What can I expect during and after the colonoscopy?
Right before your exam, a nurse will have you change into a gown. Your medical history will be reviewed, vital signs taken, and an IV will be started for sedation purposes. You will speak with a nurse anesthetist about your sedation options.
The physician will speak with you regarding your procedure and any concerns you have. Once you enter the procedure room, the nurse will have you sign your procedure and anesthesia consents. Sedation will be given after all your questions have been answered and you have signed your consents.
You will begin the procedure by lying on your left side on the exam table with your knees bent. After you are sedated, the doctor will insert a colonoscope into your rectum. The colonoscope contains a light and an air channel. The air channel allows the doctor to inflate your colon to provide a better view of the colon lining. When air is introduced or the scope is moved, you may feel some abdominal cramping and the urge to have a bowel movement.
The tip of the colonoscope also contains a tiny video camera that sends images to a monitor so the doctor can see the inside of your colon. The doctor can take pictures of the inside of your colon to record any findings during the exam.
The doctor can also insert instruments through the colonoscope to take tissue samples or remove any polyps or other areas of abnormal tissue.
A colonoscopy usually takes 20 minutes to one (1) hour to complete, although you should plan on two (2) to three (3) hours for waiting, preparation, and recovery.
After the exam, you will be taken back to the recovery area. The doctor will give you and your driver (if authorization is given) a report of the procedure. You will have to wait for the results of any polyps or biopsies taken. Because you will still be sleepy from the sedation, you may not remember talking with the doctor. The nurse will go over your results and any home instructions with you and your driver.
It can take up to a full day for the effects of the sedation to wear off. Because of the sedation, you will need to have someone to take you home and you are not to go back to work for the rest of the day. If you do not have a driver or a responsible adult to accompany you home, your procedure will be canceled.
You may feel bloated and pass gas for a few hours after the exam. Walking may help to relieve any discomfort and assist you in passing the air.
After the exam, you may notice a small amount of blood with your first bowel movement. A small amount of blood is not a cause for alarm. You will need to call your doctor or seek medical attention if you continue to pass blood or blood clots, have persistent abdominal pain or develop a fever of 100 F (37.8 C) or higher.