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Best/Most Gentle Colonoscopy Prep?

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Posted 5/5/2014 4:50 AM (GMT 0)
So I've got my C scope coming up very soon, it was actually brought closer from May 22nd to next Monday May 12th.

I'm a little, tiny bit, worried.
Ok no i'm kinda freaking out. Because:
1) been having loose stools past few days with all the lovely flareup symptoms. Now it's settling down (thanks PK). But worried that a c scope will flare things up?
2) it's been 3 years since i had my last c scope. well i did have a sigmoidoscopy in 2012 but i didn't have to go through a prep then.

So i want to know, what is the best prep you guys can recommend? A gentle prep that doesn't irritate our sensitive colons?


Thanks so much everyone
Posted 5/5/2014 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
I recommend the Miralax/GatorAde prep. It was the only one I have ever done that went down well withoug me puking it all up. You need to use one of the clearer gator ade flavors. Nothing red, orange or purple. The lemon lime flavor can be used or they had one called Artic Ice if they still make it.

It's an 8.3 oz bottle of the Miralax powder and 64 ozs of Gator ade to mix together.
Posted 5/5/2014 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
The Pico Salax prep was sooooo easy to drink, I am not kidding. As for its effects, a nurse where I had my colonoscopy said it was one of the gentler preps, but I can't really say if it is as "gentle" as what you are seeking. It was maybe better than the godawful citromag, but that was the only other prep I've used so I don't have a lot to compare it to.
Posted 5/5/2014 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
avoid GoLytely at all costs!!!! worst prep ever, just thinking of it makes me shudder...
Posted 5/5/2014 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
I found the Pico Salax prep really easy to do. Minimal amount of it to drink (like a cup both times, think). I don't have anything to compare it to, but when I picked it up (along with Ducolax) my pharmacist said it was a good one. GI doc said my prep was well done.
Posted 5/5/2014 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
GoLytely was the worst for me too. Anything is better than that!!!
Posted 5/5/2014 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Ditto on the Golytely.... I was vomiting before I got it all down! :( Also, the Dulcolax pills gave me some horrid stomach cramps. AVOID it at all cost!
Posted 5/5/2014 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Id prob do mag citrate.
Posted 5/5/2014 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Both times I prepped, I threw up non-stop. I don't know if it is because I have a hiatal hernia so that once the vomiting starts it cannot stop? maybe because it is so foamy??? Both times I had to get a full bag of IV fluids plus the stuff to calm my stomach back down.
I NEED to know of a prep that won't do that!
I'm making a note of Pico Salax, maybe less could be better.
Posted 5/5/2014 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
mag citrate is my all time favorite, but i love the taste and find it easy to drink. just drank some last night to get things moving.

i absolutely HATE Nulytely. tastes like vomit and comes in a huge jug.
Posted 5/5/2014 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
I couldn't keep mag citrate down. I thought it tasted fine, didn't bother me to drink it, I can't seem to keep it in, and I don't know why. It erupts out like putting baking soda in vinegar! I wonder if I purge up instead of down! :D
It wouldn't surprise me that I'm that messed up! ;)
Posted 5/5/2014 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
I think I've always used Pico-Silax as well. Easy to make and easy to drink. I always get nervous about the preps and flaring, but I find I feel better after the clean-out actually.

The last two times I drank maybe a litre more of water then the instructions suggested right after downing it and did this again a few hours later but with 1/2 water 1/2 clear grape juice and again later with 1/2 water and 1/2 apple juice. My thinking was maybe all the water will not only clean things out good, but help rid the body of the actual prep and any chemicals.

I've never tried Mag-citrate. I've never heard of it till just now. Interesting.
Posted 5/5/2014 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if it's still available but I used to use Roy-Vac. I fear preps bc I will flare immediately after. GIs never believe that.
Posted 5/5/2014 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Oh wow! So many of you are golytely haters! That's the only one I've done, but I didn't think it was that bad! Just tasted like salty lemon water to me tongue
Posted 5/5/2014 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
@ toomuchpoopin - I thought the same thing when I used it two years ago... But for some reason, it made me throw up when I used it this last week. :-/
Posted 5/6/2014 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Ok so seems like Picolax is the winner here. Looking at the ingredients it is a combination of mag citrate and sodium sulfate. The mag citrate bit is fine but im concerned about the sulfate part because i'm not good with sulfites (sulfite preservates in foods cause issues for me, and even flare me), notice sulfites not sulfates, but maybe i'll be ok with sulfates? Grrrrr

I don't know if they do mag citrate on its own? I'll ask about that since that seems the safest.

A question that's been nagging me: the trip to the hospital is around 30 minutes drive: will the prep make me go so often that i may need to stop somewhere half way? I understand that the prep is started the day before so by the morning of the colonoscopy i should be mostly empty right?
Posted 5/6/2014 1:20 PM (GMT 0)
It really depends on your body and the timing of your prep. I was still going when I got to the endoscopy center at 8:30, but the doc had me get up at 3:00 in the morning to drink the second half of the Golytely.... If you have finished all of the prep earlier the evening before, you should be ok. My bowels did calm down enough, however, that I was able to hold it until we got there, even with my hubby stopping for a cup of coffee.
Posted 5/6/2014 1:26 PM (GMT 0)
I think you can buy mag citrate as a clear liquid in a bottle??? I'm not at home to look.
My first scope I had a 30 min ride to the hospital. I wore a very thick sanitary pad and had a Baggie for vomiting, just in case on both ends.
Posted 5/7/2014 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Ok, i just received the prep my GI recommended: which is glycoprep (contain Polyethylene Glycol! Yikes!) and two sachets of Pico prep (pico salax).

Im going to ring and ask if i can do mag citrate instead. Im not happy with the glycoprep especially. I can't believe they give this crap to people with UC. I mean seriously our colons are already in a bad shape why damage them further.
Posted 5/7/2014 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
I forgot to mention I am always asked to take something called Duco-Salax along with the Pico-Sylax... However all that stuff is spelled! haha. Hope he let's you do the Mag Citrate though. It's at least nice to have a few choices and we can choose what "we" believe might be best for us.

You totally reminded me just now on something in regards to another thread I'll post now for OM. I keep forgetting to mention it. In any case if you end up taking the Gylcoprep due to docs orders, do let us know how you feel. I know a lot of people sort of avoid PEG (myself included), but there is always this aspect of it: news.uchicago.edu/multimedia/gut-instincts-keeping-killer-bacteria-quiet

The possibility exists that you might feel pretty darn good after it. Reason I mention it is clinical trials are under way in using high molecular weight PEG as a substitute or stand in for mucus - which seems to be missing or "spotty" in UC and missing in Cancer patients.

Anyway... its the worst to have to down all these prep things and constantly worry about tipping off a flare especially when teetering on the edge as is. From past experience every gut noise made me wonder what was going on... So I just thought I'd mention that there may be a huge positive to put your mind as ease.

As much as I hate the stuff... It's really quite interesting the results it seems to get.
Posted 5/7/2014 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Mark. Yes that is very interesting...hmmm i may end up using it after all if my GI doesn't approve of the mag citrate.
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