Golytely vs. Halflytely and Oh Yeah...Clear Scans

[KarenP]

Hi All,

Has anyone had either or both of these colonoscopy preps and can offer any info? My last colonoscopy, they had me do the Fleet Phosphasoda prep. They say they now can't recommend the Fleet prep because of concerns it could damage my remaining kidney. The Fleet is nasty tasting but at least it was only a few ounces. I understand one of these is 2 liters and the other a full gallon...just hoping given those quantities that it isn't too wretched! I told the nurse that called today that I would get back to them.

P.S. I am in full celebration mode...clear post-treatment scans this week yeah! I feel as if I have finally emerged from an eleven month fog into bright sunshine.

Thanks.
Karen

[NWgirl]

Sorry I can't offer any insight on the prep - I used the fleet as well. But, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE CLEAN SCAN!!!!!! YEAHHHH!!!!!!

[Monique]

Hi Karen,

First, that's great news regarding your scans.

Second, if memory serves, I think I had to chug back a gallon of the Golytely (I must say that I find the brand name a little ironic, more like Gosteadilyforfourhours. That said, although it wasn't an enjoyable experience, it wasn't too terrible. No pain, just a bother. Further, my nurse friend told me to eat lightly a day prior to the prep as apparently it makes the experience a little more bearable. Also, try to stay hydrated on the days leading up to your colonoscopy.

Best, Monique

[MitchellVII]

Golytely tastes like a combination of seawater and the funk that has been standing in a rusty pipe for 6 months. The problem is you have to drink SO MUCH. You gag down the first glass, then realize you have only 20 more just like it over the next 2 hours. If the barium milkshake is a 5 on the nasty scale, Golytely is a solid 8 or 9.

[terrytech]

I'm looking at the box of Halflytely on my counter, picked it up today for my partner, who's going on Wednesday. It's a 2 liter jug complete with 3 flavor packs, your choice of cherry, lemon or orange included .also in the box some tablets, to be taken prior to the drink. It does't look too bad, compared so some of the stuff I've had to take before. I will never drink Ginger Ale ever again because of one of the preps I had to chug alug some years back. I will pray for you. Terrytech

[weisssoccermom]

You might ask the doctor if you can take the pill form - either Visacol or OsmoPrep. With kidney issues, they also might not allow that but it certainly is worth asking.

Congrats on the clean scans!
Jaynee

[sumit22]

I took Go-lytley and agree with everyone that the taste was tolerable, but not enjoyable. The person who described it at sea-water was pretty accurate. To me it tasted like water, with a very small amount of milk in it. Just enough to almost turn my stomach. I chugged it as i held my nose. I didnt take a breath until the entire glass was swallowed. I got about 70% of the gallon down before I said "enough". Also, the flavor packets did absolutely nothing. I honestly think they are fake. I used the cherry and the mixture didnt smell like cherry or have even a hint of cherry in taste in it.

It did the job though and honestly it was only about 45 minutes of drinking the stuff every 5 minutes or so.

You can get through it!

[KarenP]

Wow, tastes like seawater & rusty pipe funk huh Mitchell...I think I'll be opting for the 2 liter! I did a Google search and some posters said the flavoring was a joke and didn't taste like cherry, orange or lemon-lime at all. Then I searched for colonoscopy prep+crystal light drink mix. Some Dr. offices say you can mix the Crystal Light Lemon with the Golytely. Don't see any reason why the same couldn't go for the Halflytely, so that sounds like the plan (of course provided the surgeons office agrees). Thanks for the responses.

Karen

[been there doen them both]

I was forced to take Go-lytely prior to my hysterectomy and it was terrible....my oncologist had me drink 2, yes I said 2! as in TWO gallons of the stuff.....it was wretched. Because of having had uterine cancer I was also deemed at risk for colon cancer, so I was scheduled for a colonoscopy a few months after my surgery....for the colonoscopy I was given HalfLytely....such a relief to have to drink much, much less. I would HIGHLY recommend the Half over the Go any day!

As a side note, I have been cancer free for nearly four years! I celebrate my anniversary in two weeks

Congrats on your all clear!!!!!!!

[Terry]

Yeah, yuck and yuck! They are both disgusting and to much to drink. I would take the fleets phos. anyday at least it's a small amount. Next time you have one ask about the movie prep, my daughter said it wasn't to bad, or the miralax and dulcolax (this is the one I'm going for). Miralax doesn't taste like anything, even in water, it's just a little flakey.

Congrats on clear scans!

[brigita]

Speaking as one who's experienced the GoLytley, HalfLytley, and MoviPreps (done in that chronological order), I prefer them in the following order:

Half > Go > Movi

Movi actually made sick, and I have an iron stomach.

I second the suggestion to eat lightly the day (or two) leading up to a scope. Takes a little sting out of the prep.

[EdFromCT]

Hi,

I've gone through the prep with Halflytely three times in the past twelve months (for colonoscopy/surgery/followup colonoscopy), with no significant problems. My GI guy specifically recommends using a Crystal Light packet (any flavor) rather than the provided flavor packets. Although this helps by almost completely masking the electrolyte taste, the polyethylene glycol still has a weird and somewhat unpleasant taste, so I also subscribe to the "chug it quickly without breathing" approach.

I think that the idea with these large-fluid-volume preps is to drink enough electrolyte replacement fluid that the net effect is neutral---no depletion of blood fluids or electrolytes. At least for me it seems to work pretty well, and I've showed up at the hospital feeling pretty good, even if more than a little nervous, all three times.

-Ed

[garbovatwin]

YIPPEEEEE on your clear scans.

I have done GoLytely. It is salty and yeech. Actually they all are in their own way.

The best way to do it is mix it up the night before and really chill it.

When you start taking it, drink each 8 ounce glass using a nice thick malted milk straw. It is so much easier to tolerate with a straw.

Be sure to have a nice glass of clear cool water to drink immediately after finishing each glass of GoLytely and it washes down that salty after taste.

I gagged the first time trying to just drink it without a straw and compromised my prep....(shhhh. I ran to Walgreens and picked up 3 mag citrates and used them instead...the colonoscopy still went off without a hitch teehee). The last time I had to use it because the surgeon insisted, I got through the entire gallon using a straw.

For some reason I am always freezing when I have to do preps...all that cold liquid on an already empty stomach since I start a fast the day before doing he prep.

Don't forget the straw....

[papajedi]

Out of the darkness into the light....!!! Yeah baby, clear scan!!

[gary g]

Drinking this massive amount of liquid is hopefully the worst of this whole ordeal. I added about 5 of those crystalite packets with the lemon flavoring and other than being salty tasting, it wasn't as bad as I had expected. Not that I'd like to do it again though. Tomorrow I'll see what the doctor has to say after the exam. Whoo-Hoo!!!!