Sigmoidoscopy

I had built myself up in to a right old state for the colonoscopy I had this week.  In fact, had I read the letter properly when it came from the hospital I would have known I was having a sigmoidoscopy and not a colonoscopy. I would have also known that the top man himself was going to do the procedure so I'm glad I didn't see this until the night before because I would have assumed he was concerned about something he had seen on my MRI scans and wanted to check for himself.  I also didn't know the appointment was at a completely different hospital so it's a good job I took the trouble to look.

A sigmoidoscopy is not as bad as a colonoscopy in my opinion.  However, the last one I had was nevertheless painful and I wasn't looking forward to it.

I had started to drink the prep the night before as instructed.  I can actually just about stomach the taste, it's not great but I manage. That is until the last glass.. by then my gag reflex kicks in and I struggle to keep it all down.

The whole process is a struggle.  The fact that the constant trips to the loo keep you from leaving the house for the best part of 24 hours is hard work. It's not that you can go for a walk or go out in the car to help take your mind off the procedure the next day, you are just stuck in the loo with your thoughts.  Added to that, no food for 24 hours (or more) and the fact that the constant trips to the loo are actually quite exhausting, it doesn't make for a great experience and the huger and weakness are unpleasant.

The following morning at 6AM I had to take the second lot of Prep.

I'd recommend that anyone having either the sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy use vaseline or sudocrem on their backside before taking the first Prep and to continue using it after every toilet visit thereafter.  I had read this advice online but didn't bother to follow it for my first procedure back in October.  Needless to say, my bottom was so sore I could barely even wipe it after a few hours because the stinging and soreness had gone through the roof.

The magic eye used in the procedures hurt when inserted but only because of the sore bottom.  I have the added joyfulness of having piles which had inflamed with all the toilet visits and they too were painful.  The stinging sensation from soap was like vinegar in the eye. It stung a lot.  No doubt everyone's experiences will be different though.

The actual procedure this time was all but painless.  I've read about other people's experiences where they have said they had little or no pain but I couldn't believe it after the excruciating pain I had with my first colonoscopy and I certainly had far more pain with the previous sigmoidoscopy.  I assume now that this is down to the person doing the procedure. I chatted to the nurses all the way through and I couldn't have done that before. The pain previously has been like giving birth and the only words I could have spat our would have been swear words. They offer gas and air and a sedative but I had neither on this occasion.. as mentioned in previous posts, the sedative doesn't work on me and I was too afraid to have gas and air because I behave like a drunk teenager and swear an awful lot.

The oncologist would never know how his warm words calmed me but I'm grateful to him for them "how are you my lovely".. During the procedure, he struggled to find the site where the cancerous polyp had been removed from.  He eventually found something that he assumed must be it as there was a lack of anything else that could be an option.  There were no cancerous spores. I was too afraid to be happy at this information initially because I didn't know what else they were looking for.  No mention was made of the three lymph nodes that were found on the MRI back in February and I didn't feel able to ask about them.  I don't have to go back for 12 months. This was the best I could have ever hoped for. I'm sure anyone having the same problems as me would grab at the chance of having a cancerous polyp removed and there being no sign of cancer 3 months later.  I don't know whether there will be any sign of it in 12 months, no one could possibly know. I'd like to say that I feel wonderful but I don't.  I am happy, of course I am but the whole ordeal lives on in my mind and I wake up in a cold sweat, I get night terrors and I'm struggling to get rid of the cancer diagnosis in my mind. I'm sure it will pass. I hope it does.