My Experience

For three months I had been having bouts of gastro-intestinal problems including bloating, vomiting and fever, but no diarrhea. After visiting my internist after the most recent bout, he referred me for a colonoscopy.

The doctor’s office spoke with me beforehand about the preparation involved — that I had two options for doing the prep — and that I would need somebody to accompany me afterwards since I would be sedated during the procedure. One of the prep options was to consume an over-the-counter salty liquid that may be accompanied by nausea. The other option was to consume pills called OsmoPrep; it requires a prescription and I was told it does not have any reported significant side effects. I opted for the pills and a few days later, detailed instructions arrived in the mail for my prep, along with a prescription for the medicine.

My appointment was scheduled for mid-morning so breakfast the day before was to be my last regular meal. At noon, I was to begin consuming a liquid diet. Water, chicken broth, sodas, coffee, even vanilla ice cream were all allowed (but nothing red or blue). At 5:30 pm, I was to begin the OsmoPrep. I took 20 of the prescribed 32 mid-sized pills, 4 every 15 minutes, each accompanied by 8 oz. of water. As per my instructions, three hours later I was to consume 3 Dulcolax tablets, an over-the-counter laxative I purchased along with the OsmoPrep. I was told to make myself comfortable at home with “easy access to a bathroom.”

At 5:30 am the following morning I was instructed to take the remaining 12 tablets, again 4 every 15 minutes each dose with 8 oz. of water. After that, I was not to consume anything within four hours of my appointment. That was fine, since I spent most of my morning before leaving for my appointment in the bathroom.

I arrived at the office somewhat dehydrated, signed in, submitted forms which had been mailed to me along with my prep instructions and handed over my insurance information. I waited about 20 minutes before the doctor came to greet me in the waiting room and take me back to his office. We discussed why I was there and briefly my line of work. He then received a call he said he had to take and directed me back to a room for changing into a blue gown (“everything off and open to the back”). I was then taken to a room where the procedure would take place.

Lying on my back, the nurse took my blood pressure and the cuff inflated several times on its own to monitor it over the course of the next five minutes or so. The doctor then came in, said nothing other than for me to turn onto my left side and began to inject me with what I assumed was the anesthesia. I could have asked what he was doing, but since I had a sense of what would take place, I didn’t ask. Before I knew it, I was awakened in the room that I had changed in, procedure concluded.

I felt groggy. The nurse came in about 15 minutes later and asked we to wiggle my fingers and toes and to tell her what day of the week it was. I passed these tests and was told I was ready to get dressed. Once dressed, I went into the doctor’s office for a debrief. I was fine, he reported. I had no colitis or Crohn’s disease. He told me he removed a tiny polyp that was trivial, telling me it was most likely benign. As is standard, though, it would be biopsied and I would hear the results in a few days. The doctor made no assumptions about why I had been getting sick but assured me that my colon was fine.

Relieved, I went off to have a good lunch with my mom and felt fine. In fact, I went to work for the rest of the day, which I wasn’t expecting to be up for.