Colon Prep question, Need advice???

[Ihurt]

I a having a colonscopy on Friday. I was given the prep called Suprep. It is to be divided in two doses. They usually do it over 2 days, but since my procedure is on Friday Morning at 8 am( I have to leave the house at 6 am), I am doing both doses in one day. Here is my question, on the instructions it says to drink the first bottle of prep stuff with lots of water at like 5pm on the evening before the procedure. Then it says to drink the second one 6 hours before your scheduled procedure. So I am suppose to drink this stuff at 1 or 2 in the mornng??? I asked the nurse about this and she just said it was to ensure your colon stays clean, that you can still produce stool even after the prep?? WTH, what?? How is that if you are not eating? I dont think this nurse really knew much though, she was Very young and when I mentioned bowel flora she did not even know what that was!!!

So anyhow, I had a colonoscopy back like 9 years ago before I was really sick with all my issues. I remember at that time I had to drink that jug of stuff, like a gallon of it( I can no longer drink this stuff as I became allergic to the ingrediant in it). But anyhow, I remember drinking it at like 4 in the evening and I was done cleaning out at like 11 pm. I wet to sleep, slept fine, woke up at like 7 oclock. My procedure was like at 10 am! So I had almost 12 hours after doing the prep and my colonoscopy was fine, I was clear.. So I dont understand this about having to take this stuff exactly 6 hours before the procedure. First off, I am not about to shit my pants on the way to the hospital if I can help it! That would be an automatic UTI for me. My husband told me to just start drinking the first round at like 2 Oclock in the afternoon the day before the test and then drink the other like at 8 Oclock at night. This way he said I would get some sleep at least.

Anyone else do this type of prep and what did you do??

 

[Lisa]

I haven't done that prep, but I would follow what your husband suggested so you can get a little sleep at least.

I would also eat light a day or two before, did they tell you to have a liquid diet on prep day? Once you are running clear I wouldn't worry about finishing all the prep.....I've left a glass or two quite a few times.com never had a problem.

Good luck with everything!

 

[2thFairy]

I have done the split-night prep twice and yes, you do need to drink it again at 2 a.m. It does help to completely clean everything out. There is still a lot of mucus that is being produced. It is a bit redundant, but wouldn't you rather do it correctly and ensure the most accurate colonoscopy possible rather than wondering if you really were cleaned out enough and not having the best test for your money, or even worse, having to do the entire prep again!?

Like you, my test was first thing in the morning..at 7:30 for the first and 8:00 for the second one. I was very tired and sore, but did not crap myself on the way to the clinic.

If you really object, call the doctor's office and speak with the doctor himself rather than taking a chance of doing the prep wrong.

 

[2thFairy]

Another thought: With all of the constipation you have been having, the split-night prep is probably a very good thing. People who are very constipated before colonoscopy often have a harder time getting cleaned out. Many have to repeat the whole thing in a few months because the doctor wasn't able to suction enough out during the procedure to see everything; the poo gets sticky and doesn't want to come out.

 

[UnXmas]

I don't think everyone has to follow prep instructions exactly - everyone's body is different, so people will require different amounts of prep and different lengths of time to get cleared out. However, it is important to check with the hospital if you want to make changes.


I think I'd ask if I could take the second one as late as possible before going to bed. (The time the prep takes to have an effect, in my experience, can vary hugely, so you may have a disruppted sleep whenever you take it.) But if you've asked the nurse and she told you the times have to be stuck too, it's probably better to do as she said. It's very unlikely the prep will have any lasting effect on a person's bowel flora, so I don't think it's too significant the nurse didn't know what it is. And I think your digestive system can still produce something even though you're not eating - there may be food still waiting to pass through and you're continually producing mucous, etc.

Make sure someone else is driving you to the hospital, especially if you've not had much sleep due to the prep, and to drive you home again after. You may want to wear a pad in your underwear just in case.

It isn't fun, but it's only one or two days and then it's all over.

 

[Ihurt]

Thanks for the replies.

My constipation has been better these last few days thankfully, my stool is soft again since I started adding some fruit in the blender back to my diet so that should not be an issue. I am going to do a liquid diet tomorrow And Thursday just to be on the safe side. The whole 6 hours before the procedure( getting up at 1 in the morning does not make sense to me I guess). I mean when I had my last one done when I drank that other gallon of crap, I did not have to do that and was empty by like 11 pm. My test was not until 10 the next morning and I was clear as a bell. I guess that is where my confusion is. If you are pooping clear, then you are empty. How does it matter whether you empty out at 12 pm or 4am, when you are empty, you are empty. I mean of course your body does produce bile, and they expect that, I mean even when you do an upper endoscopy, there is always bile and acid in the gut, there is NO way to prevent that. I just don't see the logic in having a person not sleep at ALL and go through a procedure in not the best of state which will lower the immune system as well. I guess I could call the gastro office, but I will just that nurse I talked to and frankly, I don't think she really seemed that knowledgable, I mean she did not know what gut flora was! I would not feel comfortable with her opinion really due to her lack of knowledge when it comes to the digestive system.

I do hear what you are saying though in terms of Not wanting to do it over again. I wont do it over again! This is it for me either way. I guess I was just going by my last procedure and it was different. I mean same crap you had to drink, just I did the gallon crap. But I did Not have to do it 6 hours before my procedure. I mean maybe I can push it up a little, like do it a 3 pm the first round and then the second one at like 10 pm. I mean doesn't it take like several hours for you to clean out after each time you drink that stuff?

 

[2thFairy]

I've done 7 different bowel preps over the years and the first one was 1-1/2 gallons of gunk. Preps have definitely improved! The split-night prep was a preference of one particular GI I had. He liked to have the bowel as spiff as possible right before test time. My colorectal surgeon, on the other hand, wasn't as picky. Some doctors are like that, others not as particular. That is why I stressed to follow the directions of this particular prep, as this is the preference of YOUR doctor.

I've typed up a ton of colonoscopy reports from a wide range of doctors. It always makes me sad when I hear about the patient being told to come back in 6 weeks to do it again and with a 2-day bowel clean out rather than just a 1-day bowel clean out because of the problems with the first one.

 

[Ihurt]

2th Fairy: Thanks for the replies.Yeah, my gastro doc did not really care which prep, he just gave me this one because I was allergic to polyethelene glycol which is in all the other ones. The one he was going to give first was something called trylitely or something on that order( probably that jug of stuff). My gastro would Not ask me to do this test again, he was leary of even doing this one based on all my issues. I am thinking due to the fact that I am going on a liquid diet before the recommended time( they say to start the liquid diet the day before the test, I am starting the liquid diet 2 days before the test) that I would be even better off. I mean my test is Friday in the AM. I am going all liquid diet starting Wednesday morning. Would this make a difference in the whole clean out in your opinion?

I've done 7 different bowel preps over the years and the first one was 1-1/2 gallons of gunk. Preps have definitely improved! The split-night prep was a preference of one particular GI I had. He liked to have the bowel as spiff as possible right before test time. My colorectal surgeon, on the other hand, wasn't as picky. Some doctors are like that, others not as particular. That is why I stressed to follow the directions of this particular prep, as this is the preference of YOUR doctor.

I've typed up a ton of colonoscopy reports from a wide range of doctors. It always makes me sad when I hear about the patient being told to come back in 6 weeks to do it again and with a 2-day bowel clean out rather than just a 1-day bowel clean out because of the problems with the first one.

 

[2thFairy]

2th Fairy: Thanks for the replies.Yeah, my gastro doc did not really care which prep, he just gave me this one because I was allergic to polyethelene glycol which is in all the other ones.

Cool beanz!

A liquid diet beforehand will definitely help. Way back when, bowel preps called for a 3-day all clear liquid diet before even starting the 1-2 gallon prep. It really sucked!

 

[Ihurt]

Oh geez, three day liquid diet, wow that must have been tough. I am going to do the first round at like 3:30 pm Thursday( they say 5, but I will do it an hour and half early). Then I am going to do the next one at 11pm since I have to leave my house close to 6 am. I figure that will give me enough time to get everything out( and my pee) since I will have to drink all that water. With my bladder issue and having to drink about a liter and half of liquid, I will have to have at least 4 to 5 hours to get it all out before I leave my house. I just hope all goes well and I don't get a UTI from all the water poops:eek2:

Thanks again.

Cool beanz!

A liquid diet beforehand will definitely help. Way back when, bowel preps called for a 3-day all clear liquid diet before even starting the 1-2 gallon prep. It really sucked!

 

[Ihurt]

Thanks Unxmas.

Yeah, I hear what your saying. But I think any nurse who works in a GI division should know what Gut flora is in my opinion. She looked at me like I was speaking greek, no kidding. She was like " what is gut flora"? My husband was with me and even seemed shocked that she did not know.

Unfortunately I CANNOT chance having an accident in my pants, that would mean definite UTI for me, No way. I have to ensure I am done before I leave my house and have to be showered at clean down there. My gastro doc knows all this. So I will try and do the prep as close to what they say, but will definitely be bumping it up some. I have to drink at least a liter and half of water with each dose so I have to be able to get that all out of my bladder as well. I have to be done drinking any liquids at least 5 hours before I leave my house in order for my bladder to not have to go pee all the time. You are right the small bowel does and will produce stuff, it will No matter when you finish the prep, there is No way to avoid this. The gastro docs should be use to this by now. They suck the gastric secretions out I am sure when they are doing the scope. I mean as long as you get out all the fecal matter, this is what counts I am thinking.

I am doing a two day liquid diet though just to be safe anyhow, so this should help out as well I hope...

I don't think everyone has to follow prep instructions exactly - everyone's body is different, so people will require different amounts of prep and different lengths of time to get cleared out. However, it is important to check with the hospital if you want to make changes.


I think I'd ask if I could take the second one as late as possible before going to bed. (The time the prep takes to have an effect, in my experience, can vary hugely, so you may have a disruppted sleep whenever you take it.) But if you've asked the nurse and she told you the times have to be stuck too, it's probably better to do as she said. It's very unlikely the prep will have any lasting effect on a person's bowel flora, so I don't think it's too significant the nurse didn't know what it is. And I think your digestive system can still produce something even though you're not eating - there may be food still waiting to pass through and you're continually producing mucous, etc.

Make sure someone else is driving you to the hospital, especially if you've not had much sleep due to the prep, and to drive you home again after. You may want to wear a pad in your underwear just in case.

It isn't fun, but it's only one or two days and then it's all over.

 

[fongers06]

Ihurt,

I guess I am a little late because you probably are already having your test by now. I just joined this forum yesterday. I actually had a colonoscopy last Friday, was given the Suprep and had major concerns. I have bathroom issues daily - usually 6-8 times a day. I knew that there was no way I could take the second dose of prep at 3:30am and be ok to ride in the car for 40 mins to my appt at 7:30am. I ended up doing a liquid diet for two days and took the prep at 3:30pm on the night before. By 5:30pm I was going clear and did not stop going (clear or with the yellowy bile) until 5:30am the next morning. It wasn't constant but I was so glad I didn't take the second dose. There was no way I would have made it. I did notice that the suprep burned. About 15 minutes after I took it, it felt like my insides were on fire. I was in a lot of pain and just miserable. Again - another reason why I don't think I could have handled the second dose. Hope all goes well with your test.