FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING COLONOSCOPY PREPARATION
In general, if light can shine through a liquid, it is considered a clear liquid. Such examples include water, apple juice, soda, and coffee without creamer. You may also have Jell-o (not red), soup broth (without noodles or vegetable), and popsicles (not red). Click HERE for a sample diet.
We do NOT recommend that you drink alcohol the day before your procedure, since we routinely give sedatives before and during the procedure. The sedatives can interact with alcohol.
Recent studies have shown that completing the preparation six hours prior to the procedure improves detection rates of colon polyps. Many physicians recommend that the preparation be taken in this manner. Depending on your appointment time, this may require you to wake up in the middle of the night to complete the preparation.
Most procedures involve sedation, and if yours does, you will need someone to drive you home. The driver must be present throughout the appointment.
Unfortunately, it is not unusual to become nauseated after taking the colonoscopy preparation. If your stool output is a light-yellow liquid or clear, without solid debris, the preparation that you have completed is probably adequate. If you have been unable to drink enough of the liquid due to nausea or vomiting, please call our office for further instructions.
We recommend that you follow the written instructions, including the starting time. This is to help ensure that your preparation is effective in aiding our ability to detect colon abnormalities such as polyps.
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, but the numbers are beginning to fall as more people learn about the necessity of screening for the early diagnosis of common colon cancers. Screening tests, ordered before symptoms develop, can be critical to diagnosis and treatment. These tests help find cancer early, making a cure more likely.
Screening recommendations, as determined by a physician, depend on an individual’s risk for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening beginning at age 45. If no abnormalities are found, the procedure should be performed every 10 years thereafter, until age 75. People with a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer (such as those with specific gastrointestinal symptoms, certain genetic disorders, a personal history of polyps, or close family history of polyps or colorectal cancer) should begin screening at a younger age, more frequently.
Charlotte Gastroenterology is pleased to offer patient portal access through MyChart.
MyChart gives patients the opportunity communicate with our office during times that are most convenient to them. Once your MyChart account is active, you will be able to:
CGH Mint Hill is located in the Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center, conveniently located off I-485.
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Our Ballantyne office is located off the I-485 Johnson Road exit in the Ballantyne Corporate Park. Both our medical office and endoscopy center can be found in the Ballantyne Medical Two building.
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CGH Huntersville is located less than a mile from Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center in The Park. We’re conveniently located for patients working and living in Huntersville, Concord, Denver, and the lower Lake Norman area.
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Our Matthews office is located in the Matthews Township Office Park, beside Novant Matthews Medical Center, providing a convenient location for those living in area.
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CGH Mooresville and the CGH Mooresville Endoscopy Center are located in Fairview Center, which is adjacent to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and the Lowes Corporate Campus.
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The Randolph Road office and endoscopy center offer a convenient location for those living and working in Charlotte’s beautiful center-city.
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ECLN was established as a joint venture between CGH and Novant to better serve the Lake-area community. Our office can be found on the second floor of the Presbyterian Northpoint building.
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