Crohn's Disease Support Group

I just had my first colonoscopy done and I have to say it was so painful that if I could I would have gotten off the table and walked right out of the place. My mom and dad said they never felt any pain when they had theirs done and I am just wondering why at 32 years old I was in soo much pain. I was wondering if anyone else had this experience when they got theirs or am I just the only one? The anesthesia didn't even put me to sleep or make me groggy. The good news though was my doctor said he didn't see any signs of Crohn's but on the other hand they always told me it was in my upper intestine and they told me you couldn't see that part of your intestine with a colonoscopy anyway. Guess it's kind of bittersweet. I'm glad to know I don't have it in my lower intestine but I'd like to know what's going on in my upper intestine. One last thing, I was happy about because in two more weeks I will finally be weaned of Prednisone. All I have to say is Thank You God! I'll still be on the Asacol but I can handle that if it means getting off the Prednisone.

Were you supposed to be knockd out? How long ago was it? I was in mild pain after I had one but didn't last very long at all. I would call up the dr and just mention it.

I've had two done. One at 18 and one at 23, both for cancer causing polyps. I wasn't knocked out but neither was painful except for the air they pump into you. However I've heard that they can be excruciating if there is any sort of infection or inflamation. Either way you should contact your dr.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi cnvtruelove, I've had many colonoscopies myself through the years. Some of them i was sleep and wasn't aware of what was going on nor did i feel a lot of pain afterwards,except the pressure from the air being put in.

Then, i've had my share of bad ones where i wasnt given enough sedative/pain meds and it made the experience terrible for me and it was like what you described.I was upset that they allowed us to go trough this!I also had strictures while going through it as well. I guess it depends on your doctor, one of my docs had the nerve to tell me that its not really necessary to be put asleep. I was like you trade places with me and do it without enough medicine and you'll see were i'm coming from!

But to answer your question directly, i havent had a colonoscopy were i was in a lot of pain, except for one time which was when i was in a bad flare and had to be hospitalized afterwards. Since they couldnt look at the other colon, maybe its something going on up there.I hope you can get relief soon from it.

I had pain with my first colonoscopy, but the doctor made sure I was asleep for the second one, so there was no pain. My first test I was told no Crohn's, but that is because my inflamation is contained to the small intestine which they can't see through a colonoscopy or endoscopy. You might want to ask them if they can do a pillcam endoscopy to check the amount of inflamation you have. On the plus side it is painless and easy to do. Good luck!

I have had 2 colonoscopies now, and both were unsuccessfull, as the pain was so severe, the doctors were unable to complete the test. My question is what then? no one has ever suggested something else, just sorry we couldn't complete it, you were screaming to loudly.

hi im 16 and have crohns and actually just had a colonoscopy to days ago and it is not normal 4 anestesia to not have a greater effect on you. Also i was on prednisone for months and couldnt sleep was depressed and mad almost all the time but then my doc proscribed me xanax to help with anxiety and told me to take melatonin which you can get at any health foods store and that realy helped my sleep.!! Good luck and god bless

I just had my second colonoscopy this morning. It hurt like hell when they pumped in the air. I kept asking the nurse 'Is it supposed to hurt like this?" because during my first colonoscopy 12 years ago I was partially awake but felt NOTHING.

I wonder if 12 years ago they didn't do the air thing because I don't remember them talking about that part of the procedure back then.

Well, this time it hurt! I experienced some severe cramping. Quite honestly, it felt like I was being sodomized. I thought: what ARE they doing to me? I just kept feeling this rhythmic pushing sensation into me. Must be the way they pump in the air. I think the nurses ought to better prepare you for this part of the procedure. The nurse did allude to some DISCOMFORT during the air pumping procedure...but in my book, 'discomfort' is quite different from PAIN.

I don't remember anything after that so I must have gone into a nice sleep. The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room.

If I were to do this again, which I WON'T, I'd ask to be put out entirely. Why not avail ourselves of modern medicine and skip the pain?

Post edited by: cjacobson, at: 07/21/2012 09:31 AM

Post edited by: cjacobson, at: 07/21/2012 09:34 AM

cjacobson just had a colonoscopy also on the 20th. I do remember years ago having the air pumped in or being told that would be part of the procedure. One of the reasons they insist you pass "gas" before they allow you to leave.

I do always ask the anesthesiologist to make double sure I am out of it.

Mine went well and I was told by my GI that if he didn"t know I had crohns he'd never have known by the test I was a crohns patient. So yippee for me I am still in remission. Hope you get as good news as I did.