What It’s Like to Get a Colonoscopy at 25

A Colonoscopy is a relatively normal procedure, but it’s rare for someone to get one at 25. Here’s my story:

I have been suffering from stomach issues for years. In an attempt to treat the problems, I made significant changes to my eating habits, all at the recommendation from a mixture of both medical and homeopathic doctors. My stomach hasn’t improved dramatically.

Though I am not a doctor, I like researching about health and I believe it is important to understand what’s going on. Preventative measures and preventative medicine is the key to help stay healthy. Though I generally prefer a more holistic approach, sometimes you have to go full medical to figure out if there is something dramatically wrong. 

I had reached my breaking point so I went to a gastroenterologist (doctor who specializes in treating the digestive system) and he recommend I get a colonoscopy.

I thought to myself… “I’m 25, isn’t that for people over 50?”

But once he explained, it made more sense to me, and somewhat ignorantly, I agreed to schedule one for the following week.

What is a Colonoscopy? 

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure where gastroenterologists evaluate the inside of the colon, also called the large intestine. The doctors examine the large intestine by placing a four-foot-long tube with the camera up the anus that is then advanced slowly through to the cecum, the first part of the colon. 

There are two types of colonoscopies, a screening and a diagnostic. A screening is where the doctor looks but doesn’t take any biopsies to study; it is considered as more of a checkup. Screenings are more common for people who reach a certain age, generally 45 and above- looking for signs of colon cancer. It is recommended that healthy people get a colonoscopy every 10 years after the age of 45. A diagnostic colonoscopy is used when patients exhibit issues, like my stomach problems, and it doesn’t matter the age. Diagnostic colonoscopies are slightly more intense because doctors can perform biopsies (taking tissue from the body) to examine it for problems.

I received a diagnostic colonoscopy.

Colonoscopies are generally a safe procedure but they do have risks, learn more information about them here.

Preparing for My Colonoscopy

Okay… Here is where I should have listened more attentively.

You are not allowed to eat solid foods the day before the colonoscopy. Only clear liquids like water, broths, or tea. For more on the pre-colonoscopy diet check out Harvard Health.

I forgot this in the morning, did a crazy workout and was hungry most of the day. Thankfully I wised up during the afternoon because my evening would have been terrible if I didn’t follow the directions.

The reason you can’t eat is because you have to make your stomach completely empty so it can be properly examined by a doctor. 

You may be wondering… How do you clean out your stomach to get it ready? I know I was.

Poo-Poo Juice

No, I’m not kidding. You drink poo poo juice. I call it poo poo juice because that’s what it makes you do.

The one I drank is actually called Suprep. Suprep cannot be bought over the counter because it is an extremely strong laxative. To be fair it is the only one I have ever used, but it worked very effectively on me.

My research on how to use the Suprep came from the nurse’s prep sheet and from watching this video on how to use it. Dr. Davidson, in the video, was not my doctor but he gave great advice. Drink the Suprep through a straw because it makes it more palatable. It doesn’t taste good at all. You have to drink a lot of water within the next hour.

You drink the juice twice, the night before, and morning of the surgery.

Suprep Effectiveness

I was running to the bathroom within minutes of drinking it. Don’t want to get into the details… But, it causes you to go a lot in a short amount of time. I was not mentally prepared. At first, I was laughing. Then, after about an hour of running back and forth, I was more uncomfortable. It made me feel loopy a bit so I had to make sure to stay hydrated.

According to WebMD, “Suprep works by drawing large amounts of water into the colon. This causes watery bowel movements. Clearing stool from the intestines.” Learn more here.

Stool, if it wasn’t obvious, is a medical term for poo poo.

Though I drank a lot of water the first time I took the Suprep, it’s important to take note of when you hydrate if your colonoscopy involves anesthesia, most do. You should not drink 2 hours prior to going under because there is the possibility that you may choke.

Morning of

My colonoscopy was at 10 AM. I woke up at 5 AM because I had to drink my second round of Suprep. It was less intense in the morning because I cleared out most of my colon the night before, but I still had to run. I arrived at hospital around 8:30 to get set up. The nice nurses prepared me and put me in the typical hospital outfit. I felt pretty relaxed until then. The outfit made me feel like I was a patient in Grey’s Anatomy, which I mentioned to the nurses. I think they appreciated the joke, but maybe it was too cheesy to get a laugh. I get cheesy when I’m nervous, and at this point I was incredibly nervous.

Colonoscopy Procedure

The doctors came in around 10:15 AM with a few nurses. They gave me a tube to put in my nose and stuck a needle in my arm. The tube smelled like fresh plastic, it was new. I made some jokes with the anesthesiologist and asked a few anxiety-ridden questions. The sleeping drugs went into my system, my ears began to ring like I just walked out of a nightclub after a long night of partying.

I woke up an hour later, groggy, and in a different room then where I started, which was a bit disorienting. Didn’t feel anything during the procedure because I was under anesthesia.

I woke up saying someone’s name over and over. Maybe I had dreamt about them during the procedure. The nurses kept me in the bed for about another hour because my heart rate and blood pressure were low. The nurses joked that I wasn’t allowed to make any big decisions, such as get married, because my judgement was impaired. I found that funny because my cousin was getting married that day. The wedding was in Israel so I couldn’t attend. Nice photos though, looked beautiful.

You’re also not allowed to operate any heavy machinery. I was in no condition to do anything, honestly, so the thought never crossed my mind. I came home- ate a little- but had to be careful because I had some slight soreness, and then I went to bed and zooinked out.

Next Few Days

As I mentioned, the Colonoscopy is a relatively safe procedure, but it is invasive.

The next few days I felt stomach pain worse than before. You have to be careful about the amount you eat and what you eat for a while after. I had just cleaned out my system entirely and then had it poked and prodded by a doctor, so it was a bit of a shock to my stomach. Thankfully the procedure-related pain went away after about a week, but it was a lot more uncomfortable than normal.

What They found

Nothing… Yet.

Which is good and bad. Good because it means I don’t have a blaring untreated major disease. Bad because it doesn’t give any answers, except ruling out diseases such as Cohn’s.   

What’s Next?

I also did a blood and stool sample, and I am waiting for results.

I will do an imaging of my lower intestine next week. Inflammation there needs to be studied and it cannot be seen through the colonoscopy procedure.

Other Potential Causes

It is important to mention that there are many potential causes for why someone like me would have stomach problems. Some because I am allergic to dairy and gluten, although I don’t eat foods that possess either. Other problems could be genetic, as this runs in my family a bit.

Could also be stress related. I don’t always feel stressed on the surface, but sometimes your body can tell you things that your mind may not always be aware of, or willing to accept.

Final Thoughts

I am curious to see if the doctors find anything. I hope so. With the stomach it doesn’t feel that this will be an easy fix, however, I hope I will find out more and soon.

Would I recommend the procedure to others?

Yes, I think it is okay, but I do wish I knew more about what it would have entailed before I did it.

I am thankful to my doctors and their medical team for being so amazing and professional throughout the entire process.

Wishing everyone stays healthy.

All the best,

Ariel