• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Colonoscopy advice

Hello everyone,

Just got home from hospital, ive been booked in for a colonoscopy. Im scared - any advice would be greatful from start to finish including the klean prep :eek:

Thanks in advance xxx
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Hi Rockyroo19 :)

My son's had two colonoscopies so I can tell you how his went... but from everything I've read (and my son's experience), it seems that the prep is the worst part of the test!

First prep he had a tough time, with lots of diarrhea (clean-out), anal irritation from all the d (penaten ointment helped with the irritation), etc. However, this was prior to being diagnosed and in an active flare (was in hospital at time) and possibly had lots to clear due to the ongoing flare. Colonoscopy was done under general anesthesia. Colonosopy, itself, was very easy... other than the recovery (couple of hours of some grogginess, etc.) from the anesthesia, he was fine afterwards. I'm sorry, I don't know what prep he drank.

Second colonoscopy, I put him on a low fibre/residue diet for a 2-3 days prior, the day before prep day, I had him on 90% fluids (ie broth, nutritional shakes like Boost - he did eat a bit of chicken and bread), and then followed the prep instructions on prep day. He had a very easy prep this time around... not sure if it was because he wasn't in an active flare or because he didn't have much to clean out due to the light diet for the few days. This time he was only 'sedated' but not under general anesthesia. Sounds scary, and he was nervous!, but afterwards, he said he didn't remember anything at all, no pain, no discomfort (and he had both upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy), and again just a 60-90 minute recovery from the sedation and he was fine. If my memory is correct, he even went to the gym that evening so felt completely fine.

As I haven't had the scopes myself, I don't have any more detailed info to offer you.

Good luck!! :ghug:
 
Hy I've had 2 and will be having a third soon, I agree the prep is the worst part of it, my first one was about 20 years ago, the 2nd was about 8 years ago and the prep was nowhere near as bad as the first one, hopefully it might have improved again by now, either way you need to be empty in order to do the test, I sort of remember bits about the first one, when I came too I could hear someone with very bad wind after about 5 minutes I realised it was me :) as they fill your tummy with air/gas to inflate it, the 2nd one I was put out completely which I'm hoping they will do again, afterwards you shouldn't be on your own for 24 hours due to anaesthetic, it was like waking up with a mild hangover. Hope this helps
 

nativesith

GTA ModLeader Psx-Scene
Location
Hobbema,Alberta
Had two in the past six months...and the first one was BRUTAL. Prep was hard...4 liters of fluid. Keep in mind, the first time I was in worse shape. I had inflammation..so having that inflated did na feel very good. Second one was na as bad, and a polyp was found.
But yeah prep is the worst part, rest is easy. Both times I was put under.
I must do this again soon as well, not lookin forward to my prep.
 
Hi Rockyroo,

Yes, the prep is the worst part. I've been sedated for mine so I don't remember the procedure itself. I agree with Tesscorm that it is a good idea to lighten the diet a few days before. The week before my last one I went on a very bland diet, and slowly cut back on solids until the day of the prep. I felt like it seemed to be a little more tolerable. But you will be hungry and you will be sore for a day, but hopefully you'll get the answers you need to move forward. It's always good to have movies, books, or games lined up to make your prep day go a little faster.

Good luck!
 
Prepare for your prep:

Clear your schedule the day or night of drinking your prep. You will want easy access to the bathroom at all times.
Have things to read, watch etc. while you are fasting/cleansing. This will make the time go by faster.
Have baby wipes to make cleaning easier. Start applying ointment as soon as you begin the prep (calmoseptine ointment is the best I've tried).

After your prep it's smooth sailing. You get an IV and fall asleep. Once you come to you can go home and eat as normal.
 
I've lost count - I think I've had 4 or 5. As everyone has said, the prep is the worst part. For most people, you will be on a liquid diet for one or two days before had. When I've had to do two days of liquid diet, I get very cranky the second day and so I'll take off from work; but for a one day I'll go to work and bring supplies with me.

The prep tastes terrible. In the US, there used to be a high concentration / low volume prep you could use, that wasn't too bad, but apparently that has been taken off the market. I don't know what the situation is in the UK. Keep in mind that if you can't manage the entire gallon of prep, it is probably good enough, whatever you can manage, though the cleaner your bowel, the better the exam will be.

The procedure itself is (for me) a piece of cake. In theory, I've always had the type where I'm supposed to be awake and can watch. They always offer to set-up the monitor so I can watch, which I wouldn't mind, but the drugs just knock me out. I never remember the procedure and sometimes don't even remember post-op. My wife does tell me I'm very amusing (or think I am) when I'm all drugged up in post-op.

After you go home, you can eat what you want. The only post-problem I've had is some gas. I also usually sleep the rest of the day because of the happy drugs.

Good luck.
 

Honey

Moderator
Staff member
Hi there,
Do not worry! I recommend you buy a bottle of Roses Lime juice and add it to the Kleen-Prep solution in water ,that you have to make up. Store the jug of solution in the fridge : these two things will make it more palateable. Start drinking this early afternoon so you are finished about 6p.m.: you will then need to have access to toilet . You will have Dia but this is not uncomfortable. If you have started your prep early, you will then get a good nights sleep. Set the alarm!! Rest in between ,and listen to music. You will need a friend to take you home as you will be sedated. Most people do not remember anything afterwards, you will be in bed for some hours in hospital to have a sleep. Wishing you well, I hope all will be alright for you.
 
Hi Rockyroo!

I've had probably 20 colonoscopies in my life and like everyone else said, the prep really is the worst part! I actually don't do the standard prep because I had bad experiences as a kid (vomited up the prep all the time), and I just physically can't drink that much liquid. So I've been doing the following for years now, and haven't had any issues with it: the day before, I eat a light/soft brunch. Around noon, I take two Dulcolax pills and drink as much water as I can force down. Then, wait!

As for the colonoscopy itself, I always request general anesthesia so I'm out like a light. My previous pediatric doctor always did them that way, but I just switched to a new doc who doesn't. I always wake up when I'm under anything other than general, and that's not very fun in the middle of a colonoscopy! :( So just know that if you're worried about that kind of thing, you can ask for/get general. Afterwards, you'll feel bloated/gassy/crampy and tired, but that's a perfect excuse to lay on your couch all day and watch movies :)

Good luck! I hope it goes well!
 
Thank you so much everyone for your advice and experiences.

I feel more scared of the prep as I have a sick phobia, really hope it doesn't make me sick :-(.

I'm going to be sedated and I've got a 9 am appointment.

Does anyone know if I can take sickness tablets while drinking the prep?
 

Honey

Moderator
Staff member
Hi there,
I can answer your question. I take one Buccastem. 3m.g. tablet, half an hour before I begin drinking Prep. Tablet is tiny and has to be placed against your gum, and let it melt slowly,not swallowed. This was prescribed by my G.P. and it works!! I used to be sick before using this.Good luck.:sun:
 
Hi Rockyroo, Good luck with your procedure. I've had many colonoscopies and survived them but the prep given by my new GE was the best yet. He had me take 2 Dulcolax laxatives at 4PM the night before.Then I had to mix an 8.4oz. bottle of Miralax with a 64oz. bottle of Gatorade. I drank one 8oz. glass every 15 minutes until half the solution was finished. The rest went into the refrigerator until 6 hours before the test.Then I had to repeat taking 8oz. every 15 minutes until finished. I couldn't believe how easily it went down. I hope this helps.
 
Gatorade is your friend when using those preps (just make sure it's not one of the colors you aren't supposed to ingest)! You won't remember anything from the procedure as everyone mentioned, so don't worry about that.
 
Colonoscopy advice? Oh yeah, Ive got some of that.

Vaseline or bepanthen your ring, cos if you dont, you might find you cant poopy without screaming. This doesnt happen to everyone, and doesnt happen to everyone everytime, but it can happen and you dont want it to happen to you

Got an Ipad, or a tablet or other such smallish handheld device? Awesome, load that thing up with a tv series you have been dyin to catch up on, or a movie you wanna watch and make sure its charged.

If you share your loo with a male, tell him he will die if he leaves the loo seat up anytime during the evening you are drinkin that stuff, cos if you make a rush into the loo and you gotta waste extra time gettin the seat down, you might be too late, or if you dont waste the time and you sit on the cold porcelain, you aint gonna be real happy either. Also just leave the light on the whole time, it saves time, and you wanna do that!

Is it winter time? cos you might wanna get an old sheet or blanket to leave in the loo to pull up over your knees, lets face it, you gonna be there a while you might as well be comfy as you can be given the circumstances.

Do whatever you have to do to get that nasty prep down. Plenty of ice, to keep it super cold is a bonus, and helps to mask the taste a lil bit, so does a straw, one of the big ones you get in a frozen coke from Mcdonalds is pure awesome. I load mine up with straight cordial as well.

You get about half to an hour once you start drinkin to before you start poopin, and you dont get a lot of warning that poopin is gonna start, and if you are anything like me, you wanna get down as much as you can straight up because once the poopin starts you dont get a lot of time to get the rest down.

Lil tip I have learnt, yeah, they might say you gotta down four liters of that nasty stuff, but Ive still been scoped with a decent enough view after only a liter and half. Of course, I lied and said three litres was all I could manage cos I didnt want them saying oh its a waste of time we wont be able to see anything.......but dont tell them you only had a lil bit. And the smaller amount is only gonna give an ok view, not an excellent view, and certainly wont be any good if you didnt low residue for two days and liquid only the day before you drank the nasty stuff.

Leave your ipad, or your tablet or your whatever in the loo on pause if you choose to leave the loo at any time, because when you go back you wont have much time to collect things on the way. Oh, and when you think youve finished poopin, you havent. And its a top idea when you finally do finish poopin to sleep with a towel between your legs, for just in case. hey dont laugh, we all learn the hard way.

The actual procedure, they tell me is a peice of cake. heres the bad news. Its never been a peice of cake for me. I actually swore and cried and moaned and complained a lot DURING my last one. I for some reason dont get knocked out completely, I dont know why, but Im thinkin I might be from now on. Ive never been so vocal as I was during the last one, and when you say things like, fuck you and your fucking scope, people pay attention, nurses come running, and drs look at you like maybe you shoulda been restrained, not just sedated. *scuse my swearing, I dont ususally swear in forums just illustrating my point. To be fair, there was a lot of inflammation that didnt used to be there, so maybe that was it........Ive never heard of anyone else carryin on like I did. Maybe I just got super unlucky that day???

And when its all over, you get a sammitch and a glass of juice and a coffee, and possibly a day off work too. Whats not to love????
 
Had a letter from my consultant today my colonoscopy has been bought forward from 6th August to 26th June, now I'm panicking :-( only 2 weeks instead of 2 months to prepare myself :-( xxx
 

Honey

Moderator
Staff member
Hi there,
Do not worry, same advice as before. That is good as you will get a diagnosis sooner. Wishing you well.
 

Honey

Moderator
Staff member
Hi there,
Roses Lime Juice cordial which can be bought in any supermarket, is ideal for adding to your Kleen-Prep solution. Add it according to your taste. It makes it much more palatable. Store your Prep solution in the fridge as it is nicer cold!!! Best wishes.
 
I have had a few and all the advice above is awesome. I had a ruff time with the last one but I was in so much pain before hand I knew it was not going to go well. I made the best of it by stocking my bathroom before I started the prep. I had things to read and do! I found the more distracted I could make myself that better it was. I had water and apple juice and I also had my anti-nausea tablets that melt under your tongue. I had a few beach towels in there to help with the chills (I just did not want to bring a blanket in to the bathroom!) and had plenty of fancy soft TP on hand! I use witch-hazel pads on my bum between each bathroom visit and that night when I go to bed. I always put something down on the bed that night too!

Here is the most important thing I do... I tell everyone to Leave me ALONE! If I need or want you I will call or scream for you. Other then that I don't want you (and by you I mean ANYONE) around.

Good luck it will be fine. The answers that come from this procedure are more then worth the hassle.:poo:
 
Top