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This is a positive post about getting a colonoscopy

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 4/27/2011 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm 38 yrs old and for most of my life I've been told by doctors that I probably have IBS. But, I've never had any major test or scope to confirm this. Recently I had urgency for BM's and some passing of blood and tissue. I had a colonoscopy done today and I want to encourage anyone who has never had one to get one. I put off having this done for years due to my own extreme anxiety. The prep I used was suprep and I had two doses of prep divided by about 5 hours. I had to mix 6oz of the prep with water up to 16oz line. Then immediately after drinking that, I had to drink two more 16 oz glasses of water within the hour. The prep just tastes a little sickening sweet but it was not bad at all. The amount of diarrhea you have afterwards is not bad at all either. Most of us have had extreme cases of urgency and diarrhea or from a stomach bug that are much worse than you feel with the prep. I also thought I'd feel so weak and dehydrated from it all and I didn't. By the time you're ready to go to the appt, you don't feel like you have to go anymore so there really isn't a chance for having an accident while en route to the doctors office.

I had my colonoscopy done at my doctors office, not at the hospital, with "conscious sedation". They gave me versed and demerol. I immediately felt relaxed as soon as the demerol went in and the next thing I remember is a nurse waking me up, telling me I was in the recovery room.

I feel like it was important for me to write this post because I know how much anxiety this can cause people. I'm normally very fearful of any medical thing. I have a fear of throat cultures, swallowing pills, vomiting, etc...But this test was nothing. I even just started my period this morning and had lots of menstrual cramps. I still went through the test. If you ever think you have more than IBS, its so important to have this scope done to rule out other things. Its always best to catch anything bad as early as possible. If I can get through this, anyone can.

My results were great-no polyps, no IBD, no hemorrhoids. They told me I have proctitis which may be caused by the prep itself. But my husband and I think this all came about because we had a wretched stomach virus going through our house a few weeks ago. That's when my symptoms started. Either way, I was given an enema I have to do each night and that should fix me up.
Posted 4/27/2011 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Chrissy,

Thanks so much for putting this post up. I have just finished my prep ready for my proceedure tomorrow morning and even now I still have nerves about it. There are so many horror stories about, about colonoscopy it really does make a difference when you're waiting for one to stumble upon a not so bad experience, wishing you a speedy recovery :-)
Posted 4/29/2011 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
Yes Chrissy good post, people need encouragements sometimes and most people post negative responses to tests and doctors more so usally then good ones.

My Dad died of colon cancer because he waited to long to be scoped.

Its important to get the test done if the doctors suggest them.

I am glad you posted this, thanks.
Posted 12/30/2011 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I'm having my first one Jan 13, I admit I'm a bit nervous.  Not so much with the test itself, but of the results.  Let's just say things haven't been quite right for a while.  I probably should've seen to this sooner but I was hoping things would clear on there own.  What got me to the doctor finally was when I started developing a burning irritating rash after a bout of diareaha.  This rash comes and goes and my stools have not been formed in a long time.  So, I thought ok this rash is apparently my bodies way of telling me to have this seen about.  If it's nothing then great fine wonderful, but if it's somthing that does need attention I'd rather do it now than wait any longer.  I've always had tummy troubles and I just am fed up with it.  So wish me luck.  Since I had a few weeks before my test I've been writing things down as far as how many times I go, symptoms, that kind of thing so the GI doc can see kind of what I go through on a daily basis.  I'm 37 and I know my dad has had issues with polps in the past but I feel like its something other than polps for me.  Things just don't feel right down in the gut.  I haven't noticed any blood but when I went to my PCP and spoke to him first about things he did mention something about mucos so who knows.  I hate that I have a couple of more weeks, but it was the first 7:30a.m. appointment they could get me.  I'm going to pick up my prep kit at the pharmascist monday.  He said there are some things that can cause mucos and rashes to form.  I was tested for Celiac Disease with blood work that came back negative.  My GI doctor said that if needed he might have a Dermatologist further investigate the rash.  I hope I get to pick the Dermatologist cause I have one already that I like and trust.  He wants me to get the colonoscopy done first.  Part of me wants to go onto the dermatologist, but I'm trying to go by his game plan.

Post Edited (JRBear) : 12/30/2011 3:00:08 PM (GMT-7)

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