“The Prep is worse than the Colonoscopy!”

Listening to our patients’ feedback of getting themselves ready for a Colonoscopy, this is not an uncommon remark and sometimes, the real reluctance for having the short day-stay endoscopy procedure itself! 

So why do patients need to go through a “bowel preparation” before having a Colonoscopy? 

This is because the large bowel or colon needs to be clear or as empty as possible so that your Endoscopist or the doctor performing the procedure can have the best views of your colon to make a diagnosis and to minimise the risk of any polyps (pre-cancerous growths) or lesions from being missed. 

Here at Waitemata Endoscopy (WE) optimising the best outcome for the individual patient is a priority for us.  Every referral is triaged by our Senior Endoscopy Nurses first to ensure that our friendly Customer Service team asks the relevant questions to determine the right amount of “bowel prep” for adequate cleansing based on your own bowel habits.  In addition, your medical history as well as the list of medications you take will be taken, to provide any individual advice if required.  This is usually done over the phone, so it is handy to have a list of your regular medications with you.

To support good bowel cleansing, a low fibre diet, which reduces the volume of your bowel movements, is usually started 3 days prior to a Colonoscopy.  At times, depending on the individual, this may need to be longer to ensure the best outcome for the patient.  This involves avoiding certain foods such as wholegrain bread, nuts, seeds, and skins.  While this may sound a bit restrictive, there are still plenty of food options left during this short time, and we have developed patient resources to guides you through this.

How can you offer a Colonoscopy in just 7 working days of a referral, that almost seems too quick?

We have been working really hard to solve the problem of timely access.  When you let us match you with the availability of our 17 experienced Specialists across the Waitemata Endoscopy Group without specifying a specific doctor, we can schedule most standard Colonoscopy appointments within 7 working days of a GP, Specialist referral or self referral.  All of our Specialists have had international training and extensive experience, which makes for a complete service for all Gastrointestinal disorders and diseases, or symptoms which require you to have a Colonoscopy  for peace of mind.

At Waitemata Endoscopy, taking a proactive approach to your gut health is easy, and our nurses, as well as doctors, are one of the most complimented parts of our service, as we know first-hand, the impact to patients of providing exceptional endoscopy care in our community.

Sihaam Bagus - Charge Nurse, Waitemata Endoscopy. To see the video tour of our clinics, please visit www.waitemataendoscopy.co.nz/locations.