WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED DURING COLONOSCOPY?
Colonoscopy is usually well tolerated and rarely causes much pain. There is often a feeling of pressure, bloating, or cramping at various times during the procedure. Your doctor will give you a sedative through a vein to help you relax and better tolerate any discomfort from the procedure. You will be lying on your left side or on you back while the colonoscope is advanced through the rectum and colon. As the instrument is withdrawn, the lining of the intestine is carefully examined. The procedure usually takes anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. In some cases, passage of the colonscope through the entire colon to its junction with small intestine cannot be achieved. The physician will decide if the limited examination is sufficient or if other types of examinations are necessary.
