Sigmoidoscopy through stoma: Procedure, pain, and polyp detection?

I was going to have an endoscopy to look for polyps everywhere in digestion-related areas, plus a colonoscopy, but I reminded the doctor that I don't even have a nanometer of colon left. So they switched to a flexible sigmoidoscopy through my stoma.

I've never heard of such a thing, and I don't know if the scope will fit in my stoma. Will it hurt? Will I be awake and feel it? Will it bleed afterward? What does the sigmoidoscopy see? I want to make sure there are no polyps anywhere in my whole system.

I would ask my doctor/surgeon, but he is in clinic all week, and the actual sigmoid doctor says to ask your doctor/surgeon. And the nurse just says to see the paperwork I sent. Except it's paperwork for colonoscopy and endoscopy.

Thanks

I had a scope in December through my stoma. I was sedated as usual, no side effects afterward. The prep was a little strange since I was used to spending half the night on the toilet prior to my stoma and this time I was emptying all night...

I'm sure you'll do well. Hope you get good results.

Hi, I had it done without any sedative at all. It was completely pain-free and I watched the whole process on screen. They removed six polyps and I had no pain or discomfort afterwards.

Just a word of caution - I irrigate every other day and discovered that even after irrigating the day after my appointment - I still had heavy output once my digestive system kicked back in! It was quite a surprise! LOL!

Yes, I have one every year. It's completely painless. It's the only scope I look forward to, lol.... If they remove any polyps, you may bleed a bit, but you don't always bleed afterwards.

I will likely be full of polyps but I sure hope not. I do hope I am anesthetized just cause medical stuff creeps me out. The doctor says it's a sigmoidoscopy but I lack a sigmoid colon. I think they mean ileoscopy? I don't want them thinking they're finding colon and somehow damage me. So I will try and clarify with the surgeon and nurses. I guess I fast a bit before...scope is at 8am so they said have lunch the day before then liquid dinner. As of course they don't want waste inside me so they can see better, but I always have some output. When I had the stomach flu I just kinda had bile/intestinal juices come out but it was still like, well, watery poop.

I've had regular colonoscopies through the stoma, and yes - it's weird but painless. You have to be tactful though - it took me a few minutes to realize I was the only person cracking jokes in the waiting room beforehand: people having theirs done the normal way didn't seem to feel like joking at all!

Good luck - I hope none of your fears are realized! Chris