Hi friends,

It's been a while since I've posted in here. I've made some nice progress in the last few weeks (no longer using pain medication)...however, for some reason yesterday and today has been a little worse, but I'm hanging in there.

I've got a colonoscopy scheduled for late next week, and I've contacted my doctor about re-scheduling for some future date. Although I still have a way to go before I'm totally healed, I have made progress in the last month. I'm wondering if any of you folks have undergone a colonoscopy while dealing with an AF ? I'm told that I will be sedated, but as you can guess, I'm still extremely weary of the procedure. My fears are 1) that I'm not sedated "enough", and that the procedure will be excruciatingly painful, and 2) Although I might not feel anything during the procedure, there might be agitation from the instruments that make the fissure worse.

I hoping that people here have personal knowledge of the colonoscopy, particularly with regard to how it might effect the AF

Thx !!

Hi Jay - I'm in the same boat as you - mine is scheduled for the 15th... To hear from some that have been through it would be great!
The prep is what I am most frightened about, but I just want to get it over with... Sorry - I realize I'm not answering your question - also curious I guess!

If I were you i'd put it off if possible. I was sent for a sigmoidoscopy. Same camera but they don't go as far around the colon. I was given an enema prep by a nurse and it tore me open. When I felt the urge to go there was blood everywhere and it made my fissure 10x worse. The sig doctor told me I shouldn't have one done until my fissure is fully healed as it will tear it further. Having said that i've heard people with fissures say they've had colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy done without much trouble. I can't comprehend how they are able to say that as I know a procedure like that would be hellish for me right now. Think about your pain levels and how painful it is to have a finger up there. Maybe smother your finger in vaseline and pop a finger up slowly. If the pain levels start to go up you are not ready for a camera. If you are relatively comfortable giving yourself a digital exam you'll probably tolerate the camera as well.

If they are concerned about another medical condition and want a colonoscopy with some urgency insist they do it under general anaesthia. At least then you wont feel pain while it's happening. I'm getting an anoscope exam soon under general and I wouldn't have it any other way.

This is just me and where i'm at right now. It might be that you are much more comfortable in your stage of healing than me but be careful. You don't want to set yourself back like I have many times.

As far as sedation goes i've had it before during other operations and it doesn't do much for me. It doesn't numb pain at all, it just makes you feel a bit more relaxed. I'd describe it like being very slightly drunk.

Great news ! I just got a message back from the doctor and he OK'd delaying the colonoscopy. I don't have a pressing urgent need for the procedure. I had a sigmoidoscopy last month, and they did find a non-cancerous polyp (I'm told this type of polyp is very common and not at all dangerous), and at this point it's more "routine" since I'm turning 50yo in a couple months.

My birthday is November 7th, so I'm gonna see if I can schedule it the following week. It would be nice to go through life not needing a colonoscopy until you at least hit 50 !!

my docs want the colonoscopy to figure out if it's Crohn's or not... doesn't really matter to me much right now as I am dealing with the fissure and fistula- however i had botox less than 2 weeks ago and figure- even if they harm my fissure during the scoping - i still have time to heal with the botox being effective- rather than wait another month and have it tear more and Botox loosing its effects... am i just crazy thinking that way?