The dreaded colonoscopy

I have gone out of my way to avoid a colonoscopy not because of embarrassment or squeamishness but because I'd heard the details too many times about the prep leading up to it. The thought of trying to get through an entire day on just green or yellow jello, chicken broth, water, other clear fluids--no milk in the coffee!--was just totally incomprehensible and inconceivable to me. And that's not the worst of it...you have to drink 32 ounces of this foul concoction that is supposed to clean out your intestines. "It really cleans you out," everyone said to me. Yeah? Not always!

Anyway, I've been suffering from IBS type symptoms for at least five years and although troublesome at times, I never wanted to see a gastroenterologist for it because of the dread colonoscopy that would be recommended. When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, my doctor said IBS is part of the umbrella of problems associated with it and I figured, so it goes.

In the last six months, though, the pain in my gut was enough to send me to the internist and both times, those doctors thought I had diverticulitis. Now, how can that be? I wondered. I eat a high fiber diet, or I think I do. After the second occurrence and after the doctor noted my age, the dreaded test word came up.

And so I went to a gastroenterologist and scheduled myself an appointment.

The no-eating-anything mandate really wasn't so bad and it would have been fine if I didn't have to chase a 3 year old. Lots of sugar free green jello, Diet sprite, water, and Diet Coke fills you up. I did feel a little lightheaded walking around but that might have been psychological. The concoction part was--make no mistake--pure torture. The stuff wasn't that bad to swallow and I was feeling okay after the first 32 ounces. Then I had my water and the cramps started.

I was supposed to wait 90 minutes and then drink another 32 ounces of this vile stuff. Except for the cramps, I was still managing okay and not much happened after that first hour. After the second dose, though, I literally couldn't leave the bathroom for almost an hour. It was gross and uncomfortable and painful...and I had bouts of get-out-of-my-way urgent rushes to the bathroom right through 4 a.m. Even when I got up at 6, I had to make a visit...and yet another visit after I got to the doctor's office.

The result of it was that I learned:

1. that particular brand of brew didn't work so great for me--as much as I went through, it didn't totally "clean" me out

2. I do have diverticulosis which can become inflamed or infected (diverticulitis)

3. The doctor didn't really see anything of significance although he took some small biopsies to rule out any infections or parasites. Ewww.

Thank God that's over with.

I might get scheduled for an endoscopy next--a less traumatic procedure I understand. But I don't want anyone to tell me about it or I might not do it, heh!