Moviprep - colonoscopy prep

[lpnannk]

OMG!!! Does anyone know how to get this stuff down without vomitting? I also have severe stomach pain and can barely walk. It's only 7:30 pm the night before my 7 am appt tomorrow morning!!! I only managed to get 1 liter in me and still have 1 more. Only went to the bathroom once so far and I started 2 hrs ago. Have NO idea how I am going to sleep and get through the night. I'm starting to think NO more colon tests!! I'll take my chances!! They need to come up with a pill or something better.

[joe123]

I am preparing for my colonoscopy.

I need to do two steps.

1. 300m citromag two days before the test 8pm
2. Moviprep the evening before the test

I had 1 average and 2 small chicken soups at 8:30pm, two days before the exam. I took 300 mL of citromag 5 hours later at about 2am (ie with 5 hours delay as originally suggested by clinic). The citromag tasted very nice with no side effect so far after 1 hour! keep you posted as I go along with the next 30 hours !

[joe123]

Just a follow up on my previous post.

People seem to make a big fuss of this prep. To me the prep was easy.


As I said, I had 300mL of citromag at once, 2am the day before the test. It tasted good (lemonish). It kicked in 1.5 hours later causing diarrhea. This is just a laxative which draws water from other parts of your body to your colons, causing quick defecation. There was no pain, no stomach cramp, no notable discomfort, ... Just diarrhea. It's solid first time and completely watery starting from the third time. It's little different than a regular diarrhea in that it's like opening water tape and closing (like a strong stream of urine). It does not make noise. It lasted mostly 3 hours after intake and by 6am I was in bed.

The day before the prep I decided I go all water and green tea to get a clean exam (a mistake!). I hydrated during the day and had no diarrhea from those drinks. At 6pm I got a washroom and to my surprise I pooed last pieces of solid poo left over in my colon. It seemed that citromag did not completely clean the colon immediately.

It is now 8pm the day before the test and I have to do the Moviprep. I did it in split dose (am-pm), one A-B sachet in PM and the other in the morning of the test. Chilled the first liter of the solution in the fridge for 1 hour and took it from 9-10pm in 4 parts, each part 15 minutes (ideally you want to do this 5pm-6pm). The Moviprep, contrary to what people exaggerate her, tasted good! (lemonish). I did not use straw and just drank it normally and even tasted it. You are supposed to drink at least a liter of water after that to compensate for the water that you will loose soon. The outcome of Moviprep was very similar to citromag. It kicked in in 1 hour, and diarrhea started. As for citromag, you visit the bathroom 6-8 times in the next 3 hours after intake. This time no solid was expelled and it was all watery. It was like you drink water from mouth and expelled it from anus shortly after.

By 12am I was in bed but felt terribly hungry. No solid food in the past 30 hours. I was fainting. So I broke,
and opened a box of beef broth and drank 300ml. It's dark brown in color and it quickly restored me. I woke up 6am and took the second 1 liter MOVIPREP solution. This time my digestive system was tired of being empty, washed out and taking so much carbonated sugary drinks (ginger ale, green tea). So it developed a negative attitude towards the MOVIPREP solution! I took the second 1 liter solution from 6am-7am, though honestly it was not as pleasant as the first round. Again diarrhea in the next 3 hours. This time it was a little darker due to beef/chicken broths I had earlier in the night.


Overall, the procedure is not remotely as bad as what you may think. Citromag and Movieprep do not taste that bad and the diarrhea that they cause is not uncomfortable.


Remember to take a nutritious clear fluid diet the day before. You cannot stay only on water or sugary drinks for too long, so reserve these for the day of the exam. For the day before exam, have beef/chicken broth, apple juice, white grape juice. Beef broth is clear dark brown and, surprisingly, is allowed in this diet. Chicken broth looks like orange juice.

Avoid toilet paper too much as you get a sore bum. Since stool is not solid, you do not get dirty as much as you do normally. I prefer a soft gentle towel. Just apply; do not rub. I also applied petroleum jelly to anus. It feels a lot better but it becomes greasy and hard to move around or wash out later. It's a little uncomfortable.

Citromag does most of the clean up and MOVIPREP was a follow up cleaning for me. It was all watery during the MOVIPREP. Each dose of both kicks in in about 1 hour with a diarrhea which lasts 3-4 hour after intake. After 6 hours of intake, I think I appeared to be back to near normal. I think taking both citromag and MOVIPREP it's a kind of overkill.

I am now waiting to go the clinic. Wish me luck !

[sscuff]

Interesting how the prep stories seem to differ - mine was 3 days no solid foods allowed - just water - clear soup Bovril (yack) jelly (yum) and boiled sweets to suck tea or coffee a little milk allowed too - on second day the laxative was 2 sachets of picolax one in the morning in just one ordinary glass of water - wait 2 hours - find bathroom quickly - and basically keep going I went about five times on the fifth time I was cursing the medical fraternity! and by then it was really just coloured water coming out - (ick) second sachet of picolax in the afternoon about 4 hours later felt some rumbles but didn't go much at all for the rest of the night - slept ok was very worried about the procedure as I was having a gastro and colonoscopy at the same time - day 3 was procedure day not until afternoon so I had nothing left in me to go to the loo with thankfully - I don't want to and hopefully won't put anyone off having a colonoscopy but mine was a little bit of a nightmare - because I woke up during the procedure, and wasn't given any more sedation...this was extremely painful and I couldn't help but watch it all unfold on the screen - the doc was removing polyps as I woke...I thought I was being abused!! I managed to get through it but it was very frightening and the nurse did little to help subdue my fears, she seemed to be walking around assisting the doc and I just needed to squeeze somebody's hand, and leave an imprint! Anyways now two days later, I'm pretty sore, have some weird pains, dull aches like being winded in the sides...and have yet to have a bowel movement but feel I need to. two polyps were removed for testing (fingers crossed they'll be ok) and also a diagnosis of diverticuli disease - so for me the prep was a breeze though I was starving and almost contemplated eating the dogs biscuits on day two as they were waiting to be fed - now I know how they feel when they are begging! The procedure was a neccessary nightmare and I stress this as with a history of colon cancer in the family and if any one has symptoms (I didn't) don't be put off by my story everyone is different. All my siblings have had a colonoscopy and they said the prep was worse and the procedure was easy!

[Kekeg]

Used moviprep for colonoscopy twice. Tastes bad but works well, get it really cold, then pour over a little crushed ice. Use a bendy straw, can bypass some of taste issues. Just swallow it down and get it over with is best. Starts working fast so be ready. My fiend put crystal light lemonade mix in his. Good luck with your test.

[DFischer]

Moviprep tasted like ocean water with a bottle of pledge in it, but was pretty good actually! Last night no problem. Did dose at 2:30 as instructed...bum no raw and bleeding and what is coming out is gold? Can't seem to get to clear and still going at 6:48 am. Am going to appt. but I am hoping the gold is not indicative of anything serious! GI/Colonoscopy combo for symptoms of acid reflux and occasional spotting. 45 years old.

[R3alhorrorshow]

Ok so this is my first colonoscopy tomorrow, honestly all my prep fussing wasn't worth it. I actually feel pretty great (apart from the hunger and feeling cold and constantly thinking about food).

I started fasting at 9.00am after a whole bunch of moaning about being hungry and dreading the imminant pooping. At 5pm I took my first litre, I was apprehensive because hey, no one wants diarrhea. I heard all kinds if horror story's about Moviprep, the foul taste, the vomiting and what not. But I drank mine through getting the straw as far back in my throat as I could honestly I thought it tasted like diluted Lemsip. It was the salt aftertaste that made me feel a little sick but I drank it slow over two hours sipping water and Lucozade in between and before I knew it I had consumed the first litre. It helped having my mum with me and the tv to provide some distraction. So after the second glass, well nature called. I had my iPad in the bathroom and watched youtube videos. Then the "water poop" arrived the weirdest sensation ever like peeing but from your butt. I kept checking for the coloration (the bowel movement has to be clear). I stopped drinking it for two hours and the nausea passed, I was sticking to water. I had some gripe and cramping but it passed after half an hour. At 9pm I made up the second litre and drank it with ease over a period of a hour and a half (it's weird I have minimal gag reflex). The urgency to get to the toilet wasn't severe, it was more like "uh gotta poop" I've visited the toilet about 7 times and I've just got the "clear bowel movement" no urgency or cramping. Moviprep isn't the best taste ever I think the trick is to drink it slow and through a straw. The only thing that's bothering me now is the fact I'm super hungry and my hunger pains have returned. I've had no weird side effects. I'm more worried about the procedure tomorrow and people say this is the worst part!.

Good luck with all your preps and procedures guys!

[rmac78]

Just thought I'd add my positive experience of Moviprep and Colonoscopy/Gastroscopy to the board, as it wasn't that bad at all.

I had to start prepping for the Colonoscopy 3 days before having it. So, a low fiber diet (though my doctor was happy for me to still eat my work Christmas dinner as planned).

On the morning before, had breakfast at 7.40am. Drank hot-water non-stop all morning, and tried to manually flush out whatever I could by normal (and comparatively pleasant) means.

I then got ready everything I'd need for the Moviprep ahead. Set up books, bed, charged my phone, lots of toilet paper, got some measuring jugs for the Moviprep.

Started Moviprep at 3.45pm, and just stayed on the toilet until 9.15pm! Drank Moviprep using a straw (very helpful idea) and made sure I had 250ml every 15 mins. Kept reminding myself that I was cleansing myself inside, and so it wasn't a bad experience. Moviprep doesn't taste bad; it's like a lemon cordial really. Once I'd had the dose of Moviprep, I then had 500ml of black tea. It helped that my wife was on hand to both look after our baby, and bring me the next lot of Moviprep/Tea.

Had a dark yellow/light brown discharge by the end - the yellow is simply bile, and is normally what would be mixed in with the other bits of food that we excrete.

Next day at 12.30pm, I had the colonoscopy/gastroscopy. I asked for as much sedation as I could get (Fentanyl and Midazolam), and I don't remember much about it. The doctor said "Well, that's the gastroscopy done", but I didn't know about it. The colonoscopy was uncomfortable when they pumped in the air needed to get the probe through, but I only remember about 5 seconds of that.

When in recovery, I remember getting rid of lots of gas, but that was it. Slept for 3 hours after the examination, and then got some easy food to eat (Ham, Eggs, and Chips). Went home 1.5 hours later. No pain in butt or throat after any of this.

[TX grandma]

My doctor had me start the day before my procedure at noon with Magnesium Citrate and water. I went and went for 6 straight hours, it made me so sick, and cold and nauseous. At 6:00 PM my instructions were to start Moviprep. I was already clear before I started this but I obediently did the entire liter and the 16 oz of fluid. It was a repeat of the afternoon. Now I was going constantly, it had been clear when I started and of course stayed clear. I had extremely urgent runs to the bathroom for 12 hours straight. My instructions were to take another liter in the morning, not a chance! How can I improve on perfectly clear. The prep was definitely awful but it isn't the same for everyone. My husband has not trouble, no side effects, a few trips to the bathroom and he is perfectly clean.

I have had major colon surgery in the past, removed 2 sections of my colon because of a massive polyp, I was 55, no doctor had ever suggested a colonoscopy for routine screening. I began having symptoms and still no-one suggested a colonoscopy. By the time I had the procedure the polyp had gotten so large it required very major surgery and they told me it was 90% likely to be colon cancer. I was fortunate, it was not cancer. If I had not had the colonoscopy I would not be writing this today. I am certain it saved my life. So yes, the prep is the worse part by far. I always get terribly sick, but I am alive. I will continue to get these throughout my life so I can have a life. It's worth it folks, you can do anything for a day, especially something that will give you a lifetime.

[klh0822]

I just started my second liter of Moviprep. It's stinkin' early in the morning, but all is well. My prep has been so much easier than I expected. Two days before the procedure I ate VERY light. Not a liquid diet, but I have very little, high fiber food. The day before was all liquid. I had a regular bowel movement the morning of the prep and that pretty much cleaned be out before I even started the Moviprep. From the very start, only a light yellow liquid came out. I wasn't on the toilet for hours on end. I would highly recommend having light meals several days before you even begin the prep. It will help avoid uncomfortably long hours on the potty.

[klh0822]

I forgot to mention, the one thing that did help with the taste, and I came upon this by accident, is to have some Minute Made Frozen Lemonade on hand. When you drink your 8oz, have a spoonful ready to pop in your mouth. It follows along with the lemon "flavor" of the prep, but is MUCH more palatable as a chaser.

[blutruffle]

I have also had to use Moviprep twice - it is VILE I have used apple juice, lemon drops, lemonade and lots of water
I will never subjected myself to that preparation again There has to be a better solution to take

[jersey0307]

you must must must mix. after i sipped, gagged and dry heaved my way through the first liter, i finally had the epiphany to mix it with cranberry juice. there was more to drink but it was more cranberry-tart than lemony disinfectant. must mix!

[horizon]

you must must must mix. after i sipped, gagged and dry heaved my way through the first liter, i finally had the epiphany to mix it with cranberry juice. there was more to drink but it was more cranberry-tart than lemony disinfectant. must mix!

Isn't cranberry juice red? I was told absolutely no red liquids because it could be confused for blood.

[weisssoccermom]

I don't know if this is applicable but...my surgeon (she does my scopes) said you could drink things like cranberry juice IF...big IF...they were 100% natural. It was the red dye in things like popsicles, etc. that was what you had to shy away from. I didn't make a difference to me as I'm not a fan of cranberry juice anyway and the cranberry combinations that I do like aren't 100% natural.