New, and a little worried

I finally went to the dr. after 6 weeks of bleeding, mucus and diarrhea off and on. I've just recently
started having small twinges of pain on my very low left side.
No blood work or anything, straight to a colonoscopy. They didn't have any openings till
next Wed. So now I get to fret till then. Not to mention just cringing about the prep part.
I've been taking medimucil and cultrelle for the last 3 weeks, and everything but the bleeding got
better. Of course the first thing they mention is possiblity of it being cancer.
I had some of this happen back last Feb but it cleared up on its own. I'm actually hoping it is UC--too scared to
think of having anything else.
Thanks for listening.
Karla

All the worry won't help anything. It is what it is. . . I wouldn't jump to the worst possible case. It originally took me 3 weeks to get into the GI doc and then another 3 weeks for the colonoscopy. The day and evening before the procedure, drinking that gallon of go lightly ( some drug company people must have a great sense of humor ) was tough. But, I felt better than I had in almost 2 years with nothing in my colon. I told my doc I hated the prep, but would do it as often as needed if I would fell better.

I just completed my 3rd scoping and twice it has been the gallon of colace ( sp ) and once was phosph-soda. The latter was the best so far.

Good luck with the prep and procedure. Trust the process and that you can and will feel better soon.

Keep us posted, take care and be well.

Kevin

Songlady-- the prep they gave me is called HalfLytely. It has flavor packets with it. I don't know if I should use the flavor
packets or not. Do they make it taste better, or worse? LOL I understand the need to clean out the colon, but you would think
this would clean it out for a week!
Thanks for listening.

Hi and welcome. Don't worry that it might be cancer....just take it a day at a time and see what happens.

I agree that you should get the liquid mixed up early and stick it in the fridge so it's nice and cold. I did a GoLytely prep, but did not use the flavor packs, as they contain artificial sweetners, and they make me sick. I just mixed each glass I drank with a tablespoon or so of lemonade mix (with sugar, not artificial sweetners) to kill the taste, and did just fine.

Thank you everyone for all your input. I read in the instructions NOT to make the prep cold, it will give you chills or something like
that. But everyone is saying make it cold?? And obviously who ever thought this stuff up, has never had to use it!
Thanks again!

Northland, try not to fret too much.  You don't know for sure what the situation is yet.  And don't worry about the prep.  You've already been having D, so really, what's the difference!?

Dr. A, I know what you mean about ruining whatever you drink with the prep!!  I've had two colonoscopies, and the first time I ruined yellow Gatorade, that was 8 years ago, I still can't drink the stuff!  And during the prep for my last one, I ruined white cranberry juice!  There is still some left in the fridge and I can't even bring myself to touch the bottle to throw it away!!

The problem with drinking cold liquids in quantities is your core temperature is lowered making you feel chilled.
If its room temp its gonna be easier on your body.

Even if youre healthy its better to drink room temp water

This is something I was going to ask. I have to have another colonoscopy in May and I seriously gag even reading this thread about the prep. Are there other methods of prep? Because I had THE worst time with my last colonoscopy, I cried! I tried everything from mixing it with Sprite (lol, didn't ruin Sprite for me thank goodness, it's the only soda I drink!), to just guzzling it down through a huge straw. I didn't drink the whole gallon and I was fine but I seriously never wanted to do that again. Turns out I have UC and will have to have the procedure done again because I switched Dr.'s and they want to see what's going on in their eyes...ughhhh!!!

I am still in remission and he has the full report. I found it odd that he wanted another one, actually. I am so skeptic of these Dr.'s. My first doc was just non-chalant about the whole thing. Told me that if all else failed, I could live without my colon. I'm like ??? I don't wanna live without my colon!!!
This new guy wanted to put me on prednisone for 6 weeks which isn't unheard of, I just didn't want to take it. I'm terrible with things that alter my mood and I'm a mommy and don't want to have to deal with that and raise my son. Thank God the Asacol and Canasa worked so well. I feel blessed. But now he's ordering up another scope and I just don't know about that.
Thinking about getting a 3rd opinion and finding a nicer Dr. I have not been impressed at all so far with the docs I've seen.

Yay.....congratulations!

Let us know how the c-scope goes. Will you be watching the monitor? that's the best part of the process while being mellowed out on the meds.

Enjoy your breakfast after the scope...that's the second best part.

quincy

I passed a little bit the next morning and I was still squeeky clean. And I tell ya...that hunger is like nothing else! Hope it all goes by fast and you get to eat soon! Let us know the results!

     Don't know what he means by a "small patch".  Ulcers maybe?  My ulcerations were confined to the rectum but this latest flare....having pains in my stomach today....hope it is still confined to the rectum.  I was scheduled for a colonoscopy on the 6th of February but the doctor wants me off the prednisone completely before he performs it.  I am rescheduled for the 12th of March.  Nulitely jug is sitting on top of my refrigerator waiting patiently..lol.  I mix it with the cherry flavor.  I also dread having to take it, but gotta do what I gotta do.

     After my colonoscopies my doctor always takes me into one of his little offices and explains what he detected, how many biopsies he took, etc..  A week later he has me come into his regular office and shows me all the pretty little pictures he took of my colon and explains the findings.  I have a bad feeling that I am a lot worse than ever before.  Hope I can hang onto this colon.  I don't relish that operation at 63 yrs old.