PREP WITH
MIRALAX AND GATORADE
- One bottle of Miralax (over the counter-510 gram bottle)
- One bottle Gatorade-(64 ounce) any color EXCEPT red. Use diet Gatorade if diabetic.
- Four Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) tablets (over the counter)
If you have been told by a medical professional that you need a different method of prep, please give our office a call: 573-777-8818
Click on each item below to learn more about what to expect before, during and after your procedure.
The Affordable Care Act requires that insurance policies cover certain preventive services, such as colonoscopies, at no cost to the patient. However, the insurance industry has established strict guidelines for what defines a screening/preventative service. The guidelines may exclude patients with current symptoms, history of gastrointestinal disease, or a personal or family history of colon polyps or colon cancer from meeting the definition of a screening/preventative colonoscopy. Please understand that your primary care provider may refer you for a “screening” colonoscopy, however, you may not meet the guidelines for a screening/preventative colonoscopy benefit, according to your insurance policy guidelines.
- Diagnostic/Therapeutic Colonoscopy: Patient would have gastrointestinal symptoms such as, but not limited to, diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, anemia, personal history of gastrointestinal disease, or abnormal test results (ie: ultrasound or CT scan).The procedure is usually subject to copay, coinsurance and/or deductible.
- Surveillance/High Risk Colonoscopy: Patient would not have any current symptoms or history of gastrointestinal disease. However, the patient has a personal or family history of colon polyps and/or colon cancer. Patients in this category usually have colonoscopies every 2-5 years. The procedure may be subject to copay, coinsurance and/or deductible.
- Screening/Preventative/Average Risk Colonoscopy: Patient has no symptoms, is 50 years old or older, has no history of gastrointestinal disease, and no personal or family history of colon polyps and/or cancer. Patients in this category usually have colonoscopies every 10 years. If these guidelines are met, the procedure may be covered at 100% depending on your insurance policy benefits.
- Diagnostic/Therapeutic Colonoscopy: Patient would have gastrointestinal symptoms such as, but not limited to, diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, anemia, personal history of gastrointestinal disease, or abnormal test results (ie: ultrasound or CT scan).The procedure is usually subject to copay, coinsurance and/or deductible.
- Surveillance/High Risk Colonoscopy: Patient would not have any current symptoms or history of gastrointestinal disease. However, the patient has a personal or family history of colon polyps and/or colon cancer. Patients in this category usually have colonoscopies every 2-5 years. The procedure may be subject to copay, coinsurance and/or deductible.
- Screening/Preventative/Average Risk Colonoscopy: Patient has no symptoms, is 50 years old or older, has no history of gastrointestinal disease, and no personal or family history of colon polyps and/or cancer. Patients in this category usually have colonoscopies every 10 years. If these guidelines are met, the procedure may be covered at 100% depending on your insurance policy benefits.
We cannot quote your exact costs or benefits prior to your procedure. We use procedure codes and diagnosis codes to submit claims to insurance. The procedure code will vary depending on what is done during your colonoscopy. For example; a colonoscopy without polyp removal is a different procedure code than a colonoscopy with polyp removal. We can estimate your costs for the physician fees based on our contracted rates with your insurance company. However, this is never a guarantee of actual costs as your insurance benefits will be determined by your insurance policy after a claim is submitted by GIA.
It is fine if your driver leaves, but it should be noted that if they are not back in time, they may miss out on talking to the Dr. after your procedure. If your driver plans to leave we will need their phone number, so we can call to let them know when you are finished with your procedure.
- This 45 minutes allows the front desk to get you checked in and verify all your insurance information. Please write your name on the clipboard located on the front desk. The receptionists will call you up once they are ready to get you checked in. Please have your photo ID, Insurance cards, advanced directive (if you have one) and copayment ready.
- This also allows the nurses to go over your health history and medications, once you are called back to your room.
- After Check-In is complete please have a seat.
- The nurses will call you back once your room is ready.
- We will have you step on a scale and get your weight.
- You will have the opportunity to use the restroom, if needed. (You will be able to use the restroom at any point in this process. But this is an ideal time to do so.)
- Once the nurse gets you in your room, we will verify name, DOB and the procedure you are having.
- You will sign consent forms for the procedure and anesthesia.
- The nurse will then begin asking questions about your medical history.
- Who your primary/referring Dr. is
- Who your driver is
- Current and past medical conditions
- What surgeries you’ve had
- If you’ve ever had a colonoscopy/upper endoscopy before
- What medications you take ( we need the dose and how often you take them)
- Medication allergies
- After the health history is finished you will change into a hospital gown.
- We will then get your IV started and hook you up to the vital signs machine. This monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respirations before, during and after your procedure.
- Anesthesia will come in and introduce themselves and do a brief assessment and health history.
- The physician performing your procedure will then come and introduce themselves.
- You will then be taken back to the procedure room. Once in the procedure room, anesthesia will put a nasal cannula in your nose (this delivers oxygen while you are sedated). You will then be asked to turn over on your left side. Once you are comfortable, anesthesia will then begin to give you the medication that sedates you. NOTE: This medication can burn going into your IV, this is completely NORMAL. The burning is very short lived; you will fall asleep within 5-10 seconds.
- Colonoscopies usually take 30 minutes and upper endoscopies take 10-15 minutes.
- You will wake up within 5-10 minutes in the recovery room.
- You will stay in recovery for 30 minutes. The nurses will continue to monitor your vital signs to make sure everything gets back to your normal, before we send you home. The nurses will also give you your discharge instructions and information needed for after your procedure. We will remove your IV once you have received the appropriate amount of fluids. Your Dr. will come in and let you know what the results of your procedure were.
- NOTE: If you had biopsies or polyps removed, those are sent off to an outside lab. Those results will be back within a week. You will call your physician’s office for those results.
- We will then have your driver bring the car up to the front awning, and a nurse will walk you to the car.
- NO DRIVING FOR 12 HOURS AFTER YOUR PROCEDURE!
- Most of the time you are able to immediately resume your normal diet. We usually tell people they can eat whatever they normally eat, just be careful not to overeat or gorge yourself.