HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Best way to take fleet

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/20/2008 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

   first time posting am going to have my first colonoscopy thursday and have been given fleet,whats the best way of taking it,must say not looking forward to either but since finding this site am not feeling quite so alone ,everyone is so open am finding it very hard at the moment as .not yet had proper diagnosis,have had sig and biops taken should get results thurs have only had symtoms for 8 weeks so dr's are being quite quick.Also how quick does it work have arranged

for chidren to be taken and picked up from school,do i need to hide nere toilet all day. confused and is there anything i can take for the stomach pains not taking anything at moment sad

Posted 5/20/2008 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Pour only 1/3 of the phospho fleet soda into a FULL glass of cold CLEAR pop, you can add ice, drink it as fast as you can (you'll hardly notice the horrid salty taste of it or the oily consistancy) do this 3 times in total to get one full 45ml bottle of the phospho soda down...my GI gets me to also take 4 dulcolax tabs (all at one time) with tons of water about 4 hours later (after drinking the prep) and this has worked very well to ensure I'm completely cleaned out...

May I also suggest that for the 2-3 days BEFORE you start the prep you stick with mostly a liquid diet, this makes it much easier when the prep runs through you, it'll come faster and much less painful compared to having alot of food inside you being rushed out by the prep...it's also good because it helps keep you hydrated...it's important to follow with plenty of water after you've drank the phospho soda as well.

How quick, varies from person to person once you drink the phospho, but definitely make sure you are close to the toilet from the moment you start drinking it.

Good luck!

:)

Posted 5/20/2008 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
When I did the Fleet prep, even mixing it with stuff didn't mask the taste. I ended up doing the enema instead because I couldn't stand it. But I've learned after having to do a few more that it is best if you drink it COLD and as fast as you can. My favorite way is to take a small glass, pour some in, take it all in one shot, and chase it with a good tasting clear liquid before even breathing after the "shot". That way it gets the taste out very quick before you have time to think about it. I stay right next to the bathroom as much as possible. It really depends on the person and the prep... Once I had one that worked almost instantly, I was vomiting and going to the bathroom for the rest of the night. Then there was one time when I drank the Magnesium Phosphate and NOTHING happened. I sat in my room for hours waiting and waiting and then at some point I guess I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning, my stomach hurt but I still didn't have to go and I was freaking out, but then I took a hot shower and before I could even rinse the soap off it was like "SURPRISE!!" and I hopped onto the toilet and was there until the moment I had to leave for the colonoscopy, haha.

Anyway. Yeah, you'll find a way to get it down and remember to drink as much of it as you can if not all of it. If you really can't take the taste, call your doctor and see if maybe you can do an enema instead. I really don't like doing them and the feeling of the liquid going in really creeps me out, but it's better than drinking that horrid stuff.
Posted 5/20/2008 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
If its like any other prep out there, you will want to be right near a toilet.

I can't quite work out from your post if you are at school or not, but if you are - you will NEED to take the day off. If that prep is in you, you won't make it from class to the nearest toilet.
Posted 5/20/2008 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
That's why if you only pour 1/3 of it at a time into a full glass of clear pop it dilutes it enough to mask the taste...you're suppose to drink alot of fluids with it anyways so this way you kill 2 birds with one stone.

:)
Posted 5/21/2008 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
i do it as a "shot" too -- keep it in the fridge until I need it, then I split the bottle into 2 shots with a full 8 oz ginger ale chaser for each one. gahh, that stuff is awful but gets the job done. I also start eating light a few days before and switch to only liquids 2 days before the procedure. Drink lots and lots and lots of clear liquid, and pick up some sensitive skin personal wipes (i use the alcohol-free pampers baby wipes with aloe and vitamin E).

The enema isn't the same as the phosphosoda, and personally, I'd rather do the phosphosoda. I had to do two fleet enemas before my flex sig, and that was worse for me.

Whatever you do, you will need to plan to be near the toilet once to take it. The enemas work almost instantly (unless your doc says to hold it longer sad ). my first fleet drink from 2 yrs ago worked in 20 minutes; the one i did this year took almost an hour.
Posted 5/21/2008 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
The enema is only good for getting a sigmoidoscopy, with a colonoscopy doing oral prep is necessary.

:)
Posted 5/21/2008 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Fresca! I swear, that masks the taste. I usually eat lightly for the day before so that I can drink less of the prep and still be ok.

As soon as you start the prep, consider yourself stuck at home. Get a movie or a good book. If you watch TV, look away during all the food commercials. I never noticed how many of them there are until I was fasting. Geez.

I think the anticipation of the prep is actually worse than the prep itself. I've done it a bunch of times and once I heard about the Fresca, it was waaaay easier. I also use a straw so that I don't taste it at all.

Gas-X is good to have on hand the next day for after the procedure.
Posted 5/21/2008 8:07 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone,
took it at 07.00 with lemonade and within half an hour it was working and now very close to toilet well decieded to stay in bedroom with book, knitting and dog hubbie took kids to school.
I think the anticipation was worse not that this is pleasent but not as bad as i thought.
Posted 5/21/2008 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
Good to hear, you know they say if you expect the very worst it's better because then that way if it's terrible then you're prepared for it mentally and if it turns out not so bad then that's bonus.

If your butt gets raw, sitz baths are an excellent way to soothe that issue, with epsome salts is even better...I also gently rub a little extra virgine olive oil "there" to keep it from getting real sore.

:)
Posted 5/21/2008 6:40 PM (GMT 0)

julee70 said...
Fresca! I swear, that masks the taste. I usually eat lightly for the day before so that I can drink less of the prep and still be ok.

As soon as you start the prep, consider yourself stuck at home. Get a movie or a good book. If you watch TV, look away during all the food commercials. I never noticed how many of them there are until I was fasting. Geez.

I think the anticipation of the prep is actually worse than the prep itself. I've done it a bunch of times and once I heard about the Fresca, it was waaaay easier. I also use a straw so that I don't taste it at all.

Gas-X is good to have on hand the next day for after the procedure.

Oh yeeaaaahh the fasting is the worst part because you crave EVERYTHING and you know you can't eat so it makes it worse. Once, I was on a clear liquid diet for a day or two before and then the day of the scope, I went to work in the morning and had nothing in my stomach and my coworker went to BK and he was sitting right next to me eating it... He didn't know I couldn't and hadn't eaten, but it was KILLING me. Burger King has never smelled soooo good. Eventually I got up and hid for a bit until he was done, haha.

No matter how tired or full of gas I am, I always end up getting a huge tasty meal afterwards. It just tastes so much better :)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply