Unless otherwise instructed, continue taking any regularly prescribed medication. Stop taking iron medications a few weeks before the test, unless your health care provider tells you otherwise. Iron can produce a dark black stool, which makes the view inside the bowel less clear.

Outpatients must plan to have someone take them home after the test, because they will be woozy and unable to drive.

Infants and children:

The preparation you can provide for this test depends on your child's age, previous experiences, and level of trust. For general information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics:

• Infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
• Toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
• Preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
• School age test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
• Adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

The sedative and pain medication will relax you and make you feel drowsy. Many patients do not remember having the colonoscopy. A rectal examination usually is done before the test to make sure there are no major blockages. You may have the urge to have a bowel movement when the rectal exam is performed or as the colonoscope is inserted.

You may feel pressure as the scope moves inside. You may feel brief cramping and gas pains as air is inserted or the scope advances. Passing gas is necessary and should be expected.

You can reduce discomfort by taking slow, deep breaths. This will also help relax your abdominal muscles. You may have mild abdominal cramping and pass a lot of gas after the exam. Sedation should wear off in a few hours. Because of the sedation, you may not feel any discomfort and may have no memory of the test.

Colonoscopy may be used for the following reasons:

• Abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, or weight loss
• Abnormal changes (such as polyps) found on sigmoidoscopy or x-ray tests (CT scan or barium enema)
• Anemia due to low iron (usually when no other cause has been found)
• Blood in the stool, or black, tarry stools
• Follow-up of a past finding, such as polyps or colon cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
• Screening for colorectal cancer

Images

Colonoscopy

• < Page
1 2
• >

Next Section

Colonoscopy Results

Review Date: 11/23/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)