Three to five years after my last one, it's time to have another colonoscopy.
People are afraid of having this test, but really the only thing that is difficult about this test is the prep.
That really is the worst part.
You have two choices of preps these days. You either have the Tri light which is the gallon of liquid that tastes terrible, bloats your stomach and makes you feel a bit sick.
Or the new one, that you take in 12 hour intervals. It's not nearly as much liquid, but if you schedule your colonoscopy for first thing in the morning, as I do, (and I highly recommend this timing)... then you have to get up at 2 o'clock in the morning to take the second dose and you might lose out on some sleep.
So I chose to do the gallon of liquid as I have done before. Its not that hard, its just a lot of liquid and you do feel quite full.
You'll likely spend a lot of time on the toilet either prep you choose.
Occasional constipation is usually not a big deal. For most of us, with better hydration, it resolves itself without much of a hassle.
However, chronic bouts of constipation are not only uncomfortable, but also can inflame your colon's mucosal lining. This inflammation can cause bowel motility problems in the future.
The problem with chronic constipation is that no one really knows how to define it or treat it. The conventional approach usually involves bowel stimulants which can be unpredictable and ineffective.
Not only that, but who wants to have to rely on bowel stimulants for long periods of time? They're just not a good option for effective relief.