Please bring your x-rays with you, as they may be important. Your doctor will give you medication through a vein to make you relaxed and sleepy. While you are lying in a comfortable position the colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and gradually advanced through the colon while the lining is examined thoroughly. The colonoscope is then slowly withdrawn while the intestine is again carefully examined. The procedure is usually well tolerated.
Many patients fall asleep during the examination.
In rare cases, passage of the colonoscope through the entire colon cannot be achieved. A limited examination may be sufficient if the area of suspected abnormality was well visualized. You will be kept in the endoscopic area until most of the effects of the medication have worn off. You may feel bloated for a few minutes right after the procedure because of the air that was introduced while examining the colon. You will be able to resume your diet after the colonoscopy unless you are instructed otherwise.