New and Q about colon prep (long post and tmi)

First let me start by saying I don't actually have Crohn's. At least not that I know of. It's one of the reasons I'm getting a colonoscopy done.. Let me start from the beginning.

I have had severe chronic consipation for as long as I can remember. It's not unusually for me to go a week or more with no BM. And even if I go it's very very little and very very hard. Regardless of how well I eat or how much water I drink. Nothing helps. Even the miralax isn't a miracle. I still only go about once or twice a week and still not a lot.

In anycase I also have rectal bleeding on and off for the last three years or more. I had a colonoscopy done after my youngest was born and the doctor basically told me that my husband and I were participating in intimate relations causing my rectal bleeding, BUT WE DON'T DO THAT. I was so offended and my husband was so shocked that we couldn't even correct the doctor. That was almost three years ago.

So I've lived with the rectal bleeding at every stinking bowel movement and sometimes just passing gas. Theres also mucous and other nasty things. The only reason I mentioned it to my doctor was because I had low iron and so she was asking me some screaning questions. The bleeding combined with my family history of Crohn's disease (mother AND nephew) and ulcerative colitis (nephew) she sent me to a GI who of course wants to do the a scope.

So here is my question. My doctor has me on two capfuls of miralax per day to help move the BM alone before my scope next Wednesday. He prescribed the lytle stuff not sure exactly which one but the gallon jug of flavorless (yea right) motor oil AND he wants me to pick up three bottles of some fizzy green stuff (i forgot the name). On Mon I am to eat very lightly and then start my prep Tuesday afternoon. NO food Tuesday. I am to drink one of the bottles of green stuff then start the lytle and then after it is all gone drink another bottle of green stuff. If I am still not clean I have to drink the third bottle.

Then he's going to scope me on Wed and if I'm not clean I have to do it all over again for Friday.

My problem is I had the go lytle before and I was gagging so bad I couldn't continue drinking it. It was literaly like drinking oil and I couldn't stomach it. I ended up only drinking half before giving up AND I know I wasn't clean because I barely had any BMs and not the clear liquid that I guess I'm suppose to have.

My doctor was going to give me this new med where I drink half the night before and then half the next morning, but my insurance either didn't cover it or only covered part of it because the nurse said it would cost me $65. Now I'm thinking I should have scrapped up the money to buy it anyway.

I'm just so afraid of doing this twice. I heard about the miralax prep and was hoping I could just do that but I don't think my doctor will go for it. He's real old school and calls everyone sweety and honey and he's so sweet but I see him saying no. I was wondering, has anyone tried it without the doctors approval. And if it doesn't work can I start on the lytle stuff? Or can I try uping my dose of miralax the weekend before in hopes to start cleaning myself out?

I appreciate any help you all can give me and I hope I wasn't too presumptious posting here. I know I don't have Crohn's and I have the opposite symptoms that my mom has, but I'm not sure what the Dr will find and I'm honestly a bit scared to find out if I do have Crohn's. But at the same time I'm also afraid he's going to brush me off with IBS and send me on my way. Has anyone had similar symptoms to mine (sometimes I feel like I have to push down on the top of my stomach to push the stool out) and I also suffer from fatigue, depression, indigestion (no hearburn), cramps, bloating, urge to go with no BM, rectal bleeding, severe chronic constipation and weight gain over the last few years.

Thanks in advance. I'm sorry this post is so long. I feel alone in this. My husband just tells me that he's not a dr and I need to stop worrying about it and just wait to see what the doctor says. My mom is going through a really hard time right now so I don't want to bother her and I've read through some of the posts here and you all seem so supportive. Any advice is appreciated!

I have struggled with chronic cnstipation since I was born(I saw my 1st GI at 18 months old) & it's sometimes worse than the horrid 'D'!! I remember my parents taking me to the ER evry two days with back to back fecal impactions(that's right. EVERY two days). My mom used to chase me around with suppositories all the way till 3rd grade...fun times!!


I usually do miralax/enema prep. I drink about 5 doses of miralax two days before & the day before I drink 20 or more doses. Believe it or not, I usually go after the first 6! I also then do an enema before I go to "sleep" & the morning before the scope I do a fleet enema & milk of milasis(sp?) enema.

My biological mother has Crohn's also like me, We have a family history of IBS & Crohn's. My "adoptive mom" has IBS & your symptoms sound exactly like hers. She has had multiple scopes but she has no form of IBD. She just has severe IBS.

Hope all goes well!

Skin tags & hemmis look a lot alike. So it could be nothing. I get hemmis when I strain & fissures(both are common in other GI Diseases & disorders) that cause bleeding. Just try to ease your mind! Either way is a win-win situation(twisted thinking, I know) BUT if you have Crohn's you can get treatment before it gets bad & if not then that's great!

I'm 15(female) & I take off my pants in front of my male GI like theres nothing to it. When he wants to do a rectal exam I'm like "SWEET! I haven't worked out in awhile so don't judge!" or my favorite "I got tan lines for ya today!" ;) Just try to make the best of it :)! You can't help but laugh sometimes :)

Thx Cleanfreak! That's too funny. I

I drink about 4 cups of miralaz a days plus stool softeners. It honestly doesn't matter. Just make sure you drink a lot of water. Miralax is OTC for a reason. You would have to be an idiot to "OD" on it. I usually do one cupful before school, two when I get home from school & one with dinner. All I drink is water. Every once in a while I'll drink green tea or a soday but they are BAD for constipation. I always drink water. I drink about 8-10 glasses of 8 oz water a day.

Miralax works by "telling" your colon not to absorb as much water & allowing your stools to "soak" up the extra moisture which will help the stool move out more smoothly. All Miralax is, is magnesium basically. My GI always just says "Have you taken you mag today?" when my constipation gets too bad.

Nickelkriss, I'm a constipation type gal myself. *sigh* And I've found adding a couple of graham crackers a day to my diet helps keep things a bit softer and easier to move thru more often. No miracle cure, just an "aid" that is quite effective for "maintenance".