anyone else had a colonoscopy?

[Donnaj4962]

I apologize if this subject offends anyone, but I was just wondering. I had my first on Monday. The prep was the worst!

I have NO recollection of what happened from "We need you to lay with your left arm tucked under a little more" to the point where I woke up in my own bed with a Diet 7-up in my hands, wondering how in the world I had gotten there! Seriously, that is frightening! I have a vague recollection of being in the bathroom with a nurse as she helped me dress, and telling her, "It is very nice of you to help me."

My mother is a colon cancer survivor, so my doctor was insistant that I have a colonoscopy when I turned 45, rather than the normal 50. It was a good thing, since he removed a fairly large pre-cancerous polyp. I spent several hours thinking what would have happened had I NOT had the procedure done? Would I have lived to 50??!!?? I am fine now, knowing that it is gone, and realizing the need to have one done every 2 years now, as my doctor has indicated.

So, any other stories of colonoscopies... or anesthesia stories out there that you would like to share???

[Freedom]

Haven't had one myself, but have helped my Dad. There are 2 difference methods for the prep. One is to drink some horrid stuff. The other is to drink soft drinks with pills. Everyone recommends the second method for seniors as easier to handle.

[joycenalex]

the preps are awful and are the most important part, cuz any remaining stool on the colon wall prevents the doc from seeing everything. when i had my upper endo in december 2005, my last sentence was...hey my feet are warm!
i woke up talking to the doc after i said something that made him laugh. eileen later told me that i asked him if he found many heads up peoples' behinds....he had a big laugh....

[moosmom]

I'm 54 and still haven't had one. I know I should, but keep putting it off. I have Title 19 so I know it'll be covered. Call me chicken, I guess.

[Pam]

Yes I had one and agree that the prep is the worst part. I had to drink awful stuff that actually, as I recall, had a salty lemony flavor. UGH! If it tasted better it might have been easier to get down. Then, of course, you dare not venture too far from the bathroom after drinking that. The feeling afterward of hearing the words "everything was fine" is worth all of it though. Moosmom, please don't put it off. It will be over before you know it and, as others have said, the testing itself is done while you are in LaLa Land.

[RedHedd]

I had one. The prep is the worst. I don't remember anything about the procedure, except my friend said I was pretty funny afterwards.

[Cataholic]

i woke up talking to the doc after i said something that made him laugh. eileen later told me that i asked him if he found many heads up peoples' behinds....he had a big laugh....

OMG! That is hysterical!!!

[slick]

I had a colonoscopy a couple of years ago and I also had about 4 very small pre-cancerous polyps removed. I remember them giving me drugs....good drugs.... and don't remember anything until the nurse was helping me wake up. All in all the test itself is a piece of cake.

However I took the previous day off work because I spent most of the day in the bathroom. I have to agree that the prep is much worse than the test itself.

[moosmom]

I called my doctor's office today and they're going to set it up for me. I KNOW it's gotta be done, but I'm looking forward to it about as much as chewing glass!!

[joycenalex]

donna, the prep isn't chewing glass ya know.... . and thanks for doing it, we love you and want you here with us for a looooooong time

[sirrahbed]

This has been pretty funny AND healthy to read. Mine is due - hubby has his next week. At my next followup. I know my doctor will *remind* me and request the test.

At my first (and only) colonoscopy, I was sedated and pretty out of it. But, when they went to stick the scope in, I woke right up yelling "S***!!", which I thought was quite appropriate

I will tell hubby about the "find many heads up there?" comment that joycenalex posted - and maybe he will remember to use it