Extremely Painful Colonoscopy

[Chickabee]

I have had problems with chronic constipation for years. I went through a bout of diahhrea a couple of weeks ago that lasted for approx. 10 days. Was on Prevacid for reflux and my doctor immediately took me off of this med and changed it to Losec, the diahhrea stopped.I have had a partial hysterectomy in the past. I had already been scheduled for a colonoscopy after having two bm's with alot of bright red blood and pain in my lower left abdomen.  Had the colonoscopy yesterday, was sedated with a mix of demerol for pain and valium for sedation. I went in expecting some discomfort. Doctor found a small polyp and removed it for analysis. I know this is alot of background but figure it might help you answer my question. This procedure  was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life and I have birthed two children. I am still feeling very traumatized and emotional about it. They were unable to complete the test - I don't know how far they got with the scope. It is very unusual for me not to be able to handle a significant amount of pain but I could not handle this. Can you tell me what possibly could have caused this much pain? It seemed that they would get to a particular spot and the pain would become unbearable, they pulled the scope back and the pain was still there but not nearly as bad, they tried again and again it was just unbearable. I know that sometimes adhesions from previous surgeries can make a colonoscopy more uncomfortable but should it have caused this much pain? Thanks in advance for your any answers you might have for me.

Chic

[MARY ANN]

i had a colonoscopy done and i did not recall any thing from the scope( i was put under) this is a test that would naturaly be painfull if one was not.the average patient would not recall any pain or even the test it's self other than the prep prior to being put under.  the only explaination i have from what you tell me is the fact you were awake during the proceidure and to me that would be down right mean.specialest normaly will not do this test with the patient alert .reply back and let me know if they left you awake and alert during the test.

[Chickabee]

Thanks for responding Mary Ann.  I was sedated with Demerol and Valium and don't remember the first part of the examination at all.  All I remember is this horrifying pain hitting me very suddenly.  When he pulled the scope back the pain was still bad but not as unbearable, when he tried to go in further again with it, it was again unbearable.  I think I'm going to call his office today just to find out.  I'm having a hard time understanding why it would have been so painful.  When he gave me the sedative and pain i.v., I was pretty much gone in within seconds and I know that I was in there for a good 25 minutes anyway.  Everything I have read on the net has indicated that people don't have this kind of pain with this examination.  I know that the woman that was in there before me was smiling and cheerful when she came out of hers because I was being prepped in the same room that is used for recovery and she seemed to be just fine.  Very odd I find.  I still have a very very mild pain in my upper left abdomen so I dont' know if I had something up there that was obstructing or what...???

[MARY ANN]

if you were alert and aware during any part of the scope he should have given you more medication to keep you under as i said if one is not put under or kept under this is naturaly a very painful test even more so if one has digestive problems .this is why they put the patient under! because a doctor with any sense knows the patient can not withstand that type of pain .if they allowed you to be awake during this test they are neglegent to say the least .then they wonder why patients file action against them.believe it or not years ago they did not put the patient under for this test.if they left you awake during this test i would seek the advice of a lawyer.i hope your filling better and god bless

[feelin'old]

Hi, I too experienced severe pain that WOKE me up during colonoscopy .  The doctor had to tilt my uterus out of the way (it is retroverted, tilts back over on itself and presses on bowel which isn't where it normally belongs.) They also gave me more medication to knock me back out -but as out of it as I was when I woke up, the first thing I remembered was that pain, it was terrible!   He also thought I might have adhesions from prior surgery.   Had barium/xray of abdomen and it was "normal" I guess...

[suziem45]

A related discussion, severe pain with colonoscopy was started.