First Colonoscopy Experience: What the Prep Was Really Like (And Why You’ll Be Fine)

Do you need a colonoscopy? Well, the name of this site is MIDLIFE Bestie, so chances are pretty good you do. If you’re worried about your first colonoscopy experience, I’m here to tell you my story and assure you it’s really, truly not that bad. Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a health care professional of any sort, so be sure to check with your doctor about what is right for you. I’m just a girl telling you all about my colonoscopy experience. So here we go (and go and go and go…)

My First Colonoscopy Experience: Why I Finally Scheduled the Appointment

This past New Year’s, my husband and I toasted 2025 with a glass of champagne, a midnight kiss and a solemn vow to get colonoscopies in 2025. Someday I’ll share my tips for keeping that kind of romance alive after 30-plus years of marriage. 

Neither of us has a history of colon cancer in our families, and I had done the Cologuard mail test when I turned 50, but I still had this nagging thought that we should do the “real” kind. I had read several articles about colon cancer rates increasing in younger adults, In fact, the screening age has gone from 50 to 45 in recent years. I am really good about my annual mammograms and other screening tests, but this one kept getting pushed to the back of the line. 

No more. I was going to be a big, brave girl and get it done! And then I would nag my husband to get his.

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How to Schedule Your First Colonoscopy Appointment

Some doctors, like mine, will do direct scheduling for colonoscopies. That means you don’t have to see the doctor before making an appointment for the procedure. After answering just a few questions over the phone, I had a date on the books in a few weeks. There was no turning back.

What to Expect from Colonoscopy Prep

This is the part everyone is terrified of, right? I know I was. The dreaded colonoscopy prep. Enough of my friends had colonoscopies that I knew a lot about what to expect. I heard the phrase “pee out of your butt” more times than I care to think about.  I later learned firsthand that is a remarkably accurate description.

Before I go any further (and in case you’re squeamish and stop reading), I am going to tell you the truth: The prep is not NEARLY as bad as you’re making it out to be in your head. Trust me, one of your Midlife Besties, it is 100 percent bearable. It’s not something I would regularly choose to do, of course, because that would be weird. But every couple years doesn’t worry me at all. 

Colonoscopy Prep Tips: What I Ate, Drank, and Avoided

The goal is to have a clear, wide-open view for the doc during your procedure. I received a very detailed set of instructions, beginning with a few days before my appointment, to make sure that happened. I read the directions very carefully and kept a picture of them on my phone to refer to later. I also spent time on #colonoscopyprep TikTok, which has some surprisingly helpful information from doctors, nurses and people who get colonoscopies way more than every few years.

What to Eat Before a Colonoscopy

A few days before, I had to avoid high-fiber food, anything with seeds and generally eat a little lighter. For once I didn’t have to feel guilty about eating plain bagels or white bread! I kept thinking about when I drove my friend for her colonoscopy a few years ago – because I am that good of a friend – and her nurse shared how “all these big men eat a giant steak before they start prepping and they reallllllly regret it.” So, no steak for me. 

On Prep Day, I could only have clear liquids and Jell-O that wasn’t red or purple. Mercifully, I could also have Diet Coke, which I made sure to ask the doctor’s office about because I knew it would keep me sane. I busied myself with errands and a nail appointment until it was time to get the party started.

My Honest Golytely Prep Experience

Every doctor has their own preferred method of prep. Mine used Golytely, the classic prep stuff you  mix in a big gallon jug. Other docs use a combination of Miralax and Gatorade or oral medications. I’m not going to lie: Golytely is disgusting. It’s kind of salty and a little thick and you have to drink a half-gallon in one sitting and the other half a few hours later. It’s definitely not pleasant but it IS tolerable. Tiktok highly recommended using a straw to bypass taste buds and that turned out to be really good advice.

I bought a glass half-gallon water bottle for the occasion. I filled it up, grabbed a straw and added a little Crystal Light lemonade to help mask the flavor. I challenged myself to drink two ounces at time, then drink some Diet Coke, then drink two more. Suffice to say, I have not used either that water bottle or Crystal Light lemonade since using it for prep. 

I hunkered down in the master bedroom, lying in bed drinking the stuff just a few steps from the bathroom. I also strategically chose TV for the occasion. I decided on “Happy’s Place,” the Reba McEntire sitcom on Peacock. I love Reba and Melissa Peterman together, so I focused intently on them and the show’s plot while trying not to think about how much more prep was left in the bottle. It turned out to be an excellent choice that got me all the way through the whole gallon and the whole season of the show!

What the Colonoscopy Procedure Is Really Like

I will spare you the details, but the stuff did what it needed to do in far less time than I expected. I thought I would be up all night, and that wasn’t the case at all. The second half of the prep drink didn’t go down quite as easily as the first because by then I felt like a giant water balloon about to pop. But once it was all gone, I got a decent night’s sleep and felt fine in the morning – not to mention a few pounds lighter.

What Happens During a Colonoscopy Procedure

Finally the time arrived and off we went to a nearby surgery center. They gave me a gown, hooked up the IV and wheeled me in. I took a fabulous anesthesia nap while the doctor did his thing and next thing I knew I was waking up and being offered Oreos and juice. The anesthesia is much lighter than the kind during surgery, so I wasn’t really groggy once it wore off. From arrival to departure was about two hours total. Honestly, the procedure is the easiest part of the whole thing.  

My First Colonoscopy Results and Follow-Up Plan

Thankfully my results were all clear. The doctor did remove two benign polyps, so I have to go back in eight years instead of 10 for my next colonoscopy. A few weeks after my procedure, my husband followed through on his. He also got good news, although he had one benign polyp that was large enough he has to go back in three years. We would never have known about it if not for keeping our colonoscopy resolutions!

If You’re Nervous About Your First Colonoscopy, Read This

If you’ve been putting off getting a colonoscopy, I am here to tell you to make that appointment today. I PROMISE it’s not as bad as you think it will be and, no matter how gross or inconvenient the prep is, it’s way better than risking cancer down the road. Please, promise your spouse, your best friend, your mom or even your Midlife Bestie that you’ll get it done!