How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy: Detailed Information

The human intestine is a complex system with a peculiar structure. Not so long ago, it was believed that if the entire area of ​​the intestine was straightened, it would occupy about 250 m². Of course, it is physically impossible to do this, therefore, these calculations are always carried out theoretically, and according to the latest data, its size is not so large - the researchers settled on the number 40 m². The normal length of the organ is four meters or a little more. When a person dies (as scientists have measured), in an atonic, non-functioning state, the organ lengthens up to eight meters. Thus, each person has in the body four meters of winding, sometimes very narrow intestinal "labyrinth", in which anything can happen. And these processes are reliably hidden by the location and structure of the organ.

Diagnostic hardware methods that allow you to see what is happening inside the intestine were invented not so long ago. Even at the beginning of the last century, such devices did not exist. They appeared only in the sixties. The method is called colonoscopy.

The essence of the procedure

To understand how to do the preparation, you need to know what the procedure is. What exactly, how and for what purpose the doctor will do during the colonoscopy.

Officially, this is a medical diagnostic method, during which the doctor has the opportunity to examine visually (on the monitor) and assess the condition of all parts of the large intestine.

This is a very important, often necessary and still irreplaceable method, since only a colonoscopy can reveal such serious pathologies as:

• Crohn's disease;
• polyposis;
• nonspecific ulcerative colitis;
• diverticulitis;
• bowel cancer.

All these diseases are dangerous, require surgical intervention, and some are incurable, even by surgery, especially in the later stages. That is, a colonoscopy can literally save a patient from death.

By the way. This manipulation is used to conduct a biopsy. Using the device, you can take pieces of tissue from different parts of the intestine to determine pathological changes in its mucous membrane. Also, right during the procedure, the doctor can excise small polyps, remove a small benign tumor and stop intraintestinal bleeding without resorting to surgical intervention.

The procedure is considered extremely painful and unpleasant. But, as already noted, this is a necessity, ignoring which can cost the patient his life. After reaching the age of fifty, it is recommended to undergo a colonoscopic examination every year for all men and women in order to diagnose the above and many others in time diseases. This is the most informative way of making a timely diagnosis in order to start effective treatment of deadly diseases.

In short, the following happens during the procedure.

1. The patient removes all clothing below the waist.
2. It is laid on the left side.
3. He bends his knees.
4. The anal opening is treated with a local anesthetic.
5. A probe is inserted into it.
6. Further, the probe moves along the entire intestine.
7. The doctor looks at the "picture" in real time on the monitor.
8. It is possible to visually assess the interior of the intestinal membrane, its color and structure, the presence of pathologies.

The whole process takes no more than a quarter of an hour (with histological examination a little longer). But, since, as you know, the intestine in its normal state is a "repository" of semi-overworked and processed products, in order to enter the probe and see something, from all filling substances it is necessary release. Therefore, a short-term manipulation has a long preparation period, without which it cannot be carried out carefully.

About anesthesia

Today, even in budget clinics, patients are offered anesthesia during colonoscopy. There are two varieties of this life-saving procedure, which makes it possible, if not completely relieve pain, then make it less creepy.

The easiest way to anesthetize a patient is sedation. It is not a narcotic effect in its pure form, when the patient is asleep or completely locally anesthetized. The intestine takes up too large an area to inject it with novocaine, like a tooth being removed.

During sedation, the patient is injected with the help of medications into a state of semi-oblivion. He seems to be asleep, but at the same time he feels everything. Anesthesia is done intramuscularly by injection and aims at psychoemotional relaxation of the patient, and not depriving his organs of sensitivity to pain.

Important! This is not the best way to make the procedure softer, but sometimes the only one, since not all patients, especially those over the age of fifty, can be given general anesthesia.

Sedation does not strike the cardiovascular or respiratory system, it is generally practically harmless and leaves no consequences for the body. But with it, the patient feels pain, albeit muffled, and, depending on the height of his pain threshold, he may not have the most pleasant memories of the procedure.

If possible, most patients choose a regular general anesthesia. After the administration of the drug, they fall asleep, and when they wake up, the procedure is over, and there are no unpleasant sensations and memories from it. The patient is then monitored for two hours to ensure the final favorable recovery from the state of anesthesia.

Preparation stages

You have to prepare more thoroughly if the procedure is done with any type of anesthesia. Additional tests will be required, consultation with an anesthesiologist. But even if the colonoscopy is carried out without anesthesia, the preparation includes several stages.

Table. Stages of preparation for a colonoscopy.

Stage	Characteristic
Analyzes	You will need a referral, an extract from a medical record made by a therapist and a wide list of tests and tests.
General preparation	Within seven days, the intake of certain medications is canceled and, if necessary, the intake of laxatives and sedatives is prescribed.
Local preparation	A strict diet is followed for the four days leading up to the examination.
Bowel preparation	On the eve of the study, a complete bowel cleansing is carried out using one of the recommended methods.

The first preparatory stage - analyzes

If the patient does not have acute diseases (colds are also among them), and no allergies to drugs for anesthesia, he can receive anesthesia, provided that all the necessary analyzes.

A consultation with an anesthesiologist takes place one to two days before the procedure. You must have with you:

• direction;
• an extract from the medical card;
• analysis for rhesus and blood group;
• common blood;
• urine - general analysis;
• biochemistry;
• coagulogram (blood clotting test).

Second stage - general preparation

During the week before the study, taking medications containing:

• bismuth;
• iron;
• Activated carbon.

Important! If you are taking cardiac or hormonal, as well as antihypertensive drugs, do not stop them. it is necessary, consult with a therapist, let her recommend the doses in which it will be carried out reception.

If the patient suffers from chronic constipation and takes laxatives, they continue to take. With severe constipation, the dose is doubled in seven days. If laxatives have not been used in the presence of constipation, you should start taking them a week before.

Important! On the eve of the procedure, you can not take orally or in the form of an enema inside vaseline oil.

If the patient experiences fear or psychoemotional stress about the upcoming manipulation, a sedative can be taken before going to bed the night before.

Stage three - local training

A slag-free diet begins four days before the study. This is important and means that are categorically removed from the diet for a while the following products.

1. Fresh vegetables (and dried): carrots, radishes, beets, garlic, cabbage, radishes, turnips, onions, radishes.
2. Raw greens of absolutely all varieties.
3. Seaweed for any cooking method.
4. Millet and pearl barley cereals, and dishes from them.
5. All meals and products containing grain and rye flour.
6. Canned or salted mushrooms.
7. Absolutely all legumes.
8. Fresh fruits: apricot, citrus, apples and pears, grapes.
9. Dried fruits of all kinds.
10. Any nuts and products containing them.
11. All berries.
12. Any drinks with gases (including bread kvass) and alcohol.
13. Sweet milk products are fatty, cottage cheese (sour milk is possible, but without fillers).
14. Canned food and pickles.
15. Sausages, sausages, smoked products.
16. Any seasonings and vinegar.
17. Fatty fried meat (duck, goose).
18. Fatty fish.
19. Sweets.

Yes, the list is depressing and a natural question, what then can you eat?

1. Eggs
2. Dairy products.
   

   Dairy products

3. Skimmed milk.
4. Bananas.
5. Limited amount of vegetable and butter oils.
   

   Butter

6. Low-fat broth from meat or fish.
7. Non-fried meat / fish.
8. Tea or weak coffee, still water.
   

   Tea

9. White bread.
10. Rice, oatmeal, semolina.
11. Wheat flour baked goods.
12. Honey, sugar, jelly and jelly.
    

    Cherry jelly

This permitted list applies only to the first, second and third of the four preparatory days. Further, the day before the colonoscopy, you can only do the following:

• clear protein broth without fillers;
• water, tea and jelly.

Important. The intake of all liquids is stopped two hours before the intake of the cleansing agent is started, if this method of cleansing the intestines is chosen.

Stage four - bowel preparation

This is where doctors suggest to patients.

1. Or the intestines are cleaned mechanically, using enemas.
2. Or the strongest laxative drug is taken in monstrous quantities and according to a certain scheme.

Enemas

You will have to start giving enemas two evenings before the study. Two cleansing enemas are performed two days before the procedure in the evening. And two times two the day before - in the morning and in the evening. The water temperature is 37 degrees. The volume of each enema is two liters.

But that's not all. Two more enemas must be done in the morning of the day the colonoscopy is performed. That is, in total, at least eight enemas are done (with a tendency to constipation, their number can be increased). The intervals between each pair of enemas are one and a half hours. The result is crystal clear wash water.

Taking the drug

It is not surprising that after reading the instructions for preparing for a colonoscopy, many patients choose the second preparation method. This is taking the drug "Fortrans" (or a generic analogue).

It is necessary to purchase the drug in a pharmacy at the rate of one packet per 15 kg of body weight. That is, with a weight of 60 kg, four bags are needed.

Then you need to strictly follow the instructions.

1. The package dissolves in a liter of ordinary drinking water (in no case carbonated).
2. The resulting solution is slightly cooled.
3. Then, every 20 minutes, exactly a quarter of a liter of this liquid is drunk.
4. When the liter runs out, a new solution is prepared.
5. So until the entire volume of the drug is taken.

Advice. The instructions do not write this, but you need to be prepared for the fact that no household chores for you will not be able to engage in the entire time of taking the drug, as well as provide yourself with unhindered access to toilet.

In no case should you interrupt the reception, even if you experience nausea and other unpleasant sensations. In the event that nausea develops into severe vomiting, it is allowed to stop taking it, but only for half an hour, and then resume it again.

By the way. The instructions say that you can add a little lemon juice to improve the taste, but eyewitnesses say that after taking the second dose there is no time for juice, which, however, is not able to improve the taste of this drug.

Of course, the organisms of all people are different and react in different ways, so at any preparatory stage something can go wrong. If during the preparation process the belly swells, you need to take the Mezim-Forte tablet the day before and at lunchtime, or three times two Espumisan tablets the day before and two more on the day of the study.

After the procedure

In principle, the procedure has no consequences. Painful sensations, if general anesthesia is not given, in which the patient does not feel anything at all, stop at the moment when the probe is pulled out. But if a colonoscopy is performed for a biopsy, physical activity cannot be experienced for three days after it.

For 24 hours after the procedure, you should not eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and drink soda.

With sedation an hour after the study, you should not drive, and with general anesthesia, this period is extended to a day.

Very few patients who had to undergo colonoscopy without general anesthesia reported not being too painful or tolerant. Even when carried out with sedation, passing near the office where the procedure is taking place, you can hear screams and groans, and from the lips of patients of both sexes. But today, only this procedure can reveal diseases that cannot be detected in any other way. Moreover, before the appearance of obvious symptoms and the onset of serious problems. Therefore, if you have already turned fifty, start preparing, at least moral, by calling the clinic and signing up for a colonoscopy.

Video - Colonoscopy of the intestine