Overview of Before, During and After
Colonoscopy
Procedure Location - Roy Lester Schneider Hospital
Your doctor has requested that you have a COLONOSCOPY to view the inside of your colon. The examination is performed in the Endoscopy Department at the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital. The procedure will help your doctor discover the cause of your symptoms or clarify an abnormality seen on an X-ray.
Please alert the physician if you are taking the following medications: Iron, Aspirin or products containing Aspirin, Coumadin, Ascriptin, Persantin and others. The exam will not be performed until you have been off of the medications for seven days – except in special situations. Purchase prescribed laxative at the pharmacy but do not take it until the day before the procedure.
The day of the procedure, you will be sedated and will need someone to come with you to stay while you have your test and to drive you home.
You will be scheduled to arrive an hour or so prior to your procedure. This will allow the hospital staff time to prepare you for your exam. Your hospital stay will be 3-4 hours or possibly more. Our patients are our top priority. We do not take shortcuts or rush to catch up. Delays are to be expected.
PREPARATION FOR THE PROCEDURE
THE DAY BEFORE THE PROCEDURE:
When you get up in the morning, start on a clear liquid diet. Examples are: coffee without cream, tea, apple juice, grape juice, cranberry juice, clear broth, jello (except red or purple), Sprite, and 7-Up.
At 2:00 in the afternoon, start taking the laxative that you purchased from the pharmacy. Slowly drink a glass every 15 minutes. Drinking fast may cause nausea and vomiting. You may continue the clear liquid while drinking the laxative and up until midnight. Do not eat or drink after midnight. A clean colon is essential. Follow instructions carefully. Take all of the laxative.
THE DAY OF THE PROCEDURE:
- You may take any scheduled medication (heart or blood pressure) with a sip of water.
- You will need to drink one bottle of Citrate Magnesia.
- If you are a diabetic, do not take Insulin until after the procedure.
- Bring all home medications to the hospital.
- Enter the hospital through the Emergency Room or through Admitting and register. You will be assigned a room.
- You will be in an assigned room.
- You will have I.V. fluids.
- You will be asked to sign a permit to authorize the doctor to perform the examination.
- You will be taken to the Endoscopy Department.
- If you have not done so already, you will have an opportunity to discuss this procedure with Dr. Bacot. He will ask you pertinent questions about your illness.
- After your questions have been answered, a medication will be given intravenously, which will make you sleepy and relaxed. You will be monitored (blood pressure, heart, oxygen). You will have nasal oxygen.
DURING THE PROCEDURE
- When you are properly relaxed, you may be placed on your left side to pass the tube. Air will be used to destend the colon for better visualization. Most of this air will be removed and can be expelled by the patient later.
- The room will be darkened; you will be allowed to lie down and rest while Dr. Bacot examines your colon. You will be drowsy and comfortable during the examination which takes 10-15 minutes.
- Often a biopsy (tiny bit of tissue) may be taken for microscopic examination. You will feel no discomfort when the biopsy is taken.
AFTER THE PROCEDURE
- Immediately following the procedure, you will be taken to a recovery area and observed for approximately 30 minutes. You will return to your assigned room and be discharged when recovery is complete.
- Your family member will be asked to come with you so that Dr. Bacot can discuss the findings with you. You may not remember having the procedure done.
- A complete report will be given to your referring physician.
AFTER YOU LEAVE THE HOSPITAL
- You may not remember your procedure or Dr. Bacot’s explanation of what your examination showed. You will probably sleep much of the day. This is a normal reaction to the mediations you have been given. You should plan to go home and rest for the remainder of the day.
- Do not attempt to drive, operate machinery or return to work on the day of the examination.
- If biopsies (removal of tissue for tests) and/or polyp (small growth) have been done, no enemas or laxatives are to be taken for at least one week unless ordered by your doctor.
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If any of the following problems occur, call Dr. Bacot’s office:
- Severe pain/discomfort
- Inability to pass air
- Swelling in your abdomen that does not improve after passing air
- Bleeding from your rectum
- Black, tarry stool
- Please note: You may have some discomfort in your abdomen. This is due to the air used to inflate the bowel during the examination. This discomfort can be relieved if you move about and pass the air.
- If you have nausea, discomfort in your abdomen, and/or drowsiness, you should continue with the clear liquids intake until it goes away. This should go away within 12 hours. If you are alert and feel fine, you may eat your regular diet.
- Complications from the procedure are rare, but do occur. The most common are bleeding and perforation of the bowel. Surgery is sometimes required to correct these complications. If you have any questions, please feel free to discuss with your doctor or one of the registered nurses.
If you should decide to cancel your exam prior to arriving at the hospital,
please call (340) 774-5072.
Thank you for choosing Dr. Lawrence N. Bacot. Please let us know if we could
have served you better.