During your procedure, your specialist may find polyps and remove them at the same time. This is not painful, and does greatly reduce your chance of bowel cancer in the future.
In most cases, you'll be awake for the procedure. You'll have some combination of pain-blocking medication and a sedative to relax you. You might feel vague pressure or pulling when your polyp is being removed, but you shouldn't feel pain.
Usually, in the majority of cases, it takes around two to three weeks to recover from a colon polyp removal surgery completely.
After Surgery
Most patients can go home the same day. You may have increased cramping and vaginal bleeding for a day or two after the procedure. You may experience gas pains for about a day or so due to gas administered during the procedure. This may extend into your upper abdomen and shoulder.
Thinner and more flexible endoscopes may cause less stretching of the mesentery, which is one of the principal sources of pain during colonoscopy.
Loops or angulation in the colon are possibly the most common patient-related source of difficulty. Some bends require additional skill to navigate. Loops, particularly in the sigmoid colon, can result in loss of control of the endoscope as well as patient discomfort.
Pain after the procedure: Some people have stomach pain after a colonoscopy. A person may also experience mild irritation to their rectum, gas, or other digestive problems. These symptoms are usually mild and tend to go away in a few days.
A person may feel pressure or pulling during the procedure, but they should feel no pain. Depending on the location of the polyp and other factors, a doctor may give the person pain-blocking medication before, during, or after the procedure.
You will need to refrain from work for up to 14 days after your operation depending on your job and how you are feeling. Please ask on the ward if you need a sick note. may then blow your nose gently for the first week.
You can start eating regular foods the next day. Keep eating light meals if you are not able to pass gas and still feel bloated. For the first 24 hours after your procedure: Do not drink alcohol.
What if I've taken all my preparation and am still passing solid stool on the day of my exam? In this case, your procedure will need to be rescheduled. You may be prescribed a different preparation for your next procedure. Please call the triage nurse to reschedule your procedure with a different preparation.
If the colonoscopy finds one or two small polyps (5 mm in diameter or smaller), you are considered at relatively low risk. Most people will not have to return for a follow-up colonoscopy for at least five years, and possibly longer.
If you had a biopsy or had polyps removed, your doctor may recommend a special diet for a day or so to allow your intestines time to heal. Your doctor will let you know what to expect and what you can and can't eat or drink. You might not have a bowel movement for a couple days after the procedure.
Screening colonoscopy for colorectal cancer is a commonly performed procedure with an established survival benefit. Up to one-third of patients experience abdominal pain, nausea, or bloating afterward, which may last hours to several days.
Sleeping: Please sleep with the head on two elevated pillows to decrease nasal congestion and bleeding from the nose. If you have been prescribed a CPAP machine, do not use until your doctor says it is safe; sleep in a recliner chair with your head elevated in the meantime.
Stomach polyps removal recovery usually takes 2 weeks. Right after the procedure, you may feel some pain or tenderness in your stomach. Take pain medications as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may also recommend you change your diet during your recovery.
A polypectomy lasts about 30 to 60 minutes and is an outpatient procedure, allowing patients to return home the same day. They should be back to a normal routine as soon as the next day.
What Are the Risks of Polyp Removal? Polyp removal (or polypectomy) during colonoscopy is a routine outpatient procedure. Possible complications, which are uncommon, include bleeding from the polypectomy site and perforation (a hole or tear) of the colon.
Changes in certain genes can cause cells to continue dividing even when new cells aren't needed. In the colon and rectum, this continued growth of cells can cause polyps to form. Polyps can grow anywhere in the large intestine.
It's normal to feel bloated and gassy after the procedure; abdominal cramping may also occur. You'll be encouraged to pass gas to help reduce bloating. You may pass liquid and/or liquid stool after your colonoscopy but, within one to five days, your bowel movements should return to normal.
For your safety, do not drive, operate machinery, or power tools for at least 8 hours after getting sedation. Your doctor may tell you not to drive or operate machinery until the day after your test. Do not sign legal documents or make major decisions for at least 8 hours after getting sedation.