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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 3/27/2006 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone been unable to have a colonoscopy?  I know I have many adhesions all through my abdomen from previous endometriosis surgeries.  I had so much pain I had to hold my breath not to scream.  The doctor said they could not give me more medicine without knocking me out and he could do more damage to the organs than the colonoscopy was worth.  Originally diagnosed with IBS after 1st colonoscopy which went fine.  It was about 12 years between the two.  Has anyone else had this happen?
Posted 3/27/2006 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Are they checking for IBD? The reason why I ask is that they can do other tests first before the colonoscopy that may rule out the need for a colonoscopy. They can do a fecal test to check for blood. They can do a CT scan which is basically an xray. I am doing an indium scan in next week (mine is not to diagnose, rather to pinpoint the severity of my inflammation of my UC). Colonoscopy is the best way to diagnose since they can take tissue biopsies however I understand you are at a greater risk. I would definitely talk to your doctor about other possible options.
Posted 3/27/2006 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
I always get knocked out for a colonoscopy...typically they keep you awake for a sigmoidoscopy and put you to sleep for a colonoscopy because it's more invasive which makes it more painful.
Posted 3/27/2006 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
Cooper, I just wanted to clarify... are you concerned about the sedation for the colonoscopy or the possible damage to your colon because of your adhesions, or both?
Posted 3/27/2006 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
We do have one person on the Forum who said that he was afraid to have a colonoscopy because his father had something wrong with him... lesions or something... and that caused them to perforate his colon during the scope and he died from it afterwards and the poster had this same problem and was afraid that the same thing might happen to him.

So yes, you can have a colon that's so messed up that it's too difficult and dangerous to perform a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy is really only necessary for finding colon cancer. If it shows that you have an IBD, great... now what? Not much more than can do about an IBD than IBS, so seeing which you have is almost pointless, except that knowing you have an IBD makes severe problems, like blood in the stools, not a cause for concern. Detecting colon cancer early gives you a high chance of survival (detecting it late gives you a very low chance), but if having a colonoscopy is very risky for you and especially if you don't have a family history of colon cancer, then better to not have it and to just guess at IBD versus IBS.
Posted 3/27/2006 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all of the responses. I will try to hit on all questions. No I am not afraid of getting the colonoscopy. I have a very sucessful one 12 years ago and it was then that I was diagnosed with IBS. I tried to have the next one because my D was so severe. My previous gastro dr was not practicing anymore so my GYN suggested another colonoscopy. I could not tell they had given me anything for pain, but I have had a lot of pain medicine over the years and I am sure it takes more for me than a normal person. It was the doctor who said he could do damage to my organs if I was having that much severe pain. Therefore, he didn't want to knock me out because of damage he could do to organs. And yes, they did the fecal test before the first sucessful colonoscopy, but next doctor did not mention it. Keriamon, thanks for the post about the person who did die from the damage done by the colonoscopy. I just wondered if everyone with IBS had this problem, or if it is just the adhesions that will keep me from ever having a colonoscopy again. There is no colon cancer in my family. I just had the second one done because of the constant D and on the advice of the GYN. Thanks for all of the replies.
Posted 3/27/2006 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
I would think that adhesions, lesions and certain other problems with the intestinal wall would make the wall thinner and easier to puncture. Or else make it narrower and harder to navigate, leading to mistakes. But no, people with IBS generally don't have that sort of ulceration of the intestinal lining (although some do have ulcers and lesions around the rectum/anal canal area). I've not even heard of colonoscopies being dangerous for people with IBD and ulcers, so I'm guessing you have to be pretty messed up inside for an accident to happen (or else have a seriously bad doctor). I mean, when you eat a bratwurst or similar sausage, the intestinal wrapping on it is pretty elastic and hard to tear, so a normal or even mostly normal intestine in a human ought to withstand a few prods by a colonoscopy scope.

If they can't give you medicine enough to knock you out for a colonoscopy, then that sounds like a good reason not to have one!
Posted 3/28/2006 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Keriamon. I am not sure if it was a bad doctor, or I am so bound up with adhesions. When I had the first colonoscopy I was awake during the whole thing and as soon as they brought me back to the post op I was ready to get up and put my clothes on. The nurse couldn't believe it, and sarcastically said well you just walk down the hall then. She was amazed when I could get up and walk straight down the hall and was not wobbly. I think the second doctor did not give me anywhere near enough medication because I felt like I was being stabbed by a knife and I never felt like I had been given any medicine. So I don't really know if the doctor was at fault, or if I am really so bound by adhesions that I will never be able to have a colonoscopy. It was after this event that I read on a web site that people with IBS should never have a colonoscopy. I don't remember the reason they gave. So I guess from what you have said that it is not the IBS, but adhesions that will keep me from ever having another colonoscopy because now i do have a fear of the organs being perforated or the adhesions being torn to the point that they then grow more in order to reattach. Thanks for the response.
Posted 3/29/2006 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
I had one colonscopy with little if any sedation and it was the most horrendous thing I have ever been thru. I screamed most the time from the spasms that occur. Everyone else I know had been sedated completely. I changed Drs. and my last one I was sedated so that I felt nothing. I woke up once and went right back out. Since I have lung disease they are very careful with my sedation. I don't quite get what the sedation had to do with the actual colonscopy. Was he expecting your screams of pain to tell him if he as hitting something wrong or injuring your organs? Something sounds a little off. Personally I would never have one without sedation and if that were to happen I would get up and walk out tubes and all. I have never heard that you should not have one with IBS and my Dr. certainly doesn't feel that way as I am scheduled for another in 2 years due to several polyps that were found.
Posted 3/30/2006 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the post.  I think I had a bad doctor.  It is good to know that IBS should not stop me from having a colonoscopy.

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