Scoured the website for as much info as I could on the whole process and found lots of helpful information in lots of different sources, so wanted to give my blow by blow account in one spot to help those people (like me) that prefer to know everything! I wrote this as it happened (for the moviprep part obviously) and having just had the procedure a couple of hours ago everything is still very fresh in my mind. I can already hear myself thinking "Oh it wasn't that bad" like everyone else had posted before me, but at the time it is a bit sore and I wish I'd been a touch more prepared. So here goes...
Egg and white bread for breakfast at 8:45am... wasn't hungry so only ate half but felt ok with the beginning of the starvation plan! Made up the Movi-Prep and put it in four glasses in the fridge ready for later, following advice from other blogs online that it's better chilled. Have some lime juice ready and elderflower cordial, either to add to the mix or drink separately to help take away the taste. Drank some water around midday, then had a litre of lemon and lime sugar free jelly around 2pm (was beginning to feel the tummy hunger rumbles at this point). Made up the second batch of Movi-Prep and refridgerated it - figured I should make it all up to be chilled in time for the second load at 8-9pm, so got that ready. Made a cup of black coffee too, and at around 4pm I started getting a tummy ache. Perhaps the anticipation of my 5pm date with Movi-Prep, or a flare of acid reflux which I wasn't sure if I could settle with Rennies so have left to calm itself. 4.30pm now and dreading the 5pm drink! Keep looking at the clock and checking if it's creeping up on me. 16:32. Sigh.
17:02 First mouthful not too bad. A bit dense, the liquid has the smell of lemon and lime but is fairly tasteless, with perhaps just a slightly salty back taste. Certainly nothing too offensive. Took a swig of elderflower cordial straight after and taste was gone straight away. It's fine. I just don't know how I'm going to drink 2 litres plus an extra litre of elderflower this evening! It's a lot to take in. The paperwork does say no need to rush though... I have half an hour to drink this glass (by my workings) and I just took in a quarter of it. I could go again with another, get it out the way
17:04 Held my nose this time. Did NOT help! I could taste it much stronger at the back of my throat. Not very nice. Swig of elderflower didn't take it away either. Still, not the end of the world!!
17:07 Another three or four gulps followed by lots of elderflower. It's ok. Not great but ok. Reading the leaflet to see how long it will take to kick in... hehe!
17:15 Little bit more... added a dash of lime in the remaining bit left in the glass to try and cut through the gloopy feeling, see how that goes down...
17:19 Feeling twinges but no idea if that's just psychological! Last limey mouthful... makes it slightly more palatable (but lets face it, it's still laxative juice). Now let's see what happens. Feel very full of liquid already!
17:26 Added lime to next glass.. let's crack on. Gulp!
17:32 Gurgle gurgle... feel like it won't be long before I'll need to go. Better take some more juice.
Yeah, I'm gonna go.
17:35 Ok one ordinary formed bowel movement, nothing rushed or too liquid. Back on the couch to work on the second glass.
17:37 Another quarter glass down, with lots more elderflower as I realised I wasn't drinking enough to keep up with my 500mls per litre of Movi-Prep. Stomach griping a little, nothing painful, I'm just aware something's going on inside.
Don't feel hungry... to busy concentrating on what's happening down there... but the kettle chips and kit kat bars in my lounge are mocking me.
17:44 Last mouthful of glass done. More elderflower to take the taste away. Feeling full of liquid.
17:55 Tried lots of lime and elderflower in the next glass - is a bit too much :-/ but not tempted to water it down and increase the intake any further!! Am a bit burpy. Too much liquid probably, I don't feel sick.
18:09 Struggling to get this glass down. Ruined with lime! Bleaurgh. Tummy gurgling audibly now.
Heading to the bathroom.
18:18 Much more liquid that time, but just one 'emptying' session then ok. Still got nearly half a litre to drink in 40 mins - feels like a bit of a mission but at least the stuff is working and isn't traumatic at all. Pleasantly surprised how relatively straightforward it's going so far. Using wet wipes as recommended on other forums instead of paper to prevent the sore bottom later on!
18:23 Think I better go again. Taking the juice with me.
18:32 Certainly a lot more loose stools that time, sat there for four or five sessions. Continued to drink on the toilet and had one more bowel movement whilst playing on my iPhone app on the loo! Not uncomfortable at all.
18:42 Finished drink. Came to get last glass from fridge. Back on the couch so not having to sit on the loo constantly. Feeling a bit watery - just full of liquid. Definitely no pain or nausea, which is what I was worried about
!
19:03 Taken up residence on the toilet now, not going constantly but it's just easier to sit there and push water out when the feeling comes. Still coloured, not running anywhere near clear yet, but not sore and the wet wipes help. Still need to drink the last glass, will try to do that in the next 15 mins or so, so I can stop going and have an hour's break before starting the next litre. Bit boring on the loo - downloaded some good games on to my phone to keep me entertained
19:36 Back on the couch. Feeling empty. Want to watch Great British Bake Off at 8pm so hoping this is the end of it and I can have an hour's break before the next session!!
19:47 Just took the last mouthful of the first batch - really been finding it hard to get it all down, it's a lot of liquid. It's making me gag a LITTLE bit, not because I feel nauseous, just because I don't want to drink anymore. Still sitting on the couch though, haven't been back to the loo. Going to give it a break now and have the next batch at 9pm. Hoping I feel a little bit more like drinking in an hour's time!
20:03 Went for one more toilet session. Now back on the couch. Feeling tired and a bit tummy sore... but nothing unbearable. Think I need to go again actually. Missing the Bake Off!
20:05 Yep, one more sesson. All good though, back on the sofa watching the doughnuts episode
20:50 Feel like starting the next session so I'm not up late tonight. Feeling much better, less full of liquid and ready for session 2. Side effect I wasn't expecting - I'm freezing! So cold!!
I didn't blog the second stint as I'll be honest it was a lot tougher. It's just the volume of the liquid and the taste - something I realised too late was that it's better to mix up different flavours so you have some variety. By the time I started litre 2 with the lime addition I really didn't want to drink anymore lime at all! I mixed up the next two glasses with a different flavoured squash (I happened to have Marshmallow flavoured and Fruit Salad flavoured squash in the cupboard - yes, I know I'm a child!) which helped get the different glasses down, but I was still drinking it slowly up until midnight until I gave up on the last lime glassful - I measured it out and was leaving 200mls almost exactly. I was worried that by not taking all the prep I wouldn't be clear enough, and I was still having dark yellow bowel movements with some bits in it - certainly not the clear water I had hoped for. Went to bed at midnight and didn't need to get up in the night. Set my alarm for 6am and went to have a very brown watery bowel movement then, so was quite worried by this point that I simply wasn't clean enough. Took in a little more water and had 5 subsequent watery BMs before leaving for my appointment - some were yellow and clearer, others yellow and cloudy. Arrived for my appt at 9.15am:
9.15am Checked in at reception and nurse came and collected me straight away, to take me to a day ward with sit up beds. I was given my backless gown and got changed out of my clothes into this gown and my dressing gown and slippers. Sat in the day room chatting to the nurse who was lovely and friendly, until one of the doctors came to put my cannula in. My veins are notoriously hard to find so she tried in my elbow crease but had to go for my hand in the end - it's a little uncomfortable, a 3 second sting while it goes in. She checked she had the vein by flushing some fluids through and that was fine. I was then taken back to the lounge to be with my partner and another lady also having the colonoscopy, and her partner. The other lady was really distressed and considering backing out - it is a bit daunting but from reading all the forums beforehand I knew the procedure itself would be a sedated hazy breeze so I didn't feel too anxious (She did go for it but they heavily sedated her in the end - she was still sleeping when I left!).
10:00 Nurse called me into theatre and I was walked down by an orderly. There were three nurses in the theatre waiting to receive me, all really friendly and lovely, admiring my Tesco £14 dressing gown, lol. They take your gown and slippers and put them in a bag under your bed, ask you to lie back on the bed with the gown not tucked underneath you. One of the nurses took my BP and finger pulse and asked a few questions, then the consultant came in to administer the sedation and pain relief. The nurse put an oxygen mask over my mouth. I rolled over on to my left side with my bottom sticking out and my knees tucked up to my tummy. I imagine the procedure started about
10:10 but I didn't see a clock in the room to be sure. The sedation wasn't a deep one as I recall the entire process - and unfortunately it was quite uncomfortable. I was gripping the side of the bed and told the nurses each time it hurt (I imagine it's the going-round-the-corners part I've read about
online) It felt like they were pushing through my gut and when the air went in that was also a bit uncomfortable. I remember apologising for whinging and they said I was doing really well. My bowel was completely clear - which I was surprised about
as I hadn't finished the prep and my BMs were still cloudy yellow right up until the procedure.
10:30 I was wheeled back into recovery for another BP check and then the day room - it was over in 20 mins! They hadn't found any polyps or anything to remove so a very straightforward procedure. I dozed a little bit (perhaps 5 mins), I did feel very chilled out (once the procedure's done you feel fine - the gassy discomfort didn't start for another hour or so) so I just felt quite happy really. Chatted to the staff (and still remember most of the conversations had) and then my nurse gave me some coffee and toast and marmalade to eat. Went to the loo after about
45 mins as I was feeling a bit windy and farted for at least 2 mins or more!! But felt much better afterwards and it wasn't uncomfortable. There were three of us recovering and we were all giggling about
it. Got changed and was given a report of their findings by the nurse (bowel normal) with a follow up consultant appt in two weeks time to discuss what's next. No pain at all, a bit dopey from the sedation but happy to go home and expel some more wind in the comfort of my own bathroom!!
11:30 Home and fine. Feeling good - not hungry yet and will take it easy on what I eat today. Can't drive to work tomorrow morning as they advise 24 hours after sedation before doing any driving, so the OH will have to get up early to give me a lift in
In summary, the prep is manageable in session one and more difficult session 2, but I never threw up and the toileting was never an issue, it was just discomfort from too much liquid and the taste not being great. The procedure was quick and straightforward, yes uncomfortable at times but you could happily ask for heavier sedation like one of the other ladies in this morning and you'd be none the wiser. I'm glad it's done. I wouldn't want to do it again in a hurry, but ONLY because of the pre-prep and not because of the procedure itself, which I would ask next time for more sedation. Advice for anyone doing the evening prep in two lots is to start earlier and take as long as you need - I was tired by midnight and cold and wanted to go to bed, but hadn't finished. Luckily it didn't affect my procedure but you'd be so gutted if you didn't finish it and had to do it all over again because they couldn't get a good view first time around.
Good luck - it's not all bad. Minor discomfort for an important outcome - you'll be ok! It's already turning into a distant memory!
