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Anyone Not recover after Colonoscopy?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/21/2013 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
I had a colonoscopy first one friday, with biopsies- its sunday today im still very sore, have zero appetite, can barely choke down a nectarine, have obscnene belching almost to the point where i throw up, lots of nausea flashes, and still chronic diarrhea no matter what meds i take.... anyone else experience this?
Posted 7/21/2013 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
What meds are you taking?
Posted 7/21/2013 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Just started in asacol day 2- actually I just threw up right now but maybe cuz I didn't have it with much food... I also am using immodium 2-3 a day
Posted 7/21/2013 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
oh...my sympathies...
I have had over 18 colonoscopies.....after the last one I refuse to do them anymore. Yes, gassy, bloaty, no appetite, etc. I would advise you to do as much yougurt and/or probiotics as possible. Also eat things easy to digest with little fiber like potatoes, rice, bananas would be good for potassium and yougurt as well has potassium. Stoneyfield farm has more bacteria in # and variety than other yougurts and if you can make your own that would be better. I really do not think it is a good idea to do the horrible prep that wipes out your gut flora- I think this is just a bad idea for UCers who already have a bad gut flora balance in them. I told my GI I would do sigmoids but no more colonoscopies.
I hope you feel better and send you a virtual hug-
Posted 7/21/2013 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks mosdpiglet I totally agree with you I'm worse now by far than I was before this crap... I will eat light and low fiber it's so tough I'm not hungry at all... I don't think I can handle yogurt or any dairy though but I do have probiotics
Posted 7/21/2013 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
oh yeah. my last colonoscopy really killed me. I thought I was gonna have to get my colon out afterwards with all the pains I was having. I ended up asking for a CT scan to see if he perforated anything and it was normal. I just reacted really bad to it.

I've read some people are allergic to the disinfectant that is used to clean the scope. i'm thinking maybe that's why I was so sick afterwards.
Posted 7/21/2013 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Man that sounds rough yea I'm at a loss hoping to see some improvements soon
Posted 7/21/2013 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
I've only had one colonoscopy. Before the procedure I was having 2-3 bms per day. After the procedure I have been having 8-12 bm's per day - for 2 1/2 years now. I don't know if it directly related or just a coincidence but it scares me to have another one.
Posted 7/21/2013 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Wow still 2.5 years later man that's brutal I feel for ya... Mines not more frequent but I get a ton of weird nausea as I'm going or during definitely not something I've had before
Posted 7/21/2013 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
gary, same here!! I never want another one again! I will only have one if it is life or death or if i'm getting poop shot up my butt.

my first one was at 16 and I've had about 8 since then. the last one was what did me in though.
Posted 7/22/2013 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
I am curious - your intuition tells you that your current discomfort (nausea, lack of appetite, etc) are a product of your recent scope? You don't think it has more to do with you currently experiencing a active episode of your disease?

I have had a few scopes, and always felt better (releasing the air they pumped into my colon) within about 24 hours.

I hope you feel as good as possible as soon as possible.
Posted 7/22/2013 7:42 AM (GMT 0)
Wow all these horror stories about colonoscopies.

When I had my 2nd full scope I was in a lot of pain too. It was because of the gas. It was only for that day. Afterwards I was fine. My 3rd scope wasn't nearly as bad.
Posted 7/22/2013 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
Problem is you reach a point after several years where you need colonoscopies on a regular basis to try catching colon cancer in time. If you don't you are a goner. Then you wonder, "will my colonoscopies make me worse?". So, you are between a rock and a hard place. I'm hoping that since I got worse after my only colonoscopy that it was just a coincidence and actually had nothing to do with the colonoscopy. I only got worse in terms of frequency and urgency. All other aspects of my UC have gotten much better since then.
Posted 7/22/2013 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
One of my worst flare started in 2010 immediately after getting my 2nd colonoscopy.

Eventually, I had to be admitted and was given IV-solomedrol with some antibiotics and took 3 weeks get released from the hospital. It's was the worst. 10 out of 10 for pain, throwing up everything, no appetite at all, and D all day.

Make sure that you get the symptoms under control and get plenty of rest.

I'd recommend making your own chicken soup and stick with it for now until things settle down.
Posted 7/22/2013 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
I forgot to mention that at my last GI appointment I asked him if colonoscopies can make you worse. He totally poo-pooped the thought. I don't know if I believe him or not.
Posted 7/22/2013 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Csantamaria,

I really hope you feel better soon! After I had my first colonoscopy in 2005 I became quite sick. I couldn't even drink water without losing it through diarrhea. I vomited once. Anyway, I got severe diarrhea, and I eventually was admitted to the hospital. I had to be because my electrolytes and potassium were really low.

Anyway, IF You feel dehydrated PLEASE get to the emergency room. For some reason once I've been hydrated in my life I start to get better (IE I'm able to keep sips of fluids down, and soon after eating small and bland meals.) Also, you don't want your potassium to get too low as that is dangerous.

If you don't think you need to get hydration then I'd slowly sip G2 or Propel water (less sugary drinks with electrolytes.) For food I'd start with jello, rice, small pieces of saltine crackers.

My prayers are with you and I pray you feel better soon!

On a happier note, after my 2nd colonoscopy I didn't have this reaction. I didn't feel good, and I had to eat VERY BLANDLY for a good week or so, but I didn't have to be hospitalized. I think it's because by then I was on Asacol 400 mg 3 pills 3 x a day.

You may NEED to ask your GI doc to prescribe some asacol or other helpful medication RIGHT NOW to help your healing begin. I think the reason I had a TERRIBLE reaction the first time is because I was NOT on ANY GI medication back in 2005. I believe the scoping and the DISGUSTING prep drink were too much for my body to handle. Once admitted to the hospital I was started on Asacol and I slowly got better.

It IS awful to feel this way, and my heart is with you. GOD BLESS and you will feel better soon!!
Posted 7/22/2013 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Oops I didn't realize that you are on Asacol. I think it will start WORKING quickly and you will feel better soon :) That is what happened to me back in 2005. Hope you are having a better day! :)

Also, sometimes taking Immodium made me feel worse so you may want to stop it for now.  Take care :)

Post Edited (Graciegirl) : 7/22/2013 6:33:37 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/25/2020 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
I am much worse after my August colonoscopy. Doctor has no explanation so I asked for Endoscopy & Ct scan. Neither explained my increased pain lower left front and back. Additional symptoms started: severe stomach pain with distention, lightheadedness when arising; one crying night of blockage that eventually passed.
I have mild Crohns at terminal illeum unchanged since 2003. Already slender but loss 20 pounds recently. Afraid to eat now. Any ideas?
Posted 10/25/2020 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
It's hard for me to admit, but in the 5 years I've had UC, I've only had two colonoscopies and 3 sigmoidoscopies. The reason is that every time I get scoped, I flare really bad. If I'm already flaring and they take biopsies, my flare immediately gets much worse and lasts a lot longer. In two of the three sigmoidoscopies, they took biopsies right at my rectum, and within days I had horrible, painful rectal prolapse that lasted for 4 months. I couldn't even sit in a chair for almost half a year. Those GIs would not document this. They just said it was my UC but I know for sure it was their procedure that brought it on. I have had to fire two GI doctors for accusing me of making things up. There are actual studies out there showing that some IBD patients flare from scoping. Off the top of my head I think it's 1 in 8 patients. Also, the FDA released a report in 2018 (I think it was) that colonoscopes aren't as sterile as we think they are. They sometimes don't get thoroughly cleaned, which can introduce infection to patients. Because there's no better method of looking at the bowel, they still have to endorse it.

If you think about it... you take bowel prep which flushes away all your beneficial flora. Then they put an instrument of questionable cleanliness in there, and cut out tissue samples leaving wounds. It's not surprising that some people get sick from this?

I just can't get scoped. My last GI doc used a pill camera. It's not great because if you have polyps or abnormal tissue, they can't just cut it out. I have not ever been able to come up with a good solution to scoping because I don't think there is one. I get them very rarely and only when it's so important that I can't put it off any longer. Even then, I have to do major work on myself before and after to make sure I don't get really, really sick.

I don't mean to fear monger, I know lots of people get scopes each year and it's just fine. I just wanted to add my story because even though I'm an unusual case, I'm not exactly rare either.
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