Colonoscopy Prep - warning - a little graphic! (polyps, doctors, insurance)
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I've personally never heard of anyone vomiting from the su-prep, or any of the other laxatives they use. Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen! I've had the colonoscopy done 3 times and DH has probably done it at least 6 times due to family history and neither of us have ever had all this fuss. We've been given various laxatives by the various gastros who've done ours. It's no big deal to me. I just chug the glass of the stuff and then immediately drink another glass of water within about 10 minutes or so. I don't understand all this gagging and what not. I think it might be psychological. It tastes bad, so what? People get all freaked out about the process. It's not fun to have "the big D" for a day, but all this drama over it seems a bit excessive.
I had the sigmoidoscopy without any sort of sedation, and that wasn't fun, but not really "painful", just a bit uncomfortable. I don't think I'd ever go for the colonoscopy without the sedation. Seems like that would be about 3 times worse than the sigmoidoscopy, bigger and longer tube, more air in the colon. No thanks, knock me out.
Your personal experience does not describe general experience. Please don't classify my gagging and vomiting as psychological or "drama" because I am anything but dramatic. Are you aware that sensitivity to certain tastes is genetically determined? As an example, do you like cilantro or does it taste soapy to you?
If you'll trouble yourself to click either link you'll see that vomiting occurred in 8% of those using Suprep, which is twice that in the other bowel prep. You can also see other common side effects. Consider yourself lucky rather than stoic if you didn't happen to experience them.
If the patient can't stomach it, that's a problem. What good is the prep if the person simply vomits it up?
The prep reneeh63 had ordered for her simply isn't gong to work for her. The solution is for her to switch to a different prep that is better tolerated, not simply to tell her to "suck it up" (only to puke it up and have to cancel the procedure again because because her colon hasn't been adequately cleaned out).
Your personal experience does not describe general experience. Please don't classify my gagging and vomiting as psychological or "drama" because I am anything but dramatic. Are you aware that sensitivity to certain tastes is genetically determined? As an example, do you like cilantro or does it taste soapy to you?
If you'll trouble yourself to click either link you'll see that vomiting occurred in 8% of those using Suprep, which is twice that in the other bowel prep. You can also see other common side effects. Consider yourself lucky rather than stoic if you didn't happen to experience them.
Well if 92% don't vomit, then that is pretty much "general experience", leaving the vomiting 8% as an exception. As I said, it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
I just have a feeling that with all this pre-prep, and extra consultations, reading up on internet tips and other peoples' experiences, etc, that you've gotten yourself a bit wound-up, and possibly worried yourself into nausea. I know I personally can accidentally make myself nauseous, or even headache-y, if I'm extremely worried or anxious about something, and then it can even feel like my throat is closing up, etc. Saying something is psychological doesn't mean I think you are crazy or anything. And yes, it made you vomit, which is a physical reaction, but you could have the same reaction to another prep, especially if you are anticipating it with a lot of trepidation. I see where it says that those who experience vomiting may be already dehydrated BEFORE taking Su-prep, especially if they have already used another laxative, something that is NOT recommended. Having taken the Miralax (4 doses!) may have dehydrated you, causing the Su-prep to make you vomit. Just something to consider for the future.
I thought the prep was a big deal the first time I had to do it. Now it's just a day with diarrhea. I find the longer I drag out the process of drinking that prep, the worse it tastes. I just down it in two or three big gulps over the span of about 10 seconds and quickly rinse my mouth out.
I had a colonoscopy because of longstanding severe constipation so I had to be NPO for two days rather than one. It wasn't as hard as I thought although not surprisingly, it took many, many bowel movements for me to clear out. I happened to meet a GI nurse a month before my procedure who gave me invaluable advice. She told me to use baby wipes and Vaseline on my hiney to prevent soreness. I did Suprep, the best solution, I think. I drank pear juice, peach juice, broth for the electrolytes and ate Jell-O.
How can I do better next time given I am typically constipated all the time and the extra stuff I did was of no help with the gagging/vomiting? Should I just do ColoGuard? I actually didn't want to do that before because with my constipation I don't have a regular morning kind of thing so it would be hard to do it, prepare the sample and get it in the mail as fast as is necessary.
I don't know about the constipation issue specifically, since I don't suffer from that, though I eat a high fiber diet with oatmeal, beans, green veggies, and drink a lot of water.
However, I finally did my first colonoscopy a year ago and was really nervous about it.
My GI gave me a prescription for CLENPIQ, which has a coupon that covers the cost beyond what your regular copay might be. I paid $0. It's a low-volume prep. It consists of 2 small 5oz bottles, which you don't refrigerate. The taste was fine, it was a cranberry-ish taste.
You drink the first 5oz bottle, then drink a minimum of 8oz of water or clear liquid each hour, for 5 hours. The next morning you drink the 2nd 5oz bottle, then 3 more cups of water or clear liquid, 8oz each hour. It was fantastic! No nausea, no gagging down a gallon of prep, and the laxative effect was so mild I wasn't even sure it was working because of all the horror ("omg butt on fire") comments I read online about others' colonoscopy prep stories. It helped that I had not gone the route many do -- hitting a buffet and loading up with as much food as my tummy could hold. I did a lighter diet for 2 days before I started the prep. My GI doc said my prep was great and he was able to see everything clearly.
The only bad part of the prep for me was being hungry since I ended up over 24 hrs without any food. Everything else was simple and wonderfully anti-climatic.
The procedure itself was easy peasy -- my GI does propofol for full sedation and sedation was the part I was super scared of and why I had procrastinated for years. I had myself so worked up I was in tears just anticipating it. But, everyone told me it was a nothingburger and it turns out they were right -- it was as nice an experience as it could be, no weird sensations of going under, no drugged feeling waking up, just 20 min and I woke up feeling normal and ready to roll. I practically danced out of the endoscopy center afterwards.
Well, what I see from the doctor's side is very little desire to "personalize" based on specific needs - they certainly don't build in a consult to even ask/inquire! So, now I'd have to pay for ANOTHER "extra" consult about the prep itself. I can see why there are 15-25% poorly prepped patients since there is so little effort to improve the prep by individually consulting with them!
I agree, and it seems that different doctors have their own idea about the best prep and for the most part they are quite inflexible. I had mine with MoviPrep- NEVER again! That stuff was horrible, I gagged the whole time and they warned me to make sure it was ice cold or I would vomit, well I didn't vomit but drinking that amount of ice cold liquid resulted in me getting the chills so bad that I went to the clinic with my teeth chattering.
Once there I had to argue about sedation, I refused to be sedated, I've had a bad experience with midazolam in the past which was the drug du jour of this particular clinic - they were inflexible on using anything else. They finally did it with no sedation, only some IV fentanyl for pain. It was fine I didn't have any problem at all. My cousin is a NP and she said she refuses sedation with colonoscopies too, she said some doctors work too quickly and are too rough when they know you won't remember the pain, which could potentially increase the risk of a perforated colon.
I'm surprised some of you can find doctors who'll do it without sedation. A few years ago I almost let a care provider talk me into a colonoscopy. But since I don't have anyone to drive me home I considered doing it without sedation. I've read that's common practice in Europe. Good luck finding a GI Dr in the Denver area who'll do that.
OP I'm sorry you had such a rotten experience with the first prep. I really sympathize, it'd probably make me barf too. I hope it all goes smoothly from here on out.
Did my first colonoscopy at over 50 years of age a few months ago. Was most concerned about fasting since I get migraines when really hungry. The broth, gatorade, and jello (fortify with extra gelatin) were a godsend... no migraines! Actual procedure is basic (they will put you in a fetal position)...the prep is rough but not that bad. Didn't even chill that gallon of medicine tasting lemon drink that cleans you out (you will be pissing out the ass)...you guys have to man up and not throw up lol. Actually it is pretty gnarley tasting & you have to chug lots of it in 15 minute intervals (the key is to drink all as fast as possible)...worked out okay for me. If you have a weak stomach then play the" macho mental game " like you are Joey Chestnut heading in to a hot dog eating contest at Nathan's on the fourth of July. No polyps at all and my report said "excellent bowel prep" lol. Next one will be in another 10 years. Had a burger at Wendy's after mostly fasting for a few days...tasted great!
Well if 92% don't vomit, then that is pretty much "general experience", leaving the vomiting 8% as an exception. As I said, it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
I just have a feeling that with all this pre-prep, and extra consultations, reading up on internet tips and other peoples' experiences, etc, that you've gotten yourself a bit wound-up, and possibly worried yourself into nausea. I know I personally can accidentally make myself nauseous, or even headache-y, if I'm extremely worried or anxious about something, and then it can even feel like my throat is closing up, etc. Saying something is psychological doesn't mean I think you are crazy or anything. And yes, it made you vomit, which is a physical reaction, but you could have the same reaction to another prep, especially if you are anticipating it with a lot of trepidation. I see where it says that those who experience vomiting may be already dehydrated BEFORE taking Su-prep, especially if they have already used another laxative, something that is NOT recommended. Having taken the Miralax (4 doses!) may have dehydrated you, causing the Su-prep to make you vomit. Just something to consider for the future.
I thought the prep was a big deal the first time I had to do it. Now it's just a day with diarrhea. I find the longer I drag out the process of drinking that prep, the worse it tastes. I just down it in two or three big gulps over the span of about 10 seconds and quickly rinse my mouth out.
I didn't mind as much my (belated) diarrhea as I did the projectile vomiting, including bile. As I mentioned prior, the Miralax had somewhat minimal effect so I certainly wasn't dehydrated from THAT since the diarrhea came much later with the minimal Suprep I managed to retain from the second dose.
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