colonoscopy really scared please help..

[claire99991]

Hi, please would someone be able to give me some advice im really worried at the moment basically im 24 i live in uk and i was diagonesd as having IBS 6 years ago as i used to get bad cramps and diahrea (sorry carnt spell this) ok in the summer i changed my diet drastically and i have lost 47lb due to my healthy eating and excerisce around the same time however my stools became quite narrow and there really doesnt seem to be much there (compared to before diet change) The stool arent narrow every day just some days. I also have real trouble going to the loo every day and sometimes dont go every day. I get a lot of bloated feelings and had some lower abdominal discmofort on the left hand side very low down. So i went to my GP who said very unlikly bowel cancer as im 24 recommend fibre gel i tried this but it gave me really bad stomach ache trapped wind pain and i was very uncomfy so she suggested i stop taking it as i was in pain she then ordered blood tests full blood count and liver and kidney function tests as well as a few others carnt remember and stool samples for hidden blood all tests have come back fine. I said i was still concerned as the pain and constipation is still there and she said its probs just ibs but will send me to hospital for colonoscopy to make sure. I am pleased she is being good and doing all the tests however im realy scared about colonoscopy i have a appointment on 18th but i havent been told about prep or anything and what i need to do beforehand my grandad had 1 done today and he was on the toilet for 7 hours yesterday i am terrifeid i dont know if i can sit on a toilet for 7 hours in agony im getting really stressed about it. Is it really nonstop for 7 hours do you have bad cramps for 7 hours? Is there really that much inside it takes 7 hours to come out.

Any advice would be really appreciated im making myself sick with worry thank you so much and im sorry it was a long post.

claire xx

[Morecambe]

Hi Claire 9991 - I have undergone several colonoscopies and they are nothing to worry about.  In order for the instrument to be able to scan as much as possible of your lower intestines, you are given a purgative (i.e. a packet of powder to dissolve in water) 12 hours beforehand.  You take this at home.  Or else sometimes they may give you an anal enema in the hospital to evacuate the bowels

The procedure involves:-

- a narrow needle in the arm with a sedative which effectively makes you unconscious at a low level
- then the procedure takes place with the colonoscope inserted via the anus (but you feel/remember nothing)
- this takes 15-20 minutes.
- then you wake up, have a cup of tea, rest for ~2 hours and go home (but get a taxi or someone else to drive you).
- I felt no after effects.

Good luck
Morecambe

[athleet3]

Also I invite you to read the blogs under "Colonoscopy and Scared" on this board. You will see how me and a few others have gone through the same thing and how we've helped each other. Maybe it will help you too.
Athleet

[athleet3]

Claire
   First of all you need to try your best to stop worrying so much. I was just where you are less than a month ago. I had all kinds of stomach trouble that kept changing for 3 months. I was worrying so much I didn't know what was really wrong and what I was causing by worrying. You're not alone. You will be amazed how much better you will feel when all of the tests are over and you know you don't have anything scary.
  When someone has stomach trouble there are a series of tests that must be done to eliminate all kids of syndromes and diseases. You've already had most of them. But the colonoscopy (and endoscopy) is the best for seeing everything and finding out what you have and don't have. Your age and your good health is a plus. Most of the really scary stomach diseases occur when you're much older. Also there are some things that point towards DANGER: fever, bloody stool, black tarry stool, fatigue, severe continuous pain and vomiting to name a few. I never had any of those and it doesn't sound like you do either. Those can be signs of disease. Also, if you were really really sick you'd be in the hospital due to the symptoms I already mentioned, not sitting home worrying.
  IBS can only be diagnosed when everything else is ruled out, and you are well on your way to ruling out everything else. What you have could be a lot of simple and treatable things, and some of it could be stress related.
  As far as the colonoscopy, I know exactly how you feel. I had both endo/colon done at the same time. Before I had the test I was experiencing cramps, heartburn, gas, upset stomach, pain in rectum, and diarrhea. Basically I had problems from end to end. I felt like I had a serious disease and if you read those symptoms you would assume I do. When I got a clean bill of health from my endo/colon procedure most of those symptoms disappeared. Clearly most of those were due to my worrying. I'm not out of the woods yet. I still have pain after every meal, right side cramps, gas and a pale stool. My doctor thinks I have gallbladder disease and that it may have to be removed. I'm going for another ultrasound this Friday with radioactive fluid injected into me to see what the problem is. But I'm not scared. I've met some great people on this board who have made me feel better and who have restored my faith. Plus I know most of the really bad stuff has been ruled out.
  The colonoscopy is a breeze. You don't feel a thing before, during or afterwards. And the doctor will discuss your findings afterwards unless a polyp is found and has to be sent for a biopsy. 9 out of 10 find a polyp but most of those are found to be benign. Lucky for me nothing was found, but I know plenty who had a poylp removed which didn't turn out to be anything. The preparation for the procedure is not fun, I won't lie to you, but it's not as bad as you think. For 24 to 48 hours depending on when your test is, you can only have liquid. You will drink a fluid that will flush your system. You just have to be close enough to a toilet for when you have to go, but you won't spend hours on end (no pun intended) sitting there. It just makes you have to go and yes it will give you diahhrea. But look at it this way, you'll lose weight and you will clean out your system so well that your doctor will be able to see everything. I didn't have cramps, I just had to go to the bathroom about every couple of hours. I would do my thing and then get up and be productive until I had to go again. It doesn't all come out at once, it's more like in waves. I was off work so I just stayed home and got things done around the house when I wasn't emptying myself.
  Does any of this help?
  I really think you'll be fine. Your worst enemy right now is your worrying and stress, it's making you feel worse. Let me know if you have any questions.
Athleet