Colonoscopy

Expert Colonoscopy Care in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Regular colonoscopies help catch this cancer earlier, when it’s easier to treat.  

Gastroenterologists at UMass Memorial Health have the experience and skill to detect and remove even the slightest colorectal abnormalities. You can trust our experts to provide accurate, timely results in a compassionate environment that focuses on your comfort.

What to Expect at Your Colonoscopy

We make your colonoscopy seamless, guiding you through prep, the procedure and your recovery. Here’s what you can expect:

Colonoscopy Prep

A colonoscopy requires you to drink a solution the day before your test that cleans out your bowels. You will need to stay near a bathroom after you drink the solution. This preparation is necessary for doctors to get a clear view of every part of your colon.

After you make your appointment, we provide you with detailed instructions, which include: 

• When and how to drink the prep solution
• Whether you should stop taking certain medications and when to stop taking them
• What to bring to the appointment, such as your identification and insurance card

If you have a MyChart account and opt to receive text messages from us, we send reminders to guide you. You also have contact information for our team, so you can call us anytime you have questions.

Day of Your Appointment

You typically need to arrive 45 minutes before your colonoscopy appointment. You may come by yourself or with a companion who is at least 21. You will need to bring your identification, insurance card and a list of your current medications.

For your safety, you must arrange a ride home after your appointment. We do not allow patients to ride home on a bus or other public transportation. Your options for getting home include:

• Adult driver: Have a friend or family member over 21 drive you home. We will ask you for the phone number of your driver before your procedure.
• Rideshare or taxi with another adult: You can use a rideshare or taxi if you have a responsible adult over 21 riding with you.

During Your Procedure

Our team focuses on your well-being throughout your colonoscopy. Here’s what you can expect: 

1. Get ready: You will change into a hospital gown and lie on a bed with comfortable pillows and blankets.
2. Receive sedation: Depending on your needs and medical history, you will receive either sedation or anesthesia. Sedation prevents pain and makes you feel relaxed. You remain awake but drowsy. Most patients don’t remember much of the experience. Anesthesia means you are asleep for the procedure and feel nothing.
3. Undergo the procedure: Our specialists guide a colonoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light) through your entire colon. Our colonoscope also has a tool that can remove polyps if needed.
4. Recover: Your recovery depends on the type of sedation or anesthesia you had.

Your colonoscopy will likely take less than an hour. The entire appointment takes two to three hours, including sedation and recovery time.

After Your Colonoscopy

After your colonoscopy is complete, we will wheel you into a recovery area where you gradually wake up from the sedation. We will monitor your health, and you may have a light snack or a drink.

Once the sedation has worn off, you can go home with your designated adult. We provide instructions about when you can drive, return to work and other activities.

Understanding Your Colonoscopy Results

We will contact you about your colonoscopy results within two to three weeks. You will receive the results via MyChart, phone call or letter, which will include:

• Overall results of your test and whether we found any polyps or abnormal cells
• Next steps for your care if we took a biopsy (tissue sample)
• Recommendations for follow-up appointments and when to have your next colonoscopy

Other Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests

Sometimes, our providers may recommend another colorectal cancer screening test in addition to a colonoscopy or instead of it. Other colorectal tests we provide include:

• Barium enema: Our providers place barium sulfate (substance that appears white on X-rays) into your colon. Then, we take X-rays to look for signs of colorectal cancer, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• CT colonography: Also called a virtual colonoscopy, this CT scan takes pictures of the inside of your colon and rectum. It requires prep similar to a colonoscopy.
• Fecal immunochemical test (FIT): This test can detect blood in your stool, which may be a sign of polyps, inflammatory bowel disease or other issues. You collect three stool samples at home and send them to a lab for testing.
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: This test is similar to a colonoscopy but only examines the sigmoid colon (the lowest part of your colon). We may order this test if you have abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding.