What colon prep have you used? How did it go?

[Earnellzwifey]

I have had a few colonoscopies over the past few years and I have used a couple of diffrent kind of preps. my first one was a really salty tasting liquid in a small bottle, really horrible stuff. the next on was on of those 4 liter solutions. thought I was going to explode.
The one that they gave me this time is called moviprep. They claim it is a better option and that it does not tast to bad. Has anyone else used this one? They also said it is better since it is only 2 liters vs some of the 4 liter options.

Just curious as to the diffrent ways to wipe clean your colon for the test.oo:

 

[AIjen]

I think the small bottle that was really salty may have been a Fleet enema. They are no longer in use because they were causing kidney damage in some people. When I couldn't use that one anymore, they switched me to the gallon thing. I could NOT swallow it. None of it. It would get to the back of my throat and I would gag it up into the kitchen sink. Now I use Miralax. I have to drink a lot of fluids, but at least it doesn't change the taste of anything. I think it may make it a bit thicker, but nothing that is too noticeable. It's also available over the counter! I use the Wal-Mart brand called clear lax. It consists of tiny, round, waxy type balls. Very tiny. It works very well and doesn't cause cramping. I love it, though you would think by now there would be a pill or 2 or 10 that we could take that would make it even easier to accomplish. I know some people have used a pill, but my doctor has never mentioned it.

 

[2thFairy]

I've used MoviPrep twice and it was one of the easier ones for me. Do you have the split-night kind where you drink it starting at 6 am and start again at 2 am?

I still got sick to my stomach near the end both times using MoviPrep, but it was much easier for me than the other 8 times of colon prep.

 

[2thFairy]

Oh, one thing I forgot. With MoviPrep, I got really really bloated before it finally kicked it. Walking around the house helps this a lot.

 

[Kev]

OK, I've primarily used Go Lytely (it isn't a pleasant experience, but it is effective). I once used the Pico Salax option, the experience was less unpleasant, but it didn't seem to do as thorough a clean out. My last scheduled scope, the drug store I went to substituted Colyte for Go Lytely (I was told emphatically they were identical, just different brands). Well, it didn't go so well. I got nauseous (sp?) and threw up most of the mixture. It was so bad that the scope had to be cancelled/rescheduled. My next one is on Friday, and I'm going to try the Pico Salax method one more time. I guess into everyones life a little..... errr, .. 'rain' must fall. I think the next few days will be the start of monsoon season in my house.

 

[2thFairy]

The best one ever for me... I've used it twice... is mixing a 64 ounce bottle of Gatorade with an entire bottle of MiraLax. It was a surgeon who used this method. Much more palatable and quite effective.

 

[acheallova]

Being new to all this and being a pharmacist, the easiest least resistant prep with great results is is the 30 ml bottles of magnesium sulfate. One at 6 pm the night before and 3 hours before procedure. It works wonderfuly quickly and is gone from the system by the time your procedure is over.

 

[rkoll327]

My last two colonoscopies I used the fleet phospho-sodas (the really awful tasting salty stuff in the tiny bottle). But my GI said they can cause kidney complications so they don't use them anymore. I have a colonoscopy scheduled in a few weeks and they are actually using a Miralax/gatorade prep for me. It is usually supposed to also team up with Dulcolax but I have been having a lot of cramping/pain lately so the doctor said just to use the Miralax because the stimulant laxative may cause even more pain. I am excited (well as excited you can be for a colonoscopy prep) this time because Miralax doesn't taste like ANYTHING so it will just be like drinking a big bottle of gatorade until I am cleared out. I will let you know how it goes. I also have found that eating a light diet for a few days before the prep will help when it comes to the day.

 

[2thFairy]

The MiraLax/Gatorade thing is much easier to get down, but better not pick your favorite flavor because I gaurantee you won't ever want to drink it again after this. It is still a lot of fluid to drink in a short time.

 

[starsandbucks]

I did halflyte for my first prep and it was awful and I ended up vomiting by the end. My last two colonoscopies I've done the Dulcolax/Miralax prep and it's so much better. It's still difficult when you finally get down to the last 16 ounces of Gatorade but at least it just tastes like Gatorade.

 

[Avw]

I've used at least 3 different types of bowel preps before, and for my colonoscopy last week I used Moviprep. I was prepared to be sick for a week or two afterwards, but it went surprisingly well, barely had any D after (and I always have D). Went straight from recovery to walking around Chicago sightseeing, actually ate REAL FOOD that night, and still made my flight the next day! I will definitely request it the next time I have to do one, which hopefully isn't anytime soon. Good luck!
Oh and don't forget to drink water along with the prep, I think it says how much in the instructions.

 

[elizamt]

I've had two colonoscopies, and each time I've taken several Dulcolax tablets (stool softeners), followed by two bottles of magnesium citrate. I recommend NOT getting the lemon mag cit -- it tastes awful, even mixed with Gatorade or Sprite. They have other "flavors," all of which are clear liquid, so next time I'm going to try one of those!

 

[Earnellzwifey]

I start my moviprep in a few hours. I pre made it and put it in the fridge as suggested. My stomach is already in a knot so I do not know how this day is gonna turn out. Well I at least know I will be cleaned out.

 

[CLynn]

Back when I first started having scopes, wayyyyy back, lol, the prep was 3 days of liquids, no solids, and 1-2 magnesium citrates the day before the scope, enemas, etc. I hated the 3 days of starving, but it was easier on me than any of the preps now. The phospho-sodas always made me vomit, I could never get them down.

 

[acheallova]

Corection - its magnesium citrate. Im sorry. It comes in lemon lime, cherry and grape. Grape is the most tolerable .

 

[Bld]

I found Fleet Prep the easiest. Two small bottles to be mixed with clear fluid (I used lemonade) Still tastes fairly foul but just a small volume to get down. I have used Picolax in the past which was more volume and also tastes awful!

I hope I can have the Fleet for my next scope - I had it in March this year.

 

[Earnellzwifey]

Ugh clean out in progress. It don't taste too bad. I have had worse. 1 liter down 1 to go. I can't wait till this crap is done!

 

[KYGirl]

I used to do the Phosphosoda prep until it was pulled from the market. It tasted foul, I threw up half of it, but it did the trick. I have never been able to tolerate anything in the lytely or prep line. For my last few scopes I have used the Miralax prep. I hate the taste of Gatorade, so when I get ready to start the prep, I simply mix a capful of Miralax into whatever clear liquid I am drinking. I put in in Sprite, broth, apple juice, you name it. Luckily, it only takes 5-6 capfuls to have me "running clear"!

 

[Emily]

Miralax/Gatorade is the BEST! Basically no taste, plus it's cheap and OTC, while some RX preps are a lot more expensive.

 

[hawkeye]

Used magnesium citrate in 2005 - my last 2 scopes had ducolax and Pico salax prescribed but I did not get a good clean out, not sure if it was because the disease was a bit more active and there was perhaps some narrowing.

If I had it to do over again I'd take the magmesium citrate - I mixed it with sprite / 7-up.

 

[scoutfinch]

I've done MoviPrep and SuPrep (both very similar - but with SuPrep there's less to drink). You basically dissolve powder in water and it tastes incredibly vile - like salty lemony water (that makes you want to vomit). With MoviPrep, you need to drink 64 ozs and with SuPrep it's 32 ozs.

Not only is taste a problem, it's also that you need to drink all that in a 2 to 3 hour period. I plan on asking my GI if I can do Miralax for my next prep. From what I've read it's the least unpleasant taste-wise. Plus, I can mix it into different liquids so there's a little bit of variety.

 

[Securitydude1979]

Miralax/Gatorade is the BEST! Basically no taste, plus it's cheap and OTC, while some RX preps are a lot more expensive.

Agreed! Definitely the easiest of all the preps I've tried. A few Dulcolax before starting & then its basically a couple bottles of Gatorade. The only minor downside is that my doc likes me to steer clear of my favorite Gatorade flavors (grape & the cool blue) because of the coloring. Oh well, still a great deal better than GoLytely, Colyte, Mag. Citrate, Fleet PhosphoSoda, or having an unsympathetic nurse shove an NG tube in because you can't get/keep the prep down while in the hospital.

 

[Earnellzwifey]

I have not tried the Gatorade prep but best believe I will next go round.

Securitydude1979 is right about the colors can use red either.

my new favorite flavor is this tropical blend it is dark green and has a little more flavor to it than some of the others to me. almost taste like kool-aide

 

[2thFairy]

My current GI says purple is okay, but no red or green. My last one said no purple, red or orange. Each doctor has different rules on this......it's weird!