I have a date!

I have a scope date!

Got a letter through for my colonoscopy at last! Wednesday 22nd December at 2pm. The very last day I could do in December due to time of the month!

Not a day Mum can come with me but Nan will and I also have a friend on standby.

Instructions not as complicated as I thought, light lunch the day before and nothing after, stop drinking at 8am on the day, stop iron tablets 5 days before. Thought I would have to give up codiene painkillers a few days beforehand so glad I don't have to.

Leaflet states pain relief and sedative will be given so will probably be quite out of it, especially after the strain of the prep! Also a nose tube of oxygen which i've not had before.

Three lots of prep, how lovely. Will have to stock up on squash and baby wipes

Hi stargirrrl...I'm so happy for you! Glad the NHS sorted themselves out and got you a date.

Good luck w/ the prep...never much fun lol.

Sedatives didnt work for me really...make sure u tell them if u are very aware, usually they will give u a bit more!!!!

Much love xoxoxox

Thanks Kelsea I am going to talk to the nurse beforehand and say I am a little apprehensive about that since i've never had sedation before and seem to have a high tolerance to drugs generally!

good idea, you never know if your lucky they will give you a general anaesthetic!

Sedation is a dream when it does work though...makes you feel like you've had a VERY strong Gin n Tonic! lol

xx

Good luck! hope it goes ok! im going in for my second colonoscopy tommorow. I remember how worried i was the first time so all i can say is dont get too worked up beforehand, it's really not as bad as you think it will be. The apprehension before hand is probably worse than the procedure itself.

When i had sedation they put it through an i.v and it worked wonders.

Good Luck

I had a flexible sig 3 or 4 years ago without any pain relief or sedation lol so I know pretty much what will happen.

A little apprehensive about it hurting as been getting bad abdominal pains but I can discuss that all on the day

Instructions not as complicated as I thought, light lunch the day before and nothing after, stop drinking at 8am on the day, stop iron tablets 5 days before. Thought I would have to give up codiene painkillers a few days beforehand so glad I don't have to.

Leaflet states pain relief and sedative will be given so will probably be quite out of it, especially after the strain of the prep! Also a nose tube of oxygen which i've not had before.

Click to expand...

Blimey! On on my leaflet it told me to stop taking iron tablets and codeine 10 days before the colonoscopy (not an issue for me as I don't have either). I'm very surprised at being allowed to take codeine tablets though because they can have a constipating effect. Might be worth to double check with the colonoscopy unit.

At the time I felt as though the sedation wasn't strong, although I can hardly remember most of it now, and I fell asleep almost straight away after the procedure, so I think it is better than you think at the time. It wasn't as bad as I thought, staff were lovely and that always helps.

My nurses and doctor had the attitude "you may have to have one again and we don't want to have a bad experience, so you can have as much sedative as you need!"

Good luck!

Yes am going to ask about that when I phone as have a few other questions. Know they have a constiapting effect but would have thought 3l of laxative would outweigh that lol. With the iron tablets it's getting rid of the black deposits I know.

You can actually request general anethesia; I had it with my last colonoscopy a month ago. I was given propofol and I just closed my eyes; when I opened them it was already over. No hangover feeling, no nausea-I'll never have another without it.

Best wishes to you!

Squadinho said:

My nurses and doctor had the attitude "you may have to have one again and we don't want to have a bad experience, so you can have as much sedative as you need!"

Click to expand...

That is exactly how my GI felt the last time I had one. I made sure to ask him if I could have LOTS OF DRUGS....he said he had a 55 gal barrel just waiting for me...knew I liked the guy right then and there! Ya gotta love a DR with a sense of humor.

And, they put the IV in, plunged down on the needle and I was "bye bye now"...vaguely remember talking to my hubby in the recovery room. That was about it.

Hope it goes as smoothly for you. Good luck!

You forget, stargrrl is in the UK and they don't do general anaesthetics for colonoscopies (only maybe in extreme circumstances). Only twilight sedation.

Reading your title I thought you had like a DATE date, like with a guy. LOL!!!!

Good luck hey!

Ha ha Dras, me too!

Awwww I wish lol Need to leave the house to get dates and not much of that happening hahaha. Best I can manage is a scope date hehehe!

HAHAH.. I too thought it was with a gentleman. I am looking in that department. I put my profile on plenty of fish but I don't know how to access it. I don't know what the messages mean when I get them. and how to chat with people.
Also I don';t know what to say about my Crohns Disease and am afraid I'll be rejected if I mention it. I no longer like a lot of drama and chaos in my life. Not into the busy lifestyle. Although I had an interview with McDonalds about a job. My first job in many many years.

Lol! Look on the bright side, maybe you will bump into a hot new GI or something! Or have a gorgeous straight male nurse?? The opportunities are endless...

Lol I thought was for a date with a guy too lol
my only dates I get a due dates on bills etc lol, sux bein sick, not bein able go out n meet ppl etc then wondering if ya should mention ya condition

hope it's great news with ya scope
good luck

A lot of people thought it was a date with a guy Im not the only one lol. When I had my colonoscopy I was completly out of it I was talking nonsense the whole time and didn't feel any pain just a bit uncomfortable at points. I mostly remember telling the nurse lots and lots of times that when she gave me the oxygen thing up my nose it was like I was at the IOW festival in the oxygen bar. lol

Im sure it will be fine x

I have had to have a few scopes, and I requested at the time I was told I needed to be violated that I wanted general anaesthetic because I couldn't even endure the thought of 'that', let alone sit through it, well lie on my side through it! And every time I have been put to sleep.

Really worried now about the weather. Long range forecast predicting snow from 6 days before procedure and continuing low temperatures has not changed. I have family travelling from 20 mins away to be with me in the morning (because I will be so weak and worried about collapsing from exhaustion, lack of food and not allowed any fluids after 8am, alone), although I do have a friend locally on stand by. Could not handle it being cancelled after waiting so freaking long. Had they helped me a few months ago when Rheumy offered to arrange tests, or seen me sooner, or given me a higher priority I would not be worried about this. Would have to wait even longer and if it's cancelled after prep (or even before) then that's it I freaking give up with the whole process, cannot be going through that trauma needlessley, there is only so much a person can take when they are sick and the scope being cancelled would be the very very last straw.

I have all my non-laxative prep in hand though, haircut next week and cleaning room, got new dressing gown, and will arrange things so when I come home I have fresh bedding and night clothes, just to help me get a bit more comfy after. May get new nightie to take with me too so I have a clean one in case I need to stay (have 2 winter nighties at the mo lol). Once I start prep I will be upstairs since my bed is there and a bit closer to toilet, going to take up all my fluids and wipes etc. Having a bath hopefully on the morning of the procedure once last laxative dose has worn off (wondering can you still need to go after the first 2 litres lol, probably haha). Will have all xmas stuff done again in case I need to stay. As i've not had sedation and I have ME I am worried about how my body will react.

Good luck honey.... I really hope it all goes well... Will be thinking about you.

Thankyou.... just worried now more about it being cancelled than the actual procedure, so if it does go ahead I will be more glad than anything!

Maybe you should share this with your doctor, and possibly ask to be admitted the night before. That way, your prep would be monitored in the hospital (no worries about being too weak) and you'll be right there when it's time for the test.

I've done this before, not because of bad weather, but because I get really dehydrated. Even after I finish the prep, I have diarrhea clear up to the colonoscopy and the rest of that day and the next. Once you get that ball started rolling, it's hard to stop!

Not something that is really done here in the UK I think. And honestly hate the thought of having a shared bathroom when doing prep lol!

LOL! Yeah I had to share with three other people-needless to say they weren't too pleased!

Here's an update. Still heavy snow forecast and low temperatures in the days following so not likely to melt. Worried about being able to have the test at all now though. Have had a coldy type bug all week complete with that special kind of D that comes with it. That side of things is not recovering. Not kept in food since Wednesday and was sure I would be able to today since feeling so much more recovered. A few saltines and biscuits came out exceedingly painfully. I am in so much pain, with the D, with the hunger and my normal abdominal pains. Added my shoulder is a nightmare since painkillers I take have to eat with them.

Concerned it's not the bug but a repeat of what happened to me in September. I got over it then by no food for over 2 days and then slowly slowly nursed my system with tiny tiny mouthfuls of food. No time for that now. Going to not eat anything tomorrow and start again Sunday. Will contact Hospital endoscopy unit if no better Monday. Do not know if they will allow me to have the scope in such a state, and a 3 litre prep would lead to collapse now. Maybe I will be allowed to cut the prep down to say 2 litres and still have it. After all I am totally empty now haha before any laxatives. Here's hoping.

That doesn't sound good at all.... You know what, I only took half of my prep last time and I was perfectly cleaned out. I really din't believe that you would need all that prep if you are having severe D already! Please let me know how it goes!

Thanks dras. Decided yesterday enough was enough and started popping lopermide and sticking to bread and water. By the evening water going down so much easier. Still taking lopermide today and had some bread rolls and crisps. Hoping to eat a fair bit tomorrow I am properly hungry now which is a good sign.

Stargirrrl,
Hope you are doing okay. I have been watching the weather in your part of the world and it does not look very nice. I hope after all you have been through that you are able to have your test.
Good luck,
Michele

While you get snowed in I'm getting washed away over here!

Get out there and shovel the driveway

Sending you well wishes that you snatch a few more breaks, get some food in you, get a bit more regular, and get that colonoscopy rolling.