# What is the colonoscopy process from start to finish?



## Daenerys14 (Jul 1, 2015)

I will hopefully be getting a Colonoscopy appointment sorted soon.

I was wondering, for those who have had one can you please tell me what the whole process of the procedure itself is?

From the moment you walked in to your appointment what happened?

Was there any preparation following up to the appointment required?

What are the after affects?

Possible complications?

Any hints/tips to make the process easier?

I would appreciate any advice please.

Thanks in advance.


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## jaumeb (Sep 1, 2014)

Diet. Liquid diet. Colon cleanse with laxatives. Fasting. Sedation. Wake up with your results.


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## pinkytoes (May 28, 2015)

I am in the US, may be slightly different here. for a week before regular diet but with no nuts or seeds. day before a clear liquid diet. then the eve before the procedure you start the prep. in my case it was 4 dulcolax tabs (laxative) and 2 hrs later start with the miralax (a powder laxative) that you mix with 1/2 gallon of gatorade. you drink a glass every 30 minutes until its gone

i'll be honest, it wasnt particularly pleasant. lots of pooping, just passing water the last few hours. they suggest using baby wipes, which i did, but i still ended up with a bit of bleeding. did not sleep particularly well that night. I have had worse nights (like when I had food poisoning), it wasnt the worst thing ever, it just wasnt a lot of fun

The next day i went in for the colonoscopy. put on a gown, laid on a stretcher, talk over the procedure, start an iv. the anesthesiologist said "do you feel a little sleepy" followed by me saying "i'm waking up". the drugs they use are great, there is very little groggy feeling, no sense that any time has elapsed. to the recovery room for maybe 20 minutes, husband drove me home, i took a nice nap and had dinner that evening. The colonoscopy itself was really nothing

Im giving lots of info here because I had a lot of anxiety before going in. I have issues with new things. Hope this helps


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## mintflower (Jan 9, 2016)

I had my colonoscopy 10 years ago. What I remember...

Checked in at the hospital at 8pm

No meal after 8pm even water

Had enema procedure in the morning

Went to the operating room and started the colonoscopy and endoscopy

Fortunately had good results.


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## charade (Dec 20, 2015)

You have to make a residue diet for three days "to clean your gut" (no vegetables, fruits, oil etc...) and at the eve you have to drink a laxative before in France it's 2 bottles of liquid but in US it's tabs (I don't know for UK) it's the most annoying because you're going to the toilet for a while until you do "water". Don't worry you will remember nothing of the exam (anesthesia) it's really a routine examination for gastroenterologist and in France (I don't know in other countries) if you really feel stressed they give you a xanax or something before anaesthesia. After the exam (wake up) you'll have a swollen belly and gazs it's quite normal for everybody. Normally it goes quickly but you can be a little sick because of gazs during 2-3 days.

It's not terrible.

If I can reassure you I was a little stressed like you at my colonoscopy it's normal the first time (especially the general anesthetisia : I was afraid to don't waking up or waking up during the exam like many people I suppose) but since I had worses (and it's not the end) like a probe into the urethra , there is no anesthesia at all and it's very painfull . Here you can cry haha ! And also MRI of small intestine because you have to drink a liquid who give you terrible diahrrea during the exam so it's very difficult to hold and after it's terrible to go home worst experience ever lol
Colonoscopy compared is a pile of crap. So again don't worry !!







Everything will be fine.


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## gravevouch (Mar 11, 2015)

I guess, colonoscopy is a test conducted by a doctor to see the inner lining of your intestine. It helps diagnose if one has an ulcer, tumor or internal bleeding.


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