Got to have a colonoscopy...Questions

[cornbread]

I'm sure some of you have had them before, I've been having a lot of abdominal pain on my right side, which has gotten really bad some days, which I thought was kidney stones, but lortabs didn't seem to help, and I ended up back in the ER tonight, and they said I have some growths and diverticulosis on my colon.. I have to followup with a GI specialist, and at the hospital they said that the specialist is going to order a colonoscopy..
I know they're fairly common in middle aged and older men, but I'm just 22, and don't know anyone that's gone through that experience, and was just wondering what I should expect.. All I know is you take a laxative the night before and they put you to sleep for it.. Is it one of those things where you're pretty sore for a few days, or do you wake up feeling normal? Is there anything else that I should be expecting from it all?

I guess I'm just nervous, and don't wanna wait to hear from the doctor the answers to those questions, so I'm asking here.
Thanks in advance..

 

[xSauronx]

my dad had one a month ago as part of his physical (hes 45 and hadnt had one in 20 years)

he was working around the house that very afternoon after he had a good nap

 

[Bowmaster]

Lemmiwinks?

 

[cornbread]

Cool, that makes the nervousness level drop a good bit. I just feel so damn old with the health problems I've gotten.. It makes absolutely no sense - I was in perfectly good health until I hit 19, then I started getting the kidney stones (passed 100+), this past fall I ruptured a disc in my lower back, then in February, found out I have another disc that's buldging, and my vertabrae are starting to "degenerate" or something to that effect. Then finding this out tonight. I feel like an 80 year old trapped in a 22 year old's body haha
:beer:

 

[DurocShark]

Wow. You're gonna have to change your name to cornhole!

You eating or drinking something that's causing this?

 

My mom and dad have them quite often (between every year and every 5 years, depending on how the previous one went) due to a history of colon cancer in their families. They absolutely HATE the laxative the hospital makes them drink. It's called Fleet phososoda, and if I just mention it, they both start gagging.

But the actual procedure is not bad at all. You're sedated for much of it, but you can DEFINITELY go back to work the next day. I think it just feels weird to have something up your pooper, but it's not a bad procedure at all.

 

[NetWareHead]

If you feel both the doctor's hands on your shoulders, then a colonoscopy is the least of your problems. Good luck!

 

[lancestorm]

Well, I am 23 and had to have one about 6 months ago. It is not bad of a procedure. But I will say that the night before the surgery is not good at all. I was on the toilet ALL NIGHT with barely any sleep. It sucked so much!! Bring a tv or even setup your computer in the bathroom if you can... I didn't and ended up reading the Sunday paper...TWICE. Every time I got up...BAM, back in the bathroom.

The procedure does not hurt and you are knocked out during it. Make sure you have someone lined up to drive you home because you will be heavily sedated during the procedure. You'll sleep mighty fine for a few hrs but should be ready to go that day or the next day to go back on schedule.

Oh yeah, I believe they limit your foods 24 hours out from the surgery. Like you can only have apple juice/water, etc and popsicles. Some hard candy. But they are particular about the colors of dyes because they don't want to mix up dye and blood during the procedure...

Good luck.

 

[C'DaleRider]

Very safe procedure and very routine, which is good.

You'll be given a couple of laxative pills to take the day before, probably Colace, and most likely some electrolyte "flush" to dring.....about a gallon or so to take in over an hour or two. You start drinking this stuff the evening before the procedure. Called Golitely....forget the proper spelling, sorry. It's a nasty tasting electrolyte solution that "evactuates" your intestinal tract. You'll be NPO, or nothing passed orally, from midnight on the night prior to the procedure.....and it's not surgery, jsut a mildly invasive procedure.

The procedure you won't remember much at all. You'll have an IV started, be carted into the outpatient surgerical area, and then into the room to have the procedure done. You'll be quite awake throughout it, but the sedative that is typically used, Versed, is a powerful amnesiac, and you won't have any recollection of the procedure. Damned fine drug....better than Valium, which was Valium's original purpose.....its amnesiac function for minor procedures. Versed works much, much better.

They'll take biopsy samples and photos while in there.....again, you won't feel a thing or remember any of it.

Then when done, you'll be driven home and crash most of the rest of the day. No problem.

 

[kranky]

The laxative/electrolyte solution is the worst of it because you will be sitting on the throne for much of the previous evening. Just an inconvenience. The procedure is painless and just as has been described. After I woke up from the anathestic I felt fine. No pain whatsoever.

 

[episodic]

I'm 29 and had one two months ago. Depending on your doctor, you will be given a powerful laxative to take the daybefore.

I had to drink 1 gallon of something called go lytely (spelling?). This was the most horrible part. The night before was like a constant trip to the bathroom followed by drinking more nasty stuff.

The next day I got there at 6 am. The nurses put some good stuff in my vein. Don't hae a clue what it was but I could've cared less where I was or what anyone was doing to me.

I sort of remember the procedure. They bring you into a room and you lay on your side. You hike one leg up toward your belly. You know they are putting the scope in, but I swear you don't care cause of the drugs. After that I fell asleep. I awoke periodically through the procedure when they'd inflate me. The scope has an air line on it, and when the doc hits an insteresting spot they blow air into you to inflate your intestines like a ballon. Think sudden small gas cramp. It would wake me up and I'd be like "OOO" and then pass back out.

Afterwards they bring you to a waiting area to wait for the drug to wear off nuff for you to stand, then they let my wife take me home.

Be ready for a long evening of lots of gas (all the air they pumped into you).

That was about it. The cleaning out is the only bad part. . .

 

[StageLeft]

Goodluck. I know it must suck, but you'll probably be fine

 

[MustISO]

I've had one recently and the cleaning out IS the worst part. I was going for 12 hours straight. Once I was asleep, I felt nothing. The procedure was pretty quick and painless (due to the drugs). When you get home you may have some pain in your abdomen. It's just air that can get built up during the test. If you roll on a bed or the floor from side to side it'll move the gas towards the exit.

 

[remagavon]

Originally posted by: jumpr
My mom and dad have them quite often (between every year and every 5 years, depending on how the previous one went) due to a history of colon cancer in their families. They absolutely HATE the laxative the hospital makes them drink. It's called Fleet phososoda, and if I just mention it, they both start gagging.

But the actual procedure is not bad at all. You're sedated for much of it, but you can DEFINITELY go back to work the next day. I think it just feels weird to have something up your pooper, but it's not a bad procedure at all.

I've had to get this done *THREE* times. ALL before I was even 18 years old . The third time I couldn't finish the fleet solution and went home.. haven't been back since but I'm doing a lot better (I was diagnosed with IBS but a herbal supplement basically took care of it)

It got so bad that I tried to mix the solution with cream soda, (the first two times it was mixed with something lemon-limeish), and now I can NOT drink cream soda or anything resembling the lime taste without gagging. It kinda sucks, because I used to like it. Weird how your brain assocaites stuff.

Good luck, it sucks. But they gave me morphine for some reason and I was alright the 2nd time

 

[Ogg]

Originally posted by: DurocShark
Wow. You're gonna have to change your name to cornhole!

You eating or drinking something that's causing this?

Yeah no more cornbread for you cornbread

Originally posted by: NetWareHead
If you feel both the doctor's hands on your shoulders, then a colonoscopy is the least of your problems. Good luck!

:shocked:

 

[Azraele]

the dominant theory is that a low-fiber diet is the main cause of diverticular disease.

Are you getting enough fiber?

 

[Kaieye]

The Dr. who did the colonoscopy on me was drop dead gorgeous and that was the only thing I remember and not the procedure. Oh yeah and I was farting over and over again...

 

[virtueixi]

Originally posted by: Kaieye
The Dr. who did the colonoscopy on me was drop dead gorgeous and that was the only thing I remember and not the procedure. Oh yeah and I was farting over and over again...

Sounds like fun!

 

[skychief]

You gallblader could have something to do with this as well. You could have gall stones or a diseased gallbladder which will make you life miserable.

 

True story;
I had to get one a little over a year ago due to getting really sick after visiting Costa Rica. They dont knock you out they just sedate you, i woke up when the camera was fully in there and i felt it a little higher than my naval, just felt really weird, i passed right back out.

When i woke up the nurse said i was babbling about counter strike or something.....

 

[Carbo]

I had the pleasure of a colonscopy about two years ago. I liked it. The doc said my insides were pink and pretty.

 

[Lvis]

My folks have had it done, several times....the stories I could tell.... :roll:

The last time, Mom got a tip from someone. As others have said, its the night before thats rough. One of the things mom hates is the taste of the crap you have to take. She was told to use a straw, and keep the straw at the back of her throat while drinking.

This keeps the nasty stuff away from your taste buds. She said it was much easier.

Good luck.

 

[cornbread]

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for the heads up on it... i'm not as nervous now about the whole thing, just the laxative lol
Thanks for the advice once again..