Frequently Asked Questions

No. You get sleep medicine, so you won't feel pain. Some people feel mild bloating or cramping afterward, but it goes away quickly. Most patients say the prep was the hardest part — not the procedure itself.

No. The sleep medicine affects your thinking for up to 24 hours, even if you feel fine. You need a responsible adult to take you home. Most centres will cancel your procedure if you don't have a ride set up.

Tell your doctor well ahead of time. You may need to change your diabetes medications since you will be fasting. Check your blood sugar more often on prep day. Clear drinks with some sugar (like apple juice or sports drinks) can help keep your levels up.

Give it time — it can take 1 to 3 hours to start. Walk around to help get things moving. Make sure you are drinking the prep as directed, not too slowly. If nothing is happening after several hours, call your doctor's office.

Chill it in the fridge. Drink it through a straw. Suck on a hard candy or lemon between glasses. Some people find it easier to drink it quickly. Ask if your prep can be mixed with a clear flavoured drink.

This depends on what you take. Blood thinners usually need to stop 3 to 7 days before. Iron pills should stop 7 days before. Always check with your doctor — never stop medications on your own.

If polyps are found, they are usually removed right away. This is actually a good thing — it stops them from becoming cancer. Your doctor will go over the findings before you go home. Biopsy results take 1 to 2 weeks.

It depends on what is found. If everything looks normal, you may not need another one for 10 years. If polyps are found, your doctor will suggest a shorter wait — usually 3 to 5 years.

Yes. When a doctor orders your colonoscopy, MSP covers it fully. There is no cost to you for the procedure. The prep solution is a prescription that you buy at the pharmacy.

You should take the full day off on procedure day. Most people also stay home the day before for the prep. You can usually go back to normal the day after.

Split prep means you drink half the prep the evening before and half early in the morning on procedure day. Studies show this cleans your colon much better than drinking it all the night before. It is the recommended way to prep.

Yes. Please tell your care team before the procedure. You may need extra monitoring. Bring your CPAP machine to the clinic — some centres use it during recovery.

Yes. Just be careful not to swallow any water. You can also use mouthwash.

A FIT test checks for hidden blood in your stool. You do it at home. If it is positive, you get a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy looks inside the colon directly and can find and remove polyps in the same visit.

Usually, yes. Take important medications like blood pressure pills and heart drugs with a small sip of water on the morning of your procedure. Always check with your doctor first.

Results usually take 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor's office will contact you. If you haven't heard back in 2 weeks, call them to follow up.