should i have a flexi sigmoidoscopy??

[leah22]

hi ya i have had piles for over a year but the last 5 nearly 6 weeks i have had loose stools. i had hospital appoint today and he said i have internal piles but he would like to give me a flexi sigmoidoscopy because of the loose stools.
he has told me not to worry as he dont expect to find anything but just wants to do it so he can write me off with the all clear, He explainded the procedure and although a bit scary i thought ok i'll do it he gave me some forms and information on the procedure and when i got home i had a read up and it has frightened the life out of me it says that there are risks in the procedure that can cause death!! now im rethinking is it worth it but then what if i do have a serious problem and in the end will die anyway!! i'm so confused and scared i am only 27 (nearly 28!!) i feel i'm too young to be worrying so much about my health and constant fear of death and leaving my 2 children without their mum!! help opinions wanted!

[nomorepanic]

Have a read of the posts under the Sigmoidoscopy forum - my post is there as well.

If I hadn't had one then I would never have known that I had Crohn's disease. This is quite serious at the moment but I am not dying cos of it.

I have no idea what site you looked at but I have never heard that it can cause death!!!!!

[leah22]

Thanks Nicola i got the info from the leaflet the doctor gave me, it said the healthcare team will try to make your procedure as safe as possible. however complications can happen. some of these can be serious and cause death.

[nomorepanic]

Blimey that is not a good leaflet to give you.

They do warn you that they may nick the bladder but it is very rare.

I have had 2 so far and no problems and I had both without sedation as well.

[countrygirl]

Just take into account that the hospital has to warn you there is a theoretical risk that they could perforate your bowel and die but I bet it hasn't happened to anyone. When I had my colonsocopy it said there was one case of a person exploding!!! when faulty equipment ignited the gas in their colon But I reckoned that was worlds worst bad luck - it also killed the Drs.

Most sigmoidoscopies are not bad at all - if you get an experienced Dr then its only uncomfortable and doens't take long. My 85 yr old mother inlaw had one a few months ago without sedation and was fine so if she can do it anyone can as she is very very frail.

It wiill mean you know for certain there is nothing to worry about.

[chillx]

Hi Leah

I had a sigmoidoscopy last week and there was nothing to it. Before the procedure I was told there was a tiny risk of the bowel being perforated and if this happened he would have to take me to surgery to repair the tear. I paniced a bit and the doctor explained in all the time he has been performing the procedure it has never happened; he explained for legal reasons they have to cover themselves by giving the worst case scenario.

I was passing blood and also having constipation and diarrhoea. My GP felt that having the sigmoidoscopy would help me to relax and bring closure. Following the procedure I was told my bowel was healthy and I had piles (hence the fresh blood). I was also diagnosed IBS and prescribed colpermin (peppermint capules). I have also cut oranges, cabbage and broccoli out of my diet and I feel so much better. Worrying about the symptoms was just making the symptoms worse now I feel I can relax.

I advise you go for the procedure as you have nothing to loose. If there is a problem it can be dealt with and if there is no problem you can have peace of mind. If I had to go through it again tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate.

Take Care

[leah22]

Thank u all for the reply's ive calmed down quite alot and am going to try forget about it untill i get a date through my next decision is do i do it with or without being sedated??

[chillx]

Hi

I am glad you have decided to go ahead with the sigmoidoscopy. I didn't have sedation as it is a very quick procedure - over in 5 mins. It can be a little uncomfortable when they place gas into the bowel so they can see better but it is nothing compared to the IBS symptoms. Sedation wasn't offered to me or the other patients I met who were having the procedure.

I hope it all goes well for you.

[nomorepanic]

I had it without sedation but had the colonoscopy with a bit of sedation and it made no difference - it still hurt!

The worst part of it for me was the enema you have to take beforehand - that was not nice!