have any of you ever had a colonoscopy before?

carlita · Jan 19, 2004

:cry: :roll: :? :irked:

:crazy:

okay so i'm totally not looking forward to friday. well, friday actually won't be as bad as thursday probably.

i finally went to the gastroenterologist about my *ahem* issues and they decided the pain i've been having for the past 3 years is "non-specific abdominal pain" which i don't agree with and they gave me antispasmodic medicine that hasn't done anything but make my eyes burn so far. (that's one of the side effects.)

so the pain in my upper abdomen, i was told, doesn't concern them as much as the problems my lower abdomen has been giving me. so... they said they wanted me to have a colonoscopy. they said "you probably have IBS, but there's no way to diagnose that without doing the procedure and we also have to rule out any kind of inflammatory bowel disease."

my mom and dad have both had this done and i've talked to a couple of other people i know that have also had it done and the general concensus seems to be that the preparation the day before is the worst part. they're putting me to sleep with "the good stuff" according to one of the ladies at the doctor's office so i'm thinking the procedure itself won't be that bad. my mom says i won't even remember it. at all.

so anyway, if any of you have had any experience with this and have any tips or just things you think you want to warn me about ahead of time, i'd really appreciate it. i know it's sort of a personal discussion, but as you can see it doesn't really bother ME all that much. i can understand if other people aren't as open about it. so if you'd like to say something but just don't want everyone knowing about it, feel free to PM me.

okay now if any of this bothered you, just try to pretend i never said it!! ;-)

MDowdey · Jan 19, 2004

hey carlita!!! Your talking to the king of stomach problems!!!

ive had 2 colonoscopies and 3 endosopies. The medicine they give you(probably mag-citrate) is the worst thing i have ever had to endure. lets just say that youll need a couple good magazines and a quiet bathroom. the actuall procedure was a snap. they gave me meprigan(demerol and phenigrin). that was really good stuff. you wont remember it, youll feel completely fine afterwards and they wont find anything. ill be thinking about you this week.

in my thoughts..
md

carlita · Jan 19, 2004

thanks.

and yeah, i'll end up having an endoscopy done as well here in a few weeks if this medicine they gave me doesn't start helping my upper abdominal pain before i check into the hospital friday morning. they just said they didn't want to do that procedure yet if the medicine did the trick. it doesn't seem to be as of yet though.

do you have to drink nasty crud for that one too? :-?

MDowdey · Jan 19, 2004

for the endoscopy you dont. it will reach as far as the bottom of your stomach and thats it. The endoscopy was far more painful than the rear entry. MY throat was sore afterward and my mom told me that the orderlies AND nurses had to hold me down while the tube was going in because i was trying to fight it. then, to make matters worse...they gave me pictures of it to take home. bastards.

md

steve817 · Jan 19, 2004

And don't pay any attention to those that tell you they are going up there with the hubble telescope.

Not quite the hubble

MDowdey · Jan 19, 2004

it certainly didnt feel like the hubble. but that doctor wasnt gentle. from what i can recall. i fell asleep right after the two hot nurses came in the room and turned me on my side. THANK GOD.

md

havoc · Jan 19, 2004

You know its a sad commentary on todays medical society that doctors have to jam a camera in your ass to diagnose a problem that isn't there... I am with Carli and Trish on this one, i bet they won't find anything! Is it because they have an ass fetish and they enjoy it? I am thinking so....

Well i hope everything goes ok this week for ya Carli, we all will be thinking about you.

On the lighter side though, i knew you were a kinky girl..... But i had no idea

voodoocat · Jan 19, 2004

Western medicine has no cure for our sickness. I have similar issues to yours and will never bother with the camera up my rear. Good luck with that!

MDowdey · Jan 19, 2004

yeah! they called mine bad nerves. basically if i think hard enough about it...i can make myself crap. could i be one of the x-men?

md

Jewel · Jan 20, 2004

Hi Carli

I'm a nurse (operating theatre), and have seen a few colonoscopies. Apparently the worst thing is the prep solution - they have to make sure it's all empty or they won't see a thing. Apart from that, some dream-juice on the day and you won't know anything about it.

I've had an endoscopy, you fast for that one. Once again, everything has to be empty. Most I can remember is them putting a bite-block in my mouth, then I was out to it. The home video they sent with me has been relegated to the back of the video collection........

Good luck with it all, and just remember - doctors and nurses aren't sadists, we don't do this for the fun of it!

Jewel

Dew · Jan 20, 2004

i've never had that procedure done, but i guess its a necessary evil :? ... good-luck girl ... get it done, before something comes back to haunt u in your old age

terri · Jan 20, 2004

Dew's right; symptomatic or not, it's one of those procedures encouraged by physicians that everyone undergo eventually. I've dodged it for years.

Once you get past the prep, it'll be over before you know it - good luck girl!!!

carlita · Jan 22, 2004

i'm fairly young to be having this done though. my 24th birthday is next friday. :-?

in 2 hours the preparation begins... gotta start chuggin that nasty crap they gave me. it's chilling in the refrigerator. i brought a book here to my parents' house from my place that i've been trying to finish for like 3 years and i'm bettin i'll get a fair amount of it done in the next several hours. ;-)

ooooooooohhhhhhhhh, there really is no way to brace yourself for this part is there? BLARGH!!

i feel like i should be doing lamaze breathing or something.

maybe i'll stop by here tomorrow when i'm all doped up (or on IRC even). that could be entertaining. probably more so for you guys than for me.

anyhow, thanks for the support and i'm sure i'll be fine.

talk to you guys later!