My doc ordered a colonoscopy for me since i am over 50. can anyone give me the real 411 on this procedure?

Colonoscopy 411: The importance of colonoscopy is to screen for colo-rectal cancer, the #3 most common cause of cancer death in both men and women in america. The procedure is started by giving you some sedation to put you almost to sleep. A small camera is then inserted into your anus and snaked up your colon and photographs and (if needed) samples are collected. Not nearly as bad as it sounds.

Low risk: Bleeding and perforation are indeed risks however combine risk in the hands of an experienced endoscopist is probably less than 1%, so it is safe and by far the most efficient test for polyps/cancer of the colon as it is both diagnostic and therapeutic, which none of the alternative exams are.