Bowel prep

[PERDITA]

I went in today for my colonoscopy and endoscopy (so my consultant could check on how disease progressing). Despite having numerous conversations with hospital stating how I find the bowel prep impossible - was told that couldnt have any tablets as these only available in America and not in UK, so Sunday starting preparing, only eating white food, no lumps then yesterday morning at 7am drank 1st bottle of fleet which apparently was supposed to be ginger and lemon flavour - managed to get it down in two goes and then spent following hour with my hand over my mouth as it kept trying to escape back up - even as I am typing this I am dry retching as I remember how bad it was. Anyway rest of day on fluids only - I never want to see jelly again as long as I live or lemonade for that matter, didnt take the 2nd bottle of fleet at 7pm because I had been peeing water out my bum all day and had the worst headache ever. Got to hospital at 8.00 today as was told to and then had to sit in waiting room for 2 and half hours before I even saw nurse (by which time my head was coming off). Eventually went in and had procedures which despite being sedated for seemed to be awake for a lot of it unfortunately except the relevant bit at the end when the consultant sees fit to discuss his findings and you can barely keep your eyes open - only got a bit of one sentence which said something about changing my medication but wont know more for a couple of weeks. I am sure all of this is very familiar to everyone, bowel prep is truly awful which begs the question why cant they come up with something less horrific and why are there no tablets available in the uk - are we years behind the united states or something? When you consider what crohns sufferers have to put up with on a day to day basis it would be nice if the doctors could be a bit more sympathic to our plight, my stomach currently feels like it has been turned inside out!!:depressed:

 

[NatalieMT]

There are tablets in the UK, it's just consultants here don't seem to think they work particularly well unfortunately. I've done both the Picolax prep and Kleenprep and neither were fun, especially the latter however.

Atleast the colonoscopy is over now for you though! Hope your stomach feels a little more settled soon, take care of yourself.

 

[beth]

Is awful isn't it! Fundimental thing is tho, you have to wash everything out of the bowel and flushing it through from the top is really the only way.
I've had two so far and really don't even want to think of another

 

[kello82]

ugh, know how you feel, perdita (thats fun to say )
preps always make me throw up. its ridiculous, before it even has a chance to go down into the bowel, its already in the bucket. stupid.
if i ever have to do one again im gonna make it known that the preps are very harsh on my tummy, i think there are other options out there besides the nasty liquid.
hopefully you dont have to do another for a good long time!

 

[Kuwabara]

I just assume that there is some worthwhile reason why we in the UK are denied tablets.The bowel prep is god awful but I guess if you want to see the rainbow you've got to put up with the rain.

At least were lightyears in front of the U.S in the dignity stakes - we don't deny 40 million people the right of healthcare. They're suffering riles me everyday. Apologies to our American friends but its true.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Try Pico Salax, it tastes like orange and only drink 2 cups, nothing more and just drink water. My mom just had a scope today and she says next time she will do the same, her friend had the 4 litre drink prep....ew gross, been there done that!

 

[imisspopcorn]

Well Perdita, I'm glad you got through that horrible prep. It is really disgusting, but unfortunately necessary...Rest assured, I have never had any magic pills here in the US. We do take some pills in conjunction with the Miralax Gatorade cocktailuke_r: uke_r: The pills I've taken are over the counter laxatives....It's really a bit overkill once the cocktail kicks in....I'm glad you made it:thumleft:

 

[Jennjenn]

I took the pills for a scheduled colonoscopy and felt sick from drinking so much water. I thought it would be better than drinking the liquid prep that tastes horrible and makes you want to just throw it up. I wound up taking the pills at the right times and nothing was happening. I was shocked because I did not have good days for weeks before this, I thought it would be fast. 7 in the morning I woke up and still nothing. I called my doctor and he said we will wait another couple hours but if nothing happens you have to reschedule. At 11am my doctor called back I said still nothing and had to rescheduled. At 12 and for the rest of the day it was a nightmare and the pills finally worked. .......The following week I was told to do the liquid prep because the pills do not work well with me. I had to clear myself out all over again and felt weak, sick, nauseous, and in pain. My advice is dont worry if there are no pills available! Even if the liquid tastes horrible and makes everyone who drinks it want to throw up, at least you know it will work right!

 

[Theresa]

Hi Perdita,
I agree the prep it not geat, this is the first time I have done this and think I was really nervous as not sure what to really expect, even though had had a lot of advice and support from you guys! I was given Moviprep and did struggle to get the first lot down last night, started at 7 and within 20 min after drinking the whole amount spent the next 3 hours in the bathroom. I have got up this morning at 6am to take the second lot and really did struggle to get this down, it wanted to come up as soon as I had swallowed it. I did struggle to drink it all and now must have the cleanest bowel around! I go in later today for my colonoscopy my first! I was advised to bring someone with me so that the doctor could talk to them afterwards as I will not be awake enough and to drive me home, i thought this was standard practice? I wish I could have had tablets i never want to drink lemonade or juice tasting of lemons again! Good Luck with your results x

 

[PERDITA]

Hi Teresa, by the time you read this you will probably have had your procedure so I hope it went ok, in answer to your question I did take my partner who spent hours sitting outside waiting for me but he never got the chance to ask the consultant anything as he was already on to his next patient, so I will have to wait till I see my GP in a fortnight (because of the postal strike) when she should have been sent results, will give her a good grilling too as my doctor never seems to want to tell you very much, dont think she realises how interested I actually am as to what is happening to my body and I dont want edited version!!
Thanks to everyone for their comments, I think we all agree it is the most vile stuff ever invented and I am hoping I will not have to do it again for a long, long, long time - and Jennjenn - god I feel your pain that was just unbelievably unlucky!

 

[forum contributor]

I had the pills for my last one. They are SO salty!!! Made me throw up, just like the liquid did. I'm a vegetarian, so I didn't have jello.... instead, I had vegetable broth. That, too, was ridiculously salty. After that last salty prep, if I don't have another in the next 50 years it'll be too soon.

Hoping for good news, Theresa! Let us know

 

[krs2]

When I did mine, they wanted me to take Moviprep but I had the pharmacy substitute the generic because it was much cheaper. The only problem was I had directions for drinking one liter of moviprep but the generic was for two liters. So I just fudged it, drank only half the bottle. Nasty stuff, but if you relax when youre drinking, and you drink it quickly, it I find it's easier to get it down (same with the lactose drink for the lactose intolerance test and barium for my upper gi... all nasty things).

I was kindve worried I didnt do it right but the doctor said it was very thorough....... which was good because I was not going through that again! The worst part is sitting on the toilet for half an hour so hungry and so tired but not able to eat or sleep! And then later I woke up in the middle of the night with a mess on my hands.. haha! Im so glad I only have had to do that once so far.

It's also a good idea to have more than enough liquids on hand. I went through two 32oz bottles of gatorade, a cup of tea, two lemon ices, a cup of broth and water only goes so far.... I wish I had more stuff because by the end of the night I was craving something sweet/salty but I had nothing left!

 

[Daisy G]

Hi Perdita
I had a colonoscopy on Monday this week and well down here in NZ I haven't heard of tablets as part of preparation? I had Glycoprep lemon flavoured a whole 3 litres thereof - it acts much faster than Kleenprep which means you're in the loo for longer. Anyway, this was my second colonoscopy and on this occasion had the privilege of seeing the insides of my colon on the monitor - yes I was sedated but not that much and felt much woozier after the procedure than while it was actually happening. Here's hoping that I won't have to have another one for a while as the specialist said it looked much the same as it did last year - gee thanks for that doc great news so I have to think the messy prep was worth it......

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

that sounds so nasty. When i had to drink tht kinda stuff i actually had half the dose as i was so small, and even that was making me feel sick. I hate to think what it would be like if i had had all of it!!
Hope you start to feel better soon
xxxx