The combination of the bowel preparation process and sedation leaves many patients feeling groggy and weak following the procedure. As a result, someone must accompany you from the recovery area and take you home following the procedure. Because you've been sedated, you will not be allowed to drive until the next day.
In the first few days after a colonoscopy, you may feel slight discomfort and tiredness, so allow yourself to take it easy. Avoid strenuous activities like lifting heavy objects or exercising until you get clearance from your doctor.
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.
Colonoscopy recovery is usually quick with most people resuming normal activity the next day. Even so, it is important not to rush back to work.
Once they are at home, patients should allow themselves at least 24 hours to rest and recover. It is common for our patients to experience some mild side effects following their colonoscopy. Some of these side effects are a reaction to the sedation, while others are directly related to the colonoscopy.
A balanced, vitamin-rich and fibre-rich diet is particularly suitable for this. Wholemeal products, fruit and vegetables, nuts, legumes and dairy products provide valuable nutrients and minerals that serve as a nutritional basis for beneficial intestinal bacteria.
If you had a biopsy or had polyps removed, your doctor may recommend a special diet for a day or so to allow your intestines time to heal. Your doctor will let you know what to expect and what you can and can't eat or drink. You might not have a bowel movement for a couple days after the procedure.
Will this help me lose weight? This is a rough way to do it, but yes, you will have a very temporary weight loss of one to three pounds typically. But, just as with your bowel habits, these few pounds will return as well once you resume your normal diet.
Bleeding is one of the most common complications of colonoscopy, accounting for 0.3-6.1% of cases[35,36].
Recently, several studies have shown that bowel preparation for colonoscopy could change the fecal microbial diversity and composition, and these effects could last up to 1 month [13-15]. Bowel preparation also affects the change of gut metabolome but this is recovered within 14 days [16].
Colonoscopies Disrupt Your Microbiome
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients who took probiotics after their colonoscopy had a 30% decrease in the number of post-colonoscopy days of pain.
An August 2020 StatPearls review recommends the following bland foods: Low-fat dairy products, such as yogurt, milk and cottage cheese. Eggs. Pudding.
Patients are encouraged to slowly integrate foods back into a daily routine immediately following a colonoscopy. But in some cases, people may be instructed to avoid food entirely the first day after the procedure. Typically, dietary restrictions are only suggested for the first day or two after the exam.
Food Choices for You
Here is a list of good foods that you can try: Banana is a type of fruit that has a medium amount of fiber. This amount of fiber can help the bowels move easier after a colonoscopy. Other good foods include cantaloupe and apples.
What Not To Eat After A Colonoscopy? – Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. – Foods high in fiber like vegetables and fruits with skin or seeds. – Nuts, popcorn and other crunchy foods.
You will experience increased flatulence (bowel gas), until your colon returns to its normal state (24 hours). Walking can help rid the gas. You may experience loose stool or no stool for up to three days following the procedure.
No strenuous activities: Patients are strongly advised to refrain from driving for at least 24 hours following a colon polyp removal surgery and avoid any strenuous activities for a minimum of four weeks following the surgery.
The procedure can also help diagnose the cause of symptoms such as abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, and rectal bleeding. Although a colonoscopy is not a surgery, it does involve some risks. Some of these risks include bleeding, infection, and perforation of the colon.
Get enough rest: Rest for a few days after the procedure to allow your body to heal. Take pain medication: After the procedure, you may experience cramping, pain, or discomfort. Over-the-counter pain medication or prescription meds can help manage these symptoms.
A. Preparing for a colonoscopy requires clearing the bowel with fasting, a laxative drink and, in some cases, an enema. While such preparation can alter the microbiome, the rich array of microbes that are present in the gut, research suggests that the microbiome bounces back in about two to four weeks.
Loops or angulation in the colon are possibly the most common patient-related source of difficulty. Some bends require additional skill to navigate. Loops, particularly in the sigmoid colon, can result in loss of control of the endoscope as well as patient discomfort.