What are the next steps if colonoscopy preparation does not work?
Sometimes, the preparation solution, or prep, that a person drinks before a colonoscopy to clear the bowels does not work. In such cases, people can take steps to help the solution to do its job correctly.
A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light on the end into a person’s colon. Colonoscopies allow doctors to look inside the colon for anything that could be abnormal.
As the doctor will need to see the lining of the colon, the bowels must be empty for the procedure to be successful. One of the main preparations for a colonoscopy involves drinking a special liquid or taking other oral laxatives that induce diarrhea and empty the bowels.
On some occasions, the prep may not work, and the bowels may not be empty by the time a person is due to undergo their procedure. As the doctor could miss important details by performing the colonoscopy without the bowel being empty, the procedure may need repeating or rescheduling.
In this article, we discuss what to do if the colonoscopy prep is not working. We also provide tips on how to drink all the prep and explain the other steps a person can take before a colonoscopy.
