At Virginia Colonoscopy, we want to keep our patients informed about their healthcare. That includes answering all of your questions about your care, the exam process, and answering any concerns you might have.
Here’s one (of many) question that our patients frequently ask:
Do they put you to sleep for a colonoscopy?
Yes. Colonoscopies can now be done with a light anesthesia where you fall asleep very quickly and wake up just as quickly so that you are not groggy after the procedure. It also shortens the procedure time because you are comfortable and not moving at all. The newer anesthetics such as propofol work very quickly and are amazingly free of side effects. If you have questions about what type of anesthesia you are going to have with your colonoscopy, contact the doctor who is going to do the procedure and find out directly from them as it can vary slightly from physician to physician.
For more information on the colonoscopy procedure and the prep, please visit our page on the colonoscopy procedure.
We even provide videos that will walk you through the preparation for your exam and what to expect after your appointment.
The most important thing for you to know is that it’s low to no risk. The upside is that you can be confident about your gastro-intestinal health, and that’s not to be taken lightly. If we do find any issues, the vast majority of them are very treatable. Not knowing about your health doesn’t make a problem go away. Ignoring a potential health risk only makes it harder to treat if you do discover there’s a reason to investigate further or to act urgently to remedy your situation.
Do yourself a favor and contact us to book your appointment ASAP. A quick 15-minute exam, which you’ll sleep through, will tell us a lot about your gastro-intestinal health. From there, we can easily provide a care plan if one is needed.
Dr. Keith Berger, M.D.
