Here’s what we’re going to cover
Many patients over the years have described to me how they feel so much better after having a colonoscopy. I’m not surprised, and neither should you be, because there is a very logical reason for this.
Feeling better after a colonoscopy doesn’t happen to everyone, but so many people have mentioned it to me that I felt compelled to do this video. So why does it happen?
Why Does this Happen?
It wasn’t the colonoscopy or anything that the doctor did. But it also wasn’t an accident. You felt better because of something that you did. And some things that you didn’t do that you normally do every day.
It was all about the prep for the colonoscopy.
If you’ve had a colonoscopy, then you know what I’m talking about. It’s that super fun experience where you drink a bunch of stuff that makes you sit on the toilet all day.
But that’s not all. You also stopped eating for a day or two.
So you are basically on a fast, and you are completely cleaning out your colon and your entire digestive system.
How many other times in your life have you done that?
Probably not many.
But that process can help you feel a ton better, because now you’re not reacting to anything that you eat, because you aren’t eating. AND, there’s no food sitting in your digestive tract from a day or two ago. So your digestive system can take a little break get some recovery time in.
Of course, that isn’t sustainable, because you need to eat eventually.
Does It Reset My Microbiome?
And although you cleared yourself out, it’s not nearly as thorough as you think. It’s only a visual clearing out. It’s not a complete erasing and reset of the microbiome in your digestive system. It’s still there, although it does take a few days for it to rebuild.
So you might feel a whole lot better for a few days or even a week or two. But it doesn’t last.
The Good News
However, it’s still a good sign.
It means that your digestive system is perfectly capable of recovering once you get the right kind of help figuring out why you feel this way.
That help usually does not arrive in the form of a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is mostly a tool of investigation, and is certainly not a tool to treat the symptoms of IBS.
Your gastroenterologist has done their job. But if they didn’t find much more than a polyp or some inflammation, now you need an IBS specialist. And that’s why I created the specialty in 2005, because there weren’t any places for people like you to go. And we work with people all over the US and the world via telehealth, so you can take advantage of our experience from anywhere.
So don’t just be satisfied with feeling better for a week or two after your colonoscopy. There is a solution that is much longer lasting than that. And that goes for those of you who didn’t feel any better after the colonoscopy too.
Related Content:
Everything You Need to Know About IBS and Colonoscopies
Do You Need Anesthesia for a Colonoscopy
IBS vs. Colon Cancer: Understanding the Differences and Similarities
Dr. Wangen is the founder and medical director of the IBS Treatment Center, the award winning author of two books, and a nationally recognized speaker on digestive disorders. He has been on ABC, NBC, and Fox as well as public radio, and was named one of Seattle’s Top Doctors by Seattle Magazine.