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Colonoscopy Prep

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 7/10/2007 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone!

I am in the midst of the infamous prep for my scope tomorrow. I can't tell you how much fun this has been! NOT! Anyways, what I was wondering is this: does anyone happen to know how long the "bathroom business" will continue? Will I be up all night with this? My prep started last night with 3 Dulcoclax and it began working immediately this morning and throughout the day. I then was instructed to down a 10 oz. bottle of Magnesium Citrate at 3:00, which also apparently does its job very well. Well, at 6:00 p.m. is when I started the Glycolax, which I've heard is nasty. However, I must admit it's not that bad mixed with Lemon Gatorade. It has kind of a lemon-lime slushie thing going on! :) Anyways, it too, works very well! As you can all probably imagine (and have probably experienced yourselves) this is starting to get old and my bum is starting to hurt! But wait - there's more! I have until 9:00 p.m. to finish the Glycolax, at which point I am to down ANOTHER 10 oz. bottle of Magnesium Citrate, which I guess will do its job, yet again! ;) Finally, my wonderful journey ends with the final consumption of 3 more Dulcolax pills before bed. Sorry to ramble, but I'm hoping that sleep will be a part of my immediate future! Forget that I've eaten chicken broth and popsicles all day. Food is inconsequential at this point! Does anyone know (my mom couldn't remember) if the action kind of slows down enough to go to sleep? I hope you all don't mind my sarcastic humor! :) This is my first colonoscopy and any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!!

Volmom tongue
Posted 7/10/2007 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Volmom,
I hate to break it to you, my dear, but it doesn't stop. Not as long as you're still downing those laxatives. I stopped drinking the prep around 9pm and I was up all night long every 20 min until about 4am. I was finally able to sleep from 4am to 6am, at which I had to start over again with more prep drink. Unfortunately, I finally didn't get some good rest until after the scope. Boy did it knock me out. I had enough time to eat a small lunch before my head hit the pillow like a ton of bricks.
Make sure to use baby wipes!!! My doc even gave me some Tucks Medicated Wipes to use. It sure does cool the burn.
Good luck!!!
Posted 7/10/2007 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
That's kind of what I was afraid of. :( Oh well! LOL! I have two young daughters, one in diapers, so wipes are abundant around these parts! Tucks too, huh? I think we might have some of those around too. Thanks Lil!! My oldest daughter is at a sleep-over and my youngest is with my Mom, so when I get home tomorrow - I believe I will be cranking out. Thanks for the advice!! :)
Posted 7/11/2007 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, that sounds like a lot. I just did the 2 4oz bottles of Fleets. I hated it but it seems easier than all that. I was completely cleaned out, he said. Good grief have that to look forward to beginning of year. I wish we had the stuff they use in Canada as they say it actually tastes good. Pico Salix. Maybe we should start bootlegging it in.
Posted 7/11/2007 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I promise you....the stuff I'm having to drink doesn't taste bad at all. Even the Magnesium Citrate has a lemony taste to it, but it's pretty tart. I also love lemon/lime flavored stuff. When my hubby first had a colonoscopy about 10 years ago, he said the stuff he drank tasted like the paste from preschool. Of course, I had to ask if he was one of the kids that ate paste in preschool. ;) Anyways, he said it was pretty foul tasting stuff back then. My problem is only with the frequent bathroom trips at this point. :(
Posted 7/11/2007 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Volmom,

I think once you are cleaned out all you will be doing is getting rid of your fluids and the rest of the prep when you use the bathroom. Once there isn't anything left, you will be done. The last parts of it are usually the prep going straight through you. Yeah, it sure sounds like your doc is making sure you are seriously cleaned out but you will appreciate that rather than having to do this all over again :-)

Good luck tomorrow and I hope you are able to get some sleep.

Take Care
Posted 7/11/2007 5:06 AM (GMT 0)
I would suggest that you might want to start on probiotics after your scope. I found it not only cleaned me out of bad stuff but good stuff also. Glad to know about the citrate stuff. Pills I can handle. Never heard of Glycolax though.
Posted 7/11/2007 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning all!

I'm still going! However, I did get sleep last night! The only thing I'm concerned with is I'm supposed to be at the doctor's at 11:15 EST and the sheet says that BM'S are to be from "clear to yellowish." Mine were clear and yellow last night, but this morning yellow, but slightly cloudy. Does this fall into the okay category? I guess I'll call the doctor in a few. I'm also extremely thirsty and hungry and I've got three hours til liftoff! :( Thanks for all the advice - I hope everyone is doing okay today! :)

Thanks again,
Vol
Posted 7/11/2007 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
I was still pooping yellow when I went in and my colonoscopy was fine. I think you're okay so long as you're not still passing anything resembling actual stool.
Posted 7/11/2007 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
Vol,
Let us know how the scope goes today.
Be well...
Posted 7/11/2007 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
yeah I am happy to report a clean colon!! What a relief! My meds were changed from Bentyl to Pamine Forte. He did this when I explained that a couple of imodiums every three or four days, along with Caltrate and Bentyl kept me pretty much symptom free. He said the Pamine Forte would perform the same function as the Bentyl, but would also "firm things up" like the imodium. Has anyone else ever heard of this medication? Used it?

I also wanted to address the young lady who was afraid of having a colonoscopy done. I spoke with a nurse today who told me that so many first time patients (like myself) come in not afraid of the procedure itself, but of the God awful news that could possibly follow. He said that when it's over and the patient (like me again!) hears that all is well - you can visibly see the stress leaving their bodies. I cannot begin to tell you the peace of mind I received simply by hearing "no colon cancer." However, the ONLY way I would have this peace of mind is through the procedure I went through today. I truly hope that "Scaredy" reconsiders. I haven't followed that post too much since I started my prep, but I am living proof that it is absolutely, positively worth it. Especially if you want to rid yourself of the anxiety of "What if?" You'll find out what the problem is and begin your road to feeling better and proper treatment. Anyways, I wasn't sure if I should post this over there or not and I thought that I would let the moderators decide if it would be helpful to that particular poster.

Anyways, thanks to all of you who posted responses during my lovely "prep time."

Thanks and be well to you!
Vol
Posted 7/11/2007 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
Vol, that's great news! Hip hip hooray!!!!  yeah


Try to be a little cautious about what you eat for the next few days. Your body has gone through a thorough cleanse and needs time to adjust. You might also want to consider taking probiotics or eating yogurt regularly for the next few weeks. It will definitely help get your guts back in balance.

By the way, you can post to Scaredygirl in her thread.  No complaints here.

Posted 7/12/2007 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
I already started with my Dannon Activia!! :) Thanks Lil! I'm already feeling much, much better.

Thanks again!
Posted 7/12/2007 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Nice, Volmom!! You're on your way to a healthy gut flora. Enjoy the yogurt, it sure is yummy!
Posted 7/12/2007 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Lil!

I did post over at Scaredygirl's thread and apparently she responded at some point, but today it appears the entire thread has disappeared? Am I doing something wrong??

Thanks!
Volmom
Posted 7/12/2007 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Not at all Volman. The Admin of the site chose to delete the entire thread. It is nothing that you did. I apologize that it affected your post.
Posted 7/12/2007 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Not a problem at all! I wanted to make sure I hadn't done something outside of the rules. I was just hoping that maybe my story would help. :-) Thanks for letting me know!

Volmom
Posted 7/13/2007 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats Volmom!
I am 57 and I'd been putting it off forever. I was really scared, but new that it would be such a relief to know for sure nothing was growing in my colon. Whew.......isn't it a great relief?? The worst part for me was having to drink a gallon of a lemon-lime thing. The procedure was a piece of cake. I love being asleep for things! Glad it went well for you and is all over!
Posted 7/13/2007 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
The first time i drank the yukky stuff,the 2nd time i did the pills.May just do the juice next time.Those pills are HUGE! LOL.
Posted 7/13/2007 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
I was also really surprised at how little diarrhea it gave me. I was only on the pot for about 6 times for maybe 5-10 minutes each.
Posted 7/13/2007 2:27 AM (GMT 0)

Volmom said...
Not a problem at all! I wanted to make sure I hadn't done something outside of the rules. I was just hoping that maybe my story would help. :-) Thanks for letting me know!

Volmom

Volmom, I had a colonoscopy back in January 2006. You had to down way more stuff than I did. I had to have nothing but clear liquids the day before my colonoscopy. And at 5 p.m. I had to mix a 4 ounce bottle of fleets phospho soda in with an 8 ounce glass of sprite and drink it. Then at 9:00 I believe I had to take two dulcolax. And that was it until the next morning then I had to use an enema. I slept all night that night and cleaned out the next morning. I had to drink the magnesium citrate when I had a sigmoidoscope back in January of this year. Yuck. And I did not get to mix it in with anything either. I had to get it icy in the freezer and drink it like it was. And I was supposed to drink it in 30 minutes. It took me an hour to force it down and then I threw some of it up. BTW, looking at your user id, would you happen to be a University of Tennessee vol fan???  :-)   

 

Posted 7/13/2007 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Strange how these preps are all different. I had to take 2 of the Phospho soda. My proceedure was not till afternoon so had to get up early and take the second. That is no my idea of breakfast.
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