How does piccolax work for you?

[EDZEL]

Hi everyone

I'm new here (my intro post here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?p=485976#post485976 and I thought I would post this because I've had a scout around the threads and can't see any related posts and I'm curious to know if others have had the same experience I'm having with this purgative.

I have an appt for an endoscopy at my local hospital this afternoon at 1pm. As instructed, I took the first sachet at 4pm yesterday... and waited until 5am this morning for my first movement. I have been perhaps 4 or 5 times since then (even though I took the second sachet almost an hour ago) and I'm a little concerned because there has (so far) been nothing like the amount I would have expected and what I remember happening the previous times I've had the procedure. Well to be exact I've only ever had the initial diagnostic examination (a barium enema in 1984 and that was quite possibly THE worst of them all - do they still do those? I think I would run a mile if anyone were to suggest one!) and perhaps two endoscopies in the years since then... don't remember what solution I was given for the last one in the late nineties but I do know it worked faster than this one, although I've always been slower to react than most people I've read about, it would seem!

So I'm wondering - has this happened to anyone else and what did you do? Did you end up having the procedure cancelled and done another day with the aid of something stronger to clear out the bowel, or did you go anyway and get given an enema at the hospital, as seems to have happened to one or two people? I'd like to know because I have 4 hours until I have to be at the hospital and I can't imagine that I'm going to be properly cleaned out in time as things stand now... I will ring the hospital in a couple of hours if there is no change of course, but I just thought I would sound out the people who may have been through a similar experience for some advice or comfort!

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[SarahD]

Is it an endoscopy down the throat you're going in for rather than a colonoscopy? If so, I wonder how 'clean' you really have to be, as long as the first part of the digestive tract is clear. I only have experience of having a colonoscopy, but I'm sure someone else will be able to chime in with some useful advice.

When I had a colonoscopy last year I had Picolax and it barely had any effect at all, but the following morning I then had to drink a large quantity of KleanPrep and after a few hours that started to have the desired effect. I didn't think I'd be cleaned out sufficiently as it was taking a long time for the laxatives to have any effect but in the end I was ok and there was a nice clear view of my insides I think your best bet would be to contact the endoscopy department at your hospital, I imagine they get asked this sort of question fairly often.

Good luck, hope it all goes well.

 

[EDZEL]

Hi Sarah

well as far as I know its not down my throat, but up the other end! Just looked at the letter and it is actually a Colonoscopy but in the Endoscopy department! They didn't give me any kleenprep at all - just the piccolax. I've 'been' a couple more times since posting but still nothing like the amount I was expecting - perhaps I'm just a 'slow mover'! Thanks for your reply. I'm finding the forum really interesting - I simply hadn't realised how many things I might be able do to improve my life from supplements to avoiding certain foods, etc - feel a bit overwhelmed TBH! Would like to start by avoiding the 'wrong' foods but am discovering that what is the 'wrong' food for one person seems to be 'right' for the next. I looked on the Diet thread but a lot of the posts seem to relate to Chrons' rather than UC and I'm not sure if they'd be any good for me. I'll keep looking... Thanks again!

 

[SarahD]

Colonoscopy is a type of endoscopy, but for some reason people often use the term endoscopy to refer to the examination via the throat, so it can get confusing.

I had Senokot tablets, Picolax and KleapPrep for my colonoscopy last year. I would guess that you probably have to drink more Picolax than I had to, to make up for not having anything else, but that's just a guess. Different hospitals have different policies so I wouldn't worry about that too much. I didn't empty my bowel many times after the prep which really surprised me, but my BM's had gone very watery by the time I went in for the test.

Re: diet, I think the general consensus is that diet has more of a role in Crohns than it does in UC, but I don't think that excludes you from experimenting with your diet to find out if there is anything that negatively affects you. There really is a wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum, and it's nice to have people who can relate to how your feeling too.

 

[EDZEL]

I just had two sachets of Piccolax - two mug's worth, if you like. It seems odd that your hospital almost seems to have a 'belt and braces' approach to cleaning out the bowel in comparison with mine. Much as I recall hating the Senekot (that was VERY effective quite quickly as I recall!) which had to be mixed with water I think (long time ago!), I would almost rather that than have to possibly go through this all again later if they can't do the procedure... ho hum. I'll ring them shortly to see what they advise...

I have to agree that it's great to be able to talk freely about the condition with people who do understand - I don't talk about it generally because I find it embarrassing to have to explain that I may have to dash to the loo suddenly, or that I need to know where the nearest loo is before I can really relax... it's ruled my life for so long that I almost can't imagine living any differently but it would be nice...!

 

[SarahD]

I can't remember exactly how much Picolax I had to drink, but I think it was 1-2 glasses. That doesn't seem like much on it's own, but I only have my 1 experience to go by. Have you had any luck contacting the hospital yet?

 

[lost kitten]

The most important thing with picolax is to make sure you drink A LOT of water/clear fluids to get it going. I had a colonoscopy a couple of months ago and had 3 sachets (2 the day before and 1 in the morning) and I noticed it was slow to start working until I had a few glasses of water.

 

[shamrock15]

Assuming this is the same thing as picosalax in Canada, it doesn't work that well for me. I have been left with "stuff" in my bowels when following it as directed. Fortunately, I haven't had a lot of reason lately to be taking bowel prep. Aside from routine followup, I hope I don't need prep for quite some time to come.

 

[SarahD]

How did it go? Did the prep take affect in the end?