Hello
I'm due to go for a colonoscopy on Friday. I've not had one since being diagnosed with cancer in 2021. It was an extremely painful experience at the time due to strictures, diverticular disease and the tumour.
At the time, and under my previous hospital, I was told that as long as the ileostomy was still in place they wouldn't carry out any of the further colonoscopies that would normally be due under the surveillance process. However I've moved to a different health board and my new consultant has advised me to have the final surveillance colonoscopy. This won't be done through the stoma but will be rectal. No Moviprep (thank goodness), I've been sent an enema to do myself at home and there will be another just before the procedure.
I intend to ask for sedation and anything else offered for the procedure due to how bad it was first time round. Haven't had an enema before either so a bit stressed about that too.
Does anyone have any advice or tips so that I can be as prepared as possible?
Many thanks.
Hi BlueBlue
Sorry I can’t help with your query-I’ve not had to face any type of colonoscopy post stoma, but I’m sure it’s come up before in the group. Hopefully someone else will be able to help if they’ve had this done.
At least it doesn’t involve the prep, which is something to be thankful for!
I hope everything goes well on Friday-I’ve had endoscopic procedures and took everything offered and asked for more, so I can completely understand you wanting sedation.
Sarah xx
Looking forward to 10 days in Zante next month, which is all we’ve got booked currently…not sure we’ll get another trip abroad this year, so maybe just Scotland and the Costa Del Back Garden for us!
Sarah xx
Thank you…we went to Zante 3 years ago and loved it-but we were at a small hotel and it gets booked up fast with returning guests so we had difficulty trying to return. But we managed to book this early so it feels good to be going back. We have our own little pool, and it makes such a difference. It’s been 10 years since we were in Tenerife-funnily enough it came up in my memories today, sitting in the sun with a jug of Sangria!
My daughter and son in law are up in Aberdeen, and they have my little granddaughter so I’m longing to see her again (and them of course!). It’s about 9 hours drive from us here which is too much for me in one go, so we usually stop off at friends for a night on the way up in Bathgate.
Sarah xx
So glad you had such a positive experience, and most importantly were listened to. What a difference that can make. It’s going to be very helpful for anyone else facing this too, so it’s really useful for others so read how things can be tweaked like this.
Now it’s out of the way, and things are sounding very positive, you can relax!
Sarah xx
