Bowel Scope

kingrollo

Another indignity of getting old - I have been called in for a bowel scope - thats a camera up the jacksey amongst other indignities - been told no sedation is available either

Anyone had this done ? - is it as bad as it sounds ?

cooldad

Yep, and yep, and there is sedation available, or they would never have got it up there in the first place.

kingrollo

Wonder why Ive been told no sedation ? - do they only give if it ain't happening on the day...?
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tonysj

I've have Crohns for a number of years and lets say I've had a few Endoscopes up my nether regions.
I've only ever had Entonox/Gas and Air and that was because the camera was right around to my Ileum/appendix area.
I would say the worst thing is the meds you have to take to clear the bowel but other than that its not a big issue.
FWIW I've also had a camera down my throat into my stomach again with ONLY a mouth spray to numb my throat, now that's a hell of lot more difficult to handle but the main thing is you don't have to swallow as if you do you start to gag and then its difficult to relax and stay calm.
Don't worry about it just try and relax.

sloppyschleckonds

Just ask for plenty of lube

oxoman

As an older person and on the receiving end of this procedure I can honestly say it's not as bad as by the throat. It's more the embarrassment factor and initial pre procedure clear out. As Tony mentions unless going further than usual sedation is not required or if in pain, but as a normal wellman check you should be ok with just the lube.

lincolndave

I’ve have had five colonoscopy,s now and having another in February, this is down to having Crohn’s disease, only one have I had to have air/ gas that was down to the doctor/ nurse being I think in a hurry , but besides that nothing to worry about

keef66

I've only had it done with sedation. Worst thing is the stuff they give you to clear you out beforehand. Both Lee Evans and Billy Connolly do about 10 minutes of stand-up on the subject. Only advice I can give you is to get plenty of vaseline or moisuriser on your @rsehole to give it some protection from the frequent use it's going to get. And take very seriously the advice to remain close to a toilet at all times...

That and the fact it leaves you chronically dehydrated but not allowed to drink. Blinding headache and impossible to find a vein in my hand to stick a needle in for the sedative.

Once sedated, the procedure itself was only mildly uncomfortable. Cannot imagine it without.

Oh, and be aware that they inflate you like an airbed to get a better interior view, and afterwards that gas will continue to make its way out for several hours, usually in hilarious quantities and at the least convenient moment

barongreenback

Oh God. Moviprep. Had it so many times I’m kind of used to it now but so long as you’re close to a loo, it’s fine. Like norovirus but without the stomach cramps. Don’t use Vaseline on any delicate areas if you need to take several trips to the loo. Use sudocreme instead. It acts as a better barrier when the eruption comes frequently.

The scope is fine. Uncomfortable but usually the doctor and nurse will do their best to have a jolly conversation with you. Depending on the type of scope (ie how far up they need to go) you may be offered sedation.

And good luck! Always better to be cautious and get any abnormalities checked out (not so lucky myself but I’ve now been clear for several years). A PSA to anyone reading this. If you have any abnormal signs eg blood in your stool, get to the doctor and have a test. If you get the stool test kit in the post (for UK readers) ****ing well use it!

slowmart

https://singletrackworld.com/2009/02/th ... d-returns/

@ the OP, click the link for some sage advise from a chap called blu-tone.

thistle_

Slowmart wrote:

https://singletrackworld.com/2009/02/the-picolax-thread-returns/

@ the OP, click the link for some sage advise from a chap called blu-tone.

That was the one I was thinking of. Double check the date of your appointment.

oxoman

To any gent reading this and thinking it's nothing to do with me just take note of what barongreenback says especially the last paragraph. I lost 2 close relatives a fair few years ago because they weren't educated back then. To kingrollo don't worry about the embarrassment and discomfort it's temporary and a small price to pay for peace of mind.

twotoebenny

I'm also a Crohn's sufferer and have had lots of colonoscopies, last one in November. I don't recall ever having not had sedation but it's local. I've always found it uncomfortable but have never had the disease under control so inflammation etc won't have helped. Worst bit for most IBD sufferers is the prep. But make sure you do it right as the better the prep the clearer the scope. Good luck

kingrollo

I dont have any symptoms of anything. its a just a routine test they offer when you are 55.

wondering if to bother tbh. seems a lot of hassle for most probably nothing.

keef66

I'd still have it done. They must pick up a significant number of people with an issue but no symptoms, otherwise they wouldn't offer it. And if you were unfortunate enough to have something sinister going on, early diagnosis and treatment is a lot more successful than late intervention.

sadlybiggins

I had a colonoscopy a year or so ago as part of a health check and it was nowhere near as bad as I though it would be. Whilst not a pleasant procedure, the worst two aspects for me were not the colonoscopy itself but: (1) the laxatives and nil by mouth for 36 hours beforehand; and (2) expelling the air afterwards that is used to help the camera on its way. Very uncomfortable for a couple of hours.

oxoman

Kingrollo, take the opportunity to have peace of mind.

kingrollo

After 60 (55 now) - I get to poop in a bottle every 2 years instead of this camera up the jacksey malarkey - dunno why I can't just do that now ?

Its the home enema that bothers me- I just don't think I m going to be very good at sticking a tube up my backside - thought the hospital would do that to be honest.

barongreenback

kingrollo wrote:

I dont have any symptoms of anything. its a just a routine test they offer when you are 55.

wondering if to bother tbh. seems a lot of hassle for most probably nothing.

Hi kingrollo. Bowel cancer survivor here. Have the test- early detection is the difference between being here and not. I was detected late and trust me, you would not want the amount of surgery, chemo and all the other horrific stuff that goes with living with cancer. Luckily I'm in remission but others aren't so lucky.

jgsi

Is this a postcode lottery?
I just get to put poop on a card every 2 years.
Apparently it goes to a NHS lab for checking.

keef66

A home enema? The stuff I had was a sachet of powder which you mix up in water and drink. Then wait nervously...

I'm over 60 and get to sample my own poop every few years too. If they ever spot anything sinister in the poop I'll presumably get the full internal camera-crew experience again.

I'm happy to put up with the occasional invasive procedure for peace of mind

keef66

Is this a full-on hospital job? And is the procedure a proper sigmoid colonoscopy?

Only time I was given a home enema was when I had the pleasure of attending the local GPs Rectal Clinic to have some piles seen to. No sedation but the same deal with being inflated and violated internally, just confined to my bum.

kingrollo

keef66 wrote:

Is this a full-on hospital job? And is the procedure a proper sigmoid colonoscopy?

Only time I was given a home enema was when I had the pleasure of attending the local GPs Rectal Clinic to have some piles seen to. No sedation but the same deal with being inflated and violated internally, just confined to my bum.

Not sure - its part of the bowel screening programme - I am not ill - and don't have any symptoms that anything is wrong. The scope is only the lower half of the bowel. Seems very invasive when I have no symptoms of anything.

oxoman

Kingrollo, I recently changed my job to take over from a guy taking early retirement, he had a the wellman check and it had highlighted higher than normal psa levels. He had no symptoms either, since had surgery and been given the all clear although he will still have a few more annual checks. Just do your self and family a big favour and do it. I underwent checks after losing a couple of relatives and being highlighted as at a higher risk at only 45. I still have the checks every couple of years just to make sure and I'm 54 this year so JFDI please.

Mad_Malx

kingrollo wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Is this a full-on hospital job? And is the procedure a proper sigmoid colonoscopy?

Only time I was given a home enema was when I had the pleasure of attending the local GPs Rectal Clinic to have some piles seen to. No sedation but the same deal with being inflated and violated internally, just confined to my bum.

Not sure - its part of the bowel screening programme - I am not ill - and don't have any symptoms that anything is wrong. The scope is only the lower half of the bowel. Seems very invasive when I have no symptoms of anything.

I thought some people pay good money for this sort of thing?

More seriously - some health regions are piloting offers of colonoscopy to everyone at 60 (or maybe younger). The detection rate and precision is far higher than stool sample test, and will probably save lives and money if they are set up for conveyor-belt assessments (not literally). There is a small risk associated with the procedure, and that's why trials are still being done to assess risk/benefit.

If it was available in my region I would definitely go for it. Even though I am healthy and no family history of anything
I know far too many who have had scares and more serious events.

kingrollo

I suppose I am on a bit of rebound from seeing my mom suffer from dementia and spend the last 2.5 years of her life in a nursing home.
does all this prevention and testing mean I get to spend 4 years in a nursing home instead of 2 ?

Way off topic - but perhaps that why I am bit blazey about the whole thing. Living to a ripe old age isn't always a good thing.

Mad_Malx

The point of the colonoscopy is that it detect things much earlier, and interventions are relatively straightforward. Unless you are going to avoid all treatment and just wait to drop dead then early treatment is a much better option .

tangled_metal

I have a high risk for bowel cancer but at 46 they won't do the scope under any circumstances. I suspect it's because I'm a cyclist and other activities so look healthy. Bad IBS, or whatever it really is, isn't nice. In fact it's quite painful at times.

My issue is with age related diagnosis. A few years back there was a retired top athlete from another country (Ireland I think) who the news announced had just died of bowel cancer at 41 years. That's 14 years before colonoscopy is given for high risk patients. I've heard other cases too both in the news for a famous person but also through family and friends.

One day I can hope that there is national screening for cancers for all. Preferably with a simple blood test of course. You'd have poor take up if it required picolax every time.

thistle_

kingrollo wrote:

I suppose I am on a bit of rebound from seeing my mom suffer from dementia and spend the last 2.5 years of her life in a nursing home.
does all this prevention and testing mean I get to spend 4 years in a nursing home instead of 2 ?

Way off topic - but perhaps that why I am bit blazey about the whole thing. Living to a ripe old age isn't always a good thing.

There was some study a while back that reckoned cyclists have a better qualitu of old age, less Ill health etc. so I wouldn't worry about that side of things.

I had to go and get something checked out, really didn't want to go but the doctors were great and it turned out to be nothing. The previous time I left something it resulted in surgery so lesson learned :roll:

barongreenback

Tangled Metal wrote:

I have a high risk for bowel cancer but at 46 they won't do the scope under any circumstances. I suspect it's because I'm a cyclist and other activities so look healthy. Bad IBS, or whatever it really is, isn't nice. In fact it's quite painful at times.

My issue is with age related diagnosis. A few years back there was a retired top athlete from another country (Ireland I think) who the news announced had just died of bowel cancer at 41 years. That's 14 years before colonoscopy is given for high risk patients. I've heard other cases too both in the news for a famous person but also through family and friends.

One day I can hope that there is national screening for cancers for all. Preferably with a simple blood test of course. You'd have poor take up if it required picolax every time.

I had to see 3 different GPs over 5 appointments before finally getting a referral. I was 36 at the time. I still wonder how much trauma my family and I would have avoided with a few extra months rather than being told my pain was due to bad posture and the constipation was unrelated. Do be insistent if you are genuinely worried. If it comes back clear it’s worth it for the peace of mind.

How are you coping with the IBS? I have similar symptoms due to the type of surgery and it sometimes stops me from going out for longer cycling trips.

tangled_metal

barongreenback wrote:

How are you coping with the IBS? I have similar symptoms due to the type of surgery and it sometimes stops me from going out for longer cycling trips.

How much time have you got?

OK I've been going to the doctor a few times a year for about 6 years. I get told loperidomide (I think that's the chemical bung available over the counter) and something like windsettlers. OK one creates problems with putting you the other way. So I go from loose to constipated with major wind. The windsettlers really work for me very randomly.

I got given prescription drug beginning with m that I was supposed to take 20 minutes before food to stabilise my bowels. I have no idea if related but every time I took that drug I got a migraine. I really do mean every time. So I don't take them.

Right now I have spells of looseness followed by a spell of trapped wind. They can last 4 weeks or so at times with cycles of that over the period of time.

Almost every day I get really bad wind. To put it into context I know that half an hour after eating food my stomach swells and only goes down after I relieve it in a rather impolite manner. Tonight it was particularly bad. My stomach swelled out such that it looked like I was in the last trimester of pregnancy. That's a huge amount of trapped gas for someone who has a normally flat stomach. My torso doubled in front to n back distance tonight. I think it was because of a broccoli and Stilton homemade soup. Unusually the effect came on about dinner time not within half to a full hour after eating the soup.

Anyway I apologise for any impolite comments regarding my bodily tendencies but I was asked.

Summary I'm managing because I have to since I'm not getting any help from GPs. It's considered as just IBS so live with it. A curse of my IBS on the next gp to take that attitude. If I could tap a gp on the shoulder and make them feel what I feel I reckon the gatekeeper would send me for investigation.

BTW I got told to use fibregel fibre drink last gp consult. No effect. The gp said it sounds like low fibre. Apparently wholemeal bread, wholemeal cereal / porridge and a few other high fibre foods aren't very good at getting fibre absorbed by the body. Yeah right. I eat what I've always eaten but I still got IBS. Right now I eat more vegetables since I eat vegetarian meals at least once a week and my n partner insists on me vegetables in our diet. The vegetables we eat more than I traditionally used to eat but I still get IBS more severely than ever. The things we eat more of now read exactly what the gp said I needed to eat.