10 Tips for Making Colonoscopy Preparation More Tolerable

No one is excited about getting a colonoscopy.

The most unpleasant aspect of colonoscopy is bowel preparation. The actual procedure is often quick and painless.

Here are 10 tips for making your next colonoscopy more tolerable:

1. Ice. Chill the bowel cleansing liquid by putting it in a fridge or ice bucket.
2. Flavor. Add flavor with lemon juice, lemon slices or sugar free flavor enhancers like Crystal Light®.
3. Straws. Use straw to drink the bowel cleansing agent. Sipping is better than gulping and reduces the bitter taste.
4. Menthol. Sucking on menthol candy while you ingest the bowel cleansing liquid has been shown to improve the taste, leading to better bowel preparation.
5. Sweets. For hunger pangs, you can have honey, hard candies, gelatin, popsicles, fruit ices and sorbet.
6. Baby wipes. To reduce anal irritation, use the softest toilet tissue possible or flushable baby wipes.
7. Movies. Watch an interesting movie to distract yourself and prevent boredom.
8. Books. Get an interesting book to read. Learn something new or entertain yourself while you spend more time than usual on the toilet seat.
9. Champion. Get someone to motivate you. The person can be your partner, a relative or a friend.
10. Reward. Have a reward planned for a successful colonoscopy. Treat yourself to a nice meal or get yourself a gift.

Remember, the greatest reward is preventing colorectal cancer!