What Should I Expect?

[Jenybeen]

A couple questions about the endoscopy/colonoscopy procedure. My son's GI doc's office won't give me all the details til a week before, and it's a month away. I am curious NOW, lol! So if your child has had this done, could you please share some of the details with me? Oh, Isaac is 5 years old...Thanks!

1) What is the prep for it like?

2) How do most kids react afterwards?

3) Any uncomfortable side effects?

4) How long (typically) til the results are in?

Any advice on how to explain it to my son? I told him about it and he started complaining that he didn't want to do it...

Jennifer

[Michi8]

  Jenybeen said:

A couple questions about the endoscopy/colonoscopy procedure. My son's GI doc's office won't give me all the details til a week before, and it's a month away. I am curious NOW, lol! So if your child has had this done, could you please share some of the details with me? Oh, Isaac is 5 years old...Thanks!

1) What is the prep for it like?

2) How do most kids react afterwards?

3) Any uncomfortable side effects?

4) How long (typically) til the results are in?

Any advice on how to explain it to my son? I told him about it and he started complaining that he didn't want to do it...

Jennifer

They won't give you info until a week before? My gastroscopy (upper GI endoscopy) was booked for end of November, and I was given the information packet and consent forms when we booked (mid-August!) Heck, I have the info packet for my colonoscopy too, and it's not scheduled until March! (Yeah, long wait for elective procedures here.)

Here is a site that has basics on endoscopy: Open Original Shared Link and basics on colonoscopy: Open Original Shared Link For the colonoscopy your son will likely need to go through a cleansing procedure (done at home) before the appt. For both procedures you'll be expected to avoid certain meds and refrain from eating & drinking for some time before your scheduled appointment.

Michelle

[schmenge]

I can't say how it was for any of my kids (who have not had this procedure), but I know what to was like for me. Had to fast beforehand as the previous poster mentioned. I was in the room for the procedure and the next thing I remember I was in recovery. Apparently I was a little chatty while I was out, but I've not figured out how I did that with anything in my throat. The Doctor showed me pictures of my intestines and told me that he would not be sure until the biopsy results (Thursday-Tuesday(, but that I had Celiac. You "ease" back into eating that day. I felt no side effects at all.

Now several weeks earlier I had a colonoscopy and I felt pretty crappy after that procedure.

[Nikki2003]

Nicole just went through this at the end of july so it is still fresh. This is how it was at childrens in boston. But they have you arrive 90 min before (If general anesthesia is given) usually used for younger children. They check all vitals and don't eat I think 12 hrs before. They do paperwork I can't remember exactly why it took so long for the prep. But then the anesthesiologist came in and out to have nicole feel comfortable which she did. and even put on the mask for fun while waiting for the dr to get to the hospital (Traffic) but when it came time she did great she sat on the bed in the OR and they had me put the mask on her and Basically our trick was smell it (they have different flavors) And within 30 seconds she was barely consious (I cried it was the saddest thing you ever saw) Be prepared for that one. It took me by suprise but she did well. Despite the waking up procedure she looked uncomfortable and her Blood pressure was kinda high so it came down a bit and we left about an hour later. The procedure takes about 30 min. She slept the rest of the afternoon,Probably the anesthesia wearing off. They say no big activities for the rest of the day. Have a quiet afternoon.

I have to now do it again with my 7 yr old daughter sometime.

Should be interesting.

Good Luck and her results took 4 days to come back,Found out she also besides Celiac she has chronic gastritis and esophagitis and is now on prevacid and doing good.

Celina

[Jenybeen]

  Nikki2003 said:

Nicole just went through this at the end of july so it is still fresh. This is how it was at childrens in boston. But they have you arrive 90 min before (If general anesthesia is given) usually used for younger children. They check all vitals and don't eat I think 12 hrs before. They do paperwork I can't remember exactly why it took so long for the prep. But then the anesthesiologist came in and out to have nicole feel comfortable which she did. and even put on the mask for fun while waiting for the dr to get to the hospital (Traffic) but when it came time she did great she sat on the bed in the OR and they had me put the mask on her and Basically our trick was smell it (they have different flavors) And within 30 seconds she was barely consious (I cried it was the saddest thing you ever saw) Be prepared for that one. It took me by suprise but she did well. Despite the waking up procedure she looked uncomfortable and her Blood pressure was kinda high so it came down a bit and we left about an hour later. The procedure takes about 30 min. She slept the rest of the afternoon,Probably the anesthesia wearing off. They say no big activities for the rest of the day. Have a quiet afternoon.

I have to now do it again with my 7 yr old daughter sometime.

Should be interesting.

Good Luck and her results took 4 days to come back,Found out she also besides Celiac she has chronic gastritis and esophagitis and is now on prevacid and doing good.

Celina

Thank you Celina! This was so helpful!! I hope Isaac does as good as your little one did...I am so nervous. I have this fear of anesthesia for some unknown reason, and I have never even been put under! Crazy. But that is my biggest issue, putting him under. Thanks for the reply!

Jennifer

[hannahsue01]

It is not the exact same procedure but my 9 month old daughter recently had a g-tube (feeding tube in her tummy) placed. They had to put camera's down her throat and put a hole through her tummy. However. they didn't nock her out compleatly.....she was still concious. She had to be there about 2 hrs before hand to have an IV placed. We got to stay with her untill she was sedated and then were back with her as soon as they were done (only took about 20 mins). She seemed to have taken it pretty well. The only pain seemed to come from the g-tube sight itself. My 4 yr old will hopefully be having a biobsy done in November....I hope she does as well as her baby sister did.....but I have a feeling the biggest issue will be her being afraid......oh and placing the IV....she hates needle.

[Nancym]

Don't you have a "clean-out" before hand? You don't have to take the horrible purging stuff?

[hannahsue01]

  Nancym said:

Don't you have a "clean-out" before hand? You don't have to take the horrible purging stuff?

With my daughters tummy surgery she wasn't allowed to eat anything after I think 8pm the night before untill surgery and then didn't eat again untill the night of her surgery. She didn't have to drink that one stuff I think because she wasn't knocked out all the way she was just sedated with the stuff that makes you forget all of it. But I saposse if they were going to nock you out all the way that they may want you to drink that stuff.

[schmenge]

  Nancym said:

Don't you have a "clean-out" before hand? You don't have to take the horrible purging stuff?

Not for the upper. That delicacy is for a colonoscopy.