New here and have question about Miralax prep

Hello. My name is Alisa and it's nice to meet you all. I can't tell you how much I've learned from reading your posts. You are a wonderful group of people.

I'm in the process of trying to get a diagnosis for the gi problems I've been having. My gi doctor said it sounds like Crohn's to her. I have an endoscopy and colonoscopy scheduled for Thursday of this week.

Back in my 20s, I began having bouts of intense cramping with diarrhea. I was told it was IBS and that's what I've assumed for about 15 years now. In my mid 30s, I developed an inflammatory arthritis which was eventually diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. My rheumotoid factor was negative along with negative ANA, but I had a high sed rate and crp. After several years of being treated for RA, it's now apparent that it's not RA but some other type of inflammatory arthritis. My spine is now involved as well.

Lately, I've been eliminating foods from my diet which have made the cramping and diarrhea worse. When I found this forum and read about the low residue diet, I realized this is basically what I'm following now.

We have a strong history of autoimmune diseases in our family though no one with Crohn's as far I know. I have an aunt with RA, a sister with many diseases including celiac disease and pernicious anemia, and my daughter has some form of juvenile arthritis. We're not exactly sure of her diagnosis. She has arthritis along with Raynaud's, swallowing problems, autoimmune hives, etc. She's been on many of the same medicines used for Crohn's such as methotrexate, Remicade and Humira. 

I read a post a couple of weeks ago about a Miralax prep but can't seem to find it now. I believe the prep was to take two dulcolax tablets two evenings before the scope, then two bottles of Miralax mixed with Gatorade the day before the scope. Does this sound right? I'd like to ask my doctor about doing this prep instead of the magnesium citrate.

Thanks so much for sharing all of your insight and experience on this forum. It's been such a great help!

Alisa

I've done the miralax and the mag. citrate. They should give you a prep sheet and instructions- I'm ocd about that stuff and follow it to the letter :) The magn. citrate didn't make me cramp at all, but I never really felt "cleaned out." It was for me, much milder than the miralax, but the morning of I was afraid I wasn't emptied out... The miralax cleaned me right out, and I spent much more time in the bathroom- a lot more urgently... the only thing that was really hard at the end was drinking all that gatorade. I had to drink a LOT and I think the sugars from the gatorade made me feel pretty sick and shaky. It was a lot of sugar calories in a short time. Next time I might dilute some of it with water. I know you need the electrolytes, but it was too much for me.

Good luck!

Golytely

Fleets Phosphosoda

Osmo Prep (the 40 pills)  Which I also liked...I don't mind swallowing pills...

MiraLax...as below

At approximately 5:00 p.m. the night prior to your procedure, mix the MiraLax (entire bottle 238 g) or (Glycolax, the generic brand) into 32 ounces of Gatorade or any other clear non-carbonated liquid.   Please shake well.  Drink an 8 ounce glass of the mix every hour on the hour until finished. 

Be sure to drink at least 3 cups of clear liquids after the prep, but prior to midnight.  You may not eat or drink anything after midnight. 

Thank you all so much for your responses. It was a great help to have that information to give to my doctor.

According to the nurse I spoke with, it's not a prep used at this facility (Emory in Atlanta). I was surprised about that considering it seems less objectionable than some of the other preps.

The nurse did ask the doctor about it. What I found out is that I can't take Miralax because I have had an allergic reaction to Golytely prep and they share ingredients. about ten years ago, I was scheduled to be scoped and began taking Golytely. I was gagging heavily and only got about 2 ounces down before I began feeling strangely. I told my husband something was wrong. Then my hands began itching intensely, then my feet, then I began to get hives. Before too long my tongue and throat began to swell. It was an awful experience. And the only time I've ever had an allergic reaction to anything, let alone an anaphylactic reaction. Has anyone else ever had an allergic reaction to prep?  I ended up doing the magnesium citrate prep instead.

So, no Miralax prep for me. She called in a prescription for Osmoprep, the pills. Yesterday morning I began the liquid diet and was to begin taking the first set of pills at 5pm. At 2pm I received a call saying my colonoscopy/ endoscopy appointment was cancelled due to an emergency! The reschedule date I was given was for November 5. I was not happy. There are so few foods I can eat now without getting sick and I've become a recluse because it's so hard to leave the house. After going a couple of rounds with the doctor's secretary today, she just so happend to "find" an appointment on September 18 for me. She also spilled the beans that an emergency wasn't the cause of the cancellation but a scheduling error. So frustrating.

Oh well, at least I only have to wait another two weeks. That's better than two months.

Thanks again for all your responses! And Stephanie, I've been thinking of you today and praying that everything went well!

Alisa