What stands in the way of many people getting a colonoscopy that could save their lives? One major reason is feeling anxious about the unknown.
Whether it comes from the process of getting ready for a colonoscopy or the procedure itself, worry often prevents people from getting checked. We’re sharing tips to help you minimize any discomfort surrounding colonoscopy prep. Knowing what’s coming is an important step to overcoming your anxiety. Here’s what to expect:
Colonoscopy Prep Steps
A major factor in getting ready for a colonoscopy is knowing what you can and cannot have beforehand. This includes food, drinks, medications and following your required laxative prep instructions.
Pre-Colonoscopy Diet
Your doctor may recommend avoiding high-fiber foods, such as raw vegetables, popcorn, nuts and seeds, for two or three days before your colonoscopy, as they can make it more difficult for your gastroenterologist to view your colon clearly.
The day before the procedure, you’ll need to follow a clear liquid diet. During this time, it’s especially important to avoid eating and drinking items that are blue, purple or red-colored, as the dyes can temporarily discolor the lining of your colon, making it more difficult for your doctor to complete their examination. Yellow, green and clear liquids are generally considered safe.
In addition to water, here are some popular examples of what you can eat and drink while on a clear liquid diet:
- Apple or white grape juice
- Black coffee or tea without milk or creamer
- Fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
- Flavored waters and sports drinks
- Hard candy, like lollipops or mints
- Jello
- Popsicles (no fruit bars with pulp or popsicles containing dairy)
- Sprite, 7Up® or ginger ale
Your doctor may have other specific instructions regarding what you can safely have before a colonoscopy, so be sure to ask questions and see if they have any suggestions.
Possible Medication Changes
In addition to dietary changes, you should also stop taking iron supplements and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, a week before your procedure.
Patients on certain medications, including those for diabetes or blood-thinning — either prescription or over-the-counter — need to talk with their doctor about how they need to be adjusted during the colonoscopy process.
Starting Pre-Colonoscopy Laxative Prep
When to start laxative prep will depend on the time of your procedure the following day, though it’s most often in the late afternoon or early evening. Your doctor will give you specific instructions to help make this process as smooth as possible for you.
Traditionally, preparing for a colonoscopy has required drinking up to a gallon’s worth of liquid or powdered laxative prep to clear out your colon thoroughly. In recent years, however, there have been efforts to reduce how many laxatives patients take and improve their taste. Now, patients can even opt for an entirely tablet-based laxative prep instead of drinking an oral solution. Talk with your gastroenterologist to learn your options and whether your health insurance plan covers your preferred prep method.
Once you begin your preparation, be sure to stay close to a bathroom. Here are a few other tips:
- Drink liquid medication with a straw to taste less of it
- Mix medication with Crystal Light (avoiding red, blue, black or purple colors) to sweeten it
- Have a favorite book, magazine or tablet ready
- If you’re worried about nausea, your doctor can offer medication to prevent it
- Keep drinking clear liquids until your assigned cut-off time to avoid dehydration
- Use baby wipes instead of toilet paper to reduce irritation
Be sure to drink all of your prescribed medication. Once you’re finished, your stool should be both liquid and clear. After midnight and until the procedure the next morning, you shouldn’t eat or drink anything, including water.
These rules exist for good reason. Your doctor will look for small, pre-cancerous growths called polyps and will also look out for any inclination of inflammation, ulcers, hemorrhoids or bleeding. If they can’t see the majority of the inner lining of the colon they may suggest the procedure (and the preparation) be done again.
What To Expect on Your Procedure Day
Most colonoscopies are done in the morning or afternoon on an outpatient basis, meaning you go home after it’s finished. The colonoscopy itself usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes. However, the process takes about four hours, including preparation and recovery.
As for the procedure itself, modern sedation medication ensures that you won’t feel or remember any part of it. Because of this sedation, you’ll need to have a friend or family member drive you to and from your appointment.
Some patients also worry about costs. But colon cancer screenings in healthy, eligible adults are effective enough in preventing cancer that insurance companies tend to cover them.
If, after considering the costs and benefits of a colonoscopy, you’re still on the fence, remember to consider your family. Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death, and having regular colonoscopies is the best way to prevent it. Talk with your doctor about whether a colonoscopy is right for you.
Prioritizing Your Lasting Well-being
We hope you feel empowered by knowing what to expect. Visit our website to learn more about our services and schedule a screening today.
