Colonoscopy

incircles_lp2
incircles_lp2 Posts: 132 Member
edited October 6 in Health and Weight Loss
Just curious about something related to colonoscopies (not sure if that's the plural form of colonoscopy or not!).

Does the prep for a colonoscopy clean out everything in your large intestine, even if it's been compacted there for several years, or does it just clean out what you've eaten in the past day or two before the procedure?

Also, if the prep does clean out your entire colon, have some people experienced dramatic weight loss from the event?

Sincerely,

Concerned, soon to be violated by a colonoscopy scope!
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Replies

  • MeganRhea_x
    MeganRhea_x Posts: 57 Member
    I had a colonoscopy last year... I'm not sure what all it cleans out. I know it goes through your whole digestive system so I assume it gets out all it can? But that's just a guess. And also about the weight loss I figure it's probably like if you have a stomach virus and can't keep anything down... Your prep day you have to be on a certain diet, mine was clear liquids so all I ate was jello and Popsicles. So maybe I lost a few pounds by not eating but I'm sure I made up for it the next day. Hope this helps!
  • jdhosier
    jdhosier Posts: 315 Member
    I have one scheduled in a couple of weeks. They game me a concoction to drink that will clear everything out. They can't examine the colon walls unless everything is gone.
  • mamapuddin17
    mamapuddin17 Posts: 108 Member
    I just had one done Fri. i would say it cleaned everything out. I actually weighed more after the procedure because I had to take the pill form and it was loaded with sodium. Also you may have a lot of bloating afterwards,I still have it since Fri.Good luck!
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    I had one and yeah, it empties out everything. There was no change in my weight.

    And uh, if stuff is hanging around in your colon for years, you have bigger problems on your hands than just weight loss.


    PS: the prep isn't a lot of fun, but it's always important to get definitive answers, so it's worth it. Best of luck to you! :)
  • Hyperspace
    Hyperspace Posts: 78
    It cleans out everything so they can see the walls of the colon. I've never had one, but hubby has had four.
    Do the best job you can of "purging" , because if you don't, they might miss something.

    Hubby always hits a steak restaurant for a huge meal after his colonoscopies. I think that's nuts-- I'd use the purge to jump start a diet. (and he could easily stand to lose 30 or 40 lbs)
  • JoDeeD
    JoDeeD Posts: 391
    I had one last year (and an IVP a couple years back with the same prep). I did lose about 5 pounds during the prep. The weight did not stay off though because it takes a couple days to build back the normal stuff that is supposed to be in your intestines. I was not able to eat afterwards either. I ended up getting sick for about 8 hours after my procedure because of the sedative they gave me. When I have my next one I will try to just eat salads for a couple days after. Good luck with your colonoscopy!
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I just had one a couple months ago. It should clean you out pretty good, but if it's that bad that it doesn't you could be headed for surgery anyway. I was on a fastrack to the operating room before I changed my ways. Now I can poo 100% better. Eat a clean diet leading up to the big day. Don't go for one last binge beforehand. Do exactly what it says. If you don't clean yourself out, the consequences could be, at best, painful, or, at worst, dire. Don't cheat.
  • karenwill2
    karenwill2 Posts: 604 Member
    I have to have one every two years. No weight loss. Yes, it cleans everything out. My husband put pictures of my colon in our picture box. People who do it for weight loss are dumb in my opinion. So long as you eat lots of fiber your colon remains rather clean. Abusing that stuff that flushes out your system can cause permanent damage. Don't do anything to your colon your doc does not recommend. Abusing your colon can lead to ulcerative colitis and then you have to give up all stimulants and any medications that can irritate to your stomach/colon. Please do not so that. I didn't end up in this situation by abusing my colon. I got here because I did not know I was gluten intolerant or wheat allergy or whatever, no definitive tests exist to clarify that one. I do know that a colon should be treated like gold. you DO NOT want issues there,
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Nothing has been impacted there for years. You'd be dead by now. It's lots and lots and lots of liquid laxatives, a couple laxative pills, and more time than you would ever expect (or want) to spend on the toilet. I had one a couple years ago. No extreme weight loss, and even if it did result in extreme weight loss, I'd never want to do it that way again!
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    I have to go for one this coming tuesday and am not looking forward to it at all but I have to do it anyhow and am following the instructions given to me to the letter. My diet is pretty high fiber to start with.
  • justanotherbrickinthewall
    justanotherbrickinthewall Posts: 156 Member
    It clears out everything in your large intestine and colon. If you lose weight, it would be water weight.
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?
    perso i am only 38 but am the unlucky winner in the genetic department for colon cancer (thank you dad) so i will have one sometime next year.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?

    I have to have one any day now. I'm 30. The youngest person in my family to be found with colon polyps was 35, and the rule is to get checked 5 years before the youngest positive relative.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?
    In my case it is a combo of family cancer history and years of a piss poor diet, last year I got on track, started really taking care of myself as I had a long ongoing case of hemorrhoids which ended up being the reason why my doc scheduled me for this to see if we can find the root cause of the issue. Granted since cleaning up my diet and getting back into a gym has helped tremendously but I still have issues and this will hopefully give me some answers.
  • applebobbrush
    applebobbrush Posts: 235 Member
    I have to have one every two years as I have ulcerative colitis (which is caused by a glitch in my immune system, not by stress, or by doing colon cleanses as some people say). You don't lose weight from them at all, if you do you'll get it back the day after. If you eat a lot of fiber, remember most doctors recommend that you stop high fiber several days before the procedure. Jello does count as clear liquid, thank God! I highly recommend Charmin toilet paper and some Preperation H, your bum is going to be sore the evening before after you drink your prep. The procedure itself is pain free so no worries. I felt fine afterwards, a bit groggry but mainly hungry.
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
    Just curious about something related to colonoscopies (not sure if that's the plural form of colonoscopy or not!).

    Does the prep for a colonoscopy clean out everything in your large intestine, even if it's been compacted there for several years, or does it just clean out what you've eaten in the past day or two before the procedure?

    Also, if the prep does clean out your entire colon, have some people experienced dramatic weight loss from the event?

    Sincerely,

    Concerned, soon to be violated by a colonoscopy scope!

    When I've had them, they have instructed me to eat a clear liquid diet approximately 3 days ahead of the prep itself, and by the time you're done, nothing colored should be coming out- it should be clear...otherwise they'll have to give you an enema @ the facility.

    As long as you are scheduled for this procedure, it's just an added bonus to how it can get your system *purged* of all the *crap* (literally) in there-
    but I would NEVER do it DELIBERATELY, nor abuse this prep

    YES, the last time I had one done, I lost a few pounds.
    Then, the next few days, I was dealing with fluid retention because most of the preps involve a LOT of sodium........


    However, herein lies the irony......unless I'm planning to NEVER eat anything else again.....the weight returns as soon as I put food in my mouth........
    so I REALLY don't understand why someone would resort to this for "weight loss?"
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    I think you're confusing a "colonic" which is basically an aenema, with a colonoscopy

    In a colonoscopy, you drink this stuff that flushes your digestive system. In normal adults, there isn't compacted stuff in your colon. This is only done so that the doctor can adequately visualize your colon, safely remove polyps, etc

    I know a lot of "cleansing" proponents like to tell people that there is stuff like rotting meat, toxins, and a spackle like coating of blah blah blah in your colon, but that's all false.

    In SEVERELY obese people, it is possible to have digestion so slow that food rots before it is expelled from your body. I'm talking people that are like 400lbs, though

    Compacted bowels are symptomatic of several conditions, but I have NEVER heard of a case where someone has stuff in there for years.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?

    You get them if you're being examined for things like gluten intolerance, Crohns, IBS, etc etc etc

    Us young people get diseases too.
  • GMUPatriot
    GMUPatriot Posts: 9
    Just finishing prep about to go have mine at noon. I weigh myself daily and dropped 4 lbs from yesterday morning to this morning. I also just drank water leading up to the prep so that might something to do with it.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    make sure if they are banding any hemorrhoids that you take lots of sitz baths post op, it was a god send for me to heal up and get back to myself.
  • WillUAre
    WillUAre Posts: 81 Member
    My lost was 3 lbs.
  • YorkiepuddingBird
    YorkiepuddingBird Posts: 24
    Would one expect to lose weight after taking the prep and before the actual procedure? Reason i ask is i am having one soon and it falls on the same day i get weighed at a slimming class.. be good if i'm mega light before the procedure, and a bonus too hehe.. I need the procedure as i have the bowel cancer gene :(
  • Mof3wc
    Mof3wc Posts: 126 Member
    Would one expect to lose weight after taking the prep and before the actual procedure? Reason i ask is i am having one soon and it falls on the same day i get weighed at a slimming class.. be good if i'm mega light before the procedure, and a bonus too hehe.. I need the procedure as i have the bowel cancer gene :(


    You're very brave to plan to be somewhere before the procedure....once things start moving they don't stop for quite awhile. Make sure you begin early enough the night before that you'll be finished long before your weigh in. You don't want to be running for a bathroom.

    But yes, you should have some weight loss. Not only will you be totally empty, but usually you're not allowed to even sip water for hours before the procedure.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Just curious about something related to colonoscopies (not sure if that's the plural form of colonoscopy or not!).

    Does the prep for a colonoscopy clean out everything in your large intestine, even if it's been compacted there for several years, or does it just clean out what you've eaten in the past day or two before the procedure?

    Also, if the prep does clean out your entire colon, have some people experienced dramatic weight loss from the event?

    Sincerely,

    Concerned, soon to be violated by a colonoscopy scope!
    I've a colonoscopy done before. You just fast and take this laxative stuff to clean out your colon so the doctor can see everything he needs to see.

    The colonoscopy clean-out method is not something to be used for weight loss. You can harm your body because it usually involves the use of laxatives.

    You certainly lose water weight, but it comes back once you start eating normally.

    That said, a day or two after mine I went for a run at the gym, and that was the best run I'd had in a long time. I felt really light.

    Things returned to normal after about three or four days, though.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?

    It depends on your health. For example, I had to have one before 50 due to a problem I was having.

    I believe my aunts had to have colonoscopies prior to 50 due to my grandfather getting colon cancer when he was younger.
  • YorkiepuddingBird
    YorkiepuddingBird Posts: 24
    Would one expect to lose weight after taking the prep and before the actual procedure? Reason i ask is i am having one soon and it falls on the same day i get weighed at a slimming class.. be good if i'm mega light before the procedure, and a bonus too hehe.. I need the procedure as i have the bowel cancer gene :(


    You're very brave to plan to be somewhere before the procedure....once things start moving they don't stop for quite awhile. Make sure you begin early enough the night before that you'll be finished long before your weigh in. You don't want to be running for a bathroom.

    But yes, you should have some weight loss. Not only will you be totally empty, but usually you're not allowed to even sip water for hours before the procedure.

    I had a call to say they had a appointment available so i know my health is important so off i shall be trotting, literally!... I have my first prep on Tuesday pm and then next at 6am on the wednesday.. weigh in is 9.30am!! i'm hoping by then, the majority will have left me on the Tuesday.. I shall make sure i am near the toilet though, just incase xx
  • brashz
    brashz Posts: 9
    I thought you weren't supposed to have one until you're 50+? Why are all these young people having one, or why do you guys know so much about them!?



    I've been going every 3-5 years since I was 19. I'm now 37. I also have a family history of colon cancer as well as stomach cancer so I have the added bonus of a gastroscopy at the same time.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I ended up getting sick for about 8 hours after my procedure because of the sedative they gave me.

    You can do them without anaesthetic, too. I've had 2 that way and I didn't find it any worse than menstrual cramps. Since they always have you hooked up to an IV anyway they can probably give you some if it gets bad (I've heard that if you have unusual twists and turns and adhesions it may be painful). It's also pretty interesting to watch on the TV if you can get over the "yuck" factor.

    I didn't weigh myself before and after but I agree that any weight loss is temporary.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I ended up getting sick for about 8 hours after my procedure because of the sedative they gave me.

    You can do them without anaesthetic, too. I've had 2 that way and I didn't find it any worse than menstrual cramps. Since they always have you hooked up to an IV anyway they can probably give you some painkiller if it gets bad (I've heard that if you have unusual twists and turns and adhesions it may be painful). It's also pretty interesting to watch on the TV if you can get over the "yuck" factor.

    I didn't weigh myself before and after but I agree that any weight loss is temporary.
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