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Golytely, colonoscopy prep

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 12/9/2014 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
I am scheduled for a colonoscopy in beginning of Jan.  I got instructions at my appointment today saying to take Golytely or Colyte.  Anyone with crohn's have any issues with this?  To me having to drink 2 litres in 2 hours time is excessive.  Then asked to get up at 6 am the following day and to drink another 2 litres in 2 hours before the appointment.  I don't think I can stomach this? This isn't a syrupy sweet mix is it?  Is there anything else I can ask for, that will be easier to take and easy on the intestines?  I had a colonoscopy more than once, but I don't remember drinking this, but it's been quite a while since my last colonoscopy?
Posted 12/9/2014 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
My GI is having me do the Miralax prep which consists of two Ducolax laxatives in the am, and then a whole bottle of Miralax with 64 oz of Gatorade. I hate Gatorade, so they told me I can use Propel or vitamin water instead. They usually split the dose if you have the colonoscopy later in the day, or all at once if it is scheduled for first thing in the morning. Miralax is completely tasteless, so I'm thinking it will be easier than my usual preps.
Posted 12/10/2014 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, my appointment is for 1 pm. Because I have bad chronic diarrhea, this amount of fluid will not be good for me, not to mention that it will be too much for my kidneys' and possibly cause more rectal irritation from going. other than what I already have? Wish I could find the instruction from the last colonoscopy?

Is Miralax similar to a senekot liquid? Is that something they use to tell us to down with some 7 up, so it wouldn't taste as bad, or was that magnesium citrate? I don't mind gatorade but wouldn't want a bottle of any kind of prep in it?
What if I just took ir for one day, and drank nothing else but water for the next to the allowable time. Usually it takes me very little to clean out, because I am cleaning out via D Run 24-7
Posted 12/10/2014 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Miralax is an osmotic laxative...it adds water to your stool to make you go. It is not like Senokot. I've never done the Miralax prep before, but a whole bottle does seem like a lot. You need to talk with your GI and see what they will allow. I used Prepopik at my last GI. It is a very small amount of prep to drink followed by tons of fluids. Maybe that would be better for you.
I have been having D for months and it has just stabilized the past couple of days. I am dreading messing everything up with the prep too. My colonoscopy is scheduled for Monday, 12/15.
Posted 12/10/2014 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
I have used about 6 different preps and will only use either the Mirolax prep or prepopik. I have a hard time tolerating the preps that require you to drink a large quantity of liquid which includes the golytely. I prefer prepopik over miralax because you only have to drink two 5 oz glasses of prep, which tastes like a very sweetened crystal light lemonade or orange drink. Then after drinking the first dose of prep you drink five 8 oz glasses of clear liquids of your choice and after the second dose of prep you drink three 8 oz glasses of clear liquids of your choice. You can drink the clear liquids at a rate that is comfortable to you which is nice since you're not trying to get it all down in a couple of hours. I like that you can choose what you want to drink with the prepopik as long as it is a clear liquid. The miralax prep isn't bad as far as taste goes because the miralax doesn't really have a taste, although I think it makes the Gatorade have a little weird texture. Good luck with your scope.
Posted 12/10/2014 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
I did the golytely prep for my first colonoscopy....it's not fun, but that goes without saying for a colonoscopy prep. It's not sweet, but briney. I recommend drinking it well-chilled and with a straw. Don't drink it too fast- it may make you throw up if you do. I think the biggest thing is just getting it all down. good luck!
Posted 12/11/2014 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you gumby44, hope your scope goes well. Guess, if you have to have it, at least by Monday it will be over and done with. Best of luck with the results.

caia_120, thank you for the advice. I don't know if I seen either mirolax or prepopik around here?
Are these reliable for a good clean out? I have a stricture in the small bowel/large bowel junction, who knows if this will delay movements. They know this, should I be taking in that much fluid? I'm waiting a few days to get my blood and kidney results and then will contact them and ask about it, but they know about the stricture, in fact I am hoping that all will go okay with the colonoscopy, knowing there is a long narrowing. She said they will be careful, but it's almost a month away and this is not my regular GI but the doctor through the colon program who will be doing this test for me.
Posted 12/11/2014 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hi dorri. I have done the Miralax prep for the last two scopes and was wondering where it had been all my life.

I did use a whole bottle of Miralax in two of the (what I think are) bigger bottles of orange Gatorade. It was much more gentle on my system than golytly ever was. Because I am mostly D and they cause me nausea, I do not take the senokot....I am lucky and I clean out fine from just the Miralax and going on a very low fiber diet earlier than they require.

I also dehydrate easily. The Gatorade seemed to help this and like gumby said, Miralax was less water removing for me.

I would call the GI with your concerns and ask if the Miralax would be better for you.
Posted 12/11/2014 2:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks HabsHockeyFan. What does golytely taste like? Is it thick and syrupy? I just called a Wal-Mart Pharmacist, and they don't have mirolax, they do have picosalax, Anyone heard of this? Any way, she recommends calling my doctor and taking what they recommend? I can't really call my GI because I am getting the colonoscopy through the Colon Check program, so most likely I have to contact them. While they do have GI doctors which do the same kind of tests, I am wondering how much they know specifically about crohn's and strictures and adding all that fluid with the Golytely? However, I will have to contact them, I have watery diarrhea around the clock, so anything that causes more irritation will be really hard on me because I get dehydrated really quickly.
Posted 12/11/2014 2:14 AM (GMT 0)

starreyedgyrl said...
I did the golytely prep for my first colonoscopy....it's not fun, but that goes without saying for a colonoscopy prep. It's not sweet, but briney. I recommend drinking it well-chilled and with a straw. Don't drink it too fast- it may make you throw up if you do. I think the biggest thing is just getting it all down. good luck!

Thank you starryeyedgyr, can I ask what you mean by briney, hope that it isn't heavy, and salty/ sweet like the magnesium prep I took before?
Posted 12/11/2014 5:09 AM (GMT 0)
I won't ever do the Golytely prep again. Can never hold it down, always throw it up. I've done the Miralax prep the last two scopes, it's a breeze! Don't taste anything but gatorade and it's not that much liquids to get down. Much easier prep, I ask for it before hand.
Posted 12/11/2014 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
dorri....are you in the US? Miralax is an over the counter item that you can get right off the shelf (stores usually stock a small bottle and a large bottle they are white with a purpley label and cap). I even cut out coupons in our Sunday paper and share with my CCFA support group! If you get the Miralax, it tastes like the Gatorade you mix it in---especially if you get the Gatorade really cold. This was a lower amount of liquid to consume and I was done with the prep sooner--frankly I think I was cleaned out better, quicker and with a lot less cramping than the golytely.

The golytlely used to come with multiple different "flavoring" packets. You could pick a flavor to put in and mix. None of them really tasted like what they said they were and briny is a good term for it---kind of like drinking salt water with a touch of flavoring. To this day, I can not stand the smell or taste of pineapple because I accidentally used that packet instead of the orange I meant to grab. I have to admit when I did the golytely, I used to do "a glass for me, a glass for the sink"...which is no way to follow directions!
Posted 12/11/2014 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, your answer does it for me. No golytely for me. Will call tomorrow if I can get a response and ask what else I can use. I'm in Canada. I can check other stores for the Miralax.
Thanks
Posted 12/11/2014 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hey dorri, picosalax is the same thing as prepopik. I think you can get it over the counter in Canada, in the US we need a prescription for it. Bothe the Miralax and picosalax prep were able to clean me out well. As far as preps go I don't think you can go wrong with either of these as far as taste and how easy they are to get down.
Posted 12/12/2014 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks caia. I dropped into the store quickly just to see what they had on the shelves and all they had in OTC preps was fleets, Magnesium Citrates solution or syrup, and a couple of others that I haven't heard about? So think the rest of the colon preps must be behind the counter, but not on prescription. When I talk to the doctor I will ask about Picosalax, but will still see if any stores carry the Miralax.
Posted 12/12/2014 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
The Miralax is with the laxatives, not the preps on the shelves. Are you in the US? If so, most pharmacies carry it.
Posted 12/12/2014 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, I'm in Canada. I will look in the laxative department.
Posted 12/18/2014 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, I called the office a couple of days ago. She returned my call today when I wasn't in, but by the sounds of her voice on my answering machine, don't know if they will let me try the picosalax instead? I will call her back tomorrow.
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