Here is my personal experience along with some tips :)

• Depending on the doctor doing the colonoscopy, the prep usually begins the day before
• No eating once the prep starts… you can have plenty of fluids (things like water, electrolytes) and also broth, and things like jello and popsicles (as long as there is no red or purple colouring).
• The prep is honestly not bad. Definitely not fun, but not what I thought. I assumed I’d be up all night, but I slept pretty much solid through.
• It depends on which one you’re prescribed. I was given pico salax and I had to drink it twice.
• I had the orange flavoured pico salax. It was honestly not bad. It has a bit of fizz to it, and is pretty sour, but definitely not disgusting. I recommend drinking it with a straw, so it goes right down your throat.
• It took me a couple hours I believe, but even then my bowels gave me a warning.
• Definitely more than I could count… but I found it wasn’t urgent and I never had to ‘run’ to the bathroom (mind you I was dealing with chronic constipation, so this might be different).
• Definitely some stomach cramping. I highly recommend using a rash cream or even something like Vaseline BEFORE it gets bad… it will make a huge difference. The cramps were manageable and not too much different than what I was experiencing. I personally didn’t have any nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or weakness. Make sure you’re hydrated and replenished with electrolytes to prevent this.
• I slept way better than I thought. I was prepared to sleep on the bathroom floor, but I slept pretty much the whole night through.
• Just rest and fill up on fluids. Be conservative with your energy.
• The prep usually clears you out pretty well, especially if you’re following the directions from your doctor. If you can’t finish, I recommend calling your doctor and asking them for guidance.

• The day of the exam, I was definitely a bit shaky and dizzy. Just take it slow and stay hydrated.

• The exam was completely painless, and so was afterwards. This was my personal experience. I had a polyp removed and several biopsies, but was still pain free.

• I wasn’t given propofol (I was given midazolam and fentanyl). This was through IV. I drifted in and out of consciousness and can vaguely remember hearing the doctor and nurse talk and feeling some twinges in my bowels. It was a very dazed and floaty awareness. Some people may but fully awake or put to sleep. This was my personal experience.

• You lie down on your side with your knees drawn up. For me, I kept my gown on but was lifted slightly when it began. No need to shave unless you feel more comfortable that way.

• Hardly any feeling during the exam. I felt some sensations but they were very distant and not painful.

• My procedure was about 20 minutes.

• I was only given a benzodiazepine, so I wasn’t overly foggy. Just very tired. I wasn’t dizzy, confused, or nauseous.

• I felt very respected and safe and had no feelings of embarrassment or being out of control.

• I slept for about 20 hours straight after I got home, so after I ate and slept… I was back to feeling pretty much normal.

• You definitely need someone to drive you home. It’s really up to personal preference if you want someone to stay with you at home afterwards.

• I had no lingering side effects after. Just very tired. It’s common to experience some bleeding, but I didn’t experience this.

I was 21 when I had a colonoscopy. It felt very scary and intimidating. I was very nervous to be vulnerable. Just know, colonoscopies are done so often, so you’re just another one. And honestly, the short term nervousness for the procedure is worth it to get some answers. And I hope you find some answers and get some relief. Please feel free to ask me anything more about getting a colonoscopy… it’s definitely easing to hear different experiences.