Both Sides of the Bed Rail
A nurse's perspective as patient and caregiver

Ulcerative Colitis Blog

This blog is about my experiences leading up to a diagnosis with Ulcerative Colitis, living with U.C., having a complete colectomy (large intestines removed), and life after surgery.  Hopefully I can provide insight and hope to others dealing with similar issues.

Push Me!
  • Home
  • Nursing Blog
  • Colitis Blog
  • Epilepsy and Brain Surgery Blog
  • Discussion Forums
  • MRI Images
  • Music

Colonoscopy

10/20/2012

0 Comments

 
The bowel prep really is the worst part of a colonoscopy.  If you are properly medicated, you probably won't remember any of the colonoscopy.  The bowel prep involves drinking a special solution starting sometime the afternoon before you are scheduled for the colonoscopy.  It doesn't really matter which type they give you.  They may ask you to drink a gallon of solution, or let you drink small amounts of it, followed by clear liquid drinks.  Of course you can't drink anything red.  That may die your intestines, or if there is still some red liquid it may be hard to tell if there is any blood or not.  The liquids taste kind of salty and aren't too hard to get down - at first.

As time goes by and the drink starts to work there is a huge amount of diarrhea.  The diarrhea increases in frequency as time goes on.  It becomes more liquid as well.  The purpose of all this is to empty out the intestines so that the doctor can take a good look around.  If the prep is not started early enough in the afternoon, rest assured it will take most of the night to finish.  I highly recommend you do not drink any beverages that you actually prefer during this time.  You will likely get taste aversion to them for a very long time.  I once drank some pineapple soda which I liked during the prep and it hasn't tasted as good since.  The next time you have to take a bowel prep it will be harder than the first, because your body knows what is coming with that first swallow.

After a long night of running to the bathroom I was ready for my colonoscopy.  My wife and I went to the surgical center it was to be performed at.  My mother and sister met us there.  They were concerned at what the outcome might be and couldn't wait to find out.  An IV was started and I was wheeled into the procedure room, laying on a gurney, dressed in a hospital gown.  The doctor came in and asked if I had any questions about the procedure.  I said no, so he told the nurse to give me some medication.  The next thing I remember was being wheeled to the recovery room.  Awhile later the doctor came in and gave me a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.  I had never heard of that, but at least it wasn't cancer (in my aunt's opinion this was worse than cancer).  The medications affected the way I acted for several hours.  The nurse came in and explained my discharge instructions, which included a new medication we were to pick up on the way home.  When she said the name of the medication was Asacol, I asked her if that was beer for my butt.  I'm sure my family was embarrassed.

My wife took me to the supermarket to fill the prescription on the way home.  I felt very uninhibited and was really hoping to see somebody I knew, but didn't like.  I was going to smile and tell them exactly how I felt about them.  Fortunately we didn't see anybody we knew at the supermarket.  The prescription was filled and we went home.  I took a nap.  At first taking the medication seemed normal.  I guess the first few days it was just like taking an antibiotic.  But after a few days it hit me that I was going to take this several times a day for the rest of my life!  It was a depressing thought.  Was I really getting so old I needed medication to survive?  A little over a month prior I seemed so healthy.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Clip Holverson Jr. was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 30.  Follow this blog to read about the treatments, including surgery, he eventually had to treat it.

    Archives

    December 2016
    November 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    6 Mp
    6-mp
    Abscess
    Air Force
    Allergic Reaction
    Anastomosis
    Asacol
    Bacteria
    Blood
    Bowel Prep
    Brain Fog
    Brain Tingling
    Cancer
    Capsule Endoscopy
    Colazal
    Colectomy
    Colitis
    Colonoscopy
    Colorectal
    Colorectal Cancer
    Colorectal Surgeon
    Cramping
    Crohn's Disease
    Diarrhea
    Diverticulitis
    Doctor
    Eeg
    Flagyl
    Gastroenterologist
    Giardia
    Ibd
    Ileostomy
    Immodium
    J Pouch
    J-pouch
    Laparoscopy
    Medic
    Memory
    Mercaptopurine
    Metronidazole
    Neurologist
    Nurse
    Ostomy
    Ostomy Bag
    Ostomy Powder
    Parasite
    Physician's Assistant
    Picc
    Prednisone
    Psychosis
    Psychotic
    Seizures
    Side Effects
    Side-effects
    Skin Prep
    Stoma Powder
    Surgeon
    Temporary Loop Ileostomy
    Toilette Paper
    Tpn
    Ulcerative Colitis
    University Of Utah
    Voices
    Wafer

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.