Colonoscopy

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Set instructions are laid down for patients undergoing a colonoscopy:

 

Bowel Preparation Instructions for Flexible Sigmoidoscopy/Colonoscopy

 

7 Days before examination - stop taking iron tablets. Advise Endoscopy Unit

IF on Warfarin or are a diabetic

4 Days before examination -stop taking any constipating agents

2 Days before exammination - eat only foods from the following list:

boiled or steamed white fish / boiled chicken / egg / cheese / white bread /

butter / marge / rich tea biscuit / potatoes (NO skins) Drink Plenty.

 

NB: Do NOT Eat high fibre foods such as red meat, pink fish, fruit,

vegetables, cereals, salad, mushrooms, nuts, sweetcorn, wholemeal bread etc.

ONLY

eat foods from the list. The doctor needs a cleaned out colon and not be

dealing with obstruction of view caaused by undigested food particles.

 

Day *before* examination - have a good breakfast from permitted list. After

this DO NOT EAT *any* solid food until *after* your examination but, drink

plenty of clear fluids (tea, coffee, squash, water, clear soups. bovril, Oxo)

May have 'small' amounts of milk in tea and coffee. Clear jelly also

permitted.

 

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The diet guidelines are specific as the doctor will need a CLEAR colon.

Pointless clearing it out for the colonoscopy only to bung it up again.

 

Mostly colonoscopies are carried out under a light sedation, i.e. Medazalam

and Pethidine (Medazalam to de-stress the patient and to help relax the

patient. Pethidine to cope with any discomfort. On some patients the

Medazalam

does not work...!) Very rarely is this procedure carried out under a full AN

as the doctor *needs the patients' input* and also the patient needs to turn

hips slightly to assist the doctor with the endoscope penetration into the

upper reaches of the colon.

 

IF undergoing under a full AN then NO fluids at all after 7am on the day of

the procedure. The AN will be very very light.

 

An endoscopy is not an operation. It is a procedure.

 

No patient should be vomiting UNLESS the procedure was carried out under

full AN, and 1) the patient was/is allergic to the anaesthesia 2) was given

too

much anaesthesia and or 3) the patient had eaten that morning!

 

But *nothing* to eat 24hrs before the procedure anyway (remember, clean

colon) and nothing to drink after 7am on the day of the procedure. Can your

husband communicate by written note, or nod of head or is he pretty much out of

it? Very serious situation.

 

Molly