So your hair, skin, nails and body are on point! From the outside it looks like everything is healthy,  but if you’re over 50 it’s time to go beyond the surface and get a Colonoscopy

 

Colonoscopy is a test that allows your physician to look at the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon).  A thin tube called a colonoscope is inserted into your recum to look at the colon. A colonoscopy helps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors and other abnormalities. A colonoscopy screening is vital because colorectal cancer often shows no signs or symptoms in its early stages.  Colorectal cancer develops from small growths called polyps and can be detected through this process.

 

So what should you do?

 

Have a conversation with your primary care physician to schedule this procedure with a specialist and get it over with! Since our colon is  impossible to clean throughly and has been our primary way for elimination since birth, it only makes sense to view and make sure there are no blockages, obstructions, abnormalities and to flush out the area.

 

What’s the procedure?

 

Every physician has their own procedure to clean out the colon prior to the procedure. You will be given specific instructions what to do. For me, my doctor was the best and ordered me to mix Miralax with tea or lemonade. I was then told to add Dulcolax shortly after followed by Magnesium hours after that. I am purposely leaving out the measurements and specific timelines since this may vary from person to person. In addition, there is a strict eating and drinking plan that is essential to comply with days before the procedure. If it motivates you to know, you will drop pounds and your tummy will flatten since you will be completely empty!

 

Elimination starts and is continuous up until the colonoscopy. When you start this process this will be the only thing that matters up until your procedure so I wouldn’t schedule anything! The day of the procedure pretty much is the easy part because it’s all up to the doctor now. You will more than likely be given medication so that you sleep during the procedure and remember nothing afterwards. This is done to minimize your discomfort and allow them to do what is necessary to manipulate the area.

Immediately after the colonoscopy you will be given time to recover. It is common to have polyps removed and tested without any major findings. My doctor came right in after the procedure to inform me that everything was fine. After thanking God, I dashed out (still wobbly, so I couldn’t drive), but fortunately I could eat!

 

Good luck and God bless!