OT: Colonoscopy Prep

[avi123]

take an empty bucket in your car when going to a clinic or the hospital.

Portable toilet:

https://www.rei.com/media/7d8955e6-3301 ... e26114edc6

https://www.rei.com/product/100547/reli ... ble-toilet

[Janknitz]

PowerAide zero calorie is not bad.

Not a fan of sucralose and AceK.

[LSAT]

take an empty bucket in your car when going to a clinic or the hospital.

Portable toilet:

https://www.rei.com/media/7d8955e6-3301 ... e26114edc6

https://www.rei.com/product/100547/reli ... ble-toilet

STUPID

[Physician]

Well, I finally scheduled a colonoscopy for next month. Doc prescribed MoviePrep for me to take. But I am concerned I will have alot of trouble with it for various reasons.

I would be grateful if people would share their experiences as to what prep worked best for them. I know no matter which one is used, it is not going to be fun. But obviously, I want to make sure I ask for the best option for me.

I did search the archives and found a few suggestions but would still appreciate input.

Thanks!

49er

The best prep has been taken off the market= years ago: Fleet's Phospho-Soda. I haven't tried anything except this prep.

[Rob K]

Had my first this year. They had me take Miralax and Gatorade. I think it would have went pretty well, but I made the mistake of buying the regular Gatorage. It was hard to get a whole pitcher of it down being so incredibly sweet. I don't like Gatorade now.lol Next time I'll mix something myself so I can control the amount of sugar or sweetner. Refrigerating definitely helped get it down.

[49er]

Physician, I read that about the phospho soda. Why did you like it?

Rob, thanks, due to metabolic issues, I plan on using electrolyte water or something else that has the equivalent ingredients to Gatorade without the sugar.

[49er]

take an empty bucket in your car when going to a clinic or the hospital.

Portable toilet:

https://www.rei.com/media/7d8955e6-3301 ... e26114edc6

https://www.rei.com/product/100547/reli ... ble-toilet

STUPID

Actually, my original prep instructions said the 2nd dose needed to be taken 5 hours before the start of the procedure with my requiring to be there an hour early. So Avi's suggestions aren't as stupid as you think. as some people take longer than others in reacting to the prep.

Anyway, the doctor agreed I could start everything sooner so I could be finished before going to bed.

[avi123]

I survived colon cancer, but one result was to put me on more frequent scopings than average, so I have been through this quite a few times. Drinking the prep as cold as you can get it is very helpful. Using a straw cuts down on the time that the distasteful solution spends passing over your tongue.

I have always used the four liter preps rather than two liter. The two most popular are GoLytely and NuLytely. The latter has no sulfates, and for many people, that is the main source of bad flavor. So for me, NuLytely and the other sulfate-free preps are best.

As I understand it, the four liter preps are isotonic, meaning that they are about as salty as we are. Therefore the liquid is not pulled from the gut into the body by osmosis, but is allowed to flow right through sweeping everything in its path. I believe that lower volume preps are hypertonic, and thus saltier than we are, so they pull additional water into the gut (or are consumed with extra water on the side). All prep is safe, but I just think that the four liter preps present less opportunity of side effects, and that they are worth drinking the extra volume of nasty liquid.

Whatever you take, however, the preps are safe and effective. Icy cold and through a straw they aren't all that horrible.

Did you have surgery to remove your cancer, are you an ostomate?

[Physician]

Physician, I read that about the phospho soda. Why did you like it?

Thanks for asking 49er.

Because:

1. Inexpensive

2. One or two tablespoons is such a small amount, the bad taste was not too bad.

3. No cramping. The rushing noises were fun.

4. Didn't require tons of oral liquid consumption (although increased oral fluid intake it recommended)

5. Cleaned the colon well. The prep was perfect for all three colonoscopies.

[49er]

Physician, I read that about the phospho soda. Why did you like it?

Thanks for asking 49er.

Because:

1. Inexpensive

2. One or two tablespoons is such a small amount, the bad taste was not too bad.

3. No cramping. The rushing noises were fun.

4. Didn't require tons of oral liquid consumption (although increased oral fluid intake it recommended)

5. Cleaned the colon well. The prep was perfect for all three colonoscopies.

Thanks physician. It sounds like that would be a dream prep for me. Oh well.

[49er]

Something to ask your GI doc about regarding the possibility of a low residue diet being more effective than a clear liquid one on the day before the colonoscopy.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/863644

[PST]

Did you have surgery to remove your cancer, are you an ostomate?

I had surgery but no colostomy. In the great majority of cases, bowel resection for cancer does not require one. The bad section is removed and what's left is sewn back together -- what surgeons call an end-to-end anastomosis. Before long the patient is totally back to normal (not counting the effects of chemo, if required). With laparoscopic surgery there's hardly even a scar. I think people might procrastinate less in getting screened if they knew that early diagnosis of colon cancer usually does not lead to a colostomy.