Colonoscopy question

[Babygurly22]

Hello, i am going to get a colonoscopy on friday. I have been having health issues for over a month and landed in the hospital on thursday night. My hospital does not perform colonoscopies so i had to make an appointment with a GI. I jist realized that when i called to make the appointment, they never told me if i had to do anything to prepare for it. I have several family members and friends who have gotten one and the said that the day before they had to either drink some type of fluid or take laxatives and then the morning of the colonoscopy they had to take a laxative and use an enema. Is this required or was this chosen by them do to this before hand?

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

If the "hospital" that you were seen at doesn't even have the ability to do colonoscopy maybe the thought was to refer you to someone for an opinion on your problem. I think it has become an issue that non-gastroenterologists merely order a colonoscopy rather than getting an opinion on the best evaluation for the problem. It is my opinion that the only time this path should be used is for cancer screening in low risk patients were guidelines are published and known to all physicians.

[Babygurly22]

Thank u so much! I will call them right away!

[ggreg]

I definitely think you should call up that gastro group and tell them you're supposed to have a colonoscopy on Friday, but you didn't get any instructions on the prep stuff you're supposed to have to clear out your bowel.  They should then be able to then handle the situation and get you your stuff.  But yes, you're supposed to be given some drink stuff and instructions on water intake, food intake, and such.  Somebody sure dropped the ball, because they could NOT have done a colonoscopy without a cleaned-out bowel.