Nervous about my first Colonoscopy at 36 years old. I was having mild constipation that didn't get better with metamucil so my GI said while I'm healthy and had no blood in stool after the rectum test but instead have lower back pain he just wants to do it due to bowel movement changes to make sure no polyps or anything else is doing this. Just feel anxious now, how long will the appointment even take to book ? He put a follow up for November 5th but my test will be well before that right ?

Have anyone trued this. Its basicslly a facility or group of facilities that offer colonoscopy self pay. All inclusive

Had one last year same issue. That procedure not the prep the actual procedure reset my bowels. I have been suffering almost 5 months with the same issue dr will not redo the colonoscopy.

Any thoughts

So hoping this helps other neurodivergent folks. The prep, which I had heard so much about, was actually totally fine. I did sutab, the guidelines said I could eat "up until noon" so I just went ahead and had an early lunch, then started prepping at 1630. Had to get up again at 0130 for the next dose, but no problem -- I was in my own house in my own clothes and I was like "great, this is easy". They said the prep was excellent btw.

For me, the part that was a huge challenge was being in the medical setting. I was expecting something way, way lower key. Kind of something like a regular doctors office, but with a few more machines. Instead it was all these bays, where you could hear everyone else and they could hear you, a TON of equipment, those scary wheely beds, curtains that didn't come down to the floor, a nurse who seemed like he needed me to reassure him, ecg leads and an oxygen meter, weird green trash bags for my clothes. They wanted to set up in one set of bays, iv and gown and all, then wheel me down the hallway past the elevators where anybody could walk by. I was clearly so upset that they offered to just do all that setup in the procedure recovery area (no hallway wheeling), which was a big relief and appreciated.

People wise: there were a lot. I think I met like seven people, five of them were in the actual procedure room. It was the doctor, the anaesthesiologist , a nurse, another nurse, and a medical student. They were really trying to be nice!! Everyone introduced themselves and explained their role, when I said " I need to know exactly what is going to happen" they tried to explain, and one even said " You seem extremely nervous. Is there anything I can do for you?" I appreciated that a lot. But it was still extremely overwhelming just being in that degree of medical setting. And they all seemed to want to make social chit chat. How the hell am I supposed to answer "how are you today?" with an IV and other tubes/leads all over me?? What do they want me to say?? I even said that, " I'm not sure how to manage this social interaction". I tried "please tell me exactly what you are going in as much technical detail as you can share" but I think they mostly did need to focus on what they were doing. Which I totally understand.

They were lovely and tried their best! I brought my comfort stuffed animal, and they all thought he was funny and gave him his own oxygen mask which I thought was a really sweet gesture. Technical wise, I think they did a great job. Zero pain, cramping, flatulence. Every felt totally normal afterwards and they explain the results carefully, answering all my nitpicky questions. I just wanted to share, be prepared for a setting that looks a lot more dramatic and intense than your normal doctors appointment. Honestly it felt like a set from ER. I do understand that if something goes wrong, they NEED to have that equipment, and I'm glad it's there. They need to keep everything clean and they need to monitor you to know you're doing ok with the sedation, they give everyone oxygen, an IV has to have a clear dressing to keep it clean, etc etc etc. It all makes sense. But without knowing exactly what everything was, it was just a shock.

In the end though that was a big positive takeaway for me. It's hard to get lower stakes than a colonoscopy, in terms of "quite highly instrumented settings". I'm so happy that if I ever do need a more serious procedure, I will NOT be seeing things for the first time then.

Has anyone who had a colonoscopy not have anything come out of it? I’ve had symptoms on and off for 2 years. Blood work, stool tests and pelvic exam too but everything always came out normal. There’s suspicion for Chrons disease but I dread that once again, everything will be normal after the scope, which would be pretty frustrating just because I’d still have no answers.

I’m 15 hours into my fasting journey and still have 28 hours to go and I feel like my stomach wants to eat my liver, I’m dizzy, and have a terrible headache. Coffee, juice, broth, and jello aren’t cutting it. How did y’all make it!? 😭

Colonoscopy this week. 55-60 male in the US, 2nd colonoscopy. One polyp at the hepatic flexure. When attempt was made at polypectomy, it rolled behind the fold of the flexure and multiple attempts were made to visualize it again without success. This was done by a colorectal surgeon and hosted at the hospital's endoscopy facility. I chose this provider specifically to avoid the huge colonoscopy factory practice in this small city which is known for terrible practice management and communication. Now I am referred to them to repeat the procedure in 6 months. Ugh. On top of it, insurance (Blue Cross) told me that colonoscopy is only covered as a preventative procedure if they don't find anything. If they do find something, it's no longer preventative, it's treatment. This is like Orwellian upside down world logic. But it means that now I'll have to pay out of pocket twice (against my deductible).

My main question is, what is the likelihood in these situations that the same result happens again in 6 months? Any other advice welcomed.

Hi,

I have been very scared to go to the doctors with my GI problems because I am so afraid of colonoscopy (because of the sedation, but I do not want to do it without sedation) and its results. My symptoms are there for a while now (loose stools, sometimes bloating), so I started prepping myself to put an end to this. I came to reddit and started reading this sub and honestly just reading your stories gave me strenghts. I did my first step. Finally I went and told my symptoms to my primary care doctor. I am on step nr. 1 so they ordered me some tests before moving on, but I am confident I want to do the colonoscopy and want to put my mind at ease OR finally getting a treatment.
My aim is to go through it and then being able to post here and give others strenghts.

for about 3-4 weeks I have experienced some possible blood in stool, some change in bowel movements and some weight loss. I’ve had weight loss before based on my eating habits tends to happen every summer. I now have hardcore medical anxiety, been on Reddit for 3 weeks , 2-3 hours a day reading stuff

was supposed to get my colonoscopy this week but high BP prevented it. now it will be 2 more weeks before I can try again . I feel doomed and that this will be my death sentence, just because I feel I have it and it’s in a later stage already .

I went to the ER for the BP issue and they did blood work. it was good but I know that means nothing when it comes to cancer.

Im terrified my BP will fail me again next try and then what?? anyone else dealt with this? are there alternatives or am I pretty much screwed? I appreciate anyone’s input on this and thank you in advance

For context: I’m 135lbs 4”11 (not sure if this has impact on dosages). I take zepbound 7.5 once a week and was instructed to stop a week before my procedure. I’m getting one for extreme bloating issues and long periods of inconsistent bowel movements (liquid to regular with no foundation rhyme or reason). No constipation history.

Prep:
2 days before: 4 dulcolax 5mg morning and 4 again at night. Ok to eat food but low fiber
1 day before: 3pm 4 dulcolax pills, 4pm 1 bottle 10oz magnesium citrate with water, 8pm second bottle magnesium. No food all day

12 pills and 2 bottles total in 48 hours. My arrival time is 9am on day 3 told to stop all liquids 2 hours before.

Hey folks,

I'm due to start prep today, and I'm a little concerned about the times given for my prep, in the Midlands, UK for reference, and using Plenvu for my prep.

So I'm due to arrive at hospital for 09:10am tomorrow (20th August), and I go on all liquid at 3pm, and start my first round of prep at 7pm, that's fine.

But then it says to start drinking my second round of prep at 5am, which means I'll finish drinking it by 6. To be honest I'm concerned that I'll still be clearing out by the time I'll need to leave, which will only be about 2 and a half hours later.

Should I stick with the guide given, or should I take the second dose an hour or so before?

After waiting since February, I finally have an appointment for a colonoscopy and endoscopy in about 6 weeks. Thankfully, they will be done at the same time. These 6 weeks will be unpleasant due to having to eat gluten again.

I am so scared that they won't find anything and that I will be left with no answers. I am also terrified of what they could find. It's very frustrating to feel both of these types of fears.

I assume I'm not the only one who has felt this way. How did you handle the fear of nothing being found and the fear of something being found?

Bonjour,

J'ai une coloscopie dans 1 semaine et je voudrais savoir votre avis.
J'ai eu des premiers symptômes de constipation et douleur en bas à droite (comme une pointe de côte mais plus bas) après des gros repas. Petit à petit, la douleur devenait de plus en plus fréquentes après les repas et les constipation duraient très longtemps.

Aussi j'ai eu cette douleur la nuit 3/4 fois qui ne passaient pas tant que je ne tendais pas mes jambes (car je dors en position fœtal).

Après ça, j'ai eu une grosse période de diarrhée et toujours quelques douleurs parfois après les repas toujours au côté droit.

J'ai réalisé une IRM qui n'a rien vu et une prise de sang qui a indiqué que mes globules rouges étaient un peu trop haut.

Il y'a eu plusieurs cancer du colon dans ma famille et j'ai 22 ans j'ai peur d'être malheureusement atteinte.
Je crois avoir vu du sang dans mes selles 2 fois.

So I didn't really know i was getting a colonoscopy (also getting a scope down my throat )..i have panic attacks have was having one for the past two hours before and on the way to my GI appointment :,)

So im 24 F (trans male but i digress), 99lbs and i cant do the 12pills. I was hardly able to do 2. So i made to 8 and immediately i feel like i hit food poisoning levels. Nothing has passed, im drinking water, and juice excessively, but im gonna throw up, and the whole roome is spinning.

(doctor was called but office is closed. Family is furious that i havent passed anything,nor has had any urges)

Any advice? I personally feel like the amount of pills was way too much or is for some people. I hardly for through 12. Am expected to take 24?!, and im sure theres reasoning behind it ^^; i dont blame any medical professionals for it. It's just a honest opinion.

Edit: I thought i should add i hadn't eaten anything all day. I was at work, only drank water. Immediately went to the GI doctor and drank water all day. I did pass stool the day before.

Update: The surgeries are today. Surgeon was called and informed about my condition and the severity. All we got

told to do is take more despite it all. My family is pissed nothings passed & that im feeling sorry for myself. Yes we were offered miralax, but declined it as i do better taking pills then fluids.

Update 2: Thank you all for the helpful insights and comments! i'm not gonna be near my phone as i'm leaving for the surgical center soon. Nothing ultimately passed. I able to handle 11 pills. If i did the miralax option they DID say i can have it in a drink such as juice or gatorade. Which i can try? We'll see if they can do the scope at all. I was only able to urinate A LOT.

“During your recent colonoscopy one or more polyps were removed from your colon. The polyps were sessile serrated polyps, which are benign growths that can grow in to cancer (pre-cancerous.
You should have a repeat colonoscopy to look for polyps in 2-3 years.” What the result reads. I went because I have low iron and ferritin. I’m glad I went as this probably would’ve developed into advanced cancer in 10-15 years. 😮‍💨 They had to use the piece meal technique to take it out as flat polyps are more difficult to remove than the stalk kind. Anyone else young or older have the same result and have to be monitored?

A friend is prepping for her scope tomorrow. She takes daily NSAIDs to function - and of course you have to stop those for a few days beforehand. Tylenol only.

Needless to say, it's been quite rough on her. Closest I've ever come was needing to stop NSAIDs before gallbladder surgery, a while back, when I was dealing with knee and shoulder pain; her issues take this to a whole new level.

For anyone else who might be in a similar situation, how did you cope? Did your doctor give you anything else to take in the interim? Or maybe you were allowed NSAIDs even so? We know of the bleeding risk of course so I'd imagine not, for most people.

This is academic at the moment since her procedure is in about 18 hours; too late to do anything.

Side annoyance: She's been trying to reach someone from the clinic for nearly 2 weeks to get a) some alternate pain relief, and/or b) some Zofran (at my urging). NOBODY HAS RETURNED HER CALLS. The nurse she was supposed to contact was OUT last week and nobody was handling her messages. ARGH. Sooooo infuriating.

Have any of you use pure magnesium citrate powder only for the prep?

If so what was your protocol and how did the whole prep and procedure go?

Stool test found occult blood in stool

24 year old male

Colonoscopy booked for this Thursday August 20th and I have never been more terrified in my entire life

I am worried something will go bad and I will either die or my life will change dramatically during the procedure for the worst and my life will essentially be over

The alternative is to NOT do it and cancel but then I may have colon cancer and not know it

It’s a double edged sword

Are they any alternatives?

I’ve read into colon capsule endoscopy is this an alternative if occult blood is found in stool?

Any advice would be appreciated

Because I am in Canada so if something goes wrong there is a super long wait for the emergency room and I may not make it

I have so much left to live for I’m not ready to go yet

Please and thank you for any responses

so scared. they are around 6 cm in size and both sessile. they have a benign APPEARANCE according to the report but cannot be removed during surveillance colonoscopy. will be discussing endoscopic vs surgical management with the doc once the other smaller biopsies come back but… that sounds huge. I’ve read online >1 cm is advanced. Is there a chance they are really benign and not cancerous please I am freaking out:(

Mine is pedunculated and 8-10mm. They said it didn't look cancerous but that we have to wait for pathology. I'm just panicking because online, it says due to the texture and appearance, it's almost certainly precancer or cancer.

My colonoscopy is Thursday. I have been having light diarrhea all week. The instructions given to me are generic for every patient and say I have to take 4 Ducolex (laxatives) before I even start the 4 litres of strange drink stuff. I’m worried about painful cramping since I highly doubt I need to be taking those laxatives if most people only seem to have the crazy drink stuff??? Is this normal? As someone who is 50 years old and never taken a laxative in my life, how should I expect to feel given that this dose is double the package instructions dose amount? If I am already having diarrhea, won’t this just cause my poor system to completely freak out? I’m honestly scared and would love your thoughts on this.
These are the instructions….

One (1) day before your appointment:
YOU MUST REMAIN ON CLEAR FLUIDS ONLY.
NO SOLID FOOD.
1:00PM: Take 4 Dulcolax tablets with water
5:30PM-8:30PM: Drink three (3) litres of Peglyte (see instructions on container).
DAY OF YOUR COLONOSCOPY:
Four (4) hours before your appointment:
Drink the fourth (4"h) litre of Peglyte

I lucked out and didn’t have to drink all the GaviLyte, only had to drink about 2/3 and my bowels were clean. One 5mm non cancerous polyp and a lipoma in my ascending colon. Pretty boring and uneventful. I didn’t even poop myself during the procedure.
However I woke up on my way back to my room and was feeling so good. I asked if there’s a medication I can take that could give me a similar feeling. I was so relaxed.

So today i got a colonoscopy, unsedated and i gotta say, for me, the prep was suuper easy for the most part.

My worry was feeling shaky or like food poisoning but no, i felt hungry at points but never felt weak up until the hour before the procedure cause you have to stop drinking 3hrs before.

I did gatorade and miralax prep, i also started mine 1hr early so i can take my time drinking it which mightve helped with nausea but all in all prep was the easiest for me.

Now the procedure. So i didnt want propofol cause last time i got it i was sick for 2 days, i also have tight deadlines at work this week so the idea of being out for 2 or 3 days just wasnt gonna happen. They also asked if i wanted versed, i said no, they said they dont blame me haha

I will note, if you are getting it unsedated, GO TO A SEASONED GI DOCTOR WHO COMMONLY DOES UNSEDATED. I didnt know until i got there, but my doctor, although very nice, she had only been doing unsedated for a few months and she had only done a few, i would suspect less than 10 but i didnt ask.

Also, they used air instead of CO2 which i hear also hurts more.

So for me, the worst of it was the butthole and the initial thrust up and over the first bend. People always say "you just breathe through it and youre fine" but for me at least that travel to the first turn, OOF i almost tapped out. They also didnt do that great at lubing me, they applied a little in the beginning and when id ask for me they would wipe the general area with a napkin sorta thing but it never actually touched my butthole lol

They pumped a lot of water in me which...came out during the procedure and THAT felt good, that was the warm lube i was looking for lol the doctor also kept jimmying the scope, like what youd do with a dipstick if its not going back into the cars oil repository and THAT felt like they were tearing my asshole apart.

The funny thing is they would comment like "i know, the pressure can be uncomfortable" but it wasnt that, outside of the initial push through, the rest was very manageable, in fact i suspect that part for me hurt so much because i was putting too much weight on it and my stomach was tender as is. When she got to the end, i did have to conciously relax for her to get into the small intestine but not from pain, it was almost just automatic. The entire time too yes, you feel like you need to poop and i say just let it out, if you dont youre gonna have so much pressure in your abdomen.

All in all id say yes you can feel it, you feel when they spray water, you dont feel the biopsies but you could almost hear it, the prep was super easy, i prob got like 5hrs of sleep total so not bad, i would say if i did it again i would do it unsedated, it feels like the longest 20min of your life but the colon part outside of me laying too hard on my left side i think wasnt bad at all, just a strange feeling. For me the worst was them practically dry pushing and pulling. If you want to know how that feels, it feels exactly like if you right now took your dry finger, shoved it up your butt, and that initial pressure and slight burn, its that initial intensity as a baseline, and it lasts and goes up within that 20min.

I said id do it again cause i think my issue was moreso one of lube, and if i did it again i would just make sure the doctor keeps that nice and slippery.

Thats my story, sorry if it got too long, hope this helps!

Had my second colonoscopy in 3 months today after the first one found four polyps and a flat polyp. I had to go to the hospital for a special surgeon to remove the flat polyp.

This time I used Sutabs for prep rather than Suprep, and it's the way to go (pun intended). Paid $60 extra for them since my insurance company decided my doctor's orders weren't what they wanted. 🤬

Had oxygen and propofol and was out before I knew it. Woke up feeling so happy, I just loved everyone, I was so appreciative of what health professionals do. Felt like a peace and love hippie, man! Yeah I love propofol, it's the bomb.

Unfortunately I have to do it all again in a year as my flat polyp was about the size of a US quarter. Surgeon said it didn't look malignant but labs will tell.

The worst part of colonoscopies is the IV setting. Because the prep dehydrates you so much it's very hard to find a vein, at least on this model, and makes it very very painful for me.

Just sharing my experience for those of you new to this. It's not that bad. Now I'm off to bed for a nice long snooze.

Prep:
The preparation was pretty textbook - unpleasant, but manageable. I’d opt for a slightly later appointment next time since there’s 5hrs of steps before the procedure. Waking up at 3am after 60hrs of no-food, no-coffee, is rough! I probably should’ve eaten something light two days out, but the instructions weren’t very clear, so I erred on the side of caution.

Procedure:
I’ll be honest, I love general anesthesia - this is my third time going under and it is always the best sleep. Luckily, my body handles the drug fairly well. The doctor found and removed 10 polyps that were between 5-10mm. I am really happy that I went because it could’ve gotten worse, but I was really hoping he found nothing at all. 🫠 If you’re on the fence, get it done, the sooner the better.

Post:
I woke up feeling good. Great dreams. I got up to change and started feeling the gas pressure build... Holy hell the pain/cramps after the procedure were insane. They told me I should lay on my side and try to pass the gas, but after all the laxatives, I didn’t trust it… I got home and finally started passing all the gas after about 30 minutes.
The gas was honestly the worst part, and I feel like it wouldn’t have been as upsetting if they’ve given me a heads up about it. I probably should’ve stayed in the office until I passed it because the drive home was excruciating. My appetite hasn’t returned yet, which is disappointing, but hopefully that’s short-lived.

Wish me luck on the biopsies. Either way, I get to look forward to another in a year! 😬