News flash: Walmart sells margarita flavored jello. I’ll tell you how it is in a couple of days.
You can do it, missypie! Nuisance is the right word for the prep process. It is not painful, not like food poisoning or viral infection. There are no spasms or pains… just need to be close to the bathroom. Annoying but harmless. And I have never in my life had so much artificial sweetener as the amount that was packed into the prep.
My H had his colonoscopy a few weeks ago. While the prep went pretty well, he developed diverticulosis and had to go back to the ER. He’s just now finishing up his antibiotics. This scope was clean. He’d had a few polyps the last time. Maybe in 5 years he’ll be able to do it differently because he is prone to the diverticulosis. He still tells people that for his 50th birthday, I bought him a colonoscopy. This was before they were covered under ACA and since his birthday is early in the year, I had not yet met the deductible when he had it. I wound up paying the bill out over a year.
Did the procedure cause the diverticulitis?
@missypie - here are 3 tips that I believe made things easier. I chilled my “drink” and drank through a straw. I bought a small container of Tucks and wiped (more like gently dabbed) with them after each visit to the bathroom and I put a dab of Vaseline on the “exit area” after each Tucks wipe.
Good luck on Monday! You are going to do great!
I know Nrdsb4 will answer whether you can get diverticulitis from a colonoscopy but I will be surprised if he says that it is more than a remote possibility.
Diverticulosis is a common condition that usually causes no symptoms. It is not caused by colonoscopy.
Diverticulitis occurs when the existing diverticula become inflamed/infected and can be a serious condition requiring antibiotic therapy, hospitalization, and with severe cases, possible surgery. Once symptoms develop, it can be diagnosed using CAT scan.
Diverticulitis after colonoscopy is very rare (one study I saw said 2.9 per 10,000 procedures, another article I read cited even more rare occurrence), but does happen. Whether it is the procedure that causes it or the prep is not clear. Some GI docs will encourage the use of probiotics after the procedure to get the intestinal flora back in balance.
Here is an article discussing diverticulosis vs. diverticulitis:
https://www.asge.org/home/for-patients/patient-information/understanding-diverticulosis
@Nrdsb4 -
I asked my H and, you are right, he got diverticulitis, not diverticulosis. He has had episodes of it before, including a couple where he was hospitalized, and he said that the doctor told him this may have made him more prone to it after the colonoscopy. It is very rare but H’s personal medical history may have been the tipping factor. He said that they had spoken about taking antibiotics (not probiotics) before the procedure on a prophylactic basis, but the doctor didn’t prescribe them. He is eating more yogurt since the procedure.
@techmom, hope your husband is feeling better!
@Nrdsb4 -
He is generally feeling better, thanks.
I do want to say that his experience should not deter people from having the procedure because what happened is so rare but, if you have a personal history of diverticulitis, you should discuss it with your doctor.
I found the perfect thing to do while waiting to start prep. OUR TAXES! We got an extension and I had totally forgotten about it. H reminded me. I hate doing taxes and I don’t even “do” them… I just have to fill in the packet from the CPA.
Earlier today I got out the ladder and dust buster and cleaned objects that we have on a high shelf.
The theme of the day: unpleasant tasks that I’ve been putting off!
Just want to brag that I never have to have a colonoscopy again woohoo. My last prep ever was May 4, 2017. One of the few advantages of having to have a total proctocolectomy (because of Crohn’s). I only now need gastroscopies (I have had 4 since March 2017 because of a stomach disease I have) and all you have to do is fast ( though the spray to paralyze your gag reflex tastes gross).
I’m not sure I’d be claiming that as a victory, singingflutelady.
Oh just fyi the best prep I have ever taken is picosalax.
“The theme of the day: unpleasant tasks that I’ve been putting off!”
Way to go, @missypie! Compared to taxes, colonoscopy is a cakewalk (it is not that taxes are hard, they are simply extremely annoying!)
All done, but posting with a post- propofol buzz, so forgive any loopiness. Clean, 10 year ticket.
The only bad part was drinking the Suprep, especially the second dose. As my sister said, that stuff could be weaponized. I sucked on lime wedges between drinks- thanks for that advice. I can see where the lemon drops would have been helpful, but we couldn’t find any on Saturday. (Needed to go to a store with “old people candy.”)
The going to the bathroom part was not unpleasant for me. Do y’all remember the drink and wet dolls? That is what it was like.
Procedure itself, as others have said, is no problem at all.
As I was leaving the nurse said, “no driving, no signing legal documents.” I said that I guessed I shouldn’t give anyone legal advice either; she said absolutely not. SO, I can take a guilt free day away from work email! Yay!
Once again, the folks on CC are the best. Thanks for helping me through it.
Getting ready to have a colonoscopy in a few day and I have a question for anyone still following this thread. Did you buy the prep over the counter or was it a prescription? When I made the appointment, they asked me what pharmacy I used and told me I would get a call when the prep would be ready and that they will mail the instructions. So I picked up the prescription prep which consists of a bottle of magnesium citrate, the MiraLAX-like power, & 2 pills, for a total of almost $30 with insurance. Then I discover that the magnesium citrate that I paid $15 for can be purchased over the counter for a couple of bucks!
Geez, never mind. I just checked the claim online and discovered that I shouldn’t have had to pay anything for the prescription. Not sure if I should take it up with the pharmacy or the insurance company, but hopefully I can get it straightened out.
Hardest part for me drinking all that volume and feeling bloated, then getting rid of it. Slept 5.5 hrs before test. Got the prep @TCMom mentioned over the counter, the pills Dr. Office gave. Just had the colonoscopy this AM. Done! All OK and first one age 62…I know. Plenty of other stuff putting other things before my self. But I did it. Did all the other lab, mammo, pap tests this month, too and OK. H did the routine labs and tests this past month and OK. We decided to check all out while we were hiking and feeling daring and a little guilty. Whew.
My friend’s husband just had to do the prep because of surgery to remove a portion of his bowel because of softball size access that was leaking into his abdomen - they had put a drain into the access earlier in the week through one of his cheeks and he was bruised and in pain. he has been diagnosed with diverticulitis - he in his early 30s.
I can’t imagine the misery of the prep combined with the drain and pain he was in. Guess we shouldn’t complain (I still will when I have my next one I’m sure)