Colonoscopy advice?

[mistygrey]

Hi

I’m getting my first Colonoscopy soon for suspected IBD. Do you have any tips for how to manage the prep beforehand, can I drink anything alongside it to help the awful taste, does a straw help? Does keeping it in the fridge help, any tips at all? I’m not sure how I’ll cope not eating for so long any tips for that also to keep my sugars up would be really appreciated as I sometimes get what feels like sugar lows or hypos but never had anything diagnosed despite many tests for that area. Many thanks

[Susiiscute]

Hi,

Definitely keep the prep cold in the fridge. It’s very sweet and the cold reduces the sweetness to a degree. There will be quite a lot of it, I just gulped it down. It was a few years ago, but I remember I did it in the evening, then again in the early morning. My appointment was late morning. Stay hydrated with clear electrolytes. I had cramp in my feet, because the whole experience made me loose electrolytes.

[09101966]

I actually didn’t mind the taste but you can add a cordial to it like lemon or orange but don’t use blackcurrant… as for going without food it’s not as bad as you may think and you can have bovril or clear strained soup.. once the drinking of the fluid starts it kinda fills you up to bursting point anyway.. I think to much hype is made about the drink and it’s not really bad at all it’s just a lot of it

[Frasina]

I have had 3 colonoscopies; in terms of the prep well there are different ones! Your hospital will have a preferred one that they give and moviprep seems to be quite popular (I have had this one twice). If it is moviprep then the 'taste' is either lemon or 'orange' but it is salty. So use a squash in the drink and mix it all up then put it in the fridge to get cold before you have to drink any. You can use a straw to drink it or what I did was have a chaser drink -I bought Lucozade as it is sweet and I had a few mouthfuls of prep followed by some Lucozade. You may also be asked to drink plain water alongside the prep and it does seem like a lot but space it out well (maybe start the prep slightly earlier than suggested) and you will manage the amount in the time they ask. You will need to set up home in your bathroom! Take ipad, laptop, phone, book etc... anything to keep you distracted. You will be fine; no one likes the prep but it is necessary for a clear picture of what is going on. Final thing, do have sedation if you can. Good luck.

[MyStar86]

what bowel prep have they given you as they all work slightly differently I find Moviprep the best you have to drink a lot of fluids but it really does flush you out completely. It’s not nice drinking the prep but it’s such a relief once it starts working and the you will be on and off the loo all day and evening. I agree with what someone else said about having a chaser drink that works best and it stops you being hungry as you are so full of fluids you wouldn’t even want to eat. Good luck xc

[watergazer]

I’ve had a few and I have a drinkmof prep then a sip of water. I find it okay at first but then I find it not so nice. X

[Howlinwolf999]

I have had numerous colonoscopies over the years and my hospitals preferred preperation was Picolax, I never particularly liked the taste and used to add a bit of orange squash to the drink. You do need to drink plenty of fluids in between as this stuff really works and you need to avoid dehydration. I never strayed too far from the toilet, Usain Bolt wouldn't have caught up with me when my sytem told me to get moving. If I am honest, for me, the prep is the worst part of the process. The actual colonoscopy was relatively straight forward, had it with and without sedation, sedation is better as you a more relaxed and it makes it easier for the doctor. Best of luck