No Medication Before Colonoscopy

Hi; I am a 54 year old woman, was diagnosed with crohns disease when I was 24 and it has never been in remission. I had a re-section 5 years ago and even after the re-section, my crohns still has never gone into remission. I just moved and a gastroenterologist wants me to have a colonoscopy in 2 weeks [voluntary], he said I could get it done whenever I wanted; he said he wants it done just abit for my crohns but mainly for my age. I am terrified of this procedure; as when my father had it, they thought he ruptured from the procedure, they immediatly operated on him just to find out he had not ruptured at all, and he went flat line on the operating table.

My crohns is acting up a bit more than usual the last 2 weeks; the gastroenterologist thinks my crohns may be flaring abit at the sight of the resection. My instinct is to wait until the flare settles abit before having the colonoscopy, I cant help but think that thing poking around in there near an already angry small bowel is not good. Does a colonoscopy even see the small bowel ?

Anybody who has any opinions on this or an experience to share with me would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I am afraid to find out I need surgery again; my month in the hospital with naso-gastric tubes was a nightmare for me when I had my resection. This is the first time a doctor has told me he would not prescribe any meds at all before having a colonoscopy, has anyone else run into this?

I look forward to visiting this site in the future.

Cindy8

Maybe you could ask your doc about the camera capsule that records a pic of the entire digestive system. It has potential risks as well so they may discourage that. Also a camera cannot remove polyps.
The best way for them to know your gut is to see it and I would imagine that your experience would make the options really tough to negotiate.
Moving and finding new docs is tough. I have had to change GI docs twice in 7 years and both times i was terrified. Both Docs also wanted to do scopes to evaluate my stage of disease.
Also, the medical profession has really ramped up screening for cancer. I am told that I am supposed to scope every two years based on 22 years of disease. While I am suprised that a doc would give no meds I am more suprised that you haved managed 30 years of crohns without a scope.
I wish you the best in courage and negotiating doctors with grace it can be tough. Good Luck.

No wonder you are afraid! I’m sorry for what happened to your father, but things like that are rare, I promise!

I have had a colonoscopy every year of my life since I was 14 (some years more than one, and I am 28 now), and I have never had a single problem from the procedure itself.

The prep is the pits though, sorry to tell you. BUT, I feel like one good aspect of having to clean yourself out completely is that it does give your bowl a much needed rest for a day or two.

The procedure doesn’t hurt at all, as long as you tell them to put you out for it, which I always do. You just go to sleep and don’t even have to deal with the embarrassment of someone looking up your bum.

The risk is worth the reward, I promise. Better to catch problems early, especially because you are the age when they start checking for colon cancer too.

Good luck and welcome to the form! Let us know how things go for you!

Hi Cindy - good luck with the scope. I agree with the above posts - it's very rare for a puncture or rupture to happen during the scope.

I do hope you proceed with it because it's really the best way to tell what's going on in there!

Good luck!

-Amy

Sorry to hear about your Dad - that would fighten anyone. However, the scope is no biggie - really. Miserable, but those kinds of incidents are rare.

re: the "no meds" thing - I've learned to keep a little stash on hand in case something happens that I can't get mine for some reason - I am in a hurricane area, and that's my main reason, but my PCP and I had a miscommunication just this week, and the pharmacy couldn't refill my blood pressure meds for a few days. Fortunately, I had my little stash on hand.

Doctors do things like that out of fear of being sued. Perhaps your old doc could give you a scrip for a few to tide you over?

Hello Cindy,

and I am so sorry to hear about your father. As others have said a colonoscopy nowadays is a very regular procedure and a sedative is usually provided. The procedure itself is relatively straightforward compared to what it sounds like you have already undergone ( thinking of the naso-gastric tubes ) and most seem to experience no pain, mostly falling asleep.

I think you should see about getting more information and perhaps talk to the nurses who are often a bit more sensitive to individual's emotional needs and, hopefully they will be able to allay your fears

As for the pre-procedure medicine before hand, well, as other have said, it's not the most pleasant of things. I had the Fleet stuff, if I recall correctly, and didn't find it that bad. I found my own ways of dealing with the taste and long visits to the toilet - I keep a bumper book of crosswords in there as it is which I find takes my mind of things

The pre-procedure 'clean out' I had, amongst the water I had to drink, allowed other clear liquids and I remember being pleased that I could have Bovril as, apart from enjoying Bovril, it feels a bit like having a meal
I also strained some cup a soups to pretend I was having a meal :lol2:

As someone said elsewhere, it's like wee-ing from your backside and what I try to remember is that some people pay good money for such a clean out

Don't worry, it will be okay and over quite quickly. The nurses are usually great at holding your hand for such things and I believe they can get good information with a colonoscopy and even attend to some things. It was how I was diagnosed.
All the best and let us know how you get along :ghug:

safe scope

Is your Doc aware of your experience w/ your father? That may help to alert them to extra compassionate care. It is understandable that you would have a difficult time accepting what is most commonly a very safe and effective procedure.
Your situation is extra special and I hope that you find the hands on support to comfort you.
I agree the prep is the worst. Make arrangements to be comfy in the bathroom and have a good distraction, book, crossword even a video.

Hi Cindy,
A colonoscopy can see the last portion of the small bowel called the ileum. Many Crohn's sufferers have inflamation there.
I have had many colonoscopies, as have the others here, so they are safe. I'm sorry about your dad, but that must be very rare.

So, don't let this stop you. It's unpleasant, and can be scary, but is so important. My last colonoscopy detected dysplasia, so it probably helped save my life. Denial would have just let my dysplasia maybe turn to cancer and dealing with that is even scarier.