Most people put off a colonoscopy because of the unknowns, not the procedure itself. What does the prep involve? Will it hurt? How long until I feel normal again? This page walks through each stage for patients of our Fort Collins office on Timberline Road, so you know what to expect from the first phone call to your results.

Colonoscopies for Fort Collins patients are performed by our board-certified gastroenterologists, including Dr. Abraham Brass, Dr. Rebecca Dunphy, Dr. Mark Durkan, Dr. Jaclyn Fackler, Dr. Daniel Hampton, Dr. Nicole Kershner and Dr. Patrick Webb. For a general overview of the procedure, see our colonoscopy page.

Screening or Diagnostic: Why You Are Having One Matters

A screening colonoscopy is done when you have no symptoms, to look for polyps or early cancer before problems start. Most adults at average risk are advised to begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45. People with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps may need to start earlier and repeat more often.

A diagnostic colonoscopy is done to find the cause of symptoms such as rectal bleeding, a lasting change in bowel habits, unexplained anemia or abdominal pain. The procedure is the same either way, but the reason can affect how insurance processes the claim, so it is worth confirming your benefits ahead of time.

Who should talk to us about screening sooner

• Anyone with a parent, sibling or child diagnosed with colorectal cancer or advanced polyps
• People with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• Anyone who has had polyps removed in the past
• People with a known inherited syndrome that raises colorectal cancer risk

The Days Before: Consultation and Bowel Prep

Before your procedure, a member of our team reviews your health history, medications and any questions you have. If you take blood thinners, you may be asked to pause them for a short time, and patients with diabetes or those taking GLP-1 medications receive specific guidance.

The most important part of the process is the bowel prep. A clean colon gives your physician a clear view, and an incomplete prep can mean repeating the procedure. Your instructions will name one specific prep, such as Suprep, MoviPrep, GoLytely, Clenpiq, Sutab, a Miralax regimen or magnesium citrate, along with when to stop eating and drinking. Printable instructions for each prep are on our procedures and prep page.

Tips that make prep easier

• Pick up your prep a few days early so you are not scrambling the day before
• Stock clear liquids you actually like, such as broth, light-colored sports drinks and gelatin without red or purple dye
• Chill the prep solution if your instructions allow it, since many people find it easier to drink cold
• Plan to stay close to a bathroom once the prep starts working
• Follow the timing exactly, including the second dose if your prep is split

If you are unsure about any step, call the office and ask to speak with your doctor’s nurse or medical assistant. It is much better to ask than to arrive with an incomplete prep.

Procedure Day at Harmony Surgery Center

Most Fort Collins colonoscopies take place at Harmony Surgery Center on East Harmony Road. Some are performed at Poudre Valley Hospital or the Medical Center of the Rockies when a hospital setting is the better fit. You can find addresses and hours for every site on our endoscopy centers page.

You will receive a sedative before the procedure begins, and your vital signs are monitored throughout. Your physician guides a thin, flexible scope with a small camera through the colon to examine its lining. If polyps are found, they can usually be removed during the same procedure, and small tissue samples can be taken for testing. Many patients remember little or nothing of the procedure itself.

The Rest of the Day

Because of the sedative, you must arrange for someone to drive you home. You will rest in a recovery area for a short time while the sedation wears off. Afterward:

• Large meals may be hard to eat at first, so start light
• Gas and some bloating are normal as air leaves the colon
• Mild discomfort can usually be eased with simple at-home measures
• Avoid alcohol for the rest of the day and drink plenty of water

Call your care team if you develop severe abdominal pain, fever, or more than a small amount of bleeding.

Reading Your Results

Your physician will share what they saw once you are awake enough to talk it through. If polyps were removed or biopsies taken, the samples go to a pathology lab, and your care team will follow up once those results are back. Pathology is billed separately, so patients who have a biopsy receive one statement from the pathologist and one from our office.

Your findings also set the timing of your next colonoscopy. A normal exam in an average-risk adult usually means a long interval before the next one, while polyps can mean returning sooner. Our article on what happens when a polyp is found explains the next steps in more detail.

Is a Stool Test Enough?

At-home kits such as Cologuard are a convenient option for some average-risk adults, but they are not as effective as a colonoscopy at finding colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps. A positive stool test also means you will need a follow-up colonoscopy. A colonoscopy remains the standard because it can find and remove polyps in the same visit. Our comparison of colonoscopy and Cologuard goes through the trade-offs.

Book a Colonoscopy Consultation in Fort Collins

If you are turning 45, have a family history of colorectal cancer or have symptoms you want checked, our Fort Collins team can help you get scheduled. Phone the Fort Collins office to set up a consultation, or send us a message and our staff will reach out.