colonoscopy

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Discussion

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Saturday 2nd August 2014
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RichB said:
jet_noise said:
I'm a diverticular sufferer too.
I've yet to hear back from the specialist, he's waiting for the results of a biopsy on a small polyp he also removed. Is there a treatment for diverticular disease or is it just managing the symptoms?
Lots of things. Depends how bad your symptoms are. Do you bookface? If so there's a good diverticular disease closed group to which I subscribe.

Everyone is different. From mild constipation and the occasional twinge to full on can't move from the loo, continuous pain and infection. The former diet can help. The latter chopping the troublesome portion out. In the middle are various fibre rich drinks and mild anti-spasmodics IIRC. I'm very fortunately towards the mild symptom end although mine tends to be, ah, (you're not eating are you?) irregular looseness. Which isn't nice!

You'll get some nice snaps of the diverticulae if that's what it is. I didn't have any polyps, just the pockets,

regards,
Jet

RichB

51,435 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd August 2014
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Well, it all started with sore pains in my abdomen back in May which my Dr suggested could be diverticulitis. As my mother has it that seemed plausible. The consultant (went BUPA) had a good look and describes it as extensive but I'm in no discomfort and the abdominal pain has subsided. He's suggested antibiotics if I get a repeat of the pain and I guess he'll contact me in due course. Truth be told he didn't seem concerned when he said goodbye at the hospital and said I will need another colonoscopy in 3 years.

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Saturday 2nd August 2014
quotequote all
RichB said:
Well, it all started with sore pains in my abdomen back in May which my Dr suggested could be diverticulitis. As my mother has it that seemed plausible. The consultant (went BUPA) had a good look and describes it as extensive but I'm in no discomfort and the abdominal pain has subsided. He's suggested antibiotics if I get a repeat of the pain and I guess he'll contact me in due course. Truth be told he didn't seem concerned when he said goodbye at the hospital and said I will need another colonoscopy in 3 years.
That's good. I was told that some people have the pockets for most of their lives with no symptoms at all. Others very few pockets and continuous issues. I've only a few but they do upset my digestion!

regards,
Jet

dingg

3,974 posts

218 months

Sunday 3rd August 2014
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Another diverticulitis diagnosis here

nothing to worry about says my consultant , he reckons about 25% of the population have it without even knowing about it.


halfpenny43

1,015 posts

235 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
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halfpenny43 said:
Just back from the hospital now and can honestly say that the procedure itself was not too unpleasant. The pumping of air was a little painful higher up the colon. And watching on the screen was very interesting.

They found a polyp which has been removed - it looked ok but they was to check the "mucus membrane" (I don't know the correct term in English) for any bacteria.

I get the results a week on Monday.
Brief update after my appointment yesterday.
The polyp and biopsy taken were all normal, so I'm now being treated for IBS.
I have to keep a diary of "what goes in and what comes out", and have started taking some medication called mebeverine-hydrochloride, which will apparently help with the stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

Four weeks time I have to go back to the consultant for further assessment.

So good news it's nothing serious.

pilchardthecat

7,483 posts

178 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
halfpenny43 said:
Brief update after my appointment yesterday.
The polyp and biopsy taken were all normal, so I'm now being treated for IBS.
I have to keep a diary of "what goes in and what comes out", and have started taking some medication called mebeverine-hydrochloride, which will apparently help with the stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

Four weeks time I have to go back to the consultant for further assessment.

So good news it's nothing serious.
Mebeverine is useless.

FYI i completely cured myself of IBS after suffering from it for 10 years, tried all the pills. I started doing intermittent fasting about 3 years ago, and 4 weeks after i started i came off all the pills and have been symptom free ever since.

SAS Tom

3,398 posts

173 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
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As above, I've been on various pills and had loads of tests but still nothing has worked. Changing my diet to low fibre and keeping things plain has helped a lot but not sorted it completely.

pilchardthecat

7,483 posts

178 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
SAS Tom said:
As above, I've been on various pills and had loads of tests but still nothing has worked. Changing my diet to low fibre and keeping things plain has helped a lot but not sorted it completely.
Indeed.... which is exactly the opposite of what all the medical experts say..... "go on a high fibre diet"

fking idiots the lot of them

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
We're all different ptcat.

I found Mebeverine helpful but not complete by any means. It took a couple of weeks of use to have a noticeable effect.
Keeping a food diary is a good idea too. See if there are any trigger foods,

regards,
Jet

0000

13,812 posts

190 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
I was told I had diverticulitis too. Some nurse (I assume) handed me a noddy leaflet on it after my colonoscopy (not an experience I'm looking to repeat) and said it was a normal part of getting old. I was 30.

Avoiding resistant starch seems to have helped me (although two weeks all inclusive this summer set me back a long way), but it may be that it's coincidentally resulted in a low fibre diet from the sound of the above posts.

The picolax was a nearly normal experience to me. The finger wasn't.

SAS Tom

3,398 posts

173 months

Tuesday 12th August 2014
quotequote all
pilchardthecat said:
Indeed.... which is exactly the opposite of what all the medical experts say..... "go on a high fibre diet"

fking idiots the lot of them
Aye, I did that first and suffered for it. It's a bit annoying when someone else comes back and says you're doing it wrong.

Anyone tried any alternative therapies for IBS? Taking st loads of tablets (including antidepressants) doesn't seem to do anything.

SomersetWestie

401 posts

179 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
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Crohn's sufferer here, for 25 years...... So have had many, many camera jobs....... Some fine, some not great, but overall no big stresses ! As many have said, the 24 hours of rocket fuel beforehand is probably the worst part of it all !!!!

Oakey

27,524 posts

215 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
pilchardthecat said:
halfpenny43 said:
Brief update after my appointment yesterday.
The polyp and biopsy taken were all normal, so I'm now being treated for IBS.
I have to keep a diary of "what goes in and what comes out", and have started taking some medication called mebeverine-hydrochloride, which will apparently help with the stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

Four weeks time I have to go back to the consultant for further assessment.

So good news it's nothing serious.
Mebeverine is useless.

FYI i completely cured myself of IBS after suffering from it for 10 years, tried all the pills. I started doing intermittent fasting about 3 years ago, and 4 weeks after i started i came off all the pills and have been symptom free ever since.
My GP put me on colofac and for the first week all it did was cause the symptoms it was supposed to prevent. Prior to the meds, stomach cramps, etc were maybe a once every other week type thing. The first week I took the colofac every night I'd be in agony and have to poop.

It stopped after that but it was hard to say whether it was the colofac doing anything or if it was psychological. Once my prescription ran out I didn't bother renewing it and opted to watch what I eat instead.

Pizza is one of the foods that causes me issues without fail every time. Literally within four hours of eating it it feels like being kicked in the stomach so I avoid it these days. I don't know if it's a wheat thing (okay with bread) or a cheese thing (also okay with) but put the two together and it's a nightmare.

StefanVXR8

3,603 posts

197 months

Tuesday 26th August 2014
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Martin_M said:
I had an endoscopy years ago (different I know) and opted for a throat spray as opposed to sedation - bad move, I felt like they were sticking a hose pipe down my throat and couldn't stop gagging. Your choice, but I reckon sedation would do the trick.
+1 to that, very unpleasant and now I have to go for another endoscopy and think I'll go down the sedation route this time, plus now I'm in Oz, I hope it goes in the right end!

wink

Stef

chonok

Original Poster:

1,126 posts

234 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Well finally going in on Friday for mine.

Strangely, I have not been given any Picolax for anything else to take before i go in?!

0000

13,812 posts

190 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Give them a call and ask if you should've received any, at a guess, you should have.

RichB

51,435 posts

283 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
chonok said:
...I have not been given any Picolax for anything else to take before i go in?!
Think about it laugh

chonok

Original Poster:

1,126 posts

234 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
0000 said:
Give them a call and ask if you should've received any, at a guess, you should have.
Nope, just an enema on the day, although no idea if this is better or worse.

jbudgie

8,843 posts

211 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
chonok said:
0000 said:
Give them a call and ask if you should've received any, at a guess, you should have.
Nope, just an enema on the day, although no idea if this is better or worse.
Is it for a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy ?

I have always had Picolax or a variation for a colonoscopy , but for a sigmoidoscopy only had the enema.

chonok

Original Poster:

1,126 posts

234 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Just looked at the paperwork and you are right! It is a sigmoidoscopy. I didn't realise!

Is it just a case of the sigmoidoscopy not going as far up?!

Edited by chonok on Tuesday 2nd September 22:21