colonoscopy prep q's

[Deann]

Hi,

I'm preparing to go in for my first colonoscopy and have read your thread on 'colonoscopy prep - what works for me'. I did try to have one already but canceled due to nausea/vomiting while doing the Miralax/Gatorade prep. This time, I plan to use zofran along with it as directed by a pharmacist.

I don't have a diagnosis, but am late 50's and need to get checked......just a little bleeding occasionally - and I know that sometimes that is 'nothing' but sometimes it turns out to be cancer. Just any further suggestions you might have and opinions as to whether a split prep is the way to go would be welcomed - I am waiting for the dr's office to get back to me so I can discuss q's with them (the dr just went on vacation and won't be back until just before the scope, later on in the month).

This dr's office doesn't ask you to do a split prep - they say do it all the day/evening before, and they give you the Miralax/Gatorade/Dulcolax, and offered Mag citrate as an alternative if I have trouble tolerating the Miralax. I doubt I will do that but I suppose I could have some on hand in case I want to try that. I keep wondering about doing the split prep even though they don't ask for it. I already asked the dr about it and he remarked only that pts. do not want to do the split prep and didn't ask me to do it. So I guess that the day prior is sufficient for them. I know one of you posted about doing the split prep, and getting clear just in time to leave for the endoscopy center. That could be stressful. I also recall someone posting about doing a 2 days of clear liquids..... Low residue diet prior to prep day, moving around /walking around during prep, are some other good suggestions I've already known and will plan on doing.


Having read about 'better results' with the split prep, one doesn't want the dr. to miss something. "The time between finishing the prep and the procedure... secretions build up' and all that.... I can't help wondering about all those articles I have read regarding that..... However, I need to do the best I can and complete it, no matter which way it is. As they say ....the best screening is the one you actually DO.

Mine is supposed to be at 10:30 with deeper anesthesia (propofol - one has to meet with anesthesiologists just before the procedure). For split prep that'd probably mean starting it 6 hours before that, since you have to totally finish it in an hour. (Of course for split prep I'll have to get hours for NPO prior to procedure -I think it's 4 hours - for day before prep, it's NPO from midnight on).

Thanks for any input you might care to share. It would be wonderful to complete this and then help /encourage others to get checked.

[Patience]

Here's my hints, which you might have found from others elsewhere:

1) My prep was the "evening before", drank in total in one hour. I was jogging from the kitchen to the bathroom, back and forth. Next time around, I'll just take the dang prep with me into the bathroom and stay put. I must have done 2 loads of laundry that evening (I just don't have THAT many changes of clothes!).

2) Buy some good soft quality toilet paper, and some flushable moist wipes, for comfort.

3) Make use of a diaper-rash ointment, it will help prevent soreness in a certain area.

4) Take 2 changes of clothes with you to the appointment. "Stuff sometimes happens", and having fresh clothes comes in handy.

5) Don't fret. It is just a matter of planning ahead.

[elise]

My prep was the day before. Pardon the grossness to come but you know you're empty when you're squirting out liquid the colour of your light drink (ginger ale goes in and ginger ale comes out 30 seconds later). I literally just sat on the toilet while I drank my 2 litters of liquid. Had a magazine, it was fine.

My CC was far right as far up as you can go and she had no issues seeing it because my prep was so good. She commented that sometimes people don't do a good job and they just get an enema there. Personally I'd prefer to do the work at home!

Good luck!!

[dianetavegia]

Miralax/ Gatorade/ Dulcolax was easy as pie for me. My 1st prep, 3 1/2 years ago, was some sickly sweet thick stuff that I couldn't tolerate!

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, once you start crapping the color of whatever you're drinking, my GI doc tells me it's OK to stop. In addition to the great advice about extra changes of clothing and baby wipes, if you get yourself on a soft food diet 2 days prior and even mostly liquid the daytime before you start your prep at night, it's much easier/faster. Last time I did that I was crapping orange gatorade after the 3rd bm and about half the bottle of stuff. Stopped there and switched to regular gatorade. A few more squirts of the orange stuff and eventually it calmed back down and I was nice and clean. My doc even shared pics with me

[Deann]

Thanks. I appreciate all of you taking time to reply!
I got to talk to the GI nurse today by phone, and she gave me some good info I can in turn share here w/you.
She suggested I could actually space out the prep over the course of the day starting in the morning going very slowly. For example, add Miralax to your coffee or tea, add Miralax to whatever you're having, instead of the whole 64 oz of Gatorade later on with the whole package of Miralax.
Deann

[horizon]

This might be helpful to you: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33995

[PGLGreg]

Well, I supposed it's over by now, but I wouldn't split the prep into two parts if your doctor told you not to. My gastroenterologist also has me take all the prep medication the day before, despite the package directions. If I told him on the day that I had decided to split it up, instead of following his very explicit instructions, I'm sure he would not react favorably.

[RixInPhx]

If I told him on the day that I had decided to split it up, instead of following his very explicit instructions, I'm sure he would not react favorably.

How do you spell 'control freak'?

D-O-C-T-O-R

[Deann]

Thanks. Yes - I did read that thread (colonoscopy-what works for me).

No, the scope is next wk.

I was only thinking of split prep because of all the things I'd read that even w/Miralax/Gatorade prep the cleansing results are better with split prep.......and that in scopes in general, the place that tends to obscure possible polyps in even the best done prep (according to these articles ) is the right colon and so the split prep gives you (supposedly) the better chance of the dr not missing anything. (It even said that that is a place where cancerous ones tend to develop). Also in a non-split prep the secretions start building up in the colon. So I think the guidelines from their professional association want them to have split prep used and if you google various dr's offices' prep instructions they do indeed ask you to split even the miralax .... (some preps are designed as split preps and miralax can be used either way).
I asked the PA about it and she said don't worry about it and to do the prep all the day before. They can see the colon... they can rinse it (I forget the word) in order to see what they need to see, she said. When I had asked the dr's about it, (I've had two different dr's over the past year) each said 'no one wants to do it' -meaning the patients - but didn't say that they would like me to try it.

So, yes, this dr's office is telling me not to worry about it and to do it day before instead of split prep.


At this point, I'm wanting to just do whatever will be successful for me. I see the nurse practitioner a little later this week for any last min. questions.

[kims]

I would echo Ski Fletch's advice about going on a semi solid or liquid diet 2 days prior. The doctor suggested doing that before my colon resection (which had a similar prep) and I did it on my own initiative before the last colonoscopy. Two days prior, I popped a couple of ducolax in the morning when I got up and I switched to a pretty much liquid diet. I ate chicken broth, jello and lemon popsicles for 2 days (1 day before prep day plus prep day.) I cannot tolerate drinking the large quantities of go-lytely or movieprep, so my doctor has OK'd the magnesium citrate. It costs about 2 bucks a bottle at CVS and I buy the lemon flavor. It tastes like Sprite with salt in it. With the liquid diet for 2 days, I can usually get away with only having to drink 2 12 oz bottles of the stuff instead of a half gallon of the other crap. I then follow it with large amounts of lemonade, water and Sprite until everything is pretty much clear or light yellow color.

[Deann]

Thanks... I'll do that about the diet on the pre prep day... I'm already following a light, low fiber/low residue diet since I think that's recommended for the 3 days prior, I'm stepping it up to a week prior.
I just have to decide if it'll be the Miralax or the mag citrate. I do also have the zofran if needed. Can it be that I will finally get this done? That will be so great.
Many thanks for your responses.

[Deann]

On the advice of the physician's assistant I plan to use the miralax/dulcolax/gatorade with G2 to cut sugar intake and just not to drink so so much liquid (in addition to prep stuff) because I guess I overdid the overall liquid intake last time. Also that I can basically take it bit by bit all day/evening the day before (that is, on prep day). No problem about eating lightly and/or mostly liquids pre-prep day. The PA said she did her prep all day long bit by bit. (I wonder why they just don't tell people that they can do that, then?) They seemed to think that the miralax would be better for my particular case than the mag citrate.

I appreciate everyone's advice here. I'm bringing something to protect my friend's car - I'm sure he'll be looking at me quizzically on that one. "Just in case."

[Deann]

I began this prep about five hours ago. (Miralax/Dulcolax/Gatorade) and I've gone very slowly. I think I am about half done and I am not anywhere near clear yet. I took a zofran before starting which has really helped with the nausea. I think I am going to take another one. (You can take them every six hours).
I want to get back to you guys with my report....if I can just keep on going and get clear already.
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing inspiration on this board.