Yikes 😬..... anxiety is setting in y'all.... ain't gonna 🤥 lie.....
No biggie, just be by a bathroom once the gurgling in your stomach starts. The procedure itself is nothing for the patient.
Idk if I'm more nervous about the prep and procedure or what they will find and what that will mean for potential reversal chances....
I’d be more worried about the prep myself. You can’t control the rest of it. Technically you can’t control the prep either 😮 but it won’t last too long.
Now Wild.......with all you've been thru.......you're nervous about a colonoscopy?? It'll be a piece of cake..........don't waste your time worrying about it. Your bag will hold up just fine. Now your barrier........hmmm......not sure.
NO.........I'M JUST KIDDING!!!! Your barrier will be fine too.
Just don't drink the prep and then fall asleep..........that's very bad. Unless you sleep in a kiddie pool.
Seriously, don't sweat it.........it's nothing to worry about. Think more about what you'll want to eat on the way home!
;O)
I just did one a couple of months ago...I don't know if the transit time varies greatly between an ileostomy, which is what I have and an ostomy. My transit time from bite to bag ranges from 20 min to an hour....depending on my anxiety level....overall clear out time for me was two to three hours as I had to drink it in batches. Worse case, take a pillow in with you, put it on a TV tray so you can rest...open the end of your bag and duct tape it in place so it drains right down. Worked for me....much easier than the clean outs before I had the ileostomy. They went through my stoma into the small intestine and then into the large intestine (mine is a loop). Do not remember the procedure...I did take 2 precut bags and set ups with me...when I woke up they had installed a new bag. ( Minus barrier ring...but they at least got the bag on). The nurse told me it was great that I had prepped the bag to fit. And had sealed the bottom....They did an endoscopy at the same time while I was out. You will do fine! Plan something really good to eat afterwards! Then a nap! Best of luck!
Just fine. Just imagine you dumped a cup or so of water into your bag as fast as possible. Then, that happens quite a few times thruout the night. That’s pretty much how my prepping went. Take an extra bag/barrier ring with you to your appointment just in case. I wear a 1 piece bag and it was pretty full when they wheeled me into the room. I said I could go empty it. They said it was fine, they had a machine to suck it all out. They went right thru the drain end of my bag and I never had to put a new bag on. Probably super easy if you have a 2 piece system.
Can you elaborate on the TV tray/duct tape statement? Also, by precut bags do you mean you took wafers that were already measured and cut to size? By sealed bottom I think you meant that you simply closed it up so all they had to do was snap the new one in place?
I know I'll have to make diet adjustments/restrictions the day of prep (the day before the scope) but would it be recommended/advisable to adjust Monday and or Tuesday as well to make the impending shitshow less eventful? 😂
I will probably leave the meal decision up to my husband, as in my drug induced stupor I'm likely to suggest something totally crazy 🤣. Luckily the cuisine in Joplin isn't too outlandish, give or take Chinese restaurants or Taco Bell I believe, but you get the idea 🤣. We are pretty basic anyway, meat n' taters.....
I know it probably sounds crazy...lol...but I was so tired of getting up and down that I just put a little table in front of the potty with a pillow and opened up the bottom (drain) of my bag and put a piece of tape on it to secure it to drain into the potty and dozed...( I have fibro and chronic fatigue and adrenal issues that all clash together sometimes and render me absolutely exhausted...so rather than dragging myself up and down during a clean out for a test I just sat down and dozed). By precut I am referring to the wafer back of the bag that you custom cut to fit around your stoma...I normally do it as I change the bag each time but precut two bags the size of my stoma that morning of the test to take with me. I use a one piece bag. I always close the bottoms ( roll up and "Velcro" ) of all the bags when I open a new box of bags ....so I don't accidentally forget and install a new bag with the bottom left open and dash off...I had the barrier rings that I use in the supply bag as well but they didn't use one so I had to put on a new bag as soon as I got home as it was leaking around my stoma and burning... My stoma size changes very little now so I felt comfortable precutting a couple for that day. I took two new bags with me in case there was an issue with one I would have a backup....My friend who does not have an ostomy of any kind told me about the pillow trick for prepping for her yearly test...she said that after the third depends change she said to heck with this and stayed put till the flood was over.
You are so blessed to have someone to help you! I'm on my own...I was fortunate to find one of the aids at my mom's care center who gave me a ride for my test...all my friends were handling crisis's of their own. I could not even find a nurse or aid for hire because I had to be there at 5:30 am...I was in the assisted living center and asked the director of nursing if she knew of anyone or an organization I could hire and she said no. One of my mom's caretakers offered. I was so grateful. She refused to let me pay her so I went to the medical uniform supply store and bought a couple of the nurses caps that are decorative ....she admired one that a nurse had on as I checked in that morning. They won't let you use a taxi or Uber...someone has to sign you out. I have another test coming up in March and I am hoping that the friend that said she could give me a ride doesn't have something else come up.
Fingers crossed....so far have discovered that insurance doesn't cover the prep they prescribed, so pharmacy is getting in touch with the GI office for an alternative... otherwise I'm out $164....😳. I'm just hoping for good results which would allow for an uncomplicated reversal procedure. With the stress, pain, and anxiety all of this has caused over the last 9 months (albeit only two surgeries 6 months apart), I'm exhausted and drained.
Yes, I am very fortunate. My family (those that actually live here with me.... husband, daughter and MIL) have all been great about picking up my slack. I'm working again (I'm almost 3 months post colostomy placement op), though not quite full time and lighter duty. Really don't have a whole lot of energy by the time I get home for cooking, etc, so it's been a team effort. I did make an entire meal the other night.... 🌮 Taco Tuesday....(taco meat with choice of shell, queso, rice, etc).....on my own.....felt accomplished yet derailed at the same time LoL 😂
A bottle of Miralax, 2-32oz bottles of Gatorade, and a couple stool softeners. Bout $30 is what my doctor had me use.
Not crazy, but I actually got the picture this time..... though idk trying to snooze like that would prove restful for me....
Hey Wildthing.......you do know that GoodRX can be used for colonoscopy preps.....right? Saves a bundle and it's free! Just sayin'.
;O)
Apparently the pharmacy I chose chooses not to partake in said program....go flippin' figure lol
Ok, so normally I change once a week (Sunday), would it be advisable to have a fresh setup when I start prep?
Depending on what day your appointment is, maybe. I’d just stick with your normal schedule.
Whatever bag you already have on. They may put a new bag on you while you’re out or maybe not. I didn’t change mine right before or right after, I just stayed on schedule. 🤷♂️
That'd be great if they did, lol, kinda like a "get outta jail free" card if ostomy were a monopoly game 😂
Hi. How did your colonoscopy go? I'm going to have one in a few weeks through the stoma and rear-end. Prep is grossing me out.
