Linda Secora, LMT gave this list of contraindications for colon hydrotherapy:

            -Renal Failure                           -Abdominal Hernia

            -Congestive Heart Failure       -1^st & 3^rd Trimester Pregnancy

            -GI Perforation                          -Abdominal Aneurism

            -GI Fistula                                  -Recent Colon Surgery

Stephan Barrett, M.D. the proprietor of www.quackwatch.com wrote an article discussing colon care titled Gastrointestinal Quackery: Colonics, Laxatives, and More.  In this he agues some of the rationale behind colonics, the purported effectiveness of them, and lists some of the potential adverse effects.  He starts with the idea of autointoxication and cites two studies found evidence that some of the symptoms of fecal impaction, “headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite,” were not caused by autointoxication but by the physical distention of the colon.

Another commonly cited issue in support of fecal impaction and autointoxication is that supposedly at autopsy many bodies have distended colons full of feces.  Even if this statement is true it should not lead directly to the assumption that in life the patient had dealt with long-term fecal impaction and autointoxication.  There are other possible explanations for the appearance of a distended colon.  For certain conditions, end of life care will include substantial doses of morphine, or other narcotics, to provide adequate pain control.  A known side effect of these drugs is constipation.  The patients are usually given something to counteract this but at the end of many conditions the patients stop eating.  There is no point in subjecting them to laxatives or enemas to remove the residual feces left in the colon.  A second possible explanation is that within a day or two of death, usually before the autopsy, all the muscle fibers in the body start to break down.  In the colon the muscles would not be able to hold the characteristic shape and it would become floppy and distended.

As with most medical treatments, there are potential side effects of colon hydrotherapy.  Some of these that can occur during the procedure as reported by Linda Secora, LMT are discomfort with the speculum, difficulty evacuating with severe fecal impaction, and nausea and vomiting secondary to toxin and bile release.  In the past it has been reported that some centers reuse the tubing and equipment, sterilizing it between patients.  There is a risk of transmitting infection with inadequate cleaning.  Dr. Barrett cites a case where 36 people contracted amebiasis secondary to contaminated equipment and six of who subsequently died.  However, Ms. Secora states that it is common practice to use sterile, disposable speculums and tubing and to sterilize the machine with cetylcide, a hospital-grade disinfectant.  Another side effect can occur if the colon absorbs large amounts of water the patient can develop electrolyte imbalances and water intoxication.