I am 44 and I’ve already had 3 colonoscopies. I’ve had the test done every 5 years since I was in my early 30’s. My dad died from stage iv colon cancer that spread to his liver and lungs. After watching him die from this awful disease over the course of 4.5 years I wanted to give myself the best chance I could to avoid this same fate.
Don’t get me wrong the prep is unpleasant and the test can feel a bit embarrassing but trust me it is way better than the alternative (death).
Colonoscopy Prep
The prep is no fun. The day before your procedure you will be on a liquid diet. Here is a list of some of the stuff you can “eat”
- Chicken, beef, and vegetable broth. But no noodles or anything solid. Just the liquid.
- Jello – but make sure you avoid red or blue. These flavors can color your intestines so you want to avoid them.
- Italian ice – just make sure it is clear or yellow
- Popsicles – again make sure you avoid red or blue and anything with chunks of fruit or candy.
- Water and soda are fine
Your Toilet Will Be Your Best Friend
The evening before your procedure your doctor will have you drink a bowel prep which is a super powered laxative to clean out your colon. It’s as crazy as it sounds and you will be shitting a lot! After drinking it you will want to be close to a toilet. It takes 2-3 hours for it to kick in. The goal is for you to be pooping out almost clear water at the end.
I wasn’t close to having a clear stream after drinking Suprep (bowel prep) so I also used an over the counter enema to get cleaned out. After not eating for a day and enduring the laxative from hell the last thing I wanted to do would be to have to cancel the test or get an inconclusive result.
Day of the Procedure
You will need someone to drive you to your colonoscopy appointment and to drive you home since you will be heavily sedated. You will put on hospital gown and they will give you an IV. Once they wheel you back to the operating room the doctor will administer some anesthesia and have you lay on your side. At this point you will be super relaxed and they will then insert a long camera into your anus and then the procedure will begin. You will be able to see what they are looking at on the screen in front of you but honestly I don’t remember much. If your doctor finds any pre cancerous polyps they will remove them.
The procedure takes about 30-45 minutes. Once you are back in your room the nurse will ask you to fart before they release you. You will still be sedated on drugs so you won’t really care.
Heck I don’t even remember farting after my last colonoscopy.
So don’t let your fear or embarrassment stop you from getting this life saving test. It’s so much better than dying from colon cancer. BTW my test was clean so I don’t have to worry about it for another 5 years which is a great feeling!
