Are you prepared for the colonoscopy prep procedures? Many of the reasons your doctor will recommend a colonoscopy is because of persistent abdominal pain, blood in stool, changes in bowel habits or anyone over the age of 50.
Everyone over the age of 50 should have a colonoscopy every 10 years unless health history indicates a risk for cancer in which case more frequent tests may be required.
Only your doctor can determine how often to have the test.
The anticipation of going to the doctor is often much worse than what the doctor will do.
If the procedure is very bad you will be given a sedative or other pain killer to help you through it.
You will need to plan for someone to drive you home after the procedure.
You cannot drive after they give you the sedatives.
It will also help to have someone to talk to before the procedure to keep you from getting even more nervous.
The doctors that you may talk to are the Proctologist and the Gastroenterologist.
A Gastroenterologist is a doctor of the gastrointestinal tract.
The gastrointestinal tract is the study of the path food takes when it enters and leaves the body.
A proctologist is a doctor of the rectum or anus.
Staying well hydrated is one of the more difficult things to do before, during and after a colonospopy.
Since the main purpose of the prep is to flush and clean the colon your system will need an unusual amount of water.
Your doctor will recommend as many as three days or one day of liquid diet.
This means you only drink not eat during this time period.
One option available to some patients is a new pill.
This pill helps prepare for the colonoscopy by cleaning the colon and reducing the days needed for colonoscopy prep.
Only your doctor can determine if this method is right for you.
Let's hope that we can develop a pill that we can take that's like a Russian space station.
Take the pill and it setup a command post and relays data about our colon the hospital.
I don't have to leave my house.
I can only hope.