Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
My experience is here ..
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24449
You won't die having the procedure or from IBS so try not to worry.
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Hi there
I had one of these - and I was so scared - but I needn't have been. The pain from IBS was about a million times as worse and far more scary than the sigmoidoscopy. It was over pretty quickly, the worst bit was when he pumped some air in to inflate , but then that just felt like an IBS symptom. I could see myself inflate! The nurses were all very nice, as was the consultant. I could choose to watch on a big TV, but decided to shut my eyes instead. It didn't take too long. When they did the samples for the biopsy of the lining, that didn't hurt either, and it was over before I knew it!
The instrument used made me laugh as it looked like a garden hose (no joke, except it was black not green!)
I did find it a little strange that the consultant kept saying "just going round a bend now, it's a bit narrower here, round the corner, straight on" - it was as if he was driving!
I had to have an enema beforehand and that was far worse than the procedure itself! Yous ay you have laxatives though, so at least you can do that in the comfort of your own home.
Try not to worry - as for the results - they found nothing, and it was IBS, the best thing I found to almost cure this, was having food allergy testing. Told me to avoid bananas and mushrooms, and it has almost done the trick!:yesyes: You could try getting this done in the meantime, before your appointment - it only cost £30. I also then took a course of acidopholus to settle the flora and fauna in the tubes! (the same stuff there is in those probiotic drinks, but was told they are useless and don't actually do anything, something like only a 100th of the bacteria in those compared to an acidopholis pib¦b¦ll)
Before I had this and a bowel xray with a chalky drink (can't remember what that was called) - I was so scared I was dying, had bowel cancer etc - I went to casualty, the docs lots of times, I remember the causalty doc said to me, if you are in pain like this (doubled over), there is no way it will be anything sinister without you having noticed other bad symptoms first.... I kept that in my head, it sorta worked!
PM me if you need to xx
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
I suffer from diverticular disease and have had many flare ups of diverticulitis (some of which have caused me to be admitted to hospital and put on a drip)
I had a colonoscopy about two years ago I didn't have pain killers or sedation and it was fine. It took 20mins to get from the anus to the appendix. The worse thing was the horrible stuff I had to drink the day before.
I have also had a sigmoidoscopy which doesn't go so far into the bowel.
You'll be fine:yesyes:
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Maybe I was unlucky with a rough handed surgeon or I am super sensitive in the bowel area but I would ask for sedation if you want to be sure to be pain free. Everyone is different because my 84yr old mother in law just had one and she didn't feel any pain whatsoever but I nearly levitated off the table when I had mine - childbirth was about same level of pain!! But as I say maybe my surgeon was a bit rough - the nurses did say that no one ever had a second one without sedation which I wish I had known about beforehand!
Most people only find the proceedure uncomfortable with painful as they go round a corner but as I said to be totally sure you can always ask to be sedated.
The only plus side is its over with in about 5-10 mins.
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fairyloveheart
Hi there
I had one of these - and I was so scared - but I needn't have been. The pain from IBS was about a million times as worse and far more scary than the sigmoidoscopy. It was over pretty quickly, the worst bit was when he pumped some air in to inflate , but then that just felt like an IBS symptom. I could see myself inflate! The nurses were all very nice, as was the consultant. I could choose to watch on a big TV, but decided to shut my eyes instead. It didn't take too long. When they did the samples for the biopsy of the lining, that didn't hurt either, and it was over before I knew it!
The instrument used made me laugh as it looked like a garden hose (no joke, except it was black not green!)
I did find it a little strange that the consultant kept saying "just going round a bend now, it's a bit narrower here, round the corner, straight on" - it was as if he was driving!
I had to have an enema beforehand and that was far worse than the procedure itself! Yous ay you have laxatives though, so at least you can do that in the comfort of your own home.
Try not to worry - as for the results - they found nothing, and it was IBS, the best thing I found to almost cure this, was having food allergy testing. Told me to avoid bananas and mushrooms, and it has almost done the trick!:yesyes: You could try getting this done in the meantime, before your appointment - it only cost £30. I also then took a course of acidopholus to settle the flora and fauna in the tubes! (the same stuff there is in those probiotic drinks, but was told they are useless and don't actually do anything, something like only a 100th of the bacteria in those compared to an acidopholis pib¦b¦ll)
Before I had this and a bowel xray with a chalky drink (can't remember what that was called) - I was so scared I was dying, had bowel cancer etc - I went to casualty, the docs lots of times, I remember the causalty doc said to me, if you are in pain like this (doubled over), there is no way it will be anything sinister without you having noticed other bad symptoms first.... I kept that in my head, it sorta worked!
PM me if you need to xx
Before I had this and a bowel xray with a chalky drink (can't remember what that was called) -
That was a barium enema.
I must have been lucky because both times I have had them done the procedure was painless (apart from the wind):ohmy:
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
I know from bitter experience that if I get the all clear from the sigmoidoscopy by the time I am on the way home I will be wondering if they should have done a colonoscopy to be on the safe side or some other part of my body which is behaving itself at the moment will start playing up and the whole ghastly process will start again. Is there no cure for health anxiety?
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Quote:
Originally Posted by
worriedGrace
I know from bitter experience that if I get the all clear from the sigmoidoscopy by the time I am on the way home I will be wondering if they should have done a colonoscopy to be on the safe side or some other part of my body which is behaving itself at the moment will start playing up and the whole ghastly process will start again. Is there no cure for health anxiety?
Fortunately (or unfortunately) my anxiety centres on my cats welfare as opposed to my own.:shrug:
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Hi,
I had one of these afew years ago.
The staff were lovely & very reassuring. It wasn't too bad at the start but as they pumped more air in it did get abit uncomfortable but it was just like having trapped gas-that sharp, colicky type of pain. I had a lovely nurse who held my hand-I had to apologise afterwards as I was squeezing her hand too tight!! If you're having really bad pain from the IBS I imagine it won't be any worse than that for you.
It was over pretty quickly though & the doctor told me straightaway that everything looked fine & my symptoms were most likely due to stress / anxiety which was a huge relief!
I did watch the screen as it was fascinating to see inside my colon!!
Of course afterwards I went to the loo & & had to release all that air!!!!
Embarrassing but it felt great!!
Why don't you ask them if you could take a painkiller prior to the procedure, that might be enough just to take the edge off it.
Don't worry, you'll be fine, if you keep worrying about it you'll only make your ibs symptoms worse. When I've got something coming up that I'm worried about I tell myself to stop thinking about it & remind myself to just 'live in today' & that I'll deal with it on the day itself.
Hope this helps!
love Seffie xx
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
I had one of these last year and it was fine. I thought it would be awful, very embarrassing etc. but the staff were great and put me at ease, they explained everything and made me feel OK. Please try not to worry it was over so quickly and the relief i felt afterwards was amazing!
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
Hi
I had one a few weeks ago and wasnt' as bad as i expected.I was supposed to be having sedation for it but they couldn't find a vein so had it without. It feels uncomfortable but it's not painful....the nurses were very good and take your mind of things.
Thinking about it is worse than the actual procedure....hope it went ok??
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
I had one done also and it was fine..... i didnt have enama at all..... straight into it lol..... its weird feeling the air go in and blow it up but honestly it was no worries......
one of my gay mates said i must be a natural!!! (im not gay by the way)
you will be fine!
Re: Dreading sigmoidoscopy
I have to have a sigmoidoscopy on 6th June and they sent loads of literature with it and some nasty looking laxatives. Is there anyone out there who has had this procedure who could tell me what to expect? The leaflet mentions"slight discomfort" which I am a bit suspicious of. Since I got the appointment my IBS has got much worse. Has this happened to anyone else? How can I stop my anxiety reaching new peaks? I have got to the stage of clearing out all the cupboards to save people the bother when I am dead. My friends at work who are usually quite supportive think I should be glad to be "getting it all sorted out" and do not understand how I feel. the 6th June seems a long way away and I don't know what state I shall be in by then.
Hi Grace. I've just read your post and wonder how you are now?
