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Prep before surgery????

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Posted 6/11/2008 8:38 PM (GMT 0)

Do you have to prep for colon surgery?????  I think I am dreading that the most.

Posted 6/11/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, the same prep as for a colonoscopy. The good news it will be the last prep you will ever do!

Sue
Posted 6/12/2008 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
I had a total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy, and I did not have to drink any Phospho soda or Go Lytely....I just had to stay on only clear liquids for 2 days before my surgery!

The idea was that my small intestine would definitely be cleaned out by then (nothing stays in the small intestine very long), and if there was some poo still left in my colon, it did not matter because that whole thing was coming out anyway.

I did not have any infection problems afterward, and I was so happy to not have to drinkt he prep!

I hope you also do not have to...I can handle pain without batting and eye, but I truly DREADED drinking the prep, so I can commiserate!

Posted 6/12/2008 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah I can commiserate too. I HATE that stuff. But I had to do it. I was only eat jello and mashpotatoes for several weeks before the surgery anyway b/c my colon wasn't working and that's the only stuff that would go thru. If I ate real food I'd be in pain and have to take a laxative.

But like Suebear said, if you do have to it'll be the last time you ever do. Hopefully like LittleE you won't have to. Either way, good luck!!
Posted 6/12/2008 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
Yep, but see if your doc will let you do the pills. They're sooo much easier.
Posted 6/12/2008 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
def go for the pills! i had to take the prep, if only i had been so lucky to not do the prep!
i got through it by saying, after this pill i only have to take x more. It really helped
Posted 6/12/2008 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the replies.  The only prep I have ever done is the pills.  But for some reason I just get so nauseated that I keep throwing them up too.  But, if I can just keep in mind that it will be the LAST time I have to do it - maybe it will make it better.
Posted 6/12/2008 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Soccermom

You do mean the 32 pills, right?  I know some people drink a little bottle of something and then take pills. I just wasn't sure which one you were talking about. The one I'm talking about is called OsmoPrep - pills only no drinking of anything. If you gagged on the pills then you DEFINITELY don't want to go with any of the liquid preps. Those will make you gag just bringing the glass to your lips.

Posted 6/12/2008 3:39 PM (GMT 0)

Yep - the 32 pill prep.  I have always wondered why they can't condense them into 5 or 6.  I tried the liquid one time - and there is NO WAY I could drink all of that.  My last scope I was in the hospital - very sick - hadn't eaten in about a week.  My doc told me to take half of the pills - I think I kept 4 down.  I guess it worked good enough though.

Posted 6/13/2008 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
it helps to take the pills with something with a strong taste, and even though it says to drink all that water with each set, i never could do that. I had to wait until after i finished taking them to start drinking all that.
Posted 6/13/2008 2:24 PM (GMT 0)

Soccermom

I can't stand the taste of the liquid preps and I can even gag just looking at the containers at work. LOL  I made the mistake of tasting one of the pills and that just about gagged me too. I now just hold them in my teeth until I'm ready to drown them down with water. My son has Crohn's and has to have colonoscopies done pretty frequently. That kid can down that huge bottle of prep with no problems. Showoff! LOL

Posted 6/13/2008 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Irish_Mom, I can't put pills in my mouth dry either, especially when they're non-coated ones, but I usually fill my mouth with juice or something, tilt my head back and toss the pill in and swallow, and that usually helps.
BUT some pills taste terrible no matter what, and I was thinking one day about how when I feed my dog medicine, I coat it in peanut butter and she swallows them right down. Soo I tried it myself and it works GREAT! You can't taste the horrible pill at all and it helps it go right down :) Just make sure you have it really covered.
Posted 6/15/2008 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I think I'm unusual... but I didn't have to have a prep!  In fact, I was able to eat the day before and just was told to have a light dinner that night.  I was so worried that my doc was crazy not making me do a prep, but at the same time I was relieved.  My surgery was 3 weeks ago and there were no problems!  So I guess it depends on your doctor.

Anne

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