side effects of colonoscopy

[reggie747]

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.

[momofmany806]

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!

[sweetpea509]

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.  

[txgurl707]

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.  

[BAMmom]

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!

[midge787]

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

[shmem7]

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.