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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.
Try the Miralax in Gatorade prep the next time. As you already know, Miralax is tasteless. You still have to drink a lot of fluid, but at least it isn't as likely to make you barf. (And you can use a clear fruit juice, like white grape juice or apple juice, instead of Gatorade if you prefer; just drink some salty stuff like chicken broth as well to keep your electrolytes balanced.)
You might also try to split the prep over two days. Drink the first half of the prep on the evening two days before the colonoscopy is scheduled, and the rest the day before the colonoscopy. That way you don't have to chug so much fluid so quickly. Just make SURE not to eat or drink anything other than clear fluids (yellow, green or light orange only, no blue, purple, or red/pink!) once you begin the prep. Once you're "emptied out," you'll stay that way until you eat solid food again.
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.
Try the Miralax in Gatorade prep the next time. As you already know, Miralax is tasteless. You still have to drink a lot of fluid, but at least it isn't as likely to make you barf. (And you can use a clear fruit juice, like white grape juice or apple juice, instead of Gatorade if you prefer; just drink some salty stuff like chicken broth as well to keep your electrolytes balanced.)
You might also try to split the prep over two days. Drink the first half of the prep on the evening two days before the colonoscopy is scheduled, and the rest the day before the colonoscopy. That way you don't have to chug so much fluid so quickly. Just make SURE not to eat or drink anything other than clear fluids (yellow, green or light orange only, no blue, purple, or red/pink!) once you begin the prep. Once you're "emptied out," you'll stay that way until you eat solid food again.
Thanks! I'll try to get them to prescribe that for me...if it's not too late, because they probably called it in to my online 'script site.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot
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.
Yes, the MiraLax was great! As for the other, I was told to get lemon sours too, but to me it was too much like the sour prep taste so that candy just made it worse for me - maybe some non-red Jolly Ranchers...but the red ones are the best!
Thanks! I'll try to get them to prescribe that for me...if it's not too late, because they probably called it in to my online 'script site.
One of the nice things about using Miralax as a prep is that everything you need for it is available over the counter. So a prescription isn't necessary at all to do it!
If the oral prep doesn't work, there's always the enema route. I had to do that overseas. I'll take the oral prep. I'll also take the sedation.
It's kind of interesting about the sedation part....I'm not really concerned about sedation because I have little issue with dental procedures, etc. and require less numbing and pain relief after.
But, I can see that if the prep for a colonoscopy is so incredibly aversive I just might not have the energy or will to put up with an unsedated procedure! In other words, if the prep were easier, maybe the perceived need for sedation might be less? I dunno, just my thinking after having had this bad experience with SuPrep.
It's kind of interesting about the sedation part....I'm not really concerned about sedation because I have little issue with dental procedures, etc. and require less numbing and pain relief after.
But, I can see that if the prep for a colonoscopy is so incredibly aversive I just might not have the energy or will to put up with an unsedated procedure! In other words, if the prep were easier, maybe the perceived need for sedation might be less? I dunno, just my thinking after having had this bad experience with SuPrep.
I had my 5th colonoscopy a couple of months ago and my prep was also SuPrep and will definitely never do that prep again. Aside from it tasting beyond horrible, if caused me to get pretty dehydrated because I could not stay hydrated as I was so nauseous and knew if I drank any water I would just vomit it up. Several days after having the procedure I ran into a friend at work who is our GI Clinic nurse practitioner and told her what happened to me with that prep and she advised next time around for me to just go with the milder but equally effective Miralax prep.
Believe me I am no lightweight when it comes to pain tolerance having had periodontal surgery with just a little novocaine and a thyroid nodule biopsy with zip, but I can't even imagine having a colonoscopy done without conscious sedation. If you see the length of the scope used along with the fact that air is used to inflate the colon during the procedure which can cause intense cramping you many want to reconsider passing on the sedation. You certainly can ask for light sedation which creates more of a groggy state where you know what is going on and may feel a little pressure but no intense pain.
Good luck, and honestly it is not as bad as you may think. And for most people they are on a 10 year recall so likely you will be too and won't have to deal with having to go through this for another 10 years.
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