Mild abdominal pain/discomfort immediately after a colonoscopy is not rare, occurring anywhere between 2.5% to 11% of the cases [2]. Though it may have a host of etiologies, it is most commonly a result of air insufflation, endoscope looping, and/or manual pressure maneuvers used during a colonoscopy.
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.
After-effects of a colonoscopy
Occasionally a colonoscopy can cause mild abdominal cramping and bloating for around a day after the procedure. This feels similar to trapped wind and is caused by the air pumped into your colon during the procedure to help your doctor better see the inside of your colon.
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.
You may have a bloated, gaseous feeling in your abdomen after a colonoscopy. Passing gas and belching will help. Walking or lying down on your left side with your knees flexed may relieve the discomfort.
They might use water or a suction device as well as certain surgical tools to take off a polyp. All these things can move and stretch your colon, so you might feel uncomfortable for 1 or 2 days afterward. The sedatives may also make you nauseated.
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.
In the first few days after a colonoscopy, you may feel slight discomfort and tiredness, so allow yourself to take it easy. Avoid strenuous activities like lifting heavy objects or exercising until you get clearance from your doctor.
This is a rough way to do it, but yes, you will have a very temporary weight loss of one to three pounds typically. But, just as with your bowel habits, these few pounds will return as well once you resume your normal diet.
The medicine you received during the procedure may stay in your body for up to 24 hours. You may feel tired or sleepy and have difficulty concentrating. Once you get home, relax for the rest of the day.
During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube (colonoscope) is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to view the inside of the entire colon.
In general, colonoscopy is a safe procedure. As with any medical procedure, however, there are some risks associated with the procedure and with the sedation used. You should contact your doctor if you feel severe abdominal pain, dizziness, fever, chills or rectal bleeding after the colonoscopy.
What is an upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy? An upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a procedure to look at the inside of your oesophagus (gullet), stomach and duodenum using a flexible telescope. A colonoscopy is a procedure to look at the inside of your large bowel (colon) using a flexible telescope.
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.
Another type of food that is recommended after a colonoscopy is low-fiber food. This includes foods like white bread, rice, and pasta. These foods are easy to digest and will not strain your system, which is essential during recovery.
You will probably feel a bit tired or groggy even then, so you cannot drive yourself home. Your doctor will not release you unless there is someone there to bring you home. The effects of the sedation could last up to a day, so you should not drive or operate any machinery until the following day.
Eat: Soup or Broth
Chicken, vegetable, and bone broths are packed with the nutrients your body needs to recover and don't require your digestive system to work overtime. If you feel up to it, a heartier soup (may we recommend a classic, healing chicken noodle?), may be just what the doctor ordered.
Since the colon's lining may be irritated, your doctor may recommend that you drink generous amounts of fluids and eat soft, mild foods for the first day or two. Foods you can eat after the procedure include: Scrambled eggs.
Yes, you can eat cooked grains such as white or brown rice after a colonoscopy. Speak with your doctor what what they recommend for you specifically.
Studies have shown that in PM colonoscopies both polyp detection rate (PDR) and ADR are lower than in morning (AM) colonoscopies [7-11] It has been speculated that inadequate bowel preparation and physician fatigue as the day progresses are among the possible reasons for lower ADR and PDR in afternoon procedures.
We conducted a study to compare time of day and polyp detection. It turned out that polyps were common, but they became mysteriously less common as the day progressed. Early-morning procedures found more polyps than procedures conducted later in the day. Hour-by-hour, there were fewer and fewer polyps detected.