Terror of having a colonoscopy

[countrygirl]

I am about to see a consultant gastroenterlogist who I know will send me for a colonsocopy. I have had 7 weeks of what seems to be bad IBS hitting me in evening and overnight with very bad gas and severe pressure around navel and waist area and I am getting hardly any sleep.
As I am over 40 my Dr says I have to go to the consultant and have this test to rule out anyting sinister although she is convinced it is just IBS as I had negative occult blood tests last week.

I know how bad the prep is as have had two friends who have recently had the test. I of course am focusing on the rare cases of perforated bowel that can happen during colonoscopy especially if they biopsy.  Why do I do this.  I was terrified because my dr wasn't sending me for tests and now she is I am terrified of the test itself.

I hate this health anxiety and what it is doing to me. 

[2anxious]

I know how you feel.  I am supposed to have a colonoscopy as well, and I am terrified.  You are right, it is like you're damned if ya do, damned if ya don't!  If you don't get the tests, you worry.  And if you do, you worry about what could go wrong during the tests or what the results might be! 

[pippip]

Here's a really good board on colonoscopy that might help http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php/topic,3163.0.html

[Eunni]

To summarize the linked post

"Its not scary or painful"

honest!

[countrygirl]

Thanks for your replies.  I had phone call from hospital today to go in on Monday for sigmoidoscopy wich isn't as bad as no prep just an enema before the proceedure ( oh yummy).  The consultant wants this proceedure done before he sees me.

There is no sedation with this one either so wish me luck!

[Jillian]

I have a colonoscopy booked for November.  The question is do I go with sedation or not?  My husband had his first colonoscopy last year with no sedation and said it was np, but a friend of his had it at the same clinic and said the pain was just awful.  I don't like sedation as I like to be in control but I am torn now as what to do. Does anyone have any input on this?

[kah22]

my husband had a colonoscopy a couple years ago and he was fine-no pain at all.  He just hated the preparation and being in the bathroom constantly, but never any pain and recovery was fine!!!

[wrdsilly]

I had one about ten years ago and had I think conscious sedation where you have no idea what's happening.  I agree with most folks in that the procedure itself was nothing, but having to spend the prior day in the bathroom was no fun.  (But, at the time when my IBS was bad I spent my share of time in there anyway.) Like most medical tests the anticipation is 99% worse than the event.  (I wish I could remember that when I get so worked up about everything!)  Good luck with your test.
Wrdsilly

[3girlsmom]

I had a colonoscopy done about a year and a half ago and was so scared, I had was convinced I had colon cancer.  I promise you the procedure was nothing, I was kind of awake but really out of it, truthfully it was the most relaxed I have been in years.     The prep of course was no fun but was not the end of the world, everything came back fine, the dr told me right after he was done, no waiting, which is nice.  I was so out of it though, I had to ask my husband a few times what he said because I couldn't remember.  Hope this helps, you will be fine.

[MmeMulot]

I have ulcerative colitis and IBS (fun!), so I've had my fair share of colonoscopies. I've been sedated for all of them, and I don't have any memory of them at all. One moment I was in the prep room, then the next I was waking up. Never had any pain or discomfort. The prep is indeed the worst part, but it's gotten better. It's not fun, but it's not the worst thing in the world, either. Try to get the kind that you mix into Gatorade -- it's much easier to drink than the stuff you mix with gallons of water. And I HIGHLY recommend getting baby wipes -- even the softest tissue will end up chafing. Also, eat lightly the day before the prep, so there's less stuff that you have to deal with getting rid of during prep!