Getting a colonoscopy to diagnose my Crohn’s Disease was probably one of the singly most horrendous things I’ve had to do.
A colonoscopy is a test done using a small camera on the end of a flexible tube about the size of an adult figure to look at the large colon and small bowel. If the Doctor feels it’s necessary he or she may take small biopsies to look at more closely once the procedure is done.
For me, the test itself, though I did feel it at one point or another, was not the biggest issue. The prep time before the test, was (no pun intended) a butt-kicker! I was so terribly sick, my whole body ached, when I wanted to eat, I couldn’t, when I couldn’t eat, I was starving for food. And thus, to prepare for the colonoscopy requires a liquid diet and laxatives and then later, fasting for several hours.. it was hot outside (and we don’t have a/c).. all I could do was lay in bed and cry that I was thirsty. And I was a whiny thing too!
Drinking the laxative was nasty.. and let me tell you, it did it’s job!
My test was scheduled for the afternoon, which of course, makes for the longest of days.
The test itself, once we finally got in there, went smoothly, other than I did feel pain a time or two. Even now, a year later, I remember whimpering that it hurt.. but it was quickly over (and I was pretty out of it anyway).
Once I had a chance to wake up I was given some fruit juice and ice… oh yes.. thank you!!
We all went in to talk to the GI Specialist who did the test. He confirmed that yes, I have Crohn’s. But he didn’t feel it was too bad (at the follow up appointment, he told me it was worse than he’d originally thought), and got me going on medications. I was surprise how quickly everything started to work to make me feel like I was feeling better!
Not that having someone stick a tube with camera up your hind end is all that appealing, the test was necessary and wouldn’t have been so bad had I not been nearly as sick as I was at the time.