"Colonoscopy, January 2018"

Overall, my colonoscopy was not a good experience.

I was invited for a colonoscopy after having a positive for blood in my 'poo stick' test. I requested a repeat test as I had foolishly undertaken the test when I had my period, but I was told that a repeat test wasn't available, despite me offering to pay for it. This seems a bit daft as I had no symptoms and feel a second test must be a lot cheaper than a colonoscopy.

On the morning of my procedure, I met with a nurse who told me that I would be given a sedative and a painkiller. I had concerns about the sedative as I have previously been very ill after general anaesthetics, but the nurse strongly recommended that I should have it, and reassured me that I would be awake throughout the procedure, but it would help me relax my muscles. 

Another nurse took four attempts to insert a cannula, despite me suggesting they use a paediatric one, as nurses have previously had difficulties and eventually had to resort to using a child's device. 

I was wheeled off to surgery and the drugs were administered. The next thing I knew I woke up in the recovery room feeling extremely nauseous, soaked in sweat, shivering, and with a lot of pain in my abdomen.  I could hardly move, and had to tap my ring on the side of the bed to get a nurse's attention. 

Afterwards, another nurse told me that a polyp had been discovered, but they couldn't complete the procedure as I asked them to stop, I was in too much  pain. I asked if that was normal (as well as the hot/cold sweats and nausea) the nurse said that sometimes a nerve can be aggravated. I feel that if I hadn't had the sedative, I might have been able to discuss the pain and just ask them to pause while I breathed through it. I also wonder if the same amount of drugs is given to everyone (I am slightly built). This nurse hadn't been present at the procedure and so he wasn't able to answer questions other than what he had written on a report. Neither was it the same nurse who I spoke to before the procedure, so there was a lack of continuity in care.

I was offered a CT colon scan, which I undertook a few months later. I am waiting for the results.