What a bummer NG! I think the silver lining here for you, though, is that your fissure seems fairly small. However, it's emotionally disappointing to go through all of the prep and then be told that it wasn't 100% accomplished. I think your symptoms definitely fit with IBS. Hope you feel better today! :)

Hey Anna,
Yep, definitely feeling a bit better today. Yesterday I was just tired and surprised by how things went down. Today I've just got some abdominal discomfort and that's it. I'm indeed glad my fissure isn't that big -- it probably explains why I've been able to eat a wider range of foods recently (although I'm trying not to push my luck too much). Maybe it even means the BOTOX is working, who knows. How are things post LIS day #2? Any happy BMs yet?

I've been searching around for information on colonoscopies since my somewhat disturbing experience and thought I'd post a quick follow-up. It looks like pain during colonoscopies isn't that unusual at all. Contrary to what most doctors and online accounts of the procedure suggest, it seems that there are significant numbers of patients who don't tolerate them very well.
This synopsis was interesting:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12048623
That plus most of the other literature I could find online indicates that the most common point of pain, and reason for failing to advance the colonoscope deep enough to complete the exam, is a loop in the sigmoid colon.
The reason I got interested in all this is because I requested a copy of the post-procedural report from my GI doctor today. In it, he indicates that I was very sensitive to the exam, and that at about 60 centimeters (roughly 24 inches) from the anal opening, he encountered a "very sharp and twisted turn" (those are the words verbatim), which is where I started screaming in pain and they had to discontinue.
I still don't like the fact that we weren't able to visualize the entire length of the colon, but am somewhat comforted by the knowledge that colonoscopies aren't a walk in the park for everybody, and thought I'd post this in case anyone else has had a weird experience with them before :)

Maybe you could have a virtual colonoscopy. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/virtualcolonoscopy/ I know the prep is the same but they don't insert through the but for it.

Hey Suzy, that's definitely one thing I'm considering. Right now, I'm just keeping an eye on the symptoms. If they persist, then I'm thinking about either a virtual colonoscopy, another conventional colonoscopy (but under general anesthesia), or a barium enema. In either case I'd have to do the bowel prep so I'm not too worried there.
The main downside about the virtual colonoscopy is that insurance generally won't authorize it, so I may have to pay out of pocket. So that option will depend largely on how much it runs me. A grand or so would be a big deal, but if we're talking several large then it might be a different story.

NG,
I was thinking about the virtual colonoscopy also b/4 Suzi posted her idea! I am wondering why they could not have proceeded while you were already in the "ready" state, but possibly appointment for that needs to be scheduled, or they don't have the necessary facility/equipment for it when you were with your doc. I don't think the barium enema is that commonplace, any longer, plus the barium is constipating. Don't forget that down side!!

Yeah I was kind of wondering that too. I think it was a scheduling or facilities or maybe even bureaucratic/procedural matter. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't a matter of patient convenience :) Oh well.
I'm just hoping the symptoms magically go away so I don't have to get evaluated again. But if they don't then I guess I'll see what the least disturbing second attempt would be.

Yes, I think the "magic wand" treatment is one we all wish for! :) Hang in there NG!

I'm going for the "symptoms disappear so I can pretend they never existed -- ignorance is bliss" treatment :) But seriously, with chest pains and bloody spit over the last year, now stomach cramps, and of course the significant weight loss and anal fissure, I'm thinking I either have some serious undiagnosed medical problem, or just serious anxiety with a few minor conditions. I keep waiting for more specific symptoms to surface that will give clues as to the underlying cause, but all that happens is more non-specific symptoms, sheesh.
I'm giving LIS more serious consideration nowadays too after you recent success. Also, when I had my attempted colonoscopy, the guy next to me in the recovery room just had LIS, and his procedure only took about as long as mine did. He seemed pretty darn happy with it too.

I honestly would recommend it to anyone suffering. Do you have a good CRS? One thing that I noticed was that with my new dr., I asked his NP if he did these frequently, how many bad ones they've seen, etc. She did not even hesitate to tell me that he did LIS all the time and in her 8 years there, she had only seen one bad one and that was a guy who had had it done by a GP in Idaho. I just felt a lot of confidence from his staff, even the receptionist mentioned that if he wasn't a good dr. she would have left a long time ago. So, I think it makes a difference. Not that people can't lie, but it came across as very sincere and genuine. And I guess I'm proof that they were right!
I still need to find out what causes it, but if I can do that and then control it, I'm hopeful I'll be in good shape.