COLONOSCOPY How hard is it on you?

<p>Reviving this thread as I turned 50 and have my first colonoscopy Monday…am dreading it (the prep much more than the actual procedure since I’m sure I won’t remember the latter)! </p>

<p>I’ve been given Suprep with the following instructions:
No solid foods starting at 9 am tomorrow morning.<br>
At 1 pm, take 2 Dulocolax tablets with water.
At 1 pm, mix 6 oz of Suprep with 16 oz cool water and drink the (22 oz) over 30 minutes.
Drink an additional 32 oz of clear liquids over the next 1.5 hours.
Repeat these 3 steps at 7 pm.</p>

<p>I was told that iced tea (my drink of choice) is considered a clear liquid and crystal light makes a peach iced tea that I also really like–drinking that much liquid will be really tough but will be easier with these as options. </p>

<p>I can have broth, jello and popcicles (no red). I saw the suggestion to suck on lemon drops but I can’t tolerate lemon…anyone have any suggestions to make the 24 hours without food easier or, perhaps more importantly, for getting all the liquid down? I forgot to ask the doctors office if I could mix the suprep with tea rather than water so, if anyone knows, I’d love to hear.</p>

<p>Not looking forward to the next 30 hours!!</p>

<p>I have had 4 colonoscopy ,2 sigmoidoscopy and even endoscopy ,and it is no big deal . The best prep ,IMO is Miralax mixed with apple juice-you can’t taste the Miralax . DON’T Go anywhere during the prep ! After each procedure I felt so clean and pure ! Some people go home and sleep ,but I felt pretty good . Don’t drive for 24 hours after anesthesia .</p>

<p>Isn’t there any other way to prep besides drinking that awful liquid ?? Seriously, I can take a needle of any size but I am just terrible when it comes to drinking sludgy drinks
I had an upper GI and the worst part was the liquid concrete
I can take more than my share of other torture , but please…NO DRINKS !!!</p>

<p>Miralex is tasteless. I mixed it with Gatorade and only tasted the Gatorade.</p>

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<p>There is a pill regimen called Osmoprep which some doctors are prescribing. If you take ACE inhibitors, you cannot do this prep. I think there may be some other contraindications, but for people who don’t have certain risk factors, this could be a good option.</p>

<p>I had one when I was 17. I had to drink this liquid over the course of like 6 hours. They said it tasted like lemonade. They lied.</p>

<p>I was knocked out for the procedure and had no problems afterward. </p>

<p>I can do without that liquid for another 30 years though. I have a bad gag reflex. Hoping they’ll give me pills or something next time.</p>

<p>I am back. Last year, I passed the stool test and the doctor did not want me to take the colonoscopy. this year, based on your recommendation, I insisted to have it done. So I was scheduled to go in July. My questions related to the instructions given for the July procedure. The one I don’t know how to handle is:</p>

<p>7 days before colonoscopy, NOT Ok to have any type of fruit or vegetable(raw or cooked) High fiber foods, whole wheat, brown or high fiber: Pasta, bread or rice. Legumes.</p>

<p>Ok, those above ARE my stables. I eat more vegi & fruit than meat. What should I do? I am not about to eat at McDonals every day.</p>

<p>Not bad at all for me. Seriously. I don’t know why anyone makes any sort of issue of it.</p>

<p>Artloverplus: Whatever healthy foods you would normally eat… Eat the opposite. ;)</p>

<p>Eat white bread, white rice, white pasta… NOT whole wheat anything. No poppy seeds, no rye, no sesame seeds on top. You want to minimize the fiber. </p>

<p>The more thoroughly you follow the directions, the easier the cleaning out process will be. You might not like it at the time, but you’ll appreciate it later.</p>

<p>Please, Please, Please – everyone get a colonoscopy if your doctor wants you to have one. Consider it a gift to yourself. I received a phone call this week from my cousin. Her 52 year old brother has colon cancer. He did not have the colonoscopy when he was 50. He was having pain and plumbing problems and they found a tumor the size of a golf ball in his colon. The surgeon thinks that it was contained in the colon, but they are waiting for the biopsy of the lymph nodes to see if it had spread.</p>

<p>He had good insurance. It wasn’t a money issue. He said he did not have the time. He didn’t like going to the doctors. Well, now he is spending a lot more time with the doctor. </p>

<p>The cousin who called said that she hadn’t had one. Neither had her sister and another brother. Guess who are all going in for one now? And their spouses. </p>

<p>My cousin has a DD in high school and a DS in college. We are all praying for the best possible outcome. However, it didn’t have to be this bad. So, Please, everyone, just get the colonoscopy. It really isn’t as bad as the alternative.</p>

<p>Had my 2nd one a few weeks back + endoscopy–1st was about 12 years ago. It was much better this time. Better prep and better anesthesia. Dulcolax pills and Miralax/gatorade–it dissolves, you can’t taste it. One bad polyp removed. Glad to get it over with. Courage, folks. You can do it. Don’t be shy.</p>

<p>Yup, it really wasn’t bad. And I second what eastcoascrazy said: Follow the prep directions precisely. Precisely! Especially the hydration part. My doc told me that if I was well-hydrated, he could give me the maximum sedation. That was motivation enough for me.</p>

<p>may i have: orange juice? cranberry juice, grape fruit juice? Vegetable soup without vegetables? smoothies?</p>

<p>Ask the doctor.</p>

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<p>It’s also easier for us (nurses) to get the IV on the first stick if you are hydrated.</p>

<p>^ When I had mine, they said I couldn’t drink anything red, purple, or orange. And the fluids had to be clear, and not contain fiber.</p>

<p>Yellow Gatorade, tea with no cream, water were ok. Beef or chicken bouillon were ok.</p>

<p>The prep instructions from your doctor should contain a list of what is allowed or not.</p>

<p>I had a colonoscopy last year as a result of age…time to have this done according to doc. Within a few months, I developed diverticulitis. I am not blaming the original GI doc that performed the colonoscopy, but the new doc seemed to indicate that the diverticulitis could be a result of the original test. I believe him, as I felt that I was in a meat market situation with the first doc.</p>

<p>Would I get another colonoscopy? Yes, as a polyp was removed and I know that this type of test can save many lives. BUT, I can tell you that I am now on a 3 yr plan for this test now and I have suffered with minor symptoms after the attack that sent me to the hospital for 3 days!</p>

<p>does anyone know how many days before the procedure you need to stop aspirin? also I ate whole wheat pasta tonight am I in trouble for a thursday procedure?</p>

<p>My Dr says stop aspirin at least 7 days before a colonoscopy. Never heard anything about whole wheat pasta.</p>

<p>I did the pill prep earlier and it’s definitely the way to go IMO. I can’t stand sweet drinks. </p>

<p>Weirdly I had dark spots on my colon which are associated with laxative use. I’ve never used one in my life. IT would be nice to know what that’s all about.</p>