Moviprep - colonoscopy prep

[mrmandingy]

too bad they don't make this stuff for weight loss, it cuts my appetite and gives me a nauseous feeling

[ASTEPHENS33]

Here it is about 2 years from when I started this post and I am starting the Moviprep again for a colonoscopy tomorrow. I was tested and have genetic mutation so get a screening every year right now. I was diagnosed stage IIIA for colon cancer October, 2005, and have been NED since, but every time I go in for screening or test, the reality of the disease comes back. I need some support, so thanks for posting at this moment. It was great to see the support!!!

[first timer]

At 38, just had my first colonoscopy. As everyone states, the prep is worse than the test. Here are a few tips I hope will help make yours a little easier.

1) try to schedule your appointment early in the a.m.

2) talk to your doctor about the prep. (mine was explained by the nurse who told me to take 1/2 the night before and 1/2 the next morning. Anesthesiologist nearly wouldn't do it because I had drank a liter of fluid after midnight and this is considered surgery)

3) go to the store and get what you need. 1 full day of clear liquids - you will want some variety. extra t.p., baby wipes, diaper cream, movies...

4) watch what you eat for 2 - 3 days. Saw a comment on-line to... eat whatever you want since you'll expel it anyway... two days before. Expelling hard to digest foods can be painful. The less you have, the easier it will be to expel later.

5) prepare the bathroom. Make sure it's clean, have extra toilet paper, baby wipes & diaper cream. I set up my laptop and had some movies to watch on it that made time much easier to deal with.

6) clear out unnecessary personnel. You really can do this all by yourself. Spare your loved ones the explosive experience.

7) just found out today that the moviprep I was prescribed can be mixed with other liquids. The package states to mix packages A & B with 1 liter of water and drink 8 oz every 15 minutes. When done this way, it tastes like saltwater mixed with lemon pledge. ICK. Apparently the medication part can be mixed with any clear liquid. My dad mixed his with Sprite, the nurse mixed hers with lemonade. Just be prepared not to want whatever liquid you mix it with again for a long time.

I am sure "set in time" varies. I started drinking at 6 p.m. finished the liter at 6:45 and was okay until about 7:30. I didn't leave the bathroom again until about 9:30 and wasn't completely done until about 10:30. You can use this time to use a little of the diaper cream. It will help slightly to ease everything through.

9) The next morning they told me to start the next round of prep at 7 a.m. My appointment was at 10. Could've started the prep about 30 minutes earlier. Longer if my drive to the hospital had not been less than 10 minutes. If they do tell you to do the 2nd prep the next morning, give yourself at least 3 hours from the time you start the prep to the time you have to get in the car.

For the test itself I was completely out and don't remember anything. I woke up without problem and was completely coherent as soon as I woke up. I was tired and slept for about 3 hours once i got home but wasn't wobbly or anything. (couldn't have driven though!).

I'm not sure if it's because they took 2 polyps, because they pumped in extra gas or what but I was not, am still not "starving" even though I got home 9 hours ago. A little New England Clam Chowder, saltines and ginger ale is about all the food I can handle. My doctor told me to eat whatever I want though. Hope this helps!

[pb]

I took Moviprep last week. While it wasnt the most tasty thing to drink, it tastes like saltly lemon Pledge, it wasnt as bad as I thought. There were no craps which was nice. The procedure was a breeze and everything turned out fine. The worst part was just the anxiety of taking the prep and the awful headache I got from not eating for 24 hrs

[Vic]

I had my colonoscopy yesterday and the procedure was a breeze! It' s not the procedure it's the prep that's bad. The colonoscopy is easy! I used moviprep and yes it was a moving experience! I didn't finish all the prep and still got the results I needed. I think they give you way more than it takes because if it said drink one liter then you would take less of that. The taste was ok at first but the aftertaste was horrid. I used halflytle the first time and it was more tolerable for me. I'm not sure I'll ever drink Sprite again...that's what it tasted like only watered down salty with a metalic taste afetr you swallow it. I threw the jug and the box away as I was leaving for the procedure. No polyps this time only the usual diverticulosis that everyone has. I don't need another one for 5 years!!! It will take that long to get over the taste of moviprep. We live in a civilized country...surely they can come up with something that taste better! No matter what...do your colonoscopy...it can save your life.

[ah]

I finished taking the moviprep at 5pm -- and 5 hours later I just feel bloated but nothing is happening... I'm supposed to take the second half starting at 5 a.m. before my colonoscopy. I'm a little worried that so much time has gone by with no results. Any advice?

[BigFish]

I just started MoviPrep today at 4. It tastes like crap but I got it down. Pretty bloated and I went to the bathroom around 6ish but only about 15 minutes and there was nothing solid in me. Was all liquid coming out. Odd. Let's see how the rest of the night and tomorrow goes.

[Cured]

Report this postReply with quoteRe: Moviprep - colonoscopy prep
by ASTEPHENS33 » Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:21 pm

Here it is about 2 years from when I started this post and I am starting the Moviprep again for a colonoscopy tomorrow. I was tested and have genetic mutation so get a screening every year right now. I was diagnosed stage IIIA for colon cancer October, 2005, and have been NED since, but every time I go in for screening or test, the reality of the disease comes back. I need some support, so thanks for posting at this moment. It was great to see the support!!!

Thanks for the update; it is important and encouraging to hear from a fellow Stage III that you are NED for nearly 4 years! Congratulations.

[frederick184]

I begin taking Moviprep tomorrow night. My procedure is Tuesday at 10:30 am. This is my first colonoscopy and it was recommended because I am 51. My concern is that I take Lisinopril/HCTZ for high blood pressure. I read that this can lead to dangerous side effects when taking Moviprep. This wasn't mentioned to me when I had my pre-procedure interview and I just discovered it today. Of course I cannot contact the doctor until Tuesday morning because of the holiday. In fact it says on my instructions to take the Lisinopril four hours before the procedure. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor and Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic. Now I'm worried about what will happen when I take the Moviprep. Any advice?

Colin

[londonguy]

Hi all,

i am a 26 yr old guy in london, england and just wanted to post on here as I was so anxious and desperately seeking reassurance before my colonoscopy.

I started my first litre of Moviprep at 6pm yesterday and took around 1hr30 to get it down. the taste isn't great but i found that when i felt a bit nauseous breathing through my nose really helped. I have a bad gag reflex and didn't find it as bad as some people made out. i started going to the toilet about 8.30pm and didn't finish until about 11.30 but the severity and proximity of movements decreased the later it got.

i was up at 7am to take my second liter. not the easiest thing after 5 hrs sleep, but have to say to yourself ' i need it, i am going to finish it' because in truth I want to get my colonoscopy out the way. Mine is at 5pm today - about 6 hrs time. I want to know what is going on/wrong with my stomach and get on with getting it fixed. Movements started about 8-8.30am this morning and whilst fast and intense initially, have again slowed down in frequency.

good luck to anyone going through this - not a nice experience but as has been written here before, there are people in a lot worse circumstances and in truth we are talking about drinking a few glasses and going to the loo -all of which is done and dusted in around 24 hours - try to keep it in perspective a bit.

Will report back with my colonoscopy experience!

Londonguy

[mymy32]

I am sitting on the toilet as I type this response. I am a 32 year old female, preparing to have a colonoscopy in about 3 hours. I started taking the MoviPrep on yesterday, and I must say it wasn't as bad as I expected it would be. A nurse friend of mine, instructed me to place the bottom in the freezer and allow it to get slushy, which I did and it turned out to be okay. I am a bit nervous about my procedure this morning, see that colon cancer runs on both sides of my biological parents side, but I know that ALL is well! I pray that each you reading this post consider the importance of the procedure over the taste of the solution in preparation. I am looking forward to getting this done and being able to move on with my life. God bless all! -mymy32

[Mum UK]

I'm in the UK too and I just had my first colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago. I found the Moviprep really easy to get down - but I did drink a cup of black coffee in between alternate glasses and extra water - black coffee counts as a clear liquid and it took the taste away completely each time. I ate very little for 24 hours beforehand as I figured that would make the whole thing less troublesome, and it was fine - I went to the loo about every thirty minutes but did not have to stay in the bathroom at all. I don't know if it's different here but I had to take the whole 2 litres the night before the procedure. My daughter told me the prep was the worst part but not for me - I had hardly any sedative & had to watch the whole thing as it was being done on a screen - it hurt a little bit which I wasn't expecting, and he removed 2 tiny polyps while I was watching. I wasn't allowed home until I had eaten a meal, had a drink and urinated (btw, this was private, not NHS!) So, I just wanted people to know Moviprep is not so awful for everyone:-)

[mousetrap]

I have my first colonoscopy in 5 hours. Not sure if it will be a go. I did a barium enima about a month ago. The gave me this awful citric stuff to drink. I couldnt drink all the water I was supposed to. Didnt totally empty the bowls but they did it anyway and found pouches and polyps and places where the intestines are narrow. I am having the colonoscopy done at a diff hospital. I was given the Miralax stuff to drink. 32 oz around 4-5pm and 32 oz at 2pm. I also took the (4) Dulcolax (bisacodyl) laxative tablets. I have a very weak stomach, always have. I can't even squish a bug or I will vomit. I barfed about a third of it up last night. Did manage to have runny bowl movements. I barfed about half of it up this morning. (i drank it slow and had about 24 oz down so i hope at least 8 oz's went through. I waited 45 mins and drank the rest). So far no cramping. Hopefully it works enough.

[MARE]

Nearly everyone on here keeps talking about Moviprep..Sounds downright revolting.
I am from Canada and have been getting Colonoscopies since '99. That year I had a colon resection and ended up having 4 colonoscopies in 1 month. Now I am having them every 2 to 3 years. For several years my prep was some disgusting stuff (an oral Phosphate that tasted sickly sweet and lemony) in a small bottle that I mixed with various liquids which I now can't tolerate...ie. cranberry juice, gingerale, lemonade. Every time I had this stuff I got more nauseated and had to keep my hand over my mouth to keep it down. It DEFINITELY was worse than having the actual procedure.
However.....the last colonoscopy I had (2 years ago) the Dr. gave me something new that was being marketed called Pico Salax...I was to take a Ducolax pill for 2 nights in a row, then the day before the procedure I had one bottle of Pico Salax at 5p followed by 5 glasses of water, then another bottle at 7p with 5 more glasses of water. I can't tell you how relieved I was to be able to drink a prep that tasted good...like Tang. The Dr, suggested I take 1/2 a Gravol (anti-nausea) pill if I wanted, but I didn't need it. I also could have replaced some of the water with Gatorade. Anyhow, thought I would pass this bit of info along in case you could prevail upon your Dr. to get you Pico Salax. I have several friends who have had a colonoscopy in the last year or so and all of them have been given Pico Salax.

[garbovatwin]

Another prep for me today, Another case of the chills.
Brrrrrr!

Yeeeechhh!