📌 Schedule An Appointment with Dr. Ona: https://www.drmelona.com

Two people can get the exact same colonoscopy. One spends the evening cramping and bloated on the couch, the other feels normal enough to go back to work by lunch. The difference almost never comes down to luck. It comes down to three decisions your gastroenterologist makes before you even walk in the door, decisions most patients never think to ask about.

In this episode, I'm going to break down the three questions you should ask before your colonoscopy so you get an easier procedure and a faster recovery.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Gastroenterologist Reveals 3 Ways to Make a Colonoscopy Much Easier
0:47 Meet the doctor who scoped himself awake
1:19 Ask 1, room air vs CO2 insufflation
2:53 Ask 2, water immersion instead of air
3:48 Ask 3, choosing your sedation level
5:44 What it actually feels like awake
6:32 What happens if the facility says no
7:44 Watch this next if you have gut symptoms

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q: Does CO2 or room air matter for colonoscopy recovery?
A: Yes. CO2 is absorbed quickly through the colon wall and breathed out through your lungs within minutes, while room air lingers in your gut and can cause hours of cramping, bloating, and gas pain afterward. Asking your facility which gas they use before your procedure can make a real difference in how you feel that evening.

Q: What is water immersion during a colonoscopy?
A: It is a technique that uses warm water instead of air to help gently guide the scope through the colon, which reduces the stretching that normally causes cramping. Studies show it can also improve visibility for the doctor and shorten recovery time for the patient.

Q: Do I have to be sedated for a colonoscopy?
A: No. Options range from deep sedation with propofol to minimal sedation to no sedation at all, and the right choice depends on your medical history, pain tolerance, and personal comfort. Some patients even prefer little or no sedation because it allows them to drive themselves home afterward.

🎥 Watch Next:
https://youtu.be/C4vZJ67Uhy4
Digestive Symptoms You Should Never Ignore (See a Doctor Immediately)

📱 RESOURCES
Website: https://www.drmelona.com
Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/
Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona

🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist.

💬 Have you had a colonoscopy before? Tell me in the comments what surprised you most, or what question you wish you had asked beforehand.

ABOUT DR. MEL ONA: I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention.

#GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #ColonoscopyScreening #DigestiveHealth #ColonCancerPrevention

📌 Schedule An Appointment with Dr. Ona: https://www.drmelona.com

IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. But what actually gets excluded varies wildly from one workup to the next, and the conditions most often missed are the ones with real, specific treatments. If you have carried an IBS label for years with no real improvement, this is worth twenty minutes.

In this episode, I'm going to show you what a complete IBS workup actually looks like, the conditions most commonly missed under that label, and the exact questions to bring to your next appointment before you accept IBS as your final answer.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Before You Accept an IBS Diagnosis, Watch This
0:35 What Rome IV criteria actually require
1:19 Why workups vary so much between doctors
2:07 SIBO, the most commonly missed cause
2:52 Microscopic colitis and why colonoscopies miss it
3:22 Inflammatory bowel disease hiding behind IBS
4:12 Thyroid problems that mimic IBS
5:32 Pelvic floor dysfunction and constipation
5:53 The exact questions to ask your doctor
7:06 How to frame the conversation with your GI doctor

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What tests are missed most often in an IBS diagnosis?
The two most commonly skipped tests are a hydrogen or lactulose breath test for SIBO and colon biopsies during colonoscopy that could reveal microscopic colitis. Both conditions look identical to IBS on symptoms alone but require specific testing to find.

Can you have a normal colonoscopy and still not have IBS ruled out?
Yes. A colonoscopy without biopsies cannot detect microscopic colitis, which causes chronic watery diarrhea despite a completely normal looking colon. Biopsies are required to make that diagnosis.

Does thyroid function affect IBS symptoms?
Yes. An underactive thyroid slows digestion and causes constipation and bloating, while an overactive thyroid speeds it up and causes loose, urgent stools. A basic TSH panel rules this out quickly but is not always part of a standard gut workup.

📱 RESOURCES
Website: https://www.drmelona.com
Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/
Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona

🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist.

ABOUT DR. MEL ONA: I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention.

#GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #GIDoctor #NutritionScience

📌 Schedule An Appointment with Dr. Ona: https://www.drmelona.com

Most patients on a proton pump inhibitor have no idea it was only meant to be used for 8 to 12 weeks. Some have been on it for a decade. Nobody ever sat down to ask if they still need it. Millions of people fill this prescription every single month without a second thought, and most of them were never told there was an end date in the first place.

In this episode, I'm going to explain what stomach acid actually does for your gut, what happens when it gets suppressed for years, and how to have the conversation about stopping safely.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 The Gut Medication Most Patients Stay On Too Long
0:42 What PPIs are and how they work
1:09 Why the stopping conversation never happens
2:03 The refill cycle that keeps patients on PPIs
3:34 What stomach acid actually protects against
5:35 How PPIs increase SIBO and infection risk
6:42 The nutrient deficiencies nobody warns you about
9:00 When long term PPI use is actually appropriate
9:41 How to safely taper off a PPI

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

How long should you take a proton pump inhibitor?
Most PPIs are designed for short term use, typically 8 to 12 weeks, unless you have a documented condition like erosive esophagitis or Barrett's esophagus that requires ongoing acid suppression. Anyone taking one longer than that without a clear diagnosis should bring it up at their next appointment.

What happens if you stop a PPI suddenly?
Stopping abruptly can trigger rebound acid hypersecretion, a temporary surge in stomach acid that feels worse than the original problem and usually resolves within 4 to 8 weeks. This rebound effect is the main reason patients feel like they cannot quit, even when the medication is no longer needed.

Can long term PPI use cause nutrient deficiencies?
Yes. Long term use is linked to lower magnesium, vitamin B12, and calcium absorption, along with an increased risk of bone fracture and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. These effects tend to build slowly over years, which is why they often go unnoticed until symptoms show up elsewhere.

📱 RESOURCES
Website: https://www.drmelona.com
Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/
Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona

🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist.

ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:
I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention.

#GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #GutMicrobiome #GIDoctor