Has anyone has a colonoscopy through a stoma?

 Dulac and JBJ Are you able to help please? x

Hi. I have a stoma and had a colonoscopy through stoma in September last year.  Like you I was not looking forward to it.  In all honesty the worst part is the prep you have to do at home beforehand.  The moviprep drink.  If you can manage that you will be fine.  I opted for sedation.  Had a cannula put in at the day surgery unit.  I had the sedation , didn't feel the camera go in at all.  Was able to watch it on the camera .  I felt nothing at all.  Was then taken through to day ward where I was given something to eat and drink and monitored for an hour and then allowed to go home.  I was very impressed with how quick and painless the whole procedure was.  

Good luck.  I am a year post op and got CEA blood test booked for Monday and CT scan for Thursday.

Helen x

Don't worry, it is easier than a 'normal' one and you don't have to twist and turn as much. You don't feel the camera going in - it just seems odd - but you still feel it when it reaches a bend as always. I learnt to have the sedative as it is a relaxant and also takes the stress off of the surgeon performing the procedure. Soon over, then tea and biscuits.

I have the advantage of a loop ileostomy as well, which means no bowel prep. First time I imagined they would go in the ileostomy and exit the colostomy then pull it back and forth like dental floss (ha ha). They didn't. You will be OK.

Dulac

Thank you Helen, Your answer has made me feel better about it already, sounds pretty bearable,  I am not usually a wimp, but I had to go back for a polypectomy to remove a polyp in September and it was awful so painful, the chap that performed it had no bedside manner and never spoke, and the nurse was just as bad, after it was finished I just got of the couch and walked out.  Good job the stoma nurses are lovely.  Thanks again.

Thank you Dulac, I also received a reply from Helen which has also put my mind to rest.  I will look forward to the tea and biscuits Thanks again.

Hi, I have a loop ileostomy and have been told that I can't have a colonoscopy. I'm 30 months post-op and had expected it to be done at 12 months post-op and then again at 48 months.  I queried it before and they said that it was pointless as they wouldn't be able to check the large bowel and it might also irritate my diverticular disease (which I've never had any symptoms of). Part of me is quite glad not to have it done but the other part says "what if there's something there"? I wonder if different health boards have different protocols.

Hi. I've had 3 colonoscopies through my stoma. The last 2 were without sedation, as the hospital won't let you leave without someone to accompany you. They were no different to the one with sedation. They were done a month apart as a polyp was found at the fist one, but as the bowel cleanse was poor, they wanted to do another. The bowel cleanse is so much easier with a stoma too as you don't have the sore bum (ring sting) lol! As Helen said, the bowel prep is the hardest part due to the taste and consistency.

Good luck and take care

Kim

Thank you for your reply also, I suppose I will just have to grit my teeth and get it done, lots of you have gone through it so must I.

Hi Mary,  Like you I wanted to avoid it but in the event my experience matched that of Helen above.  I'd certainly encourage you to have it done.  Just a note - in my case they forgot to do a rectal stump assessment, so you might like to ask about that.  Cheers, Jochen 

Good point on the rectal stump assessment. I was offered an X-Ray to check this. I told the radiologist that my rectum is now a 'blind alley' and she said words to the effect "don't worry, I know what the surgeon has done". Very quickly it became clear that she was pushing the device where it couldn't go and I told her to stop. Afterwards her assistant apologised. Learning, learning all the time! Next time I will be a little more assertive.