Thanks a lot,
Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy???
With either, how bad it's gonna be will be related to how much the preparation (cleaning out the colon upsets any problems the colon is having... and some report the prep is the worst part of the whole thing), and how spastic your colon is (in the case of people who have Inflamatory Bowel Disease, also how much scar tissue, and the location of that scar tissue can play a role in how bad it is).
Colonoscopies generally sound like they can be more painful than sigmoidoscopies ( there is a greater inflation of the colon, and the instrument goes in farther).
If you've been having pain in the abdomen, I'd suggest taking drugs to sedate you, it's much easier to have the pain controlled if the medicine is in place prior to the onset of pain, than to ask for it after it starts to hurt.
They can be a breeze for some people and really bad for others... and it's kinda hard to predict which it will be for you.
For me the worst part of my sigmoid, was after being poked and prodded the colon spasmed a lot harder than usual for about 2-3 days. (Anti spasmodic medication helped, but not completely)
Good luck, Hope all turns out well.
********************************************************* Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never ceased to be entertained ---John Powell kmot...@aol.com
Thanks for your input. You echoed what I have already heard (I'm a real wimp when it comes to doctors!). My doc said he would use versed and demerol and after what you said I won't say no. Thanks again, Morris
On 21 Oct 1998 12:09:17 GMT, kmot...@aol.com (KMottus) wrote:
>If you've been having pain in the abdomen, I'd suggest taking >drugs to sedate you, it's much easier to have the pain >controlled if the medicine is in place prior to the onset of >pain, than to ask for it after it starts to hurt.
>They can be a breeze for some people and really bad for
Morris, it's just not that bad! The drugs are great, (and if your doc doesn't use them you need a new one) and the procedure is over before you know it. The day of "the purge" is worse. You're tied to the toilet and it's just not a productive day. You'll be fine!
saurus@*not*exis.net wrote in message <362dbfa8.3326...@news.exis.net>... >Any advice on getting a first colonoscopy? I'm a real wimp and hear >it's not too bad, but would like to hear some more. >Thanks a lot, >Morris
I am 36 and I was diagnosed with IBS last night at the ER. The Dr. there told me I should get a colonoscopy to rule out anything else. I am scared to death! I am very med. phobic and have panic disorder. Is this going to be horrible??? Please any info. on IBS and colonoscopy would be welcomed :-)) Thanks Kelly
>Morris, it's just not that bad! The drugs are great, (and if your doc >doesn't use them you need a new one) and the procedure is over before you >know it. The day of "the purge" is worse. You're tied to the toilet and >it's just not a productive day. You'll be fine!
>Steve
>saurus@*not*exis.net wrote in message <362dbfa8.3326...@news.exis.net>... >>Any advice on getting a first colonoscopy? I'm a real wimp and hear >>it's not too bad, but would like to hear some more. >>Thanks a lot, >>Morris
>I am 36 and I was diagnosed with IBS last night at the ER. The Dr. there >told me I should get a colonoscopy to rule out anything else. I am scared to >death! I am very med. phobic and have panic disorder. Is this going to be >horrible???
The first thing that you might want to do is find a GI that you feel comfortable with. He/she may first do upper and lower GI tests (in office). These test are uncomfortable, but 9/10 do not involve pain. A colonoscopy may not be necessary, but only your GI can tell you for sure.
Make a list of questions for the doctor and them make sure that they are answered to your satisfaction before you leave the office. Ilene (NY) IMO...@aol.com I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.
> The first thing that you might want to do is find a GI that you feel > comfortable with. He/she may first do upper and lower GI tests (in office).
Most doctors don't do GI tests in the office, they require X-ray machines and are done by X-ray techs.
> These test are uncomfortable, but 9/10 do not involve pain. A colonoscopy may > not be necessary, but only your GI can tell you for sure.
Lower GI test is definitely painful! A colonoscopy is a piece of cake compared to a lower GI (because of the drugs). Also a colonoscopy is the most comprehensive test.
Well, I made my appointment and go in Wednesday. I am seeing my Fathers Dr. and am very antsy about it. I cannot drink the medicine because of the panic disorder...I really don't know how he is going to be able to work with me but there has got to be a way. I am not so scared of the actual procedure but the stuff you have to drink the night before...I have developed med. phobia (a stem of the panic disorder) and I know there is no way I can get it down. I am not scared of the Valium they give to do the colonoscopy because it is a med. I take daily. I am just really hoping there is some alternative to the stuff that I need to drink the night b4. I am going to talk to him and just lay it all out and see how we can best get through this...My tummy still hurts but not like it did Sat. night....that was bad. It feels like a pinch on the inside of my tummy now. It is sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left. I really hate this :-( Thanks to all Blessings, Kelly I was weeping because I did not have a pair of shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
Also ask if a flexible sigmoidoscopy could substitute for the colonoscopy if that's what bother's you the most. They aren't nearly as intensive. My doc said if the flex-sig didn't show anything it is highly unlikely that the more intensive colonscopy would.
IMOCKU wrote in message <19981026092822.07000.00001...@ng102.aol.com>... >>I am 36 and I was diagnosed with IBS last night at the ER. The Dr. there >>told me I should get a colonoscopy to rule out anything else. I am scared to >>death! I am very med. phobic and have panic disorder. Is this going to be >>horrible???
>The first thing that you might want to do is find a GI that you feel >comfortable with. He/she may first do upper and lower GI tests (in office). >These test are uncomfortable, but 9/10 do not involve pain. A colonoscopy may >not be necessary, but only your GI can tell you for sure.
>Make a list of questions for the doctor and them make sure that they are >answered to your satisfaction before you leave the office. >Ilene (NY) >IMO...@aol.com >I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.
>Gosh, I must be the biggest baby. I thought I would die from a >Barium Enema! You all are tough cookies. >Yvonne
Yvonne - you are certainly far from being a baby. We all have varied pain tolerance levels. Also, I think that the mind works in strange ways when we are having medical tests that are foreign to us. We work ourselves up and often in the end (no pun intended) the tests are worse because of it.
I happen to have a terrific G.I. who has a very calming effect on me. I freaked all the way through my sigmoidoscopy. I wasn't in pain, but the feeling of all that air up there and thinking that I was going to have to go to the bathroom right on the table was pretty awful. I can still hear my G.I. going "Ilene, look, it's fascinating. Aw come on, open your eyes and take a look at your colon!" Ilene (NY) IMO...@aol.com I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.
Well, they looked inside me today and the diagnosis is in...IBS~ He was able to see that my intestine was completely normal. I cried like a baby while he looked but now that it is over I am really glad I went. He gave me a diet and told me to drink Metamucil 2x per day and to take the green stuff the ER Dr. gave me when the pain stabs instead of pinches. He said I did not need to have a colonoscopy at all. I am to call him in 2 weeks and let him know how I am and he said he will probably switch me at that point to a different type of Metamucil (some other brand he is looking in to). So now all the testing is over and I know what it is. Thank you all for the wonderful opinions and info. I guess now I am at the point of trying to figure out what flares it up and what doesn't so I know my do's and don'ts... The diet he gave me doesn't look bad at all and then there is the stress management...that's the challenge. Thanks again! Blessings, Kelly I was weeping because I did not have a pair of shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
>Well, they looked inside me today and the diagnosis is in...IBS~ He was able >to see that my intestine was completely normal
<snip>
>He said I did not need >to have a colonoscopy at all
Glad to hear that the diagnosis was nothing more serious than IBS. At least now you know what you are dealing with and you can face it head on. There's LOTs of us sufferers out there to comiserate with.
Ilene (NY) IMO...@aol.com I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.
In article <36365509.20452...@news.netunlimited.net>, jeb...@netunlimited.net (Jim Ed or Yvonne) writes:
>Gosh, I must be the biggest baby. I thought I would die from a >Barium Enema! You all are tough cookies.
A good percentage of people with IBS experience a great deal of pain and urgency from pressure in the large intestine. For the study I was a part of, they did this test with a balloon inserted. One of the tests they do with the balloon is to inflate it to where it is moderately uncomfortable and keep it inflated for 10 minutes.. At the begining of the study, I couldn't complete that part of the test, but at the end when my IBS was better, it was no big deal.
********************************************************* Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never ceased to be entertained ---John Powell kmot...@aol.com
I agree with u, everybody is different I hated having Barium and sreamed all the way maybe not from pain but also from embaressement. They should nock u out and wake u up when it's finished.. Thats my opinion Keep the faith someday they will find something for IBS
When I had a colonoscopy a few years back, they did "knock me out". I'm going in for another soon, plus an endoscopy as well. I really hope they put me under again, it made the whole experience bearable.
Sébastien Prévost wrote in message ... >I agree with u, everybody is different I hated having Barium and sreamed all >the way maybe not from pain but also from embaressement. They should nock u >out and wake u up when it's finished.. Thats my opinion >Keep the faith someday they will find something for IBS
