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Rectoscopy experience

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/16/2019 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Ok so my dr told me beforehand "We will just go up 2 or 3 centimetres, it doesn't hurt"
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Indeed it doesn't hurt but it turns out there's a big spectrum between not painful and comfortable...
I'm not sure if they sprayed a bit of saline up during the procedure, certainly i needed to evacuate once, although it was only water that came out and they had kept encouraging me to do it, but i felt very embarrassed and had tried to hold it in as long as possible.
They also went all the way up to the beginning of the sigmoid colon, so ?? 15 cm?? "Only 2-3 cm" my arse...
The only positive was there was no sedation so i could see everything on the tv screen which was really interesting...as consistent with UC, the bowel was badly ulcerated but things were improving in the sigmoid although they could not go any higher up due to the nature of the investigation so we don't know the total length of inflammation.
Biopsies have been taken (was interesting to see that happening too)
I'm surprised there was no poop because they did no preparation (ie no laxatives or enema), i guess i cleaned myself out in the morning :s
Overall not fun but i would be willing to do it again if needed..
Posted 1/16/2019 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for letting us know. I was curious, never had one before but have heard them in mention. Have you had an unsedated flexible-sigmoidoscopy before? Curious if the retroscope is better or worse experience. Flex sig definitely fit in the not comfortable bit. If you are ulcerated and inflamed then that makes the experience a bit more uncomfortable still...
Posted 1/16/2019 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
I've actually never had a flexible sigmoidoscopy - only colonoscopies because of pancolitis in my history so usually they like to check everything. At my last colonoscopy the doctor offered to do it with reduced sedation because i had mentioned that i like watching it on the tv <facepalm> So we tried but it hurt too much and then they whacked up the sedation. Today my report gave me a Gloucester score of 2 for discomfort, whatever that means. It really wasn't painful i just wanted to evacuate every time the probe moved and going into the sigmoid colon was the worst part.
Posted 1/16/2019 9:14 PM (GMT 0)
P.s. just did a quick google of Gloucester scores: 1 means no discomfort and 5 is severe discomfort.
Posted 1/16/2019 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
I definitely had a level 5 when I had my last flex sig. What you describe sounds exactly the same, but you clearly handled it much better than me. your story made me laugh because it reminded me of the dreaded day I had to get the sig scope unsedated and I had to "evacuate" as you say, and they were all 'whatever' about it, but I was perfectly conscious and I was like NO WAY, so I got up, jumped off the table. They were SOOOO mad. I ran out of the room, went to the bathroom, of course nothing came out. It was the worst experience. One of the worst anyway. I would never, ever, in a million years, have an unsedated scope of any type with a colon. With my jpouch it's no biggie. I like seeing the screen, but not that much. I also once woke up during a full scope and I started talking to them. I saw what they were doing. I was so uncomfortable. They told me that they had already given me the maximum amount of drugs and sort of ignored me. Then on the ride home, I had to puke in a plastic bag in the passenger seat. I have had a lot of terrible things happen to me... very traumatic.
Posted 1/16/2019 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
On my last surgery Dr wanted a sigmoid and barium enema within few weeks of surgery. So day before surgery I check into hospital for enema test. . I had told Dr that nothing goes up the butt unless I'm sedated. They wheeled me down to room. I got up on table. I said to Dr where's anesthesia??? He said no need for it so I got off table and said Dr no anestesia then no enema. Nurses are all waiting there but I didn't care. My feeling comfortable was #1 priority. Quess who won??? 2 hours later they wheel me down and little anestesia and I'm out. Test done. No pain. Stick to your guns. If u want anestesia then demand it
Posted 1/17/2019 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
NSSG omg that's so funny about jumping off the table (although i imagine not funny at the time). To be honest I probably would have graded myself as a 3 but the problem is i am british and living in a different country, I think they do not know how to read the british poker face here...
Posted 1/17/2019 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
I do not have a poker face at all. I bet i looked legit crazy - wearing a gown with my butt all exposed and running around. Now I laugh about it too... How embarrassing!!
Posted 1/17/2019 11:55 AM (GMT 0)
No way man. I am uncomfortable every moment of every day. If the ability to ease discomfort during a medical procedure is available then we are using it or we are fighting.
Posted 1/17/2019 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'll always look for shortcuts if it saves me time, money, or trouble (part of the whole thrifty-New Englander mantra). If skipping sedation means I am on the table and out in 15 minutes, then sign me up! And skipping the anesthesia drops the price by about two thirds (anesthesia is the most expensive component by far). Haha maybe I am totally crazy, but that's the way I've been doing it.

I've had probably a dozen flex-sigs, none of them sedated and only one truly hurt (when I was severely flaring). In a remission, there was little sensation, a little pressure from the scope's air injection and that was it. With mild inflammation it was a little uncomfortable but bearable. With moderate inflammation it was more uncomfortable but I was glad it was a quick procedure and grinned-and-bared it. Pretty much my litmus test is, if that salt-filled fleet enema stings a lot then a scope is going to be an unpleasant experience, and if you want to avoid that then get the anesthesia. And as a broad rule, if i'm severely inflamed again then I will insist on anesthesia.
Posted 1/17/2019 1:42 PM (GMT 0)

notsosicklygirl said...
I do not have a poker face at all. I bet i looked legit crazy - wearing a gown with my butt all exposed and running around. Now I laugh about it too... How embarrassing!!

Putting your dignity aside is unfortunately part of this disease, but certainly we do get some good laughs now about it. Sorry you had to go though that!
Posted 1/17/2019 3:11 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
If skipping sedation means I am on the table and out in 15 minutes, then sign me up!


I agree it was handy to be able to walk out immediately afterwards. I don't know what the policy is in the US but here you're not allowed to travel home by yourself if you've been sedated and I always feel like a burden when i have to ask a friend to pick me up afterwards.
Posted 1/17/2019 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
A key point to mention. I drive myself home after the scope. It's less hassle.
Posted 1/17/2019 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Im not concerned about how i get home.After 32 yrs of discomfort with this disease i want sedation when i want sedation.I'm tired of U.C controlling the way i feel.I don't have to play a hero,i want to be comfortable.
Posted 1/17/2019 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Haha fair enough! An interesting discussion on this thread though of the varied experiences and different thresholds for comfort. I'd say overall my tolerance for pain has greatly increased since having this awful disease, as coping mechanism for the awful pain UC inflicts at times.

I totally get, the had enough I don't want to feel anything sentiment!
Posted 1/17/2019 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Poop i barely used any painkillers after all 3 surgeries.More close to nightime so i could sleep.But having the Anaconda placed up my butt is a little uncomfortable.It is interesting how we all have our preferences,I've seen that here
Posted 1/17/2019 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
Poop i asked my surgeon if i could have barium enema[before 3rd surgery] on Long Island instead of going into Manhattan.He said yes,so i made an Appt with Nassau Radiological and went to have test.Now i wasn't having sedation[this was in August '18].Got up on table and saw the nice BIG white bag filled with Barium.No big deal.Well Dr starts inserting it up and LORD HAVE MERCY[MAYBE U HEARD ME CRYING FOR MY MOMMY] .Dr tried 3 times inserting it up my butt.Finally the Dr stopped it[not me],he saw blood on end of tube and didn't like what he saw.Dr said 2 things about it not working.Either i needed a pediatric[im 60 yo] enema hose/tube or i needed sedation.Dr said fact that i hadn't used my intestine in months could of caused it to atrify[spelling?] and maybe thats why he couldn't get it to go up.He also said they do that test at my hospital more often so that where it ended up being done[with sedation-thank you].Not easy.Maybe my Mom is right-i am[or have] a pain in the ass
Posted 1/17/2019 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
3TC I can understand that! I don't feel heroic, things just happened the way they did. My mum is the opposite again, she refuses to be sedated because she is very afraid of "not being in control".
Posted 1/17/2019 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
gotcha
Posted 1/18/2019 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
I had that little tube thing when I had my barium test and I barely noticed it. I wonder if they did something else where you were... Mine wasn't bad at all. They usually do use pediatric tools on me though since i am very petite. I can't see why anyone would need bigger or smaller for that? It might as well be a tiny tube for everyone... I ask for sedation any time I know something is uncomfortable. After the stuff I dealt with over the years, I can't be bothered sitting through anything horrible.
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