The very word colonoscopy makes most of us shudder. But the dreaded cancer test saves countless lives each year by being the number one prevention measure against colorectal cancer. Sedation takes care of whatever discomfort there may be during the procedure, so this life saving cancer test is only uncomfortable before and perhaps for a little while afterwards. These prep tips will help to minimize the discomfort so you can ace your colon cancer test.
Test Late in the Afternoon
Typically patients want to schedule a colonoscopy for very early in the morning, but consider a late afternoon appointment for these reasons; The fasting and bathroom business could be done on the same day as the colonoscopy, so only one day’s sleep and eating patterns would be disrupted.
Starving Won’t Help You Pass the Test
Eat your fill of whatever foods the doctor says you can have on prep day. Typically the allowed foods will be Jello, popsicles (non-red flavor varieties), chicken broth and apple juice. Eat all you want of them as starving won’t affect the test either way. If fasting is problematic for you, ask your doctor if you can eat low fiber foods (like white rice) on prep day.
Easy Does It
Preparing for the cancer test requires drinking a large amount of laxative. A daunting and distasteful task to say the least, but taking it easy will help. Drink a little of the mixture, wait 15 minutes then drink some more. Refrigerating the liquid laxative sometimes helps it go down easier.
Place a chair in the bathroom along with a book, cross-word puzzle or whatever other handheld activity you may enjoy. Once the cleansing laxative takes effect, stay comfortable in a ringside seat in the bathroom to prevent an accident.
Take a Couple Days Off
The day of the colonoscopy you will be sedated, certainly not a day to drive or make decisions. The day before or the day of you will be undergoing intense prep and the day after you won’t be you old self either, taking a couple of days off will make the colonoscopy less stressful.
Dress for comfort, not fashion. Pass up on outfits with buttons and zippers and opt for elastic. Easy-on (and off) sweat pants and tops are the haute couture look for colonoscopies.
Don’t Pig Out
Most people are staring after their colon cancer test and can’t wait to head for their favorite restaurant and pig out. Don’t do it. The anesthesia will still be in your system for a few hours after the colonoscopy and it will slow down the rate at which food leaves your stomach. The slowed down digestive process will cause you to feel uncomfortably full and nauseated after a pig out. Livestrong suggests starting out with light foods that are easy to chew and digest.
