What Does It Feel Like to Have a Colonoscopy?
Key takeaways:
Colonoscopies are recommended for everyone starting at age 45.
You may have minor discomfort during the preparation stage leading up to the colonoscopy.
You are sedated during the procedure, so you won’t feel anything. But you may be groggy afterwards.
A colonoscopy is a well-known procedure used to screen for colorectal cancer and other bowel diseases. The exam involves inserting a camera into the rectum and looking at your large intestine and the end of your small intestine.
The American Cancer Society recommends people start getting screened for colon cancer at the age of 45. Regular screenings as recommended by your provider are the key to early detection.
A common misconception about the procedure is that it is significantly painful. Meet three people who have had several colonoscopies and can tell you exactly what to expect.
‘It’s not a big deal’
Jonathan Sheinberg, a 55-year-old cardiologist in Austin, Texas, got his fourth colonoscopy in December 2022. It’s been his routine to get the exam every 5 years since he turned 40. In his 30s, he had an experience with a patient that motivated him to start getting tested.
“I was a young cardiologist at the time,” he says. “I saw a patient in the hospital ICU who was my age and dying from colon cancer. And I'll never forget that.”
Jonathan says none of his exams have been painful. For the most recent one, he started bowel prep the night before. The liquid laxatives he had to drink helped to empty his colon and rectum throughout the night.
“You're pooping every 20 minutes, and it's just like water coming out. It doesn't hurt. You can't sleep because you’ve got to get up every 20 minutes to poop.”
The day of the procedure, he could consume clear liquids. He didn’t experience discomfort during the hour-long exam because the healthcare provider sedated him. “They did my procedure at 9, and I was out of the room by 10. I was home by 10:30.”
Afterwards, he recalled feeling tired and hungry, but not experiencing any post-exam pain.
Early prep can make things flow
Sheila Roesler, a financial advisor in Indianapolis, decided to approach her most recent colonoscopy with the same foresight she uses to help her clients plan their futures. She started preparing early.
“I figured out that if you [bowel prep] two days ahead instead of one, it makes it a lot easier,” she says.
That meant starting a liquid diet a couple of days before her December 2022 exam. “So now, it’s two days that you don’t get your favorite stuff, but it just makes the whole, shall we say, elimination process less severe.”
Sheila’s process included taking Dulcolax laxative tablets in the afternoon. Then for dinner she drank two 64-oz. bottles of Gatorade mixed with Miralax, a laxative that comes as a powder.
“Then you lay there and wait for it to do its work,” she says. The laxatives produced bowel movements at a faster rate than when she had prepared for previous colonoscopies. “It wasn’t right away, but there's a couple of hours that are just — you can’t really sleep and you’re kind of worried about making a mess.”
At her appointment the next day, nurses checked to make sure Sheila had adhered to the bowel prep plan, took her blood pressure, and administered an IV anesthetic to put her to sleep about half an hour before the procedure started.
“It seems like two seconds later, you’re awake again. You missed the whole thing. There’s absolutely no discomfort.” During the examination, providers found and removed several polyps from Sheila’s colon.
By the time she arrived back home, the 62-year-old had received an email letting her know the polyps were benign. “It’s that fast that they zap all this stuff off digitally and get it looked at, and report back to you.”
Skin irritation sometimes happens
Karen Voels, an actress based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, had to start preparing for her first colonoscopy 7 days before her March 2022 procedure. The 54-year-old had to stop taking her iron supplement and cut back on fiber before starting the liquid diet phase.
The decrease in fiber provided some relief once the laxatives took effect. “I think because I went so low fiber on the days that I was supposed to be going low fiber, that what came out of me was not like a stool at all,” she says. “I drank blue Gatorade and I drank green Gatorade. There was never a mess.”
Even after taking Dulcolax and drinking Gatorade and Miralax, Karen’s trips to the bathroom overnight weren’t as frequent as she expected. For her, the most uncomfortable part of the process came from cleansing between trips to the bathroom.
“I had Preparation H and witch hazel on recommendation, and I found out that witch hazel in this case isn’t real comforting.”
During the procedure the next day, Karen watched as the healthcare provider removed nine benign polyps from her colon. “I might have been just a little bit phased out right when they were starting, because I don’t remember starting [the colonoscopy], but I remember talking to them and seeing the inside of myself on the monitor.”
What does the doctor say?
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Medical Editor
Colonoscopies are one of the most commonly performed procedures in the U.S., and they are lifesaving. It’s completely natural to be nervous about getting a colonoscopy, though, especially if it’s your first time.
Many people have questions about their colonoscopy preparation. The process varies depending on your medical history and diet. It’s a good idea to ask if you can do a split prep, which is more comfortable than taking your prep all at once.
Some centers prefer one medication over another for colonoscopy prep. Some medications start to work more quickly than others, and some taste better than others, too. Whichever method you use, be prepared to drink a lot.
You usually get to pick a liquid to mix with your prep. It’s best to pick something flavored. Keep the mixture cold, which makes it easier to drink. And consider using a straw if the taste really bothers you. Finally, make sure that you pick a liquid that isn’t red, pink, blue, or purple. The dyes can hang around in your colon and make it hard for your provider to see your colon properly. The dyes can also interfere with tests on your samples and can also be mistaken for blood.
Everyone’s experience is different, but you can rest assured that the colonoscopy itself is painless. You will receive anesthesia so that you don’t feel pain or remember the procedure. Most centers use medications that stop working quickly. That means you shouldn’t feel any lingering side effects. But some people may feel a bit groggy the rest of the day. You won’t be able to drive or work afterwards even if you feel fine. Make sure you take the day off and line up a ride home.
You may also feel bloated and gassy afterwards. This takes a few hours to go away but shouldn’t cause serious pain. If you develop abdominal pain, blood in your stool, or fever after your colonoscopy, call your provider right away. Complications from colonoscopies are rare but sometimes do happen. If you’re not sure about a symptom, it’s alway best to call and check with your provider so you can rest easy.
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