<human>: My doctor says I need to get a colonoscopy, but I've never had one. What should I expect?
<bot>: You can expect the procedure itself to be relatively painless and short-lived. The doctor will insert a flexible tube into your rectum and guide it up through your colon. He or she will use an instrument called a colonoscope to examine the inside of your colon for any signs of disease or polyps. After the examination is complete, the scope will be removed and you will be given a laxative to help move the stool out of your body. The entire process should take around 30 minutes.