Treatments

Most people don’t find these exams painful, although some people have more discomfort than others. Patients are given medicine to make them sleep through a colonoscopy, so they don’t feel anything.

During both of these tests, air is pumped into the cleaned-out colon to keep it open so that doctors can get the best pictures. The air pressure may cause some discomfort and cramping.

As with most medical tests, complications are possible with both of these tests. Some can be serious – for instance, bleeding and puncture of the colon – but they’re very uncommon. Make sure you understand how these tests work, how you can expect to feel during and after the test, and how to watch for possible problems that could come up afterward.

Colonoscopy is almost always done by a doctor, usually a gastroenterologist (a doctor whose specialty is the digestive tract) or a surgeon.

Colonoscopy is done in a private area; it may be a hospital outpatient department, a clinic, an ambulatory surgery center, or a doctor’s office. The patient’s privacy is very important. If you have concerns, talk with the doctor about where and how the procedure will be done.

Many people consider the bowel preparation (often called the bowel prep) the worst part of these tests. For the doctor to see your insides clearly and get good pictures, your bowels need to be as cleaned out as possible. You probably will be told to avoid certain foods and medicines and might be put on a clear liquid diet for one or more days before these exams. You will take very strong laxatives and you might also need enemas to clean out your colon. If you can choose a day for your exam, pick one that will make it easy for you to be at home the day or evening before the test, when you do the preparation.

You will get instructions from your doctor’s office ahead of time. Read them carefully since you will probably need to buy special supplies (like clear liquids, soups, and gelatin) and get laxatives or enemas. If any of the instructions are not clear or you do not understand them, call the doctor’s office and go over them step-by-step with the nurse. This is your chance to discuss any concerns about the bowel prep you might have.

Preparing for colonoscopy makes you to go the bathroom a lot! As soon as you take the laxatives, you’ll need to stay close to a bathroom. They usually start working pretty quickly. They might still be working the next morning when you go for your colonoscopy appointment. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a bathroom when you get there. People have to ask this all the time and the staff is used to it.

Most people feel OK after a colonoscopy. You could feel a bit woozy from the drugs (anesthesia). You’ll be watched as you wake up. You might have some gas because of the air that was pumped into the bowel, which can cause cramping and discomfort. Because of the medicines given for the test, you will need someone to take you home. Because colonoscopy is usually done with drugs that make you sleepy, most people miss work the day of the test.

If a small polyp is found, your doctor will probably remove it during the test. Over time some polyps could become cancer. If your doctor sees a large polyp, a tumor, or anything else abnormal, a biopsy (by-op-see) will be done. For the biopsy, part or all of the polyp or abnormal area is taken out through the colonoscope. It’s sent to a lab for a doctor to look at under a microscope and check for cancer or pre-cancer cells.

Colorectal cancer screening helps people stay well and saves lives. Regular colorectal cancer testing is one of the most powerful weapons for preventing colorectal cancer or finding it early, when it’s easier to treat. There are 2 basic types of screening tests:

• Tests that mainly find cancer: These involve testing the stool (feces) for signs that cancer may be present. These tests are easier, but they are also less likely to detect polyps.
• Tests that can find both colorectal polyps and cancer: These tests look at the structure of the colon itself to find any abnormal areas. Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy fall in this group, along with double-contrast barium enema and CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy). These tests are preferred if they are available and you are willing to have them.

Removing polyps can help prevent colorectal cancer from ever starting. And cancers found in an early stage, while they are small and before they have spread, are more easily treated. Nine out of 10 people whose colon cancer is discovered early will be alive 5 years later. And many will live a normal life span.

But all too often people don’t get any of these screening tests. Then the cancer can grow and spread without being noticed. Early on, colorectal cancer doesn’t usually cause any changes that are noticed (symptoms). In most cases, by the time people do have symptoms the cancer is advanced and very hard to treat.

Regular screening is the most reliable way to find these cancers in the early stages.