tips for getting through the colonoscopy prep

[Dznypal]

Ive been tyring to fine a colonoscory support forum but cant seem to find any that I can ask these questions on so thought Id start here
the lasst one I had was 2018 there were major issues since accourding to the dr I was fidigiety so he kept pumping with more fentanyl since the dose before didnt help. When the fentayly did kick in it was all at once so I was overdoesed and my husband was told I stopped breathing not only once but twice and was given narcan to bring me out of it. Thank God it worked.
Anyways I was supposed to have another in 2023 but because of what happened I couldnt bring myself to do it. Bot since my old dr left (she could understand where i was coming from) and now this new dr is insisting that i have it done--but the biggest reason is my youngest brother just found out he has colon cancer so now I really have too.
So I have a new dr to so this and a few things have changed--like she doesnt use fentanyl also there will be an anasteoloist with me which makes me feel a bit better.

But its the stupid prep, This turned out to be a week along proccess and I dont know how Im going to get through it.
As if drinking the witches brew isnt enough Im suppossed to drink 64 ozs of liquid along with this so a total of 128 ozs of liquid starting the day before. I do remember the last time being told to drink that much which didnt sound reasonable to me so I call ed until I got answers that make sense- so I was finally told I didnt have to drink that much but try to drink something.
Also now I cant have solid food starting 2 days before at midnight--so my app is is 2/6 so starting midnight on the 4th no food--almost 36 hrs with nothing to eat.
Also starting 3 days before start a low fiber diet--not much I can even eat there-so now were pushing 2 full days with no food.
And of course the added treat of drinking all the brew
I did question all of this and thats what Im suppossed to do-
I warned them after doing all of this Ill be sick--happened last time
So just wondering if anyone has any realistic tips for this
I already tried the chilling the drink-all that did was make me colder then I already was and the straw trick which didnt work at all
My aniexty is flying already and I still have 2.5 months to go
thanks

 

[tvguy]

Seems a lot more extreme that I ever experienced. Just make use your current Doctor knows your concerns. I had the gallon jug prep the first time. Took 2 hours to drink it all, and another 2 hours for the intended process to be done, so 4 hours total. Clear broth only for 12 hours before the procedure.
Second time they used Suprep, Drank a 16 ounce bottle, started working in 20 minutes, done in an hour. Drank a second 16 ounce bottle 4 hours before the procedure. Started working in 20 minutes, done in an hour. Clear broth only for 12 hours before.

 

[lanejudy]

I've never had to do the drink though my DH did once. You can ask about an alternative prep, but none of them are enjoyable. The one I've done included Dulcolax, then 2 (maybe 3) doses of MiraLax. That plus the diet is intended to clean you out.

Unless you have other dietary restrictions, the prep diet doesn't have to be 3 days of "no food." The low-fiber just means avoid things like high fiber/whole grain bread, raw fruits and veggies, seeds, legumes, eggs, lean meats, etc. I believe dairy is still allowed on this day so yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. White bread and rice is still allowed.

For the liquid diet -- I assume this is "clear liquids." Not very fun and not the most filling, but it's not "no food." Soup/broth, jello, clear juices (apple juice, etc. not orange juice), sports drinks (Gatorade, etc.).

Good luck!

 

[sam_gordon]

As far as the "liquid only" portion...

I believe this is all ok, but double check with instructions/doctor's office

Beef/Chicken Bullion (heat in water & drink/eat)
Jello
Banana flavored popsicles
Certain Teas
Clear Sports drinks

It's been almost two years since my last one, and I just had 24 hours on the liquid diet and it wasn't bad. I was never really "hungry".

 

[The Mayor]

Stay close to a bathroom!!

 

[tvguy]

As far as the "liquid only" portion...

I believe this is all ok, but double check with instructions/doctor's office

Beef/Chicken Bullion (heat in water & drink/eat)
Jello
Banana flavored popsicles
Certain Teas
Clear Sports drinks

It's been almost two years since my last one, and I just had 24 hours on the liquid diet and it wasn't bad. I was never really "hungry".

Just not RED Jello.

 

[disneychrista]

I just had a colonoscopy. In addition to the standard prep solution, the doctor had me taking stool softeners and laxatives for the 3 days prior to the prep. I actually didn't mind the low-residual diet. I made a big pot of chicken rice soup with peeled potatoes & carrots and had that for the 3 days. The problem was I had to be off work for 4 days and only because I didn't take the first AM dose of the stool softener & laxative so I could go to work that Monday. I ended up having to use Vacation leave time and not sick because even though I couldn't work they wouldn't give me a doctors note for the time off.

My instructions actually allowed vanilla or clear boost protein drinks until the start of the prep in addition to the broth and yellow Jello. The one tip I found when I had my first colonoscopy is to eat the Jello right before you drink the broth and it is supposed to help keep you full.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

My only other tip is to try bone broth instead of traditional chicken broth - more protein, which I found made me feel full. I would confirm with your Dr if this is acceptable - mine was ok with it!

 

[Disturbia]

Use water and earth mama perineal balm (has peppermint and witch hazel) to gently pat dry using only Charmin soft toilet paper. No hemorrhoids. The preparation H stuff doesn’t work. Earth mama balm works post pregnancy for hemorrhoids. Must have using cruise toilet paper as well.

 

[VandVsmama]

Beef/Chicken Bullion (heat in water & drink/eat)
Jello
Banana flavored popsicles
Certain Teas
Clear Sports drinks

I did something similar for my colonoscopy.

The trick is to drink these calorie-filled liquids throughout the day.

For jello or anything else, don't eat or drink anything red. I went with orange jello. For clear sports drinks, I used Gatorade that was any color but red. Helped a lot with the hunger.

 

[Disturbia]

I think the color restriction was more than just red. Even blue purple etc. They do specify ‘clear’ so I believe only yellow was ok.

Ask your team (don’t hesitate). I usually have 3.5k steps getting the kids ready in the morning so they oked me drinking liquids as long as it was a minimum of 6 hours before the procedure.

 

[disneychrista]

I think the color restriction was more than just red. Even blue purple etc. They do specify ‘clear’ so I believe only yellow was ok.

Ask your team (don’t hesitate). I usually have 3.5k steps getting the kids ready in the morning so they oked me drinking liquids as long as it was a minimum of 6 hours before the procedure.

Definitely more than just straight red. Orange & purple both use red so those would be out and I think blue was also on the no list, so purple has a double whammy against it. I think for Jello it was only green (lime) & yellow (lemon or pineapple) that were okay.

I second the suggestion above about using some type of ointment (my Doctor specifically said A&D and to avoid diaper rash ointment). And using a bidet bottle, unless you have a bidet. That area will be very irritated not just from wiping but from everything coming out (at least for me). Using water to clean that area and then just using soft TP blot dry. Avoid wiping as much as possible.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I understand that it sucks but really you're working yourself up about it.
You just have to alter your diet for a couple days. That's no worse than if say you had your tonsils out and couldn't eat much for a week+...
I'm sure you can find some low fiber food...
And then eat jello/broth for the no food day...
The laxative prep now that ai can actually feel bad about but you just DO IT.
You're psyching yourself up for failure when you need to be hyping yourself up for success.
And remember your bor has colon cancer so you don't want that to happen to you.

BTW my mom had been the same with the prep dreading it for months each time until she had to have one multiple times in a short amount of time which was definitely overkill and they now don't want to do one for 5-7 years when she had like 4 within like 18 months.
By the last time she had it done she was a pro. 8oz at a time until she was halfway. And while she aimed for the time frame given she also didn't force it because otherwise she would have thrown up.
Then she did the other half when told and I think each time she ended up leaving about 4oz because it was just not gonna happen.

 

[ItsOnlyMoney]

Use water and earth mama perineal balm (has peppermint and witch hazel) to gently pat dry using only Charmin soft toilet paper. No hemorrhoids. The preparation H stuff doesn’t work. Earth mama balm works post pregnancy for hemorrhoids. Must have using cruise toilet paper as well.

Yes,,, Apply Vaseline before starting prep. Keeps you from being sore.
I can't imagine not having and anesthesiologist -- for the vert reasons you experienced,
My prep for next week - avoid seeds, nuts, etc for week before.
Day before liquid diet - avoid juice with pulp.
Prep - drink gross liquid at 5 day before with several more glasses of water or ginger ale. Or gateraid (I'll actually start earlier because last one didn't start working till almost midnight for me.) Another dose at 4 am. more liquid then nothing until procedure at 7:30 am,
This will be my 6th one and it really hasn't been a big deal.
You don't say where you are but this is the way everyone I know has had it done here in Connecticut.

 

[Kite16510]

Here's my tips:

1. Stop eating heavy two days before the prep. Go to liquids and soft foods.

2. Get prepared with a heating blanket, wet wipes, Vaseline, good books

3. Start the prep and keep warm. Use the wet wipes but don't flush them. Use Vaseline on the but to prevent chafing.

4. Warm baths and a heating blanket help with heat depletion. Not at the same time.

Good luck!!

 

[DL1WDW2]

Thanks for all the great advice and a reminder to schedule .

 

[DonaldnDaisy5]

Propel instead of Gatorade - all clear and so many more flavors. The longer prep is supposed to be more gentle

 

[disneychrista]

Propel instead of Gatorade - all clear and so many more flavors. The longer prep is supposed to be more gentle

Or Liquid IV.

 

[Dznypal]

When I messaged my dr about my concerns she said about that other prep bust she says the one she gave me is linger but gentler. She thought with my anxiety the gentler one it could be better for me
We’ll see
Thanks all for all the great advice

 

[bluezy]

Ive been tyring to fine a colonoscory support forum but cant seem to find any that I can ask these questions on so thought Id start here
the lasst one I had was 2018 there were major issues since accourding to the dr I was fidigiety so he kept pumping with more fentanyl since the dose before didnt help. When the fentayly did kick in it was all at once so I was overdoesed and my husband was told I stopped breathing not only once but twice and was given narcan to bring me out of it. Thank God it worked.
Anyways I was supposed to have another in 2023 but because of what happened I couldnt bring myself to do it. Bot since my old dr left (she could understand where i was coming from) and now this new dr is insisting that i have it done--but the biggest reason is my youngest brother just found out he has colon cancer so now I really have too.
So I have a new dr to so this and a few things have changed--like she doesnt use fentanyl also there will be an anasteoloist with me which makes me feel a bit better.

But its the stupid prep, This turned out to be a week along proccess and I dont know how Im going to get through it.
As if drinking the witches brew isnt enough Im suppossed to drink 64 ozs of liquid along with this so a total of 128 ozs of liquid starting the day before. I do remember the last time being told to drink that much which didnt sound reasonable to me so I call ed until I got answers that make sense- so I was finally told I didnt have to drink that much but try to drink something.
Also now I cant have solid food starting 2 days before at midnight--so my app is is 2/6 so starting midnight on the 4th no food--almost 36 hrs with nothing to eat.
Also starting 3 days before start a low fiber diet--not much I can even eat there-so now were pushing 2 full days with no food.
And of course the added treat of drinking all the brew
I did question all of this and thats what Im suppossed to do-
I warned them after doing all of this Ill be sick--happened last time
So just wondering if anyone has any realistic tips for this
I already tried the chilling the drink-all that did was make me colder then I already was and the straw trick which didnt work at all
My aniexty is flying already and I still have 2.5 months to go
thanks

Did you ask your doctor if they have any alternative prep options? I've had 4 colonoscopies in the last 12 years. The first 3 I used Clenpiq for the prep. I had to drink a 5.5 oz bottle of it at 5:00 p.m. the day before the test followed by at least 40 oz of water over the next 4 hours. I had to the second 5.5 oz bottle at 2:00 a.m. followed by another 40 oz of water in the next 2 hours. The liquid tastes like salty cranberry juice. I chill it (even though the box instructions say "do not refrigerate". My doctor said it was fine for me to chill it.) and before I drink it, I put ice on my tongue to kind of numb it. I hold my nose and use a straw to drink it so the liquid doesn't hit the more sensitive tastebuds at the front of my tongue. I have no problem getting it down and it takes me less than a minute to drink it. For the middle of the night dose, I drink a glass of water before taking it because I had a really hard time drinking it the first time and I think it was because I drank it on an empty stomach (doctor approved the water before starting it). I also was allowed to do a light breakfast that morning (eggs and white toast) followed by liquids the rest of the day. My doctor does allow a little bit of orange "something". She's fine with having one orange thing (like 1 orange drink; or one orange popsicle; or one bowl of orange jello), but says that orange should be a very little bit of my liquid intake on prep day and while there is red dye in orange colored things, it's a very small amount. (I know different doctors have different rules, so definitely check with your doctor before consuming anything orange.). I also eat chicken and beef broth during the day but don't really have a big appetite because I'm usually drinking water or soda throughout the day. Tip for the chicken/beef broth. Buy beef vegetable or chicken noodle soup (I just bought the basic Campbells condensed soups) and prepare it according to the directions. Then drain it through a very tight strainer and drink the broth. It tastes soooo much better than standard chicken or beef broth (this was also approved by my doctor). Anyway...for my last colonoscopy, the doctor had switched to the Dulcolax/Miralax prep. I looked over the instructions and knew it was probably not going to work for me. She wanted me to take the Miralax in 64 oz. of Gatorad/Powerade. I do not like those drinks at all. I knew I'd never make it through the prep. I called the office and asked if I could do Clenpiq instead and they were fine with that. That relieved a lot of stress for me as I knew I could successfully complete that prep.

My doctor does recommend a low fiber diet for 3-5 days before the test, but it is not required -- just recommended as it makes the cleanout process easier.

If you're not comfortable with the prep your doctor has given you, call and ask if there's an alternative that you can use. I have major anxiety (not specifically about colonoscopy prep) and for me, I find it less stressful to the the faster prep so it's not dragging out for days. YMMV.

And I've never had a colonoscopy without anesthesia. I didn't even know that was routine (I know some people have issues with anesthesia and choose a different method of relaxation/sedation, but I can't think of anyone I know who hasn't had anesthesia.) I hope you're able to figure out a prep method that will work for you and that everything goes well for you.