I am a 29 yo female who has been dealing with chronic pelvic pain. On Thursday, Dec. 11, I had bloody, loose stool and went to an urgent care facility. Though I'd had the bloody stool four times prior to checking in, I could not produce a stool sample while at the clinic. I was in severe pain and felt terrible pressure, but the only "sample" I could produce was a small, mucus-like blood clot on the toilet tissue. I was told by the doctor that I might need a colonoscopy, but not "right away". I was also told I was to take only tylenol for pain, even though the pain was unbearable and I could not get up or move unassisted. I was given a stool collection kit and told to come back when I had a sample.
An hour after leaving the clinic, I collected a sample that was so bloody, it looked like mense. My husband drove me immediately back to the clinic, which was closed an hour earlier than the paperwork indicated. We decided to go across the street to the emergency room.
The doctor there gave me a pain shot and said I needed a colonoscopy ASAP, and I was told to prep with the go-lytely and would be called at 7am the next morning by the outpatient center at the hospital. Around 7:30 am, my husband called them to find out what the hold up was as I was in terrible pain and throwing up stomach acid. I was told to come in at 11am that day.
After arriving at the outpaitent center, I was thankfully given an anti-nausea medication, but no pain medication until I was in the procedure room, two and a half hours after arriving. I was completely "out" during the procedure and have no memory of it- that's not my concern....
This is...
I was awakened by the nurse and immediately I felt wet from just below my shoulder blades to my ankles. At first, I thought that I had been sweating. Then I noticed the smell.
I told the nurse I needed a shower and she laughed at me and said, " We don't have any showers here! ".
As she pulled back the blankets, the nurse, my husband and I saw I was marinating in my own waste. The smell was indescribable. She took me to a bathroom with some wash rags and I wiped myself in the sink. It took 12 wash rags.
This was in a hospital and I darn well know there are showers all over the building, but I had to take a ******' bath.
I was told to dress. The doctor that preformed the procedure came into the recovery room and told me I had blood clots that had been removed. That was about all I got out of him and I was far to groggy to pose follow-up questions.
I would like to know if the bowel release after the procedure or the refusal to let me take a shower are standard. I have not read anywhere on the web of either happening to anyone after a colonoscopy.
Any answer from a medical professional would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, and I'm still in terrible pain no matter how many percocet I take. There is now trace amounts of blood in my vomit, but I'm deathly afraid to go back to that hospital and it is the only one in town. I have to wait until Monday for an appointment with my doctor to find out if this is serious.
Thanks for listening.