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Short version: Special consult still didn't prepare me for vomiting up the first of the split doses...now have to reschedule the procedure. 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.
Ask your doctor for magnesium citrate.
Or, buy it at Walgreens. Yes, Walgreens sells it.
It's very lemony. If it was carbonated it'd be quite good, although it's a bit salty.
I had mine at the VA in Cincinnati about 3 months ago.
The program is dietary restrictions 2-days prior, no skins, seeds or fiber and drink the 8 oz magnesium citrate. 1-day prior fast on clear liquids. I bought 6 bottles of Gatorade and drank that and the gallon of GoLYTELY.
GoLYTELY is nasty but it's a definite improvement over the others (I've had 4 colonoscopies). At least you can mask the taste with Gatorade, or those little drops you put in water, or Country-Time lemonade mix (nothing orange or red in color).
Ask your doctor for those, and if your doctor is going to be an ass about it, find a new doctor.
Colonoscopies are safe. The only complication is a ruptured colon which occurs about 1 in 20,000, but if you are not sedated, the risk is even lower at 1 in 800,000.
Why?
Some people are born with minor defects. These are congenital defects that might appear in arteries, the stomach and small and large intestine. The walls are thinner and weaker than in normal people.
So, you're properly seat-belted and the air-bag deploys, but you still die in a low-impact crash at 25 MPH. That's because an artery ruptured at that weak point, you were unconscious in 5-7 seconds and then dead.
They pump air into the colon to inflate the walls so they can see. Gases, like liquids, follow the path of least resistance and if you have a congenital flaw, that's where the air will go.
If you're unsedated, you'll feel an ever-increasing sharp pain and you should immediately say something so the doctor (I had a PA because you don't really need a doctor) can cut the air flow.
The good news is you're already in a hospital, so they just do surgery and repair the intestinal wall. It won't kill you, but bacteria from your colon will cause peritonitis, which will kill you, unless the rupture is repaired and you're given antibiotics.
Currently, there's no technology that allows for the discovery of such minor defects. They remain hidden until there's a problem.
Aside from that, there's probably one point in the procedure where you might feel some minor discomfort akin to sitting in a weird awkward position that's uncomfortable, but other than that there's nothing to it.
I just had my first colonoscopy about a month ago. I was given a large amount of MiraLax powder and told to mix it with 64 oz. of Gatorade (lemon-lime flavor only) and drink it over a period of 4 hours. People told me to have candy ready to suck on but I didn't think it tasted bad at all, had no trouble. Could you ask for a prep like that? You already know you are OK with MiraLax.
This is what I did, too--along with two Dulcolax pills two hours before the Miralx/Gatorade. I used reduced sugar Gatorade...
A tip a very good GI Doc gave me was to have the Gatorade/Miralax mixture at ROOM temperature. He said drinking that much cold liquid could cause cramping and vomiting and chills.
i followed his advice and didn't find the prep all that difficult, truth told.
I’ve had several colonoscopies done over the past 10 or so years, and they all had different prep methods but I got through it. No, it’s not fun.
Not to pick on a particular age or gender but it seems that middle-aged women seem to have a bigger issue in complying with the prep, or complain a lot more about it. My GI doctor mentioned it and I’ve heard it myself at the doctor and also when in the waiting room before the procedure.
I guess that’s why the Cologuard test is gaining in popularity.
I’ve had several colonoscopies done over the past 10 or so years, and they all had different prep methods but I got through it. No, it’s not fun.
Not to pick on a particular age or gender but it seems that middle-aged women seem to have a bigger issue in complying with the prep, or complain a lot more about it. My GI doctor mentioned it and I’ve heard it myself at the doctor and also when in the waiting room before the procedure.
I guess that’s why the Cologuard test is gaining in popularity.
I can't speak to who complains more but men seem especially squeamish about anything related to their butts while many women have faced numerous gyno exams and childbirth....
I can't speak to who complains more but men seem especially squeamish about anything related to their butts while many women have faced numerous gyno exams and childbirth....
I’m not talking about being squeamish about the procedure - I’m talking about whining about the prep.
I’m not surprised that men statistically do a poorer level of prep.
I had my second colonoscopy last year, and this time for the prep, they prescribed "magnesium citrate" (OTC at Walgreens, sold in an old glass "soda pop" bottle. Like drinking gargle-water (very salty), but went and stayed down with no problem. Just don't go out shopping after drinking it, LOL. For sedation, they gave me the same stuff Michael Jackson was taking (Propofol), and that was the best, easiest and deepest sleep I ever had, would recommend it in a heartbeat. I went under and came out of it very easily, but was a little loopy, making inappropriate jokes to the waiting room crowd while walking out, like "Hey, that reminded me of the time I was on the prison football team - I went in as a Tight End, and came out a Wide Receiver", according to the guy who drove me. I'm pretty sure I was flirting with one of the attending nurses in recovery, but I bet she gets that a lot.
There's no way I'd go through that without being sedated, unless there's a medical reason you can't use it, I'd definitely go with Propofol. That Michael really knew what he was doing, that stuff is great.
]I can't speak to who complains more but men seem especially squeamish about anything related to their butts while many women have faced numerous gyno exams and childbirth....
That's because when guys want to role-play "Hillbillies in Appalachia", they know that it's better to give than receive, LOL. Men are conditioned since high school not to drop the soap in the shower, and shudder at the thought of it.
And since the season is upon us:
"What do hillbillies like to do on Halloween?
Pumpkin.
Sorry, this is gonna be long...short version at the bottom if you don't want to read.
I'd finally decided to schedule my first colonoscopy. I'm a few years over 50 but in good general health and no family history so I hadn't been in a hurry though my doctor kept reminding me.
I didn't want to be sedated and my doctor originally set this up so that I wouldn't even talk to anyone beforehand, just get the prep and go to the clinic. But in this case I really needed to talk to someone who'd be willing to do it without sedation, etc.
So I went to the consult, which seemed like a big deal but the doctor agreed - then a nurse came in and basically told me about the prep and got it ordered through my service.
I was doing a lot of online research on tips to get through the prep and I found some info about what to do if you are typically on the constipated-side - I was surprised because no one ever asked if I was "irregular" or anything, despite even getting the extra consult.
So because of that online info I decided to start a low-residue diet 5 days before...and to take some gentle laxatives starting early...and do 4 doses of Miralax 2 days before to get things "moving". And they did, kinda. Then the day before I did a totally liquid diet - not even a light breakfast though my procedure was for 12:30 the next afternoon.
The night before I started the SuPrep. Had it refrigerated...a straw,...ice...candy to suck on - all the tips. I got it down in about 15 minutes and then drank another 16 oz. of water as directed...then I totally lost it after 30 minutes - projectile vomiting. I knew it was so quick that I'd get no benefit at all. Online there were only instructions that you should drink it quickly and if you felt nauseous stop for awhile and start again but this happened after I'd already had it all so there was no way to salvage anything.
So I got dramamine to help with any nausea for the morning dose. Of course I knew it would be bad because of how horrible it tasted and that I'd vomited before. So I went slower....gagging the whole 45 minutes to get half of it down and I knew I couldn't finish. So I called them at 8:00 am since my procedure was at 12:30 hoping they had some alternative. Nope - just flat out cancelled me - no options. I'm actually a little pissed because there was no after-hours number I could have called last night to get any human help.
A nurse called me back later this morning...said they'd give me PlenVu the next time and some anti-nausea medication. But I seriously don't know if I can do it...has anyone had an "aborted" procedure and then was able to have a "clean" colonoscopy after that? Did you give up and just do ColoGuard? Are there any tips I just don't know about?
That taste is so vivid in my mind I'm almost gagging now...I'll have to wait a few months to even try again. I also wonder how much I'll get charged for this attempt. Ugh - I thought I'd planned so well and now feel like a total failure - and having the delayed effects of the prep all this afternoon is yucky too.
Short version: Special consult still didn't prepare me for vomiting up the first of the split doses...now have to reschedule the procedure. 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.
Follow directions. Drink that terrible stuff. All of it. I didn't eat for 5 days and, well, let's say I failed the exam.
I’ve had several colonoscopies done over the past 10 or so years, and they all had different prep methods but I got through it. No, it’s not fun.
Not to pick on a particular age or gender but it seems that middle-aged women seem to have a bigger issue in complying with the prep, or complain a lot more about it. My GI doctor mentioned it and I’ve heard it myself at the doctor and also when in the waiting room before the procedure.
I guess that’s why the Cologuard test is gaining in popularity.
I can't speak to who complains more but men seem especially squeamish about anything related to their butts while many women have faced numerous gyno exams and childbirth....
Quote:
Originally Posted by markjames68
I’m not talking about being squeamish about the procedure - I’m talking about whining about the prep.
I’m not surprised that men statistically do a poorer level of prep.
You're not surprised that men are less compliant? Your first post says that WOMEN seem to have a bigger issue complying. Which is it?
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