Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes and socks to keep you warm. Do not wear heavy or bulky sweaters. Avoid girdles, pantyhose, or tight-fitting garments. You will be required to change into a hospital gown for your procedure.
During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to detect changes or abnormalities inside the entire colon. If you are not sedated, you may choose to watch the video during the procedure.
If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of the procedure, take them with only a sip of water. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish. Take off all jewellery and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.
Take a bath or shower before you come in for your procedure. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish. Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.
Your doctor might insert a gloved finger into the rectum to examine it before putting in the colonoscope. The colonoscope is lubricated with gel so it can be inserted easily into the rectum. It is then passed all the way up to the beginning of the colon, called the cecum.
You will not be shaved. If I am actively menstruating can I wear a tampon, pad, or diva cup? Your menstruation cycle will not affect your colonoscopy. Your underwear will be removed during the procedure, so you may continue to use internal products.
A colonoscopy procedure typically takes 30-60 minutes, depending on whether the doctor needs to remove polyps or take biopsies. However, patients and caregivers should plan to spend 2-3 hours total at the hospital or endoscopy center to account for the time needed for preparation and recovery.
You may keep most clothing on for upper endoscopy as well as comfortable shirt and socks for colonoscopy. Women may keep their bra on for the procedure. Please do not wear lotions, oils or perfumes/cologne to the center due to the monitoring devices.
Will I be up all night with colonoscopy prep? Probably not, if you start on time. While everyone's body is different, most people are able to complete their round of purging before going to sleep for the night.
The morning of your colonoscopy.
You may brush your teeth. However, unless specifically instructed by your doctor to drink the remainder of a split-dose prep, you are generally asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything, even water, the morning of your procedure.
Your body is completely covered during the exam.
But don't worry about being embarrassed or exposed — you will wear a hospital gown, and a sheet provides extra covering.
Use flushable moistened baby wipes for added comfort. Apply hemorrhoid cream or diaper rash ointment before the prep to protect your skin. Reapply as often as necessary.
You may experience loose stool or no stool for up to three days following the procedure.
You may need a catheter (fine plastic drain tube) put in your front passage to drain the urine from your bladder until you are able to pass urine comfortably on your own.
Your doctor and nurse will be in the room at all times. The procedure usually takes about 20-45 minutes. The amount of time depends on how well your at-home preparation worked, the length of your colon, and how many polyps are found and removed. How comfortable you are also affects how long the procedure takes.
Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes and socks to keep you warm. Do not wear heavy or bulky sweaters. Avoid girdles, pantyhose, or tight-fitting garments. You will be required to change into a hospital gown for your procedure.
Do not eat anything solid. No red, orange or purple products. No dairy products or creamers. Clear liquids include water, tea, coffee, apple juice, white grape juice, white cranberry juice, sports drinks, vitamin waters, Jell-O®, broth and soda.
It can take 12 to 16 hours for the bowels to clear completely in preparation for a colonoscopy. Eating a low-residue, soft diet for a day or more before starting the prep can help make it easier and faster.
Colonoscopies performed in the afternoon (PM) have been shown to have lower adenoma detection rates (ADR) compared to those in the morning (AM). Endoscopist fatigue has been suggested as a possible reason.
After the exam, it takes about an hour to begin to recover from the sedative. You'll need someone to take you home because it can take up to a day for the full effects of the sedative to wear off. Don't drive or make important decisions or go back to work for the rest of the day.
Medicines you were given can change the way you think and make it harder to remember for the rest of the day. As a result, it is NOT safe for you to drive a car or find your own way home. You will not be allowed to leave alone. You will need a friend or family member to take you home.
14. What if I am still passing stool the morning of my test? Take a tap water enema until you run clear. If this does not work, call the office.
Colonoscopy recovery is usually quick with most people resuming normal activity the next day. Even so, it is important not to rush back to work. It is best to take the remainder of the day to rest, recover from sedation, and replenish fluids and nutrition. The results of your exam should be available within a few days.
After the test, you may be bloated or have gas pains. You may need to pass gas. If a biopsy was done or a polyp was removed, you may have streaks of blood in your stool (feces) for a few days. Problems such as heavy rectal bleeding may not occur until several weeks after the test.
Is a sedation-free colonoscopy painful or uncomfortable? Most patients report little or no discomfort during the procedure. You can request sedation during the procedure if you change your mind and feel you need it, although it has been my experience that this seldom occurs.