Colonoscopy

You may have heard scary or unpleasant stories about preparing for a colonoscopy. While this procedure may feel inconvenient at the time, it’s not painful. And it’s often easier than expected.

Colonoscopy procedures are conveniently performed in a non-hospital setting. This provides our patients with a less intimidating environment than a large healthcare facility. Simply, the patients in our office are generally healthier than patients needing a procedure at a hospital, thus decreasing your chances of contracting illnesses.

Most importantly, a colonoscopy can save your life. Colon cancer is curable 90% of the time when caught early.

This page will discuss how a colonoscopy can diagnose symptoms and prevent colon cancer. We’ll also highlight how to select the best doctor for your colonoscopy, the colon cancer screening guidelines and colonoscopy prep.

A colonoscopy is a procedure that examines the inside of the colon with a camera. This allows a doctor to see the intestinal inner lining and biopsy tissue.

In addition to screening for colon cancer, colonoscopy is often used to diagnose the cause of symptoms such as:

• Abdominal pain
• Blood in the stool
• Change in bowel habits
• Narrowing of the stool

Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colon cancer screening. This is because it is the only screening exam that can both detect and remove polyps at the same time.

With other testing options, if they test positive for colon cancer you will then need to have a colonoscopy to remove and biopsy the detected polyps.

Polyps are small growths that can become cancerous over time. Colon cancer treatment is most successful with early detection. Sadly, the chances of survival decrease in the later stages of the disease. This is why colon cancer screening is crucial to reduce your risk and extend your life.

Many times, colon cancer shows no symptoms until the cancer spreads. But a colonoscopy can catch cancer early and prevent the development of medical complications.

When selecting a doctor to perform your colonoscopy, it’s important to look at the doctor’s qualifications for this procedure rather than simply searching for a colonoscopy doctor near me.

According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the best indications to measure a doctor’s skills and thoroughness during colonoscopy are adenoma detection rate (ADR) and cecal withdrawal time.

ADR is the number of polyps your gastroenterologist finds on average. Adenomas are precancerous polyps that arise throughout the colon. The goal of screening colonoscopies is to find and remove these polyps. Removing adenomatous polyps decreases the rate of colorectal cancer, which is the 2^nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.

The withdrawal time is not the length of the entire exam. Rather it is the amount of time your gastroenterologist spends pulling the scope back out of the colon and looking around for colon polyps.

The ASGE accepted average adenoma detection rate and withdrawal times are:
Adenoma Detection Rate: 25%
Withdrawal Time: 6 minutes

Dr. Sameer Islam’s average adenoma detection rate and withdrawal times are:
Adenoma Detection Rate: 60%
Withdrawal Time: 6.98 minutes

As you can see, Dr. Sameer Islam finds and removes more polyps than the average doctor. He also spends more time searching for polyps. This can greatly reduce your risk of colon cancer.

If you need a colonoscopy in Lubbock, TX, you can schedule an appointment online or call our office at (806) 696-4440.

For qualifying individuals, we offer the option of an Open Access Colonoscopy. This option allows you to schedule your screening colonoscopy right away and skip the normal office visit before the procedure, which saves you the time and copay expense of an office visit. Our scheduler can explain this option when you call the office.

The American Cancer Society created colon cancer screening guidelines that outline when you should receive a screening colonoscopy based on certain risk factors.

If you have an average risk for colon cancer, you should begin screening at age 45.

You’re at average risk for colon cancer if you do not have:

• Personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• Family history of colon cancer
• Personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Hereditary colon cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis, Lynch syndrome)
• Personal history of abdominal or pelvic radiation

If you have an increased risk for colon cancer, you may need to begin screening before age 45.

You’re at an increased risk for colon cancer if you have:

• Family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• Personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• Personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Family history of hereditary colon cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis, Lynch syndrome)
• Personal history of abdominal or pelvic radiation

You may be due for colon cancer screening if you have any of the above risk factors. If you live in Lubbock, Texas, you can contact our office at (806) 696-4440 or schedule an appointment online to learn when you should start screening.

Colonoscopy preparation is important for the successful completion of the procedure. If you do not follow your prep instructions, you will need to reschedule your colonoscopy.

When preparing for a colonoscopy, you will need to make changes to your medication schedule and diet. You may need to stop taking certain medications in the days leading up to your procedure. This may include blood thinners and diabetic medication. But you can continue to take prescribed medications for:

• Blood pressure
• Heart
• Breathing
• Pain
• Seizures

You will also complete bowel prep before your procedure to clean out your colon. This will make it easier to see any abnormalities or polyps during the procedure. Following a low-fiber diet 3 days before your procedure can make cleansing your bowels easier. This is because you will have less undigested food to pass.

A low-fiber diet avoids the following foods:

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Popcorn
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Whole grains
• Fruit

The day before your procedure, you will need to start a clear liquid diet. This is also when you’ll take the recommended laxatives to empty your bowels.

You can eat the following foods on a clear liquid diet:

• Gatorade (orange or green)
• Clear broth
• Clear beverages
• Strained fruit juices (no pulp)
• Jell-O
• Popsicles

Foods that you cannot eat on a clear liquid diet include:

• Foods with red or purple dye
• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Milk
• Creamer
• Noodles
• Vegetables
• Juice with pulp
• Dark liquids you can’t see through

After completing your bowel prep, your stools should be a clear or yellow liquid. This signals that you are ready for your procedure.

Smoking can cause life-threatening complications when combined with anesthesia. You are not allowed to smoke the day before your procedure or the day of. If you do, you will need to reschedule your procedure.

Preparing for a colonoscopy involves many steps, which is why we give you specific instructions to make your prep easier. If you have any questions about colonoscopy prep, you can contact our office.

You will receive anesthesia during the colonoscopy, so you will not feel or remember anything. This also means that you will need someone to drive you home.

A colonoscopy is usually safe and painless. But you may experience mild symptoms after your procedure. These symptoms may include:

• Abdominal cramping
• Bloating
• Gas pains

In rare cases, you may experience complications of colonoscopy. You should get emergency medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Rectal bleeding
• Fever
• Vomiting blood