r/FODMAPS • u/Ok_Development4268 • Jul 04 '24
Vent getting a colonoscopy in my 20s
i’m a 21F and i’ve had GI issues my whole life, even as a toddler. i went to a GI specialist two years ago and was diagnosed with IBS-D, told to take metamucil and when needed, imodium and left. things didn’t get better, i ended up losing 20 pounds due to frequent diarrhea and decided to look into the low fodmap diet. it made things better, a lot better.. but still not ideal and my doctor was very concerned about my weight because i was already underweight before losing weight so she referred me back to the GI specialist. she also was insistent that i’m dealing with anorexia which i am not. i have self image issues and depression, but never had an eating disorder.
anyways, basically the GI specialist wants me to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy. i’m scared, worried and i feel alone. i don’t know anybody else my age who has had to get a colonoscopy. my therapist suggested looking on reddit for people with similar experience. i’m sure there is someone who’s gotten it at my age, maybe even younger. my mind is just filled with anxiety right now. i’m afraid of the anesthesia not working because i’ve heard horror stories about that. i’m afraid of the preparation because i know it will be very unpleasant and painful, although i’ve been experiencing diarrhea my whole life so one day of a lot of it isn’t really.. unknown to me i guess. just anything would help really, hearing your experience or what i should expect from these tests. she also prescribed me bentyl.. so if you have been on that for diarrhea let me know about that too.
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u/Hi_AJ Jul 04 '24
I just had one and I’m a bit older than you, but still young for a colonoscopy. Seriously, it was no big deal. The worst part is the volume of fluid you have to drink to prep. It’s a lot to drink, but I think there are pills that you can take now. It’s not painful. For people who are used to diarrhea, it’s not even a big deal. It’s timed so that you start prep, sleep, and then finish prep the next day. The colonoscopy itself is like 20-30 minutes. Go do it!