My first colonoscopy

[PB&J32]

Hey Brother, just saw this. I can understand your feelings. The word "mortified" comes to mind.......I have never had to have anybody else change my diaper, so I can understand the feeling of being helpless and embarrassed. It may have taken me a few days to get over the shock of all of that.....I think everybody here can appreciate not having a shred of dignity left.......I've been going about life with a Foley catheter for a good part of the month of June and it's been pretty hard to hide it lately so, pretty nearly all my friends and family know about it as well as the entire staff at the local urology office.........nobody understands like we all do.....

[WetDad]

As a service to those who haven't had the pleasure yet...
When drinking the 'jet fuel' the night before, you will want to use very liberal amounts of diaper cream on your bum. If you don't then you will have a burning sensation that won't go away.

[JDinVirginia]

At least my nurse and doc had the consideration to tell me that I could keep the diaper on and they would remove it after I was out.

[Wetters]

Hi, Rope & JD - I'm surprised that both of you had general anesthesia for your colonoscopy. JD, I know that you're a few years older than I am (I'm 63) and that Rope's a lot younger. I started getting colonoscopies in 1991 (age 40), and have had them yearly since 2004. I've never had general anesthesia - just the "twilight" (told not to drive, operate machinery, sign legal documents or make important decisions until the next day) and a topical gel that they smear in the rectum.

Wetters

[JDinVirginia]

Wetters,

In my case, a consideration re totally knocking me out is that I had a horrible accident requiring a pelvic reconstruction many years ago. My gastroenterologists seem a little concerned re the possibility that scar tissue and things being rearranged a little bit differently internally from the old surgery might cause me excessive discomfort.

[Wetters]

Thanks for the clarification, JD. I was wondering if the decision for general anesthesia had anything to do with your chronic bowel incontinence causing your rectum to be consistently raw and painful. That's what happens with me whenever I have an ulcerative colitis flare.

Wetters

[JDinVirginia]

Wetters,

I understand what you are saying, but, surprisingly, my hemorrhoids and rectal pain almost went away when I began using morning preventive enemas for my incontinence! I think it was because I then stopped straining to defecate and also had markedly fewer bowel movements.

[rjinboston]

Ah yes, the everpopular colonoscopy.
I wore pull ups and kept them on. I told the nurse I had a neuropathic bladder.
They just lowered the pullups to my ankles and when they were done pulled them back up.
There really isn't a need to have nothing on.