"Great team I had a Colonoscopy "

My 1st time in a hospital & for a Colonoscopy. The Surgeon & team were brilliant. I was nervous so I'd like to reassure you that there's nothing to fear. The team greeted me in a relaxed environment.

A lovely person came to give me a gown & knee length dignity shorts, so nothing is on show. A nurse came to put a cannula in & was caring & asked if I had any questions.

The doctor doing the Colonoscopy came & discussed the procedure with me & was reassuring, kind & professional & answered my questions very patiently. This doctor is a surgeon & from the start I knew I'd be in good hands.

I opted only for gas and air Etonox & for me it was totally fine & there was hardly any discomfort. Only when the scope went round a corner was there some intense discomfort, not pain, that lasted a few seconds & the doctor was reassuring & encouraging through this which helped.

The best way I can describe the procedure feeling is like a vacuum hoover suctioning your insides. I didn't need much Entonox, 1st at the start & mostly when I 'thought' I'd feel pain but didn't & then at the one corner turn.

I watched most on the screen as it's fascinating to see my anatomy & the surgeons skills.

When any biopsies were taken I felt nothing & is amazing to see being done.

The procedure finished, the doctor checks I'm ok & told me all was fine & no cancer was seen.

Regards the Moviprep, don't be worried, I had a salty lemon flavour which I drank unchilled using a straw. (Without straw is not nice). I sucked 5 fairly big gulps to the back of my mouth every 15 mins whilst thinking hard of my favourite foods as a distraction & I got through it in 40 mins. As soon as the toilet trips start the drink leaves your body so any sick feeling goes away (I felt sick briefly after last drink) I sat on the toilet for an hour and 35 mins it just comes out so no point getting up. I've been used to a lot of diarrhoea as one of my symptoms & that was worse than this prep diarrhea, because the prep you don't have much solids in your stomach. When it was over I washed but standing & moving did make it come out again. I started drinking at 8pm, finished at 8.50 pm then on toilet til 10.35 pm & then slept. Next morning I drank the litre in 30 mins & was not on the toilet for long. I wash rather than use paper so no soreness.

I hope to try & reassure anyone don't be afraid of the process, the prep is not nice but tolerable & the Colonoscopy was very tolerable.

Everyone looked after me & were amazing, skilled & caring professionals. In some countries they don't offer this procedure as it's not affordable. So I felt grateful for having this.

I'm in awe of the skills of the Surgeon & team. Thanks very much.

I would highly recommend this hospital & the Endoscopy team.

I feel that a Colonoscopy is a short & very tolerable process for peace of mind & for treating any diagnosis sooner rather than later. So please don't cancel or put this off if you need to have one.