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side effects of colonoscopy

I had  a routine colonoscopy 7 weeks ago. 2 polys were removed and they were fine. I was sore after the colonoscopy and very bloated but it has not gone away. Yesterday I ran a low grade fever and had waves of very intense pains all over my stomach.  Today I still have stomach pains but no fever.
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Avatar universal
I've also called a house doctor out to
see me and he said to stay on burofen and panadol its not working
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bad uncontrollable abdomen pain since the 3rd of this month I have soft stools and eating normal but have nausea ??(what to do).??
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Sounds to me like Chrohn's Disease.  I had these symptoms too!  We still couldn't find out what is wrong!
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Did you ever get relief or an answer.  I am in the exact same boat.  My life and body were so healthy before the colonoscopy, and now like you said a NIGHTMARE.  Nothing works anymore.  It has been 3 months.
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I had a colonoscopy Sept 15 2015 as I am 55 and needed it every 5 years and now three years.   I had to call for the results and they said all is fine even though a few small ones were nipped and the one of concern was taken for biopsy.  OK , so all if fine.  Well, I am still a bit bloated and when I have a bowel movement, going through the colon, I have had some blood.   So when I go somewhere, I am irritated while walking or playing tennis and spotting some blood.  So, is this from the polyps that were taken off.   As of now, I decided to wear a small pad to see about the bleeding.  Not sure which way to go at this time.  Any suggestions!
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Avatar universal
I had a colonoscopy Sept 15 2015 as I am 55 and needed it every 5 years and now three years.   I had to call for the results and they said all is fine even though a few small ones were nipped and the one of concern was taken for biopsy.  OK , so all if fine.  Well, I am still a bit bloated and when I have a bowel movement, going through the colon, I have had some blood.   So when I go somewhere, I am irritated while walking or playing tennis and spotting some blood.  So, is this from the polyps that were taken off.   As of now, I decided to wear a small pad to see about the bleeding.  Not sure which way to go at this time.  Any suggestions!
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Avatar universal
I have had the EXACT same thing happen to me, and yes I feel my life has been stolen.  I also us the word NIGHTMARE, because before the colonoscopy I was them most healthy energetic person you would ever meet.  Now as you my stomach is constantly bloated and my body does not seem to eliminate on its own.

I have had so many test done and they all come back normal, BUT I AM NOT NORMAL.  Normal was before the colonoscopy.  It is now 3 months since the colonoscopy and I am worse.  So they say by default I have IBS. They just don't get it that I did not have IBS before, so WHA T HAPPENED?  Did you get relief yet????  

Please tell your nightmare is over.
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3 Comments
It may be glutaraldehyde induced. Glutaraldehyde (sp?) is often used to disinfectant the device they use in colonoscopies. If the disinfectant is not thoroughly rinsed off, then that disinfectant can irritate the colon tissue. I have even read on a NIH site (that is the National Institute of Health) that some cases of such irritation have resulted in several days of hospit
It may be glutaraldehyde induced. Glutaraldehyde (sp?) is often used to disinfectant the device they use in colonoscopies. If the disinfectant is not thoroughly rinsed off, then that disinfectant can irritate the colon tissue. I have even read on a NIH site (that is the National Institute of Health) that some cases of such irritation have resulted in several days of hospit
Ilization. Best of luck.  
Avatar universal
Did you ever find out what this is?  The same happened to me.
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Did you have any previous sexual abuse things happen to you? Curious cause I had first colonoscopy 4 days ago stomach feels like I am drinking that stuff for procedure ever since, I had sexual abuse event at age 22 just recently last year completely healed from the I am and mentally ready for procedure I thought I am 55 female took me 5 years to go my brother diagnosed with lymphatic cancer a year ago so my husband asked me to get checked so I did it for him and my family. Not for me I am curious what road my life will take now. Ironically my head though is more clear now and I have deeper comfort and peace now more than ever in my life but my stomach, intestines hurt anyone have insights for us to add. KR
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I have read about the use of EMDR (google it-- a unique light therapy) for physical/sexual abuse. I found unbelievable relief from childhood emotional abuse I suffered decades ago. Some psychologists provide EMDR. Find one who can show certification in this godsend of a therapy, that is also heavily used tor PTSD issues related to war and violence victims are suffering from. Post colonoscopy PTSD has been found to occur, and EMDR truly helps, I have read. It may take 6 or more visits, but they can genuinely help. Best of luck.
Avatar universal
i had a colonscopy done april 1st 2015 everything went okay then two weeks later i started dirreara could not go out anywhere saw my doctor who performed the colonscopy could not help me to much suggested i ate soup and toast for about a week which i did it seemed to clear up then went on to prper food it started again this time i went to my doctor she said it was proberly a infection so put me back on to soup and toast which stopped the dirreara then i was looking on the internet about other people with the same problem a lot of them tryed probtic youarts and also youarts so i tried them myself and they have worked i am now back to normal bowel habits.
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Avatar universal
I had my first colonoscopy this year at age 52. I am 5 "10 and overweight. I had no issues with the prep and did not realize any pain during the procedure. I am in ok shape, see the doctor regularly and had just had a complete heart ct scan 3 months prior to this procedure with no indication of any clots, and minimal hardening of the arteries. I was told by my primary to have the colonoscopy as I hit the magic 50 a few years back. After I went home I was very gassy which I expected. Two days later I was still very very gassy and I have never had indigestion that hurt that bad ( Or gas ). I could relieve the pain a little bit by walking or attempting to burp but sometimes to no avail. I called the Doctor who performed it and told him of my situation. He said it should go away. It did not. For the next two months I would get terrible pain in my chest which felt like the worst case of indigestion I have ever had (and honestly never felt this bad ).It would come at odd times, not just after eating, and so bad it would drop me to my knees in pain. It would subside usually within an hour. I did not think it could be anything but this gas as it started and never stopped until after my heart attack. Anyway. 2 months after this procedure we went on a cruise oversea for 14 days. Day 4 into the cruise and eating pretty healthy and walking a lot on excursions I was feeling pretty good. We went to dinner and then to a show on board and I started feeling these damn chest pains again which again felt like really bad indigestion. After going back to our room and three hours of the worst indigestion feeling I couldn't get rid of it. I was on my knees in pain. No arm numbness, no shortness of breath, just bad chest pain. My wife convinced me to call the clinic and they took me down in a wheelchair and proceeded to check me out. I was told I just had a major heart attack and I had to be airlifted off the ship, flown 150 miles to the nearest hospital where I was told I had a very large clot in my left anterior artery and they cleared it and put a stent in. It scared the hell out of me. I thought it was lights out time.After coming home and seeing my now new cardiologists I am doing better. My primary doctor and my cardiologists are baffled that nothing showed up two months prior to this colonoscopy on my ct scan of the heart. There is information out there that talks about a clot can be dislodged during this procedure, one that may have been elsewhere. I am no doctor and I have no idea, but what baffles me is the pain I felt the night of my heart attack was the same pain I got for three solid months after my colonoscopy on a regular basis. I did not have any pain prior to it. So ipso fatso, something does not make sense.I count my lucky stars I'm here today. I know for a fact that something during that procedure caused this or attributed to it in some form or fashion. I wish I knew exactly how. My cardiologist said at when you feel that indigestion feeling for more than a few days you should seek help ASAP. What did I know, I felt fine up to that point. I would love to know why I was experiencing that pain 12 hours after my colonoscopy and the exact same pain 3 months later and after that removed the clot and put the stent in the pain has not returned. Coincidence?  I don't think so.  Any help in understanding it would be appreciated. I'm not looking to find fault with anyone, as a matter of fact it may have saved my life in some strange way.I'm just wanting to know what I was feeling for 3 months literally  right after my colonoscopy that subsided upon my clot being cleared.  I won't be getting another one.
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Avatar universal
I know this is an old thread, but wow my colonoscopy was 11days ago and I'm still not right either. However my stomach has gone down a lot, bms have completely changed. I feel inflamed all on my insides. Constant bloody mucus!  My goodness!!
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My husband had a colonoscopy in July.  This is almost September and he had had constant bleeding, painful and bloody bowel movements plus extreme pain in his anus.  His GI doctor has prescribed Lidocaine for his butt and a medicine to ease the pain.  This doctor also knows he has a pulmonary embolism and is on Xarelto.  I am very worried about the bleeding.  How long will this continue and at what expense to his body?
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Avatar universal
Had a colonoscopy on Wednesday last week ( 9th July ) as I had had an attack of diverticulitis . Never had this before . Recommended for a colonoscopy as my father died from colon cancer . Prep was just about ok, and the procedure itself was fine as I had a sedative . Since Friday I have had low grade " period" type pains in my lower abdomen and yesterday also started to have cramps which came and went . Very unpleasant . No high temperature or chills though and bowels working ( too well, as I am visiting the loo about 2/3 times an hour ... no diarrhoea ) .

I telephoned the hospital where I had the procedure done and was told to take painkillers and sit it out for a few days . I totally did not expect this at all as most of the people I know who have had this done were fine after about 24 hours . I'm wondering if I went back to normal eating too soon and my irritated bowel is reacting . So, today I shall just take fluids and stuff like Actimel and yoghurt . Anyone else had a similar experience ?
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Avatar universal
hi i had my first colonoscopy on the friday just gone on the morning of the procedure it went ok they found a pollop so took loads of biopsies.. woke up and went home ... about 5pm the same day i started to loose the tissue linning of my bowles aswell as blood... i got taken in to hospital all the bloods, xrays ecg came back fine but the bloating/ swelling  really hasnt gone aswell as the chest pain which makes breathing difficult at times has any body else had this and if they have how long does it take to go down as it gets very painfull

please help
boo x

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Avatar universal
I had a colonoscopy on 4/30/14.  I had one polpy.  It was removed & results not back yet.  I have felt like crap ever since.  Lower abdominal pain so bad.  Colin spasms. Cramping.. Left leg hurting.Aching all over.  If I ever get over this I will NEVER have another.   I called today complaining.  She said take Phillips colon probiotic.  Before all this I had an endoscopy done.  Ultrasound that found my gall bladder was about to explode.  Gall bladder surgery.  Then the colonoscopy.  A lot in 5 weeks.I went back to work after 10 days of my gall bladder being taken out.  I'm an active person But all this has kicked my butt!   I don't want to complain.  Just want to stop hurting.  I will pray for all of you if I could ask for prayers from all of you for me.  I hope we all get over this and get our lives back.  Prayers for all of you & God Bless.
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Avatar universal
I had a sigmioscopy + colonoscopy within 3 weeks of each other without sedation.  no problems with procedure just a slight discomfort nothing that warranted sedation.

I stuck rigidly to diet recommendation for 48 hours prior to procedure when using Moviprep so had no problems with that either.  Quite gentle.

36 hours later I walked 6miles around Derbyshire up hills.

I would advise anyone who has to have these procedures to try firstly without pain relief + see how you get on. You can always opt for sedation if you can't cope later.  
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Avatar universal
I am a sixty year old man and I had my first and hopefully last colonoscopy about a month ago after having continuous bleeding for six weeks. The regular doctor had decided to let a student have a go at the procedure. I hadn't realizes that I had been selected for a test drive until half way through the procedure as the doctor was instructing him on how to steer the camera which seemed to keep on crashing into the colon wall. Fortunately nothing more serious than piles was discovered although they did take a biopsy for further tests. Now I wake every morning with my stomach and lower back feeling sore and tender on both sides and am constantly troubled by bad attacks of wind especially first thing. Should I be concerned and what can I do to put things back to normal?
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That barbaric doctor should have requested your permission for having a novice do THE MOST INVASIVE ROUTINE SCREENING TEST which naturally has the uncommon yet VERY significant "untoward events," including death. If your consent did NOT include the fact that you were a training ground for this colonoscopy, I would DEFINITELY see an attorney.
Avatar universal
before having my procedure, I had read that some side effects could be either diarrhea or constipation.  That said, I used an approach similar to yours, after the procedure I slowly progressed from clear liquids to easily digestible soft foods over the course of a few days while taking regular doses of probiotics.  Shortly after my procedure I had a conversation with a friend who said she had been having IBS like symptoms since having the procedure 6 months earlier.  After telling her the precautions I had taken while reintroducing food to my gut, she tried using probiotics with no noticeable improvement, she then repeated the miralax prep followed by clear liquids, soft foods and probiotics.  its been a month or so now, and she says feels like she is back to normal.  I know many of the posts here are addressing far more serious symptoms, however for the folks who have had bloating, constipation or diarrhea, I hope this information may be helpful.  Good luck!
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Avatar universal
I don't think it will ever go away, It's been 2 1/2 years since I had my first colonoscopy, and since then I have been suffering. I remember being froze on the table, not being able to move, screaming and crying it hurts, it was extreme pain,  I felt the doctor doing her thing. Next thing I know, I am in recovery. I swear I will never get that done again.
My bowels are all messed up, pain in my lower back daily, among other complications do to the colonoscopy. I also feel the prep before didn't help, the clean out was over kill.  
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I hand my 4th colonoscopy two days ago. No reaction at all from the first three. This time they put me under in the beginning. I have had low backpain, trouble moving, catching my breath Pain in my left side. Horrible pain in my lower abdominal area. And my stomach is hard and extremely bloated. This is so different than my last one 8 years ago. Dr. Said I had no polyps and no inflammation at all. Perfectly healthy colon and not to come back for 10 years. I am 57.  
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Avatar universal
I had my first colonscopy and endoscopy 3 days ago (on a Friday).  The prep and procedures were not ANYWHERE near as bad as I had dreaded, judging from other people's horror stories that I know that have had them done (especially of the prep).  I'm not putting people down that did have a hard time with their preps by the way :)  I followed the directions and my G.I.'s advice to the letter regarding the prep.  Perhaps that helped the prep go smoothly, perhaps not.  I'm just stating that mine went rather smoothly.  In fact, I was able to sleep soundly for 5 hours in between my first and second doses.  I woke up Friday morning and had the procedures done.  I was told I had 3 polyps removed from my intestine for analysis.  Two were of "normal" size and the other one was quite "large" for someone my age I was told by my doctor.  I was also told that although they did not spot anything with the endoscopy, they took a biopsy of my stomach for precautions.  To backtrack a moment, shortly after wakening after my procedure, the nurse that was in the room with me asked me if I had been scratching my neck.  When I told her no, she left the room and came back with the anesthesiologist.  I had red marks on both sides of my neck sort of under my ears the nurse told me.  They didn't hurt at the time and I had no pain.  The anesthesiologist did not seem concerned.  So, I guess I didn't at the time.  Remember, I was still coming out of the anesthesia, so I didn't feel a thing it seemed lol.  Fast forward...the next morning I woke up in excruciating pain under my left rib.  On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst for pain, I was definitely a 10.  I also had pain in my mid-back section on my left side as well.  I took Tylenol (for pain), as directed, by the G.I. doctor the day before (noted on my discharge papers as well.  Tylenol only they said.).  Three hours after taking the first dose of Tylenol, I noticed that the pain had not subsided. I felt something perhaps may be "wrong."  I decided I would continue to monitor the pain.  The same day, as well, (Saturday) I had alot of pain from what felt like bruising in the spots where the nurse had spotted the red marks under my ears.  In addition to that pain, I had pain under my chin.  So, it felt like I had one giant bruise from ear to ear literally.  I looked in the mirror and saw nothing but some redness in the same spots where the nurse saw the red marks under my ears the day before.  I also noticed on both upper arms, on the inset of each arm, it looked like I had 5 red marks (almost like small horizontal bruises) on my left arm and two on my right arm.  What was that from?  I showed my boyfriend and he couldn't believe it.  The pain under my rib and in my back continued to be a 10 the rest of the day and night.  In fact, I woke up from a sound sleep with pain under my left rib either Saturday night/Sunday morning (not sure which).  The next day (Sunday), yet again I woke up with the same pain under my left rib, in my mid-center back on the left side, and the feeling of bruises under my skin from ear to ear.  Again, the pain level was at a 10.  I took more Tylenol, which did NOTHING for the pain AGAIN.  I know my pain tolerance, and it wasn't at it's complete peak yet.  In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to contact my G.I. doctor.  Around 5:00 p.m. that night, the pain started to subside.  It actually went away for an hour.  Aha!  Relief, I thought.  Wrong!  Because 1 hour later at 6:00 p.m., the pain came back full force.  What is going on I thought.  Ok, that's it.  If the pain is still here in the morning, I'll call my doctor, I told myself.  Well, low and behold, I slept really well that evening.  Yeah!  Monday morning when I awoke, I had a very dull pain under my ribs and no back pain.  I thought that things would be alright.  The dull pain was a 2 on the pain scale.  It was like that pretty much the entire day.  It just so happened that the Endoscopy center called me around 3:00ish to ask how the weekend went.  I told them everything I just mentioned.  They wanted to send me to the hospital to get an abdominal x-ray and bloodwork just for precautions.  When I was at the hospital having the abdominal x-ray done, the technician asked me if I was bloated.  I told her yes, although in all honesty, I've been bloated for a few months (which is a small part of my larger medical issue).  I am now awaiting the test results, which I told I would get within a day or two tops.  I also forgot to mention that, although it may sound odd, when I was at rest sitting or with my feet up, my pain worsened.  If I walked around, it wasn't AS bad.  I can't walk around all the time, though.  I agree that nobody should avoid having a colonoscopy or endoscopy because of anything they read on here.  I also would like to mention to some people that it is not nice to downplay or insult the pain/issues that others have had who have had colonoscopies that have had pain/issues, just because these other people did not have any pain/issues (sorry to keep repeating).  Has anyone else had similar issues with good results?  I am a bit nervous after reading that so many people are going through similar things; however, it comforts me somewhat because I know I am not alone in this.  Any responses would be MUCH appreciated.  Thanks guys/gals!
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Avatar universal
I had a colonoscopy last week Wednesday-as a result of having many other things "wrong" with my health I was not allowed any anaesthetic, this was not my first procedure but it was my first awake one. Since then I have had severe lower back pain- and im convinced my colon is sore to if that makes sense. I am unable to sit down for long periods and even lying on my back is uncomfortable. i also feel like I need to go to the bathroom but I cant and everytime I eat I bloat like an elephant, I had polyops removed but have never had these side effects-especial for a week
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Avatar universal
im 18 and just had a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy. the prep was not that bad to me besides the fact that the solution tasted absolutely awful and i gagged multiple times. i don't remember any of the procedure so the anesthesia worked well but i have been in awful pain in my lower abdomen ever since. it feels as if someone is twisting and pulling my insides. also my doctor said he  had trouble preforming the procedure and had to get his partner with more experience to help him.
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