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Scope prep

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
S will be having scopes done in a couple of weeks.

The day before scopes, he has a class 5:30-7:00pm (which he wants to attend to minimize classes missed), and then a 90-120 minute drive home. The instructions I've received from his GI are to use Pico-Salax and the first dose is to be taken at 2:00pm.

I know everyone's different, but how many of you didn't start to feel the effects for a few hours? I'm worried that the pico-salax will start working just as he's in class or even while driving home.

I've also read other pico-salax instructions that say to take the first dose at 5:00pm... does it make much of a difference if he starts a bit later??

And, how urgent would the need be to go?? If the pico-salax does start to work while in class or driving home, will he have time to make it to the bathroom?

He had a scope before but last time, the prep didn't start working for hours and hours but... not sure if that's typical or was a one-off thing.

Thoughts??
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
For both of my girls it took about 4 hours for the Miralax to start working but that puts him right at the drive home if he starts at 2. I would call the doc and see if he can start a little later or if there is another protocol he can use.

I am having my scopes done soon and my GI gave me what appears to be an incredibly easy prep.

It is Prepopik. It comes in a 10mg packets. At 5 p.m. I mix the packet with 5 ounces of water and drink. Drink 5 glasses of clear fluids over next few hours.

6 hours before procedure repeat above. 2 hours before stop drinking.

My GI said she does all the preps because she feels in order to recommend one to her patients she should know what the are like. She likes this one the best.

As an aside she also advises to stop fish oil, vitamin C, corn, nuts, seeds, flax seed, fiber supplements a week before procedure.
 
C does Miralax as well and his takes about 1.5-2hrs to start going, I would say at the four hour Mark he is going fairly urgently.

We have, after calling the GI, changed a start time due to traveling or check in time at the hotel near the endoscopy lab.

Good luck!
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah, I'm worried it's not a good idea for him to go to that class that's immediately followed by the long drive. :(

Just so hard to predict how he'll react. :( His first scope prep (while inpatient) was BRUTAL - constantly going to bathroom, lots of pain, enemas, etc. and went on for 12 hours!

The next one, I put him on low res diet for a few days before (easy as it's all his favourite foods! :lol:), then two days before, he was on only Boost and chicken noodle soup, and the day before no food (as per instrux) - it was as if he wasn't even prepping. He went only a few times, but no urgency and it was clear! Super easy. But, of course, no guarantee the same will happen again. :(

Frustrating because I know he's going to kick up a big fuss... already missing two classes on scope day, can't miss another class, 'I'll be fine, you worry too much', etc., etc. but then he'll be devastated if he's in class or driving home with dad and has an accident. :( :(

Will try to convince him to miss that class... if not, will try to ask GI about a different prep that can start later... :)
 
You didn't mention if the appointment is for an AM scope or a PM scope the next day.

Typically, the prep instructions are different, and if its a PM scope, there is quite a bit more flexibility in when you begin the prep. If its an AM scope, not much you can do.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Thanks but a.m. scope schedule... :( Although not until 11am... but, yes, we did receive instructions for afternoon scopes as well.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
The Miralax prep would typically start even earlier if I remember correctly. I hope you can find a prep that works or convince him to miss class (my older daughter is just like him - even getting her to go to doctor's appointments during a class is like pulling teeth).

Hope scopes go smoothly:ghug:!
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
11 is pretty late. I am scheduled for 11 and I take the prep at 5 p.m. Granted it is a different prep. Maybe if you do the same cut over that you have done in the past the GI will approve it.

I don't blame him for not wanting to miss class. In college they cover so much in just one session. I would be loathe to miss it myself.
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I had my scopes scheduled for midday and was on the am prep.

I had to take 2 senekot tablets at before 9am the day prior to the scope. They said they would probably start working in 90 minutes, they did nothing.

Then the prep proper started at 2pm…

I had a sachet of PicoPrep followed by three glasses of water and IIRC it started working by 3:30pm. For me personally the PicoPrep sachet alone would not have been enough to really get things going and I would have been able to be out and about in the evening. Whilst it was working though the need to go was urgent and being in a class or driving would likely have resulted in an accident, of the poop kind. :eek2:

At 7pm I then had to take Glycoprep-C, now that was the real mover and shaker. Holy dooley did that have you….in polite terms…urinating out of your bottom. :poo:

Finally another sachet of PicoPrep at 7:30am the morning of the scope. I reckon I was so clean everyone in the procedure room could have camped in my colon and eaten lunch off it.

Do the lecturers film the classes? Or could he have it recorded?

Dusty. xxx
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
Is he registered with the Office of Disabilities or whatever the equivalent is? S's school does not film classes but she does get notes sent to her if she misses class. I agree, it's very hard for them to miss college classes but sometimes it's really unavoidable. Thankfully, the Office of Disabilities has been very good about getting notes for her.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Dusty -
I reckon I was so clean everyone in the procedure room could have camped in my colon and eaten lunch off it.
LMAO!!! Quite the picture you've painted! :rof:

S has never mentioned that they video the classes but I will ask. As far as registering with the Disability office, we did his first year, not sure if that registration carries forward or must be renewed each year. He will have to look into it because he will be missing a quiz on scope day so will be speaking to his prof next week re what arrangements need to be made.

Thanks all :)
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
Suss it out Tess. If the uni he attends and the course he is doing has a distance education mode they normally film or record the classes. With his disability I don’t see it would be an issue for him to gain access to the videos/podcasts.

Even if it is not usual procedure they should be able to at least record classes for him.

Dusty. xxx
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
DS had his clean out inpatient -first time they didn't start until 4 pm .
That said he had taken extra doses of miralax the night before due to the Er admit ( two at night ) then one in the Am and one at lunch - prior to officially starting his ducolax /miralax prep- the extra doses the tweleve hours before made things move but not at an alarming rate like a normal ckean out
But even starting at 4 he was still cleaning out well into the early am
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Carol, I don't think that would work... He has a morning class (offhand, not sure what time) but, even if he started right after that class, I wonder if he'd then be done the clean out by his 5:30 class?? Although, if he's comfortable doing this, I suppose we could delay picking him up, ie if he makes it through the class, he could clear out at his residence (has a private bathroom) and we could pick him up much later...???

Really, I think the best would be if he just misses that class... that way, we pick him up right after the morning class and start the prep at home - no worries about classes, a 90 min drive or clearing out with roommates around.

MLP, that's very similar to S's first (inpatient) prep. Don't know what prep they used but they started at around 4pm as well, didn't end until about 3 or 4am when the nurse told the on-call GI that she refused to do another enema (he'd had 3 I think) because he was in so much pain. And he still wasn't completely clear!! :eek: I think the fact that he was flaring and inpatient because he was undiagnosed probably factored into the clear-out difficulties?? But, having this experience once, even with the 'easy' second one, just makes me worry that we really don't know how it'll go???

I just know..., if he misses his class and then has a super easy prep like the last one... :ack: guess who'll be blamed for being paranoid and over-the-top?!?!? :lol:

Oh well, better to be wrong than right in this case!
 
Tess,
Would he be willing to do an extra day of clear liquids prior? It will make the prep go easier and then maybe he could start a little later. That is what we did last time.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Yes, that is essentially what we are doing. Two days before scope, for the most part, he will have only Boost shakes and some chicken noodle soup. Also having him start on only low res diet tomorrow. This is also what we did last time and it seemed to help quite a bit.

I did convince him to skip that afternoon class, so however the prep goes, at least he'll be at home. :)

I'm sure all will go well with scope/results (have absolutely no reason to think otherwise) but, ughh, hate that there's always that unreasonable and annoying bit of fear that they'll see something unexpected. :ybatty: Oh well... once bitten, twice shy. :)
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
Sending tons of luck that all goes well Tess, with both the prep and the scopes! :goodluck:

Dusty. xxx
 
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