Colonoscopy - Tips you need to know

Another tip - people with any bowel disease that weakens the colon wall are at risk for perforation. Such individuals should request a pediatric scope to minimize any problems.

When I had my colonoscopy I decided to go to a designated center - one that performs them all day. Having it done at a hospital is not the same experience. I followed all the instructions minus the gallon prep but by then I found a gastrointerologist who agreed that the gallon was not necessary and that the phosphosoda would indeed clean me out.

SPECIAL TIP FOR ALL WOMEN - I am a small woman and for this reason I also requested that he use a pediatric scope on me. He said he would but he preferred the large scope. Following my colonoscopy I read the report and it was noted that he had difficulty even with the small scope getting through my colon.

Recently, a friend went to the same wonderful gastroenterologist, Dr Narayan in Oakland, CA. She said he now scopes all women with the pediatric scope and refers to it as the women’s scope.

Anyone who has endured a colonoscopy knows that drinking the gallon preparation (go Lightly) is anything but. Drinking the gallon of horrible tasting stuff makes you feel ill beyond words. Is it really necessary to drink the nasty stuff in the first place? Amazingly the answer is no. When I had my first colonoscopy in 2005 I did my homework and found out that a simple product found at any drug store performs as well at cleaning the colon as the nasty gallon prep. It is Fleet phosphosoda preparation for bowel prep. Follow the directions of drinking one cup of the salts the night before and one cup the day of. Follow all other recommendations from your doctor regarding food consumption and taking the laxative.