Getting ready for your first colonoscopy

Avoid alcohol and high-fibre foods, and stick to clear liquids

- Trisha Pasricha

NEW YORK - When patients come to me for their first colonoscopies, the first thing I usually say is: "Congratulations!"

As a gastroenterologist, I applaud them for doing something important for their health and share in their joy that the hardest part of the colonoscopy process - the preparation - is behind them.

Whether a colonoscopy is in your future because your doctor would like to investigate symptoms such as chronic diarrhoea or rectal bleeding, or you are being screened for colorectal cancer, you will need to prepare.

I spoke with other experts who shared tips on how to make the experience smoother.

NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S COLONOSCOPY

If you have heard about colonoscopies from family members or friends, you may be surprised by how much the preparation and procedure have changed from prior generations.

You will still have to cleanse your colon beforehand, but there are many new laxative options - in liquid, powder and pill form - that will not require you to chug more than a dozen cups of salty formula in one sitting.

The colonoscopy procedure itself has also modernised. There are now safer ways to puff up the colon to hunt for precancerous growths, better cameras to aid in the hunt and more sophisticated techniques for removing abnormal tissue.

In fact, colonoscopies have become so much safer and more comfortable for my patients that it is common for them to wake up after the procedure and ask, "Is that it?" or "When are we starting?"

Colonoscopies, like all procedures, can come with certain serious - yet rare - risks. And your preparation instructions will vary depending on your medical needs and the specific laxatives you are prescribed, so it is important to review everything with your physician in advance.

BEFORE THE PURGE