# Colonoscopy Prep - take day off work?



## spursfan323

The hospital where I am due to have a colonoscopy in a few weeks advised me to take off work the day _before_  - I presume to allow for the prep and running to and from the toilet. As the c is booked for 1.30 I would need to take off only the afternoon before.

Is this really necessary/advisable?


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## CLynn

What time are you due to start the prepping?


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## KayleighMeek

I would personally would not want to be at work when doing prep for a colonoscopy you will be in the bathroom a lot and will need to drink lots of water to replace anything you will be losing.
I guess if you are comfortable with it and your work understands it might disrupt what you are doing then you could do it but you're a lot braver than me.
Hope it all goes well for you x


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## StaceyC96

absolutly and deffo the day after to as i was in bloody agony the day after 

the prep is not nice at all but word of adviceonce you have mixed the prep with the water like they tell you then add fresh orange juice as it will make it alot easier to swollow 

as i found out after i have taken the first lot i was so sick then hubby went to the shop and got fresh orange juice much much easier 

the day after i went to work and really should have stayed at home with a hot water bottle under the duvet as i was a mess 

but the actual proceedure was totally and utterly painless i was sedated and came around and all i had was wanting to sleep and the feeling like i was pissed and stoned so win there 
they gave me a nice cup of tea and some toast went home and had the best nights sleep i have ever had 

best of luck 
stacey
xxx


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## xSophiexx

I just did prep today - TAKE THE DAY OFF!!


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## CrohnsChicago

Taking the day off is your safest bet....you can almost guarantee you will have an accident if you don't


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## Lisa

I usually take off a little early so I can start the prep at home, but for me that usually starts late afternoon or early evening


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## StarGirrrrl

Once things get going, there won't be much running to/from the toilet, you'll be stuck on there for long stretches of time, so do take the day off!


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## spursfan323

1. Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments.

As it happens I am anyway quite fussy about having a comfortable toilet and the loo at work is always far too cold for my liking. Plus they are not exactly the understanding type and are bound to think I am just shirking. So I guess I will take the day off.

2. Any guidance re the MoviPrep?

I've had barium and thought it was vile, really hard chucking the stuff back. (The nurse poured me a cup and said 'I'll give you five minutes to finish that.'' I drank it in two big gulps in about 1 minute and feeling very proud of myself called her back. 'Not the cup, love, I meant the jug' - pointing to a litre jug nearby. Honestly felt like giving up immediately)

 The pre-MRI contrast solution wasn't great either but not half as bad.

How does Movi Prep compare? Is there only one flavour?


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## Susan2

That's a major plus of having no large bowel - no more barium!! Ever!! :emot-dance:


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## LaLaNapa

I haven't used the MoviPrep - they always give my Golytely.  I think it might depend on the pharmacy because one time I had a pineapple flavor (not bad) and one time no flavor.  My husband has used MoviPrep.  He remembers it tasting mildly like sea water.  It tastes better cold - I made mine up the night before the day of prep and kept in the fridge.  His experience also seemed a lot less "urgent" than mine.  He was even outside gardening!  But he doesn't have IBD so perhaps that's the difference.

I've had the awful barium stuff, too, and I prefer the colon prep   if only because I followed every glass of it with a chaser of juice!  (But also prefer salt to sweet so I didn't mind the saltiness of the prep.)

And I started prep at 2 pm the day before the colonoscopy (taking off work only the afternoon) so that I could sleep that night.  Some doctors have you start in the evening but you're up for hours in the bathroom.  And I figured if I can't eat, I might as well as sleep!

Best wishes!


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## MissSarie

I'd definitely take the day off. I hate prep with a burning passion...


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## SilverFirePrime

For me, a colonoscopy is a three day affair.  Day off to prep, day off for the test, day off to recover.  Depending on your job, you may be able to get away with not taking the prep day off, but I don't recommend it.  I cannot stress the recovery day enough.  Last time I had a colonoscopy, what little prep work I was able to stomach decided to kick in the day after.


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## katiesue1506

I always do my own prep (not advised UNLESS you know your body and have done it many times before). Last year I was having colonoscopies every 8 weeks so I got used to the procedure.

But I know that I can prep with Gatorade/Miralax and Dulcolax. Occasionally I'll be scheduled for a colonscopy and they automatically prescribe the Golytely junk. I just go buy the dulcolax, take 2 tabs between 3-5p and then start the first half of Gatorade/Miralax by 6p. Then the next day I take the second half of prep 4 hours plus driving time to the unit before my appointment. This way I can usually sleep during the night (my appointments are generally around 1pm. If I worked a normal day job I would only need one day off for the procedure (but I work 3rd shift so I take the day of prep and the day of procedure off).

It also depends on what you're having done too. I had balloon dilations and decided to go to work the next day and it wasn't very fun. I was still in a lot of pain from the dilations.

Here's the link to the PDF of the procedure I use: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/mpu/MiralaxGatoradePrep.pdf

Disclaimer:I would not use it unless you have asked your doctor first. Apparently there are issues with this type of prep if you have poor kidney function. Plus if you have certain bowel anomalies or allergies to the particular ingredients it wouldn't be for you.


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## AK47

I would advise to take the next day off, because of the pain you will get the next day all around the inside (where the tube has been)

The day of the colonoscopy you won't feel a thing, infact I felt great maybe because of the sedation, but when I woke up the next day I had so much pain and had to take 6+ pain killers and just tried to sleep it off.


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## AK47

I think MoviPrep is used in the UK? I had to take that stuff and it was horrible, I've never felt so sick taking that.. I had to force my self to take each sip and scream..yuk.

Be careful..it says that you should stay close to the toilet, and believe me you should. It might not kick in for about 1/2hours but then suddenly out of nowhere it starts ghushing out!


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