Recovery from Colonoscopy
 

After you've had your colonoscopy and your colon is as clean as a whistle (i.e., all the bacteria has been cleaned out), what do you do to reestablish the bacteria. Some have said they rush out to a restaurant as soon as the colonoscopy is over. How can you digest your food properly without the bacteria? Has that been a problem for anyone?

Thanks.

P.S. I'm not a colonoscopy person, just asking out of curiosity because I think it's interesting. I read the book, "Should I Be Tested For Cancer?" Maybe Not and Here's Why.

I was unaware tha all the bacteria was "cleaned out". I seriously doubt it to be the case, however I really don't know.

What I do know is I have never met or heard of anybody, including my wife and my repeated procedures, having any issues of any digestion issues of any kind. For us it is out of the doctor's office to one of our favorite restaurants and celebrate the good news and the end of the fast and blast.

btk

After I had mine went right to a restaurant and had breakfast. My surgery is always first thing on the morning and I'm starved after I wke up. No problems with eating.takes a little while to get back on schedule for a bowel movement.i have had 5 surgeries since I was 50. Keep finding polyps but no cancer. Thank god.

Flushing the bowel does not result in "sterile bowel" which happens after the use of some antibiotics when the good flora is killed along with the enemy bad guys. (bacteria) Then the good flora has to be re-introduced with something that contains it. Usually some strain of lactobacillus like in yogurt.

All this going, this fast and blast.....just gets rid of the food...not the bugs. The good bugs.

It's all good.

What you do on any other day_ nothing special.

Do you think it is harmful to have a colonoscopy every five years?

I never read the book, but it wouldn't be harmful to have a colonoscopy in five years. If you are one of the unlucky ones to be a polyp grower, you would want to get them removed before they grow into cancer. If a polyp was ever missed, which can happen because of a poor prep, or it is hiding behind a fold , or even flat in nature and previously overlooked , you would want to find it and have it removed.

Why, Bare, in a nutshell, what does the book have to say on the subject? I'm just curious.

Msendo, I haven't read the book, I was asking the question of Villages PL because I assume he read it. I totally agree with your opinion that a colonoscopy every five years is an excellent preventive procedure. I just thought that VP has a different perspective to offer.

I have been on a 3 year cycle since having bleeding polyps in 1999..... Non cancerous. And unfortunately I have had a polyp or two each time. Last one no polyps. And if none again this year then go to every 5 years.

The only "bad" is the usual risk of anesthesia or a puncture of the colon which are very rare out of all colonoscopies ever done.

Btk

I think a colonscopy is a safe procedure needed for people who's family had a history of colon cancer. It should be done for men at age 50 for preventive measures and peace of mine.

Some people don't believe in having a colonoscopy or may think it's too much work with the prep. To each his/her own.

I want to know that everything is ok, but that's me. :smiley:

I would think of your colonscopy day as a day of fasting and ridding the body of toxins. Most people are so hungry they will go to first restaurant and order something huge. You could start on probiotics, try to introduce foods back into your body gently and watch for reactions. May be a good time to see if you are allergic to any particular food.

Never had issues with digestion afterwards. Only thing on my mind that morning was the trip to I-Hop for the biggest breakfast I could possibly order.

Not sure where you got your information but the prep for a colonoscopy is to clean out the waste material not the bacteria and even if you religiously follow all of the instructions for the prep you would still have small amounts of waste and certainly still have your bacteria.

Barefoot there was a time when I had more than two a year. the danger is if they perforate the linning of the bowel

:ho::agree: I would just add that the older a person gets the greater the risk of perforation because of thinning of the bowel lining.