The Dreaded Colonoscopy (2)
We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work. ~Albert Schweitzer, Alsatian writer, humanitarian, physician, and more
Okay, let’s continue this “crappy” story, shall we? If you missed Part One, please go back and read it first. We’ll wait.
And if you’re unable to handle talk of the bathroom this early, come back and read when you’re steadier.
My colonoscopy was scheduled for right after the lunch hour.
Usually, I prefer getting unpleasant things over with early in the day, but turns out, the Mayo Clinic folks knew what they were doing.
I was to receive mild sedation (not anesthesia), meaning I’d be awake but in a “twilight” state during the procedure.
They explained they’d take a few small samples from my colon, remove any polyps, and biopsy everything.
After checking in and undressing (I could keep my sneakers on!), they helped me onto a bed and covered me with a nice warm blanket.
They started an IV (in my sore right arm), and told me to lie on my left side. I noticed a large TV screen and asked if I could watch the procedure. The nurse laughed and said, “Sure, but most people just fall asleep.”
Then I saw an angry-looking black hose, coiled up like a snake on the counter beside the doctor.
Uh-oh, I thought. Good thing I’ll be out of it!
I remember nothing more until I awoke a short time afterward and received instructions on after-care: things like not driving, not eating heavy meals, drinking plenty of fluids, etc.
Basically, taking it easy.
No problem. A nap sounded pretty good after being strapped to the toilet for two days!
With doctor approval, I drove myself home (approximately eight hours) the very next day — See? Not as bad as I’d feared!
A couple of days later, they happily informed me that nothing was wrong.
No H. Pylori. No SIBO. No gluten intolerance. No Crohn’s Disease. No ulcerative colitis. Not a single polyp. And I’d done an exceptional job cleaning out, too!
Okay, I argued, but something’s wrong. What about all that diarrhea?
The best they could say was, It’s IBS.
Now for decades I’ve “known” I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but it’s never been formally diagnosed. And doctors must rule out everything before they’ll diagnose it.
My medical team theorized my gut got out of whack when I combined an over-zealous consumption of fiber (not my fault since I was just following doctor’s orders) with the intense stress I was battling.
So they urged me to try a low FODMAP diet and see if that would work.
I can honestly say I felt better immediately. No more belching, no excess gas, no diarrhea. Woo-Hoo!
The diet is fairly restrictive for the first four to six weeks, giving my gut a chance to heal, but there are plenty of options, and it’s interesting to try low-FODMAP foods I didn’t know I could eat.
While I’ve yet to enter the 8-12-week “reintroduction phase” — where you gradually try other food groups to see which you react to — I know it will be equally interesting.
This whole experience has been an eye-opener. How many years did I waste, living in fear when I could’ve ruled out the BAD stuff early on, found out what I could and couldn’t eat, and lived a normal life?
Don’t be like me.
If you’re 45 or over, get screened for colon cancer (the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the U.S.). A few hours of embarrassment and discomfort pale when compared to the relief of knowing you’re healthy!
