Re: - colonoscopy

[Guest guest]

,

I just had one about 3 weeks ago. Best advise given to me was to start

" cleaning out " early. For several days *before* the time you take whatever

your doctor prescribes to do the colon cleanse eat very lightly! I drank

Slim Fasts for breakfast and ate soups for lunch and dinner. I was

instructed to drink nothing but clear liquids the day before the procedure.

I drank a *huge* bottle of apple juice at work, lots of water, chicken broth

for supper. I always drinks lots and lots of water.

In my case, my doctor had me take two nasty little 1 1/2 oz bottles of Fleet

brand Phosphosoda prior to the procedure. One at 7 pm and then again about 3

hours before I had to be at the outpatient facility. (In my case that

translated to 3:00 am). I had been advised by others who had gone there

before me to refrigerate the phosphosoda so that it was ice cold, mix it

with the 4 oz of water and drink it FAST. It tastes very salty. I

misunderstood about the getting it cold part and put the bottles in the

freezer. Imagine my surprise when I took it out to take it and found it was

frozen solid!! Well, running it under hot water took care of that. My

doctor also precribed 2 reglan tablets. I used one of them for the first

dose. The stuff did make me feel queasy. The weirder side effect for me what

that it made me feel ICE COLD. One of my coworkers had a similar reaction.

The voiding process really wasn't very bad due to my efforts in cleaning out

prior to taking the phosphosoda. The cramping was the worst, my computer is

just across from the bathroom so that's was convenient to try to distract

myself between dashes to the bathroom.

You will need to have someone go with you when you have the procedure. You

will be in no shape to drive home!!

My friend drove me to the outpatient facility. Fear of the procedure was

worse than the reality. I was sedated before it began. My biggest fear was

that I might " soil " myself. Go ahead laugh.. it seemed like a big thing at

the time. The nurses got a big kick out of my fears; they told me not to

worry, they " sucked " everything as they went. I remember " waking " twice

during the procedure, I remember feeling pressure, it was uncomfortable, not

unbearable or anything. As soon as I starting moving they hit me with more

demerol. Didn't remember anything else til I " woke " up in recovery. I

didn't feel any pain or discomfort. Just found it hilariously funny that I

was seeing triple and the room was spinning. I insisted on getting up and

staggering to the dressing room to get dressed. I must have been a sight. By

then I was only seeing double, room was still spinning. Doctor came out and

spoke to me in that condition. Heaven help us. That's been my major

objection. I was in no shape to discuss the procedure. I have spoken to

others who had doctors who spoke to their family members.

My friend drove me home and I slept like a baby all afternoon. One

unintended side effect was that all my arthritis pain disappeared for about

3 weeks! Unfortunately, my right shoulder is hurting again, but for 3 weeks

it was great! I think it was the demerol in my system, my rheumy thinks it

was from the colon cleanse. Who knows.

So , I probably can't stop you from worrying, but really, the procedure

was pretty innocuous when compared to some of the ultrasounds I've had! And

having that nice painfree afternoon sleep was an unexpected bonus!

Suzanne

, if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me off

list.

[ ] kathy in il

> Thanks Kathi, I tell you i am scared. My colonscopy is sep 11. I hope they

find something after 11 years of this mess. Im scared of passing all this

blood too. I didnt realize that my bp was too low because of the loss of

fluid and bloods. I know now so next time i will go to e.r . hopefully it

wont happen again before colonoscopy. i am not looking forward to it but i

have to have it. they probably should have done it after gulf war. if anyone

has had one, could you write and ease my anxieties? lol. Thanks

>

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