As a general rule, it is best to take the rest of the day off from work after a colonoscopy and give yourself 24 hours to feel 100% normal again.
Colonoscopy Recovery: After the Procedure
The effects of the sedation could last up to a day, so you should not drive or operate any machinery until the following day. You may feel gassy or bloated for a while after the procedure because of the air that was injected into your intestine during the colonoscopy.
So, for a day or so following a colonoscopy, it is advisable to avoid foods that are hard to digest, such as high fiber and spicy foods. It is also a good idea to avoid heavy, fatty foods as they can cause nausea and vomiting after anesthesia.
It's normal to feel bloated and gassy after the procedure; abdominal cramping may also occur. You'll be encouraged to pass gas to help reduce bloating. You may pass liquid and/or liquid stool after your colonoscopy but, within one to five days, your bowel movements should return to normal.
Some colonoscopies are done using gas and air as a patient preference, which can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded for a short period. After sedation, you may feel a little more tired for the rest of the day and will be advised to avoid driving for 24 hours, or operating any machinery and avoiding alcohol.
After a colonoscopy, you will need to recover from the effects of the sedation, which usually wear off within 30 minutes, and you may need to rest after your colonoscopy preparations. You may experience some discomfort and mild pain in the abdominal area as air is relieved from the procedure and leaves your colon.
Bleeding is one of the most common complications of colonoscopy, accounting for 0.3-6.1% of cases[35,36].
When will I stop moving my bowels? Most people stop moving their bowels about 2 – 3 hours after finishing the solution. People are different and some have liquid movements until the time of the procedure. The instrument used during the colonoscopy will suction out any liquid left in the bowel.
Take Light Walks
Walking helps pass gas after the procedure. You can also move around lightly during the recovery period.
Pain after the procedure: Some people have stomach pain after a colonoscopy. A person may also experience mild irritation to their rectum, gas, or other digestive problems. These symptoms are usually mild and tend to go away in a few days.
So, the more polyps you have, the higher your cancer risk. Someone with just one or two small polyps is generally at lower risk of having or developing colon cancer than someone with three to nine, or more.
Everyone's experience is different, but you can rest assured that the colonoscopy itself is painless. You will receive anesthesia so that you don't feel pain or remember the procedure. Most centers use medications that stop working quickly. That means you shouldn't feel any lingering side effects.
Colonoscopies can detect conditions like colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulosis. But mainly, doctors are looking for precancerous or cancerous colon polyps, which are growths on the inside of the colon's lining.
Background. Colonoscopies performed in the afternoon (PM) have been shown to have lower adenoma detection rates (ADR) compared to those in the morning (AM). Endoscopist fatigue has been suggested as a possible reason. Colonoscopies tend to be technically more challenging in female patients.
Most colonoscopies take only 15-30 minutes to complete. As a reminder, most patients recall feeling minimal to no pain or discomfort during the procedure. After the colonoscopy is done, you will be observed in a recovery area until the effects of the anesthesia wear off.
A gastroenterologist, the specialist who usually performs a colonoscopy, can't tell for certain if a colon polyp is precancerous or cancerous until it's removed and examined under a microscope.
If a doctor discovers polyps, they will often remove them via a colonoscopy or laparoscopy. The doctor will then send any removed polyps to a pathologist for a biopsy to see if cancer is present. If the biopsy reveals that cancer is present, then cancer specialists will outline a treatment plan for the person.
Hemorrhoids cannot be removed during a colonoscopy. If you are an appropriate patient for hemorrhoidal banding, a doctor will use a tool to place a rubber band around your hemorrhoids. This is performed during a regular office visit but has to be pre-arranged in order to have the tool ready for use.
A colonoscopy can quickly discover any internal hemorrhoids and other problems including colon cancer. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins, and doctors can immediately distinguish between them, anal fissures, colon polyps, or colon cancer.
Thinner and more flexible endoscopes may cause less stretching of the mesentery, which is one of the principal sources of pain during colonoscopy.
Schedule the day off work
Make sure to schedule a day off work for the actual colonoscopy procedure. Unless you work night shifts, patients find they are fine to work the day before – even during the liquid diet phase – without any problems.
Absolutely no straining. You may go up and down stairs and carry on normal activities otherwise.