Colonoscopy help for Someone who is well outside the normal

I've had extensive GI Issues for 7 years (my first doctor screwed me so bad and caused this mess) IBS, IBD (UC), Gastroparesis as well as a range of other stuff. Anyway this is my 3rd colonoscopy attempt in the last couple months. First off I am on Immodium 8x day for years (Along with high Elavil 250mg) otherwise its too painful to eat (its painful enough already).

Last time I took myself off Immodium a week before the procedure and endured a hellish week. Then before the colonoscopy I did the 2 day liquid diet, Several Ducolax, 2 Bottles of Magnesium Citrate and a full tank of Golytely. I went to the bathroom once and that was it and obviously couldn't do the procedure.

This time my doctor wants me 2 weeks before the procedure to get of the Immodium. Then 1 week before the colonscopy continue being off Immodium, while taking 2 servings of Miralax a daily, Continue and then do the 2 day liquid diet before the procedure and the other stuff I did last time (2x Magnesium citrate, Golytely etc.).

I am worried that this still might not work. Is there anyone who is an outlier that could tell me what they do? I don't want to have to do this thing again.

Post Edited (B00e00n00) : 5/14/2013 12:00:34 AM (GMT-6)

are you reporting the prep does not work? not clear in what exact way you are "outside the norm". maybe if you explain that better folks can figure out if they have some experiences that match and offer some ideas.

Red_34 said...
I'm confused...what did this doc do to cause so many issues? Btw, a doc can't cause you to get UC but depending on what he or she did can cause the other issues.

The first paragraph was just kinda of a supplement to my main question, letting people know the main conditions, it wasn't really the main point of the post.

In regards to your question I never said the doc caused UC, sorry for the confusion. Let me explain. The doctor screwed my case of IBS royally, in fact he never even dx it despite seeing for well over year and all the signs should of been obvious. My next doctor at Hopkins for that matter, dx IBS instantly. In regards to UC (and obviously the IBS that he never dx) my original doctor gave me no dietary advice and I had to be placed on prednisone 9 times. It could of even been controlled without medicine (UC and IBS) if done right (by diet), or it could of done it with medicine and the IBS treated with diet. In short he screwed up a slightly unusual , but very manageable case (of UC, IBS etc.) through no dietary advice and my system got worse and worse and turned into the hell hole I have today. I could explain all this in much greater detail but then this would go on for about 20 pages, and I'm not kidding or exaggerating.

Anyway this really wasn't the main point of the post. My main point was help on what to do for prep so I don't have to do this all over again due to my body not cleaning out. So when I say I need help on Colonscopy prep for an outlier, I mean that I've tried beyond the normal prep (I listed what I did) and it still didn't work. So I'm looking for someone who has to do well outside the normal colonscopy prep for them to get cleaned out and ask what they did for it so I can do the same and won't have to do the prep all over again

imagardener2 said...
Being on large amounts of Immodium every day for years obviously has made your gut slow down to a halt.
The answer to getting it cleared out enough to have a look-see is to spend 5 to 7 days on as liquid a diet as possible. Most people would be clear in a few days but you will need longer.

The first few days of liquid diet can be veggie and fruit juices and maybe Ensure. Then when you start taking the Miralax or whatever prep you choose you might move to clear liquids because if you use red or orange liquid they can cover up or confuse your docs view of your colon.

It's not that crazy a task, you just need much longer to clear your colon out than other folks. And then you should really try and get off so much Immodium and seek a healthier way of controlling your symptoms.

My docs c-scope protocol had me quit eating fiberous foods several days before starting prep, you would need longer obviously.

Thank you for the advice, its gives me a good ballpark estimate on what I'm going to have to do. I'm going to try your program and assess my situation as things go on.

I cannot get off Immodium long term at this point or else it will be too painful to eat at all and I will eventually have to be put on narcotics or an IV eventually. A few years ago, before I went on Immodium I was eating 50 calories a day (a small amount of cream of rice) and was having painful dirreaha then went on and on. And its not something that's going to go away, My IBS gets worse and worse and worse so if I didn't go on Immodium there things would get worse and worse. And I would end up on an IV or narcotics as I said earlier.

Right now I have some plans brewing to try and lower the pain so I can hopefully go down on Immodium and Elavil but I have to do this procedure and then address the Gastroparesis first.

so, what kind of doc are you seeing ?

are you on any meds besides the elevil (not sure what that is) ?

PathogenKiller said...
Triphala, Turkey rhubarb root and lots of water resolved what a colonoscopy prep with citrate, followed by an additional 3 day water fast and 3 days of 7 dose per day miralax failed to. Follow imagardner's advice about the liquid diet too. Warm broths will also stimulate peristalsis.

If you got cleared out you wouldn't need the immodium.. Unless you are reacting to some food.

First off, I apologize for the wait for the response. I've been off Imodium and am lower on Elavil which has made me exhausted, in so much pain, and almost non functional. Last night is the first night I got any substantial amount of sleep. Anyway, to the post.

Hmmm. I'm kinda of saving Triphala as a GP option now and don't want to fiddle with that. Turkey rhubarb root seems interesting and I'll have to look in to that at my local apothecary. 7 days of liquid diet is fine. Veggie and fruit juices are fine. I probably don't want to touch Ensure. I hate that stuff and I don't think its healthy at all. A 3 day water fast I wonder about. I do not know how long it is before it is bad to water fast if your are on medicine. At the same time, 3 days is relatively short as far as water fast standards go. Warm broths may stimulate peristalsis for other people but in my recent experience it has little, if any effect on me. After consideration, what I'm going to have to do is take in all this information over the weekend, analyze it and develop a plan using suggestions from the posts in this thread and my own intuition. Then when Monday comes the procedure will be a week a way and I will implement whatever plan I have come up with.


"if you got cleared out you wouldn't need the immodium.. Unless you are reacting to some food."

I am reacting to foods (I've had LEAP test done). In addition I have painful reactions to every food. Getting off Immodium makes me go to the bathroom several times a day and builds up even more to painful crippling diarrhea. As explained earlier I would have to be put on IV and/or narcotics eventually. I also have possible Yeast overgrowth (I had it before but I don't know if it cleared up). I do have leaky gut bad and a big enzyme deficiency. However I can't use enzymes yet because of the acid (Gastroparesis). My hope is to some day get off Imodium but there are other things that need to be done (as mentioned earlier) before that.

I do want to thank you all for your help and supporting me though. It is nice to have concerned people who are willing to help and guide me through tough times. Sorry about the response time.

I don't think you need to do a 3 day water fast with no nutrients. The important issue is to have little solid intake so as to clear out your bowel. If it were me I'd do veg juices, broth and jello as many days before as necessary.

If you schedule your c-scope on a Monday maybe you can take Friday off and have the last 3 days at home to deal with it. I've had the dreaded D so bad that leaving the house was problematic and the prep was an added insult.

There are pills to help with colon spasms that don't slow the action. Little blue 20 mg jobs (what is their name?)

Good luck. It is hell to do but necessary. I told my GI I won't be doing it yearly.