20 Steps to Master the Art of Surviving Your First Colonoscopy

5. Recovery Process

Patients who do not experience any complications will return home the same day they have the colonoscopy. This is because it is considered an outpatient procedure. As anesthesia or sedation is used for a colonoscopy, patients will require a ride home. Side effects of anesthesia include nausea, drowsiness, and bloating. They may take several hours to wear off. Most patients can resume their regular activities the day following their procedure. The results of a colonoscopy are usually provided to patients at their follow up appointment. This is because they are still under the effects of anesthesia directly following the procedure. If a patient has a biopsy performed during their colonoscopy, the results may not become available for at least several days. The reason is that they have to be sent to a laboratory for processing. Instructions on what to eat and what symptoms to watch for following the procedure are provided to the patient and their caregiver.

6. After A Negative Result

Despite the name, a negative result from a colonoscopy means that the doctor did not find anything abnormal in the patient's colon. In other words, there are no cancerous or precancerous lesions. After a negative result, doctors will provide patients with a recommendation on the timeline for their next procedure. This can vary between patients. However, the average timeline is every ten years for patients with no significant family medical history of colon cancer and other colon issues. This decreases to every five years if there is a family history of colon cancer.