Rather, my physician, Dr. Ray Perrine, and his physician assistant, K.C. Lovin, made me do it. A baseline screen is suggested beginning at age 50 and then every 10 years thereafter if all appears well. At nearly 52, I was overdue. A colonoscopy is an examination of the entire colon with a flexible, fiberoptic instrument. But frankly, I was not thrilled to bare my backside to a roomful of strangers.
Preparation starts the day before the screen.
After breakfast, no more food is allowed except for clear broth, apple juice or ginger ale. The flavored, slightly gloppy, clear liquid is mixed up early that morning and chilled in the fridge. The whole point is to purge one's pipes completely clean. New on the market is a series of pills that can be taken instead. Nearly three hours after starting the colyte drinking binge and quite unable to down another drop, I headed to bed.