What you need to know
Before the examination:
- Thorough bowel cleansing is necessary. For precise instructions, click here. Consult your doctor regarding the continuation of your regular medication. Inform them if you are taking aspirin, antiplatelet agents, or anticoagulant medications.
At the clinic:
- The doctor will review your medical history and examine your test results. Don't forget to mention any respiratory, cardiac, renal, neurological, or psychiatric issues, allergies, and medications you are taking. Inform them if you have prostate issues, glaucoma, or diabetes.
- The doctor will provide detailed explanations about the nature of the examination. You will be asked to sign a consent form for the procedure, as is customary in many other countries.
In the endoscopy room:
- Do not be afraid. Colonoscopy is usually a painless procedure, and the main discomfort may be bloating in the abdomen from the air introduced to facilitate and thoroughly examine the intestine.
- You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist down, lie on the examination bed on your left side, and you will be covered with a sheet.
- A small intravenous catheter may be placed in your right hand, which remains in place throughout the procedure, to administer a mild sedative (sedation), analgesic, or muscle relaxant if necessary.
- The colonoscope is inserted through the rectum and advanced to inspect the entire colon. If deemed necessary, the last segments of the small intestine will also be examined. The examination typically lasts 15-30 minutes.
After the examination:
The doctor will provide you with the examination results, inform you if biopsies were taken, and when you will receive the biopsy results. If necessary, they will prescribe treatment. Ask when you can resume your daily medications.
Leaving for home:
- It is advisable to be accompanied by an adult.
- Do not drive.
- Do not consume alcoholic beverages.
