Eating high-fiber foods or using a fiber supplement can help get your bowels moving again. Drink plenty of fluids to replace the ones lost during bowel preparation. Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity.
You might not have a bowel movement for a couple days after the procedure. When you do have your first bowel movement, you may notice a bit of blood. This is likely normal and isn't cause for concern.
It could take 2 to 3 days before you have a bowel movement after your colonoscopy because you completely emptied your colon and rectum ahead of the procedure. You may notice a little bit of blood in your first stool after your colonoscopy, especially if your doctor removed a polyp or took a biopsy of abnormal tissue.
Take a stool softener twice a day, once after breakfast and again after dinner. If you are on a diet, or wish to limit your food intake, you may take the stool softener 15-30 minutes before your meal to lessen your appetite.
Another medication to avoid is laxatives
If you are constipated after the procedure, you can take a stool softener without a laxative. But note that many stool softeners have a laxative in there so read the label carefully and buy stool softener without the laxative.
After a colonoscopy, eat foods that are soft and easy to digest to ease side effects such as bloating or gas. This may include eggs, white toast, and applesauce for breakfast. For lunch or dinner, choices could include lean chicken without skin, mashed potatoes, and soft-cooked carrots.
It is common to have constipation after surgery, even if your surgeon didn't mention it during discharge. As high as 30 percent of women experience severe constipation in the days following the procedure.
Perform stimulation with your finger every day until you start to have a regular pattern of bowel movements. You can also stimulate bowel movements by using a suppository (glycerin or bisacodyl) or a small enema. Some people find it helpful to drink warm prune juice or fruit nectar.
You may think that cutting back on food will help “clear out” your colon. That's not the case. Do this: Eating, especially healthy whole foods that contain fiber, helps your body move stool.
Complications related to colonoscopy include, but are not limited to, the following: Continued bleeding after biopsy (tissue sample) or polyp removal. Nausea, vomiting, bloating or rectal irritation caused by the procedure or by the preparatory bowel cleansing.
You may not have a bowel movement for several days after a colonoscopy. You should, however, pass gas normally after a colonoscopy.
Bleeding is one of the most common complications of colonoscopy, accounting for 0.3-6.1% of cases[35,36].
The most common cause of abdominal pain and distention after colonoscopy is ileus, which is mostly caused by sympathetic over-stimulation, excessive air insufflations, and the effects of opiates used for sedation.
Hot Drinks – Hot drinks like herbal tea, hot apple cider, and coffee cause the blood vessels in the digestive system to dilate. Additionally, the heat softens your stools making them easier to pass. Kefir – Kefir is fermented milk rich in probiotics.
This is because passing gas is a sign that your bowels are returning to normal. You may not have a bowel movement for four to five days following surgery.
Preparing for a colonoscopy requires clearing the bowel with fasting, a laxative drink and, in some cases, an enema. While such preparation can alter the microbiome, the rich array of microbes that are present in the gut, research suggests that the microbiome bounces back in about two to four weeks.
Fatty, rich foods and those with a high fiber content, for instance, should be avoided. These foods are healthy options to enjoy for about a day after your procedure: Applesauce. Yogurt.
Conclusion: Our study has shown a significant reduction in the duration of pain days post colonoscopy in patients taking probiotic compared with placebo. No significant effect was seen in terms of return to normal bowel function or bloating post colonoscopy.
Soft/bland foods
For the first day or two post-colonoscopy, it's advised to eat soft, bland foods that are easy to digest and aren't likely to worsen stomach upset like nausea or diarrhea. Here are some great foods to have on hand: Soup. Crackers.
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.
Liquids to avoid after a colonoscopy include: Alcohol. Coffee with cream. Carbonated drinks.
Post-Colonoscopy Complications
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms after your test: Severe pain or cramping in your belly. A hard belly. Trouble passing gas or pooping.