HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Half-lytely prep for colonoscopy/ Best way to do it?

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/7/2007 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Because I have both reflux (GERD) and irritable bowel-c, my doctor is having me use a Half-lytely prep for my colonoscopy in about two weeks. He says to start it in the evening (before the procedure). I think that's kind of late and I might be up all night.  First I take 4 Bisacodyl tablets with water, then a few hours later half a liter of the liquid prep. (That's a lot better than the full liter I took for the other colonoscopies I had).

What concerns me is that I think I should start earlier (But when?) And I'm wondering whether all the salt in the prep will trigger a reflux problem since a lot of salt is a trigger for me.  (I'm presently taking 20 mg. of Nexium each morning and doing okay on that as long as I eat wisely.) The doctor isn't all that helpful. 

Have any of you with reflux problems used the liquid colonoscopy preps like Golytely,Nulytely or Half-lytely? Did it bother your reflux?  Did you start earlier with the prep than the evening before the procedure?

 I didn't have reflux when I had colonoscopies in the past, so the prep wasn't all that bad. Now, thought, I'm worried about pouring all that salty liquid down my throat. I know that everyone is different, but I'd just like to know what's worked for some of you. Thanks for any help or reassurance you can give me.

Posted 9/7/2007 12:48 PM (GMT 0)
On my last cscope, I used Osmoprep (32 tablets) - think salt lick. But it didn't bother my acid reflux at all. Maybe I don't have it as severe as you? But I've never started earlier with my preps then stated on the papers from the hospital. I'd be afraid of jinxing my "cleanliness" so the scope would have to be rescheduled. And yes, I was up allllll night. However, I much prefer the tablets over the liquid preps anyday! I've had 3 scopes, 2 of which was with the Phososoda and the one with Osmoprep. The phoso made my acid reflux work overtime in addition to making me nauseas (I shudder just remembering it!)
Posted 9/7/2007 5:27 PM (GMT 0)

I've had both the phospho/fleet prep and the golytely prep.  I far prefer to the golytely.  The phospho is awful--made me so nauseous I had to literally choke the water down.  Then, in the middle of the night I passed out in the bathroom--it dehydrated me so badly.  Also, the fleet prep caused multiple apthous ulcers in my colon (at least that's what one GI doctor told me).  I guess that would only happen with very sensitive people though.  I used golytely for the next two preps and had no problems with it.  Does it taste bad?  Yes, but not nearly as bad as the phospho soda gunk, and it is a lot of liquid to drink.  But overall, it was much easier on me than the other preps.  And it didn't bother my reflux much at all.  I will never use another prep, but of course hopefully I won't have to have a colonoscopy for a while yet :)

El

Posted 9/16/2007 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
I too did the phospho/fleet prep and my first words to my GI the day of my c/oscopy and e/oscopy was, "I am never taking that crap again, so you better get some good pictures of my insides!"  I am not a wussy at all, have had 2 kids, no drugs, etc., but aside from food poisoning once, this was hell, absolute hell.  The procedures.....what a walk in the park!

Okay, so to answer your question, my instructions from my GI said to start mid afternoon with one bottle, then early evening with the second and last bottle.  Yeah right.  Good thing I don't stick to instructions!  I started at 9:30 in the morning, and I am soooo glad I did.  I finally finished using the facilities at 8:30 that night, 11 hours of you know what.  I would have hated to have been up all night long. If I had been, I would not have made it to the hospital for the procedures!  The next morning I woke up so dehydrated, could barely stand to shower and could not even hold the blow dryer to dry my hair.  Good thing they said "no makeup" as there was not going to be any of that anyway!  So, I started much earlier than they told me to, and no, my procedures were not cancelled and I was perfectly cleaned out, and had a good night's sleep!  Perhaps call your dr. and ask if you can start earlier, I don't want to mislead you, but just wanted you to know my experience last week.  I was also using the facilities every 4 minutes, so how much sleep would I have gotten?  None!

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply