Colonoscopy/Endoscopy

[KSchwagg86]

Have to get both of these procedures done in 2 weeks. I am a female in my 20s. I'm a little nervous so I am just wondering what your experiences are and what I can expect. Thanks

 

[lisadr]

You'll be out for both. Expect to be a little sore. Throat, tush, and if they take biopsies, you might feel sore inside as well. Nothing too painful, but sore.

Good Luck! I hope everything turns out positive.

 

[suevee]

I have had both, twice. The first time the endoscopy really scared me because I am a gagger. But everything was fine. I was in a twilight not completely knocked out. And I drank a numbing agent for my throat. I wasn't even sore afterwards!! No sore throat, no tummy aches, nothing. I had no discomfort with either procedure. And I had a pre-cancerous polyp removed the first time. (Which warrented the follow up the next year) I was very sleepy though. My husband took me home and I konked out.

The best thing to do is try to stay relaxed and not to stress.

 

[BCV513]

The worst part of the colonoscopy is the prep. Ask your doc for the pill prep! A lot of people don't even know there is one. It's so much easier. You just take a series of pills over a few hours as opposed to drinking a gallon of crystal light mixed with a laxative. Once you get to the day of the test, you'll be fine. It's over so fast

 

[cteddiesgirl]

You'll be out for both. Expect to be a little sore. Throat, tush, and if they take biopsies, you might feel sore inside as well. Nothing too painful, but sore.

Good Luck! I hope everything turns out positive.

Not necessarily.

My dad was awake during his colonoscopy. They just gave him a local. He had no problems with with either procedure at age 66.

 

[themarquis]

You should see if they can do them both at the same time.

That's how I had mine done -- I think it's easier for them and you because then you only have to get anasthesia once.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Hopefully they will be done at the same time...?

I've had both several times and they really are a piece of cake for 99.9% of people. You rarely have any soreness or issues later, the prep is the only downside to the colonoscopy. You can even do a colonoscopy without any sedation and live to tell about it =)

They are both standard procedures with very little risks and you are (usually) asleep through it all.

Try not to worry.

 

[KSchwagg86]

Thanks everyone-yea they are doing both at the same time and I will be asleep. I already got the prescription for the liquid prep

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I had it done in the hospital in sept. I had to drink 64 ounces of orange gatorade mixed with the prep solution and then 3 pills. That was after a liquid dinner of jello, italian ice and broth. Make sure to ask about what color foods and drink are allowed. That will keep you busy all night.

I was totally asleep for the whole thing. Its not even a surgery looking place, they call it the procedure room, just alot of cabinets. My gastro guy and the anesthesiologist actually wore clothes, not scrubs. They had me roll on my side, shove some plastic thing in my mouth to bite on and they put the oxygen on me and bp cuff and then I remember the anesthesia guy say, o.k. you are going to sleep now and that is it. I woke up in the recovery room and the nurse said you might have some discomfort from gas etc.

I was back in the room and ready to eat lunch. They will tell someone right away what they found and did etc.

Best of luck. I freaked out before, but it was nothing.

 

[Laura]

You should see if they can do them both at the same time.

That's how I had mine done -- I think it's easier for them and you because then you only have to get anasthesia once.

I had it done that way, too. Colonoscopy was first, then the EGD. I was totally out for the whole thing, I don't remember anything past five seconds after they told me they were giving me the anesthesia. I barely remember going home afterwards. They gave me Versed and Demerol, that much I know. Probably other stuff, but I don't remember.

The colonoscopy prep is the worst part. You can't really eat anything that isn't water and sugar the day before, so I was really hungry. No matter how many lemon ices you eat, it just doesn't satisfy you. Then the laxative part isn't fun, but at least I wasn't hungry any more. It really wasn't too bad, it's just gross and uncomfortable, and I hardly got any sleep that night. Make sure the day before you start your "liquid diet" that you are aware that what you eat is going to have to pass through you very quickly once you start the laxative.

When I got to the hospital for my scopes, they hooked me up to an IV and put me in a nice soft bed with wheels, then took me into the room where they checked out my insides. I basically had a lovely nap.

My throat was sore that evening and the next day, and you do have to be careful when you first eat after the EGD; they spray your throat with an anesthetic, so you have to make sure you can feel enough to swallow properly before you really eat anything.

 

[KSchwagg86]

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[edwardsfire]

Have to get both of these procedures done in 2 weeks. I am a female in my 20s. I'm a little nervous so I am just wondering what your experiences are and what I can expect. Thanks

I have had both, they are EASY, the colonoscopy MAY hurt a little, from the air used to "extend your colon" But all in all, they're easy procedures.
I was awake during both, you can lie there and watch the camera and procedure done from start to end.
If you do notice some pain, just tell the Nurse, she will administer either Demerol or Versed.
But, no, there is no need to worry, easy procedures.

 

[edwardsfire]

You'll be out for both. Expect to be a little sore. Throat, tush, and if they take biopsies, you might feel sore inside as well. Nothing too painful, but sore.

Good Luck! I hope everything turns out positive.

Not necessarily, Alot of Physicians only use pain meds and versed for the procedure.
I was fully awake, more so, for the colonoscopy.
But, awake and watched (on monitor) the whole thing.
And YOU WANT THINGS NEGATIVE, not positive!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I was on the "twilight" and don't remember a thing. I am allergic to pain meds...yea me.

I have to get another set this year. Blah.

I hate it but it is worth it. Good Luck!

 

[auroralark]

I'm also a female in my 20's and I've had 3 endoscopy's. It's nothing to worry about. Before you know it, it'll all be over and you'll be waking up. The first time I had one I was pretty nervous, because I had never had any surgery or anything remotely like it. But it really was nothing to be nervous about. They took a biopsy, but I didn't feel anything afterwards either.

 

[Debbie7452]

I had the colonoscopy and there was no pain or anything. I was so out I remember nothing at all. The hard part is the prep...that in no picnic, but the actual procedure, no problem...

 

[TaraPA]

Good luck & keep us posted. I've had 3 colonoscopies, my 1st when I was 22. All I can say is what the others have said - the prep is the worst, the procedure is nothing. The prep has gotten better over the years, for my 1st one 15 years ago you couldn't mix the laxative with anything (now you can mix it with Crystal Light, gatorade, etx)...it was a thick, white, chalky liquid that tasted like plastic - it was TORTURE to have to drink it. I was vomiting within an hour! Some doctors will use the pills & plain water. That must be a piece of cake! Mine doesn't, he said that doesn't clean you out as well as the liquid laxatives, and for someone with a history of polyps he needs to have everything cyrstal clear. I'm hoping that changes soon too, that everyone can use the pills in the near future.

You'll be fine, just relax. If you have trouble getting down the liquid prep, freeze it & eat it as slush. It went down much quicker for me that way than in all liquid form.

 

[shoes99]

I just had a colonoscopy this past Saturday 1/10. I mixed the prep with clear gatorade... The prep was different than I used 2 years ago. It was called MOVIPREP. It cost $40 at the pharmacy under my drug plan and the doctors office gave me a mail in coupon for $20.
The test itself was very fast. I was in twilight zone before I knew it.
My doctor has his own surgery center, so it was more comfortable than the hospital same-day surgery center. I was at the surgi-center at 7:20 AM, and home at 10:00 AM. Got to follow-up in two weeks, but he didn't find anything serious.
Michele

 

[bananiem]

I've had several of each. Endoscopy is a piece of cake. I slept right through it! The prep for the colonoscopy isn't much fun. I found that eating lightly the day or two before the prep made things "go" easier. Eat soups, light stuff. Do NOT eat a steak and a lot of pasta.

 

[donnajon]

My DD8 had both done. It wasn't bad for her. The prep for the colonoscopy was the worst part. She ended up having to have her gall bladder removed. She said on the way to the colonoscopy, "Mom, if I were faking this, I would have SO owned up to it before now!" LOL!