I agreed to take part in the bowelscope trial at Stracathro tayside Scotland.
I was Surprised that a Nurse practitioner carried out procedure
Firstly the advice to carry out self enema one hour before leaving the house didn't work as still needed the loo at clinic!
I think I should have been advised to perform it a lot earlier. Embarrassed bowel not clean during procedure and nobody said anything to reassure me.
NP didn't say much before or during the procedure except that there might be some discomfort initially.
Nurse at my side was very supportive which was just as well as I was unprepared for how painful it was! I was shouting out and gripping her hand!
The NP continued without any reassurance that it might improve.
It was only when I was being led to the toilet that I was advised everything was normal but I would still have to do the screening test as they didn't get as far as they hoped. I felt embarrassed that I might have been protesting too much but I've never felt pain like it. It was worse than giving birth!
My friend had the same procedure in Aberdeen carried out by a consultant and didn't feel a thing! I have since read that the discomfort might be down to the experience of the person doing the procedure which made me feel better but angry that my experience could have been different. I believe that I was made to feel the procedure was incomplete because I had a low pain threshold.
Also why is there no patient feedback form.
If they are going to roll this out across the country I think they they need to be sure patients all have a tolerable level of pain
"Bowelscope"
Posted by Mortified (as ),
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