Will a colonoscopy reveal?

I’m about to get my first colonoscopy.

I’m afraid the doctor will somehow see something in my colon and determine that I regularly use enemas (2-3X/week).

Has anyone else had a doctor discover this?

Should I just tell them up front?

I doubt he would find anything to indicate you take enemas. Don’t worry about it.

I am 70+ years old and I have never had a colonoscopy, however I seriously doubt a doctor would be able to tell if you are a regular enema user from a examination. I have had negative effects from anesthesia they use to put me under many years ago to fix a few shattered broken bones. It’s like it sucked my soul out of my body and I believe it did for a while. Now I developed a phobia with being under sedation, and that’s why I have never had a colonoscopy.

Hi, I've had the same enterologist for quite a few year now. I've been up front with him about my weekly usage of an enema series. I've had many colonoscopies due to family history - I never take the meds and prefer to watch the whole procedure. Only the last 'turn' is a bit un-comfortable when the scope is inserted - and mostly from the air introduced to expand the colon.

Regarding his findings - he says I have an enlarged transverse colon but not mega-colon - most likely due to my enema use but to not be concerned. I have very little diverticular and no polyps. Says my colon is very healthy.

BJ

@Silver_Bullet said,

Now I developed a phobia with being under sedation, and that’s why I have never had a colonoscopy.

That’s not an issue, when I had a colonoscopy a number of years ago. I simply told the doctor, no needles and no drugs. He told me, he didn’t have a problem with it. Telling me around ten to fifteen percent of his parents make the same request. Besides, it was fascinating watching the colonoscopy on the monitor as it traveled up my colon and back. Something you can’t do when they give you the twilight drug. And having done enemas for well over sixty years, feeling the scope travel up my colon wasn’t an issue either.

I had many colonoscopies and take enemas all the time (fleet type prescribed by doc and soapy water ones). Only thing colonoscopy shows is damage to your colon, polyps, cancer, or ulcers. I never have sedation as i drive to hospital and drive home after.

As has been said before in other discussions anything you tell your doctor, medical professionals, will be noted for all to see in your medical history/file. All who view your file will know and judge accordingly. Be careful what information you give up to them for that reason.

As an aging old fart, I have had several colonoscopies and other examinations where a bowel prep was required. In many cases, I worried that it would be obvious how I prepped. If anyone ever became aware, it was never mentioned to me. In fact, I was often told that my prep was very adequate. In one situation, I had declined sedation and watched the entire process. The nurse who attended me throughout, inquired about the preparation. I shared that I had used colon hydro-therapy due to the nausea I previously experienced. She was quite interested and indicated she would likely try it for her future exams. She did mention that most patients hated the enemas that had been fairly common in the past.

My gastroenterolgist knows about my enema use, and the colonoscopy procedure has caused him to remark on how healthy my colon is. I come from a family with a history of colon cancer on the male side, and on several exams, starting at the age of forty five, precancerous polyps were removed. Due to some kidney and liver failures, broght on by the side effects of the medications I was taking, led to the start of the Gerson Therapy. Fifteen years later, I have had no polyps, diverticuli or any other colonic problems. An interesting possible benefit is that since starting Gerson, no colds, flu or Covid, even though exposed many times.

@Silver_Bullet

One of the things that we need to be avare of, at our advancing age, is a problem known as anasthesia dementia, which can have some long term effects.

@AbleBaker as someone who works in Endoscopy you can tell any patient that regularly takes enemas as the colon will show sins of Melanosis Coli. Melanosis coli is a medical condition caused by the release of a pigment molecule — called lipofuscin — into the mucus membranes of the large intestine (colon). The most common way that it’s discovered is through a colonoscopy, a test that is used to detect polyps or other irregularities in the colon.

Melanosis coli causes a dark brown mucosal pigmentation in the proximal colon, which refers to the beginning portion of the large intestine that connects to the small intestine and the middle regions of the large intestine. However, there are some reported cases where the coloration was almost black in color. ‌

Most patients with melanosis coli also have increased rates of polyps in their colon. Polyps are cell growths that come out of the mucus lining and are typically not harmful. It is unclear how melanosis coli is linked to this increased rate of colon polyps.‌

There's question as to whether increased polyps is a true symptom of melanosis coli. The increased rate of polyp detection could be due to the darker intestinal coloration that melanosis coli causes. This coloration change makes polyps easier to see in a colonoscopy.‌

There's some evidence of increased rates of adenomas — non-cancerous tumors — in patients with melanosis coli. In general, these are not a cause for alarm. ‌More research is needed to determine if this condition is simply a change in coloration or a sign of deeper problems and chronic injury to the colon.

Melanosis coli is most often seen in people ages 45 and older. But anyone who uses laxatives for more than a few months at a time may develop the condition. It’s seen equally in men and women. The particular kinds of laxatives that lead to melanosis coli contain sennosides, which are found in rhubarb and the senna plant. These types of over-the-counter herbal laxatives don’t become active until they have passed into the large intestine. Once active, they cause damage to the mucus lining and the cells die. This cell death creates the dark pigment that is seen in colonoscopies. Other cells in your body eventually clean up these dead cells. Osmotic or diphenolic laxatives are not associated with melanosis coli.

@RN1993 - in part you say that melanoisis coli is connected with sennosides (as I understand it this is the case) but in the beginning you also link it with enemas, but later on say that it is not a feature of diphenolic (Dulcolax is most common) or osmotic laxatives, and most enemas will likely be closer to the osmotic side then the sennosides side. I do know that certain enemas (especially stronger glycerin or phosphate) show inflammation for a few days, less so with soapsuds, even less so with tap water, and not noticeable with normal saline or PEG enemas. Curious about this - do some non sennosoid enemata also cause melanosis coli?

@RN1993

I asked my internist about this subject several years ago, and the answer I got was essentially the same-a salt/soda solution does not cause the melananosis coli to present, even when combined with a coffee solution. It appears that the combination of an isotonic solution with the buffering of the baking soda to raise the pH to a slightly alkaline level will prevent the damage to the intestinal lining.

@moliere said,

- in part you say that melanoisis coli is connected with sennosides (as I understand it this is the case) but in the beginning you also link it with enemas, but later on say that it is not a feature of diphenolic (Dulcolax is most common) or osmotic laxatives, and most enemas will likely be closer to the osmotic side then the sennosides side.

A number of years ago when I had a colonoscopy, my Gastroenterologist asked me how my prep went. I had been prescribed Miralax (PEG). I told him, I cut the prescription in half after reading the directions on the Miralax bottle. Then, followed my RN grandmothers procedure for doing a good clean out when I was growing up. At that, he laughed and said, “I know exactly what you’re talking about. Now I understand why you request no drugs. After doing a clean out from an RN of your grandmothers era, if you didn’t have a problem with her 3H enemas, you won’t have a problem handling the colonoscopy.” Once the procedure was complete, and he gave me the test results. My colon got a clean bill of health, no issues whatsoever. Then asked me about the enemas I had done in preparation for the test. I told him, along with the Miralax, I did two 2.5 quart salt and baking soda rinse enemas the evening before and then one 2.5 quart salt and baking soda rinse enema that morning. Changing the first enema from normally Ivory soap to salt and baking soda. Then he commented, my colon was as clean as he has seen.

When i have colonoscopy, doctor ask about preparation, i didn't tell about enemas.

PEG solutions are not well clean me.

I've had several colonoscopies and I did tell the 'lady' Dr that I have frequent enemas but she said she wasn't interested in my play time and concerned about my health. I only had one polyp which she said they attended to and "see you in 2 years time". Nothing about my water use. regards, irrigator333.

Just closing the loop in this. The doctor never asks and never mentioned anything. Thanks all for the advice. AB