I am preping for a colonoscopy and have to drink this electolyte stuff but I can not drink more than half the container I'm wondering if that will be enough to cleanse my system.
2007-05-14 14:45:21 · 3 answers · asked by sallysuzie 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
I anesthetize people for colonoscopies and have seen thousands of them.
If you don't follow the directions, you risk having an inadequate prep. That makes everything you did worthless. The doc will not be able to adequately check for small polyps, and you'll have to have the procedure repeated sooner. (Big cancers will still be seen, but hopefully, that won't happen!)
The best thing about colonoscopies is that polyps the size of a pin head can be removed. They are way too small to be cancerous at that size. If your colon is full of stool, it coats the walls and the tiny polyps will be missed.
Your GI doc should have given you backup instructions on what to do if you can't stomach the prep. (Usually, a bottle or two of magnesium citrate).
Also, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK water as long as you're allowed to. Many of my patients come in dehydrated, and it makes starting the iv tough, and makes passing the scope difficult for the GI guy (too much friction - ow)
Good luck. Hope your study is totally normal!
2007-05-15 09:34:28 · answer #1 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do as your doc has instructed you. Check out http://healthbase.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/colonoscopy for FAQs on colonoscopy.
2007-05-17 16:59:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The purpose of the solution is to clean out your colon so that the physician can see everything. If you are passing clear watery stools then the amount you have drunk is probably enough.
2007-05-14 15:53:17 · answer #3 · answered by Vinay K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋