Colonoscopy

[jess_i]

I've recently had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy and no pain at all - I was anethetised so no memory at all. Was quite sleepy after but felt fine - only bloated like the other ladies have said.

I think the worst part of it was the 'cleansing' the night before!

[Mother Goose]

You poor chook Michelle! Can't say I'd want to remember it or see what they were doing!!!

The bloating people have mentioned is caused by the air we blow into you (via the camera - not ourselves! ). The air is to help "unsquish" things inside so we can see what we need to see. Completely harmless. You will pass it just like any other form of wind.
The nurses may ask you to roll on your side before the sedative takes effect but that will depend on the staff who are doing it. Some ask, some don't.

This is a Day Surgery Proceedure and it will probably take a couple of hours for the fogginess of the sedative to wear off enough for you to feel you have your facalties back. You will probably be a bit "fuzzy" for most of the day. Depending on where you have it done, you can expect to be there anything from 2 hours to half a day (also depending on how your body deals with the drugs). The Private Centre my gastroenterologist works from says to allow 2 hours but the hospital I actually had my gastroscope done in says to allow half a day.

Depending on where you are in Melbourne, and if you are going public or private, I can recommend a terrific gastroenterologist. He is very friendly and relaxing (and easy on the eyes ). He knows I don't like the recovery unit of the hospital I had to have a procedure done in (the complexity of that procedure means you can't go through day surg) and he actually stayed in recovery with me until I was fully awake. His rooms are at Heidelberg. If you want his details, PM me and I'll forward them to you. I was referred to him by my other surgeon.

MG