# Colonoscopy prep not working



## Keara07

Anyone have experience with prep not working for them? I have followed the instr exactly (piro-salax) for my colonoscopy tomorrow and nothing has happened in, now, 8 1/2 hours!

Wondering if I can do something, or should wait it out....

I have cut my meds in 1/2 (pain) today, but am on a patch I can't remove as you need tapering, and I have real, chronic pain - my best days are at 5/6 and have been even with the surgery and my most recect scan (idium (sp?)) showed problems about 8 mos ago but GI was waiting it out - now wants to do the scope to see what is up.

My only other attempt at a scope was unsuccessful not due to prep (I had been prepped for a barium enema the day before and prepped again even though nothing was there for the scope - in hosp the entire time), but intense pain within a minute so he couldn't finish - they found an abscess a week later the size of a baseball with a CT and think it was either
1- the abcess pushing on the bowel
2-iv meds didn't get in (they had to replace my iv later in the day - I was hospitaized for a few days before the last attempted scope
3-loopy bowels not settled from surgery as the scope was attempted less than 5 mos post surgery

I want to have it done tomorrow as i want answers but I don't want to show up without being, uhm, *cleaned out*

suggestions?


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## Entchen

Oh honey, BEEN THERE and I feel for you.

Pico Salax can take several hours to work. 8 1/2 hours has got to be on the long end of things, though, so I understand your concern. 

If you are keeping hydrated, then you have the option of doing a second prep. Since Pico Salax didn't work, you might want to ask your pharmacist for a different non-prescription prep, such as (hate to suggest it) Golytely or maybe a bottle of mag citrate, which probably is just out on the regular shelves, not even behind the counter. 

The next suggest is to up your fluid intake. However much you're drinking now, try to double it. 

Good luck!!!

-Kelly


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## Crohn's 35

Keara, I hope you were told to take Dulcolax tabs (mine were two) the night before the clearfluids, like last night? If you have then dont worry because I was worried and I was fine. I hope you have also drank alot of water after the initial drink, that is important.  If you havent had a laxative, take one.  Other stuff will make you vomit. I know you have a cup to take in the morning dont worry it will work, mine always does.


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## Keara07

thanks for the response - I actually just started to drink even more as I can be dehydrated on the best of days and I am thinking maybe I should have hydrated before but I didn't know - like I said, last one was in hospital and being very messed up at the time I just kept taking whatever was in front of me but the nurses - and some was even put through iv cause I was being sick too much. 

The thing is right now, I am shivering, and have intense pressure and nausea- I am mindful that if things don't progress, perhaps we are dealing with a more severe blockage (not sure - new to CD in only late 07) and lord knows I wouldn't want to try to push it open (I have a lrg bottle lactulose in house). 

H20 here I come!


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## Keara07

Pen said:


> Keara, I hope you were told to take Dulcolax tabs (mine were two) the night before the clearfluids, like last night? If you have then dont worry because I was worried and I was fine. I hope you have also drank alot of water after the initial drink, that is important.  If you havent had a laxative, take one.  Other stuff will make you vomit. I know you have a cup to take in the morning dont worry it will work, mine always does.


??

I wasn't given and tabs, and was not given any more to drink - I had to take 1 packet at noon, 1 at 4pm - that's it - just checked the info from GI and sure enough, I did it as instructed. oh oh - did he mess up in the instructions?


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## Crohn's 35

No when I buy the pico salax at the drug store they come in pkg of two!  That is strange.  Do you have any dulcolax or something to make it go asap??


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## Keara07

I am going to pee every 15 mins though too - I feel preggie on my triplets again


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## Keara07

pen - there were two envelopes in one package, and I was to use all of one in each drink at noon and 4, according to instructions. Maybe I should go add some lactulose afterall.


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## Crohn's 35

OK so you still have another envelope right?  When do you take the second one?  My instructions was the morning of the prep at 6am. But no water after.


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## Keara07

Pen said:


> OK so you still have another envelope right?  When do you take the second one?  My instructions was the morning of the prep at 6am. But no water after.


nope - the instructions said to dump contents of one packet, and drink - then at 4, dump contents of packet 2 and drink - thus both packets are gone. On my sheet from GI I am not to have anything else, but clear fluids up to 4 hrs before scope (scheduled at 1pm) - no more packets or laxitives.

I checked the instr on the box, same thing in fact. 

I was to buy one box, two packets in it. 

oh oh - i think somethings amiss. oh well - I do have 16 hours....


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## Jennifer

Kelly said:


> Golytely or maybe a bottle of mag citrate


Those are the only two I've ever taken and I'm not sure if it'd be a bad idea or not adding them on top of what you've already taken. Any chance you can contact your pharmacist and ask them Keara?

It might also be hard to take either of those down if you're feeling nauseous already. You start peeing a lot at first and then the flood gates open after that. So so far if you're peeing that's good but the other end should have started by now. Who knows, if it is a blockage, maybe your doc will get a real good look at it.


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## Entchen

Yes, best to discuss with pharmacist first. I double prep because even that doesn't work to get me fully cleared out (Golytely + Pico Salax is now my standard prep, plus a 3 day clear liquid fast, and it gets me to a state where the GI can at least complete the procedure, albeit with the help of a magical water wand!), so it certainly is safe in some conditions, but I imagine it wouldn't be safe for everyone.


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## Rebecca85

I would seek medical help if you still haven't gone. I'm sure my prep (moviprep) said if you hadn't had a bm 6 hours later you should seek help.


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## Keara07

hi guys - thanks for all your help the other night - plus I perused many other threads, and went online for videos etc.

It too 13 hours to start and only after a double dose of lactulose - I was impacted, Once it started, only 4 times, and not clear.

So i went in early and let them know and the nurse said as long as it was 100% liquid, it's ok, they have tools to get the rest out. 

That said, my GI gave me the fentanyl and another valium type drug, and well, let's say it didn't work. I screamed in pain - not the *cramping* as expected, but it was like razor blades. He did ask if I wanted to cont (the one 2 years ago had to be stopped) - and I said yes, and he finished. I thought maybe once he got to then end, the coming out would be ok - but it really killed and I have a high threshhold to pain. I was crying, so didn't see the screen but once and it looked puffy and red, not like the pics I saw on the internet at all.

Now, two days later, I can't walk - just like again, 2 years ago. My doc always thought that the reason I was in so much pain last time was an abscess they found a week later - but I am not so sure.  I am having the same abscess symptoms and wonder if something went wrong - cause they only started right after the procedure. i could'nt walk (but they hurdled me out the door) - so I went vi wheelchair, had to be on my knees in the van ride, screaming with every bump. The nurses said it was the air pressure, but all that is long gone and I am getting worse. Guess I am not good for these scopes? 

My query though, is , I was expecting some kind of a report but my doc didn't come see me (I hope he wasn't mad at me for crying, but it really felt like razor blades - not cramps, and I felt the biopsy, and I know I am not supposed to. It felt like an inside hard pinch. When I felt it, he then said he had just taken a biopsy). I have to wait 2-4 weeks to see him - however, if I can't walk I suppose I should go in?!? Not sure. 

Anyone else have this experience...anyone know what may have happened? He drugged me up but I seriously felt everything like there were no drugs at all, and I know they went in. I wish I had been sedated. I am actually not sleeping now. 

Sorry to sound so woosy - cause I am sp not...

BUT IF ANYONE CAN SHARE INFO that would be soooooo helpful. 

I


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