I Had A Colonoscopy In My 30s! (and an Upper Endoscopy)

When you think 50 years old, you may think “uh oh, it’s colonoscopy time…” since almost everyone has one starting in their 50s. They’re normally used to screen for colon cancer, as it is most prevalent in people in their 50s or older and it’s the best way to find any abnormalities in your large intestine. However, it’s not normal for someone in their 30s to have one, and yet I did...

I’ve been having quite a bit of abdominal distress for months now, especially since my PCOS diagnosis earlier this year (see post HERE). I finally bit the bullet and saw my regular doctor about it. Pretty much as soon as I mentioned “abdominal pain” to her, she gave me a referral to a GI. 

I took Honey Graham with me to the GI so we could both talk to him about what’s been going on. The GI was VERY nice, but I was frustrated with him because as soon as I mentioned I was put on Metformin for my PCOS, he said that that was most likely what was causing all of my issues. I pressed further and said that I’d had the issues on and off even before this, especially while pregnant with Cocoa Puff 4 years ago. I’ve also had a lifelong battle with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other stomach issues, so I know what’s normal for me and what isn’t. I had tried going gluten free and tried doing KETO, I tried going dairy free and none of it helped. I tried low FODMAP and low fiber, high fiber, everything. Nothing seemed to make much difference except that going KETO gave me pancreatitis, which went away when I went out of ketosis. 

Anyway, my appointment went by so fast. I know that it’s pretty cliche for GI appointments to be rushed, but I was hoping that since I was the first appointment of the day (at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Monday), that I wouldn’t be so rushed, but I really was. It was very frustrating and I left the exam room feeling pretty defeated. I didn’t even know what had just happened! I basically just went over all of my symptoms and the timeline of them and that took about 15-20 minutes. He was nice and listened and all at least. I guess that there’s not much he can go off of with just a list of symptoms. 

After my appointment, Honey Graham and I waited to talk with the GI’s “manager” or whatever she is (she was SUPER nice and one of my new favorite people). She went over the basics of our appointment and gave me some papers. I had to get some blood work and a stool sample, which I expected after my LAST GI visit while pregnant (note, I don’t recommend seeing a GI while pregnant since they can’t do a dang thing until your baby arrives), and schedule a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy ASAP! Oh boy… 

A colonoscopy? I’m in my early 30s! I don’t have any family history of colon cancer, although I do have significant family history of other health issues. 

Anyway, I scheduled my colonoscopy and endoscopy for less than 48 hours later and off we went to get my blood taken and to poop in a bowl for the lab tech. Of course, this took a lot longer than we had hoped and my poor mom was stuck at our house with two rowdy little boys all afternoon… 

The bloodwork wasn’t any big deal, but man, the one day I NEEDED to *go*, I couldn’t. Apparently I can’t poo on demand! 

The doc wanted blood work to check my liver enzyme levels, thyroid, CBC, and a metabolic panel. The stool test is for a full GI panel including bacteria, parasites, and viruses. 

So, my sheet of instructions for preparing for my procedures said that I had to fast the entire day before my procedure and then I had to clean out my insides with a special drink… well, that was the next day! Aw, man! The manager person said I could technically have a very light breakfast as soon as I got up, but I absolutely needed to be fasting for at least 24 hours before my scheduled appointment time. Since my procedures were scheduled for 11:30, I was grateful I could have a light breakfast. I also had to stop taking my vitamins and most of my medications. 

So, I woke up the next morning and ate a white tortilla and took my prescriptions. I was told to follow a clear liquid diet, so we had stocked up on chicken broth, apple juice, soda, gatorade, tea, koolaid, etc. I also was allowed jello and hard candy, so I had some of that available. 

Fortunately, it was my day to be Kindergarten mom, so I was distracted and too busy to eat or think about eating until after lunchtime. I just kept drinking my tea and a bunch of water. 

When I got home, I had a giant container of chicken broth for lunch. It actually was pretty tasty, but I was starting to get really crabby because I was already crabby. I ate 2 jello cups as well and that seemed to help. 

Honey Graham came home from the pharmacy with this HUGE gallon jug with several cups of powdered laxative and electrolytes at the bottom. I was supposed to fill it with water, put it in the refrigerator, and then at 6 pm, start drinking 8 ounces every 10-15 minutes. THE WHOLE CONTAINER. IN 4 HOURS OR LESS. WHAT? 

Then, of course, the clinic called me and said that my health insurance didn’t cover the first lab they had tried to send my stool sample to so I would have to give another. Since I knew I wouldn’t be going normally for days, I was able to collect some and put it in a clean container ahead of time… gross. 

Sigh… I kept drinking tons of clear fluids and ate some more jello and kept enjoying some lifesavers. I was getting really hungry now and it was about dinner time. Unfortunately, Honey Graham had a meeting he could not get out of, so I was on my own to start drinking the “prep” solution. 

I could not do it. I knew what was coming, and I have a history of having panic attacks when I have “the runs.” So, WHY was I forcing myself into this!? I had a panic attack anyway and I ended up having to have Honey Graham come home because I couldn’t do it. 

Once he got home, he finally convinced me to start drinking the stuff. It tasted DISGUSTING, even with added flavoring. I cried through my first glass and cried again when I saw how much more I had to drink. I got through the first few glasses and then the “fun” started… 

No. Not fun. It hit and it hit HARD. And WHILE all of this was going on, I still had to drink a cup of this crap every 10-15 minutes! That was the hardest part… making myself drink MORE of it even after what was coming out… I had several breakdowns during this time and even had to take a short break for awhile when I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out. I kept drinking gatorade and other things, and the taste of that stuff was just AWFUL! At first, I was able to make it tolerable by adding some lemonade flavoring and sucking on a Werther’s candy or a peppermint while drinking it, but it just got exponentially worse with each cup. 

I was finally down to the last 3 cups and I started gagging and heaving. I took another break, but at this point it was like, 9:00 and I had to stay up for at least 2 hours after finishing, so I HAD to get it done. Everything was looking “clear” at this point and I didn’t have any control of it, which were all good signs that everything was cleaned out. I cried the entire way through another half cup of it, but I looked at my last 2 ½ cups of it and almost had another panic attack. I was done. I could NOT finish it. I stayed in the bathroom for another hour or so and then finally went to bed. I took one more drink right before getting in bed because I wasn’t allowed to drink anything after midnight… 

I didn’t sleep well. I woke up a few times to use the bathroom and I was still coughing because I was getting over a cold or some allergies or something. I had a coughing fit when I woke up the next morning, so I did allow myself a mouthful of water. When I went to the bathroom, I was no longer “clear,” so I started freaking out and googling if this was okay, and fortunately, it does happen and I just needed to let the nurses know when I got to the clinic. 

It was a long few hours before it was time to go. Fortunately Froot Loop had school and Cocoa Puff had mother’s day out, so I didn’t have to arrange any childcare. I tried to relax and not think about what was going to happen in a few hours. 

Honey Graham and I got to the clinic. I checked in and I immediately had to go next door to the endoscopy center. I was tired, hungry, crabby, and trying to not freak out. I was also dizzy and lightheaded from not being able to eat and also being very dehydrated. In fact, all the sodium in the prep solution made my hands swell sooooo badly that I couldn’t even remove my wedding ring. Fortunately, Honey Graham called the doc and they said it was okay and that it actually happens fairly regularly. Poor Honey Graham got stuck with the task of redoing my stool sample and I just waited next door for him. I filled out yet more paperwork and just waited. And waited. 

Finally, it was my turn to get prepped for my procedure. I let them know that I was still going to the bathroom and it was mucusy, but they said that was fine… They took all of my vitals and asked me a million billion questions about my health history and if I had a living will, etc. I was trying to not freak out, and I tend to crack jokes when I’m tired and crabby and trying to not freak out, so I was saying weird things and making the nurses all laugh. I’m glad THEY were having fun… I met a few nurses and the anesthesiologist and the other people who’d be in the room with me and everyone was super nice. 

Finally, I got into my gown and was able to relax on my bed. I couldn’t get comfortable since my stomach was still crampy. They got my IV in but they had to put it in my hand because I was so dehydrated they couldn’t get it in either of my arms. That was not fun. Finally, they brought Honey Graham back for a few minutes. I have no idea what we talked about, but then eventually it was time for me to go back. I was feeling absolutely miserable at this point and almost passed out a couple of times. Apparently, all normal. 

I went back into my procedure room and got all hooked up to various things. I wore an oximeter on my finger and I had pads put on my upper chest to make sure my heart was still beating… I apparently kept cracking jokes with everyone, but I don’t remember any of this. There were all sorts of tubes and monitors and stuff in there… a very cold, scary room. I wasn’t very happy in there, and they just kept me waiting… and waiting… and waiting… and the longer I waited, the more anxious I got. 

I just laid there with my eyes closed because I didn’t want to look at anything and I didn’t have my glasses. My doc poked his head in and asked if I was doing okay and I said something like I’ve had better days, and he actually cracked a smile. Then he said he’d be back in a few when it was time. 

They put some sort of mouth guard on me that is supposed to protect my teeth and mouth from the various things that were about to go down my throat. THIS is when I started to panic. The last thing I remember was them saying “okay, I’m starting the anesthesia” and hearing the heart monitor beep faster as I started to panic… 

...then the next thing I remember was being gently shaken and told I needed to wake up. Honey Graham was there and one of the nurses was trying to get me to wake up. I did not want to. The first thing I noticed was extreme pain in my lower lip and pain in my IV site. I had a hard time waking up and they had me slowly move around until I woke up. I complained that my lip hurt and they looked at it but couldn’t see anything, but gave me some ice, which helped a tiny but, but not enough. 

I was given some juice and the doc came and talked to us but I have no idea what they said. Honey Graham said I didn’t miss anything too important and it was all in my paperwork. He signed some papers for me and I waited a few more minutes to wake up more and see what was going on with my lip. It still hurt. A lot. 

Finally it was time to go. I was the last one of the day, so I know they wanted to get me out of there, and I did feel a little rushed, but everyone else was super nice. I was hungry and groggy and my mouth really hurt. They helped get me into a wheelchair. I told them I was FREEZING and they got me a heated blanket and it was WONDERFUL. I was wheeled outside, and Honey Graham drove up a few minutes later. He helped me in the car and off we went. 

I was told to take it very easy the rest of the day. We stopped for food and I ate these amazing street style tacos. They were sooooooo good but I probably would have eaten just about anything at that point. 

I finally took a peek at my paperwork and they said I didn’t have any sort of polyps or anything really suspicious looking but I had severe acid reflux and gastritis. There’s more paperwork about that but I’m sure we’ll talk about it at my followup appointment. 

We went straight to school to pick up Cocoa Puff and I just rested on the couch and snacked and kept drinking stuff. I rested, but immediately started feeling a lot better except for my mouth pain. 

I felt well enough to go to church since I run a preschool Bible Study and I didn’t want to miss it. I sat for most of the night, but I probably still overdid it because I felt absolutely AWFUL the next day. 

In fact, I felt pretty awful the whole two days afterward. My throat hurt a little bit, my butt hurt a little bit, I was tired and groggy and not thinking straight and still crabby. My lip still really hurt too. I finally went to see my dentist and he said that they really gashed it and he knew exactly what with… he tried to explain it but I didn’t really care. I was given some amazing steroid powder to put on it, and it helped some, but I’m over 3 days past now, and it still hurts some, and when it doesn’t hurt, it’s completely numb, like there’s nerve damage or something. Believe me I’ll be asking about it at my follow up. 

Meanwhile, I’ve gotten some of my blood work back. My white blood cell count is high, and my glucose is a little high. My thyroid and lipase and amylase levels came back within normal range, but barely… they’re on the low side of normal. I’m sure we’ll talk more about this at my follow up. 

So there it is, I survived my colonoscopy and endoscopy, but I have no desire to EVER go through that prep for the colonoscopy again. It was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever been through in my life. But, hopefully, we’ll get some answers. 

Tips to get through the prep: 
Eat light the few days before. If it’s easier going in, it will be easier coming out. 
Avoid corn/peas/strawberries/other foods with seeds/skins for a few days beforehand.
Flavor the prep with something (not red, of course). And flavor it with something you won’t mind ever drinking again. Pineapple flavoring is forever ruined for me. 
Alternate between drinks. And drink a lot on your day of fasting. Apple juice is good. Sprite is good. Clear tea is good. Black coffee is good. Chicken broth is freaking amazing. Koolaid is good. Remember you can’t have red/purple liquids because they look too much like blood and can influence your results. 
Eat jello like there’s no tomorrow and get a variety of flavors. 
Get a variety of hard candies to suck on. I found that having something in my mouth made me less hungry. 
Don’t be by yourself when you do the prep. I got shaky and weak and I’m glad Honey Graham was here to take care of me.  Plus, he was able to keep me motivated to keep going.
Stock up on Tucks pads and diaper cream. Trust me. 
Make sure your phone/tablet/whatever is fully charged and just leave it in the bathroom. 
Listen to a podcast or a comedian...Something entertaining to keep your mind off of what’s happening. 
Keep drinking other fluids between your cups of prep solution. 
Try sucking on hard candy as your drink the prep. 
Take a BIG drink right before you go to bed. 
Just wear a diaper. Get over it and do it. You won’t have any warning when you need to go, and this way, you don’t have to worry about it. 
Plan on staying in and not being able to go anywhere once you start the prep. You may start clearing out in as little as 10 minutes. 
Try to sleep. 
The next morning, ask the other residents to not cook anything. SO HUNGRY. 
Wear comfortable clothing. I highly recommend elastic and oversized clothes.
Leave your jewelry at home. All you need is your ID and your insurance card. 
Bring a list of medications you’re on with dosages and times you take them. 
Plan on doing NOTHING for the rest of the day, even if you feel fine. I really paid for it the days following. 
Tell the nurses and doctors everything. Tell them if you’re anxious. Tell them if you couldn’t finish the prep. Be prepared to discuss your bowel movements like you never have before. 
I was able to keep my upper garments on. I put my bottoms in a plastic bag that they returned to me when I was done. 
Bring any medications you usually take in the morning so you can take them when you’re done. 
Make sure your companion listens very well to what the doc says afterward, or have them take notes. 
Eat lightly the rest of the day and even the next day. 
Be nice to yourself. Nap if you want/need to. Binge-watch Netflix. Eat snacks.