I have done bowel prep lots of times over the years however I have always used moviprep so I know exactly what to expect as it goes through my system and I understand how it works especially with the volume of fluids it gives plenty of fuel to keep going all day and night however there is a shortage of moviprep and my bowel surgeon has had to put me on picolax and it’s only a tiny amount that you have to drink and I am worried that it won’t work.
if anyone can share their experiences I would be really grateful please try to make them positive ones as I’m already worried enough I was stressed anyway but now this being changed has really thrown me. Help.
Thank you 🙏🏻
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MyStar86
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yeah I have two lots to take the day before one lot earlier then the second lot in the afternoon I think with my surgery being the following morning. It’s silly as I have done bowel prep more times than I can remember but because this is different it’s really worried me I’m sure it will all be fine and it will work like the other one it’s just something else for me to worry about I think
I took Moviprep and it’s was so extreme I didn’t sleep at all. My surgeon prescribed me Picolax and thankfully it was so much better. Don’t worry it will definitely work, it took a bit longer to work than Moviprep. It was only after taking the second sachet that it started to work.
Thank you so much as I would definitely be panicking that I wasn’t working if I didn’t know what you said about the second sachet so thank you as the moviprep starts to work sometimes before I’ve even finished the first batch so I’m glad to hear people’s experiences of Picolax and not to panic that it was will take a few hours 🙏🏻 thank you again xx
Yes don’t worry I also panicked thinking it wasn’t going to work. But this one is def less severe and probably takes longer. Moviprep only took 20 mins for me, the Picolax around 6 hours. My surgeon said don’t worry just wait. He was right. You will fine xx
I just picked up the Picolax now and they said I have to do 3 sachets one at 10am one at 2pm and one at 6pm so hopefully it will all go to plan and start working without too many issues as I can’t believe how worried I am but I’m so used to moviprep I even did it for my last surgery whilst I was on the train as I knew exactly how it affected me so I knew what I could do and when but this is all new to me so fingers crossed and thank you again xx
I've taken Picolax twice for my surgeries and oh boy does it work! It does take a good few hours to set in, and you have to keep your own fluids up obviously, but I think I went maybe every 20 minutes for 10 hours and everything just comes out like water. You take two sachets, depending how quickly they need you to empty before your procedure I took mine roughly 6 hours apart for the first time (because I was going in that evening) and 10 hours apart when I was going in next day.
I suspect it works similarly once in to Movilax so you already know but I would strongly urge you protect your bum with vaseline or sudocrem early in the process, as it does sting very soon. I made the mistake the first time and made sure I didn't for the second (it does find a way anyway though lol) x
Thank you that’s really good to know as I am worried about it I’ve done so many with moviprep that this just scared me more than surgery so thank you for being kind and helping me understand that it will work it just takes longer xx
Definitely nothing to be worried about (although at situations like this I know we can't help it!). I think it took me roughly about 3-4 hours for the first bowel movement, then about 30 mins for the next and then it was every 20 mins.
You can have things like Bovril, gravy, apple juice, energy drinks and jelly throughout for energy so hopefully it will keep you going.
If you have any other questions reply to this message and I'll get a notification and reply as soon as I see it. Wishing you all the best with it and fast healing xx
Thank you so much that’s amazing I will be doing the prep on Wednesday this week so you might get a few messages from me when I am panicking. I will always find something to worry about but I’m calm about the surgery and looking forward to the drugs to knock me out but having a different perspective prep has scared me. Hopefully it will all go smoothly but who knows with bowel prep as it affects everyone differently but I will be very strict with my zero fibre to make it less horrific. I’ll be happy once it starts working but I know I’ll be panicking waiting but like others have said I’ll keep drinking loads to help flush it all through like the moviprep and hope for the best. Thank you again xx
I have just had my first dose of the Picolax and it doesn’t even taste that bad followed by a big drink of my own clear fluids so I’ll see what happens I’ve had my a litre of fluids to drink like I would with the moviprep and have my hot herbal teas with it to try and get lots of fluids in me to match the moviprep in the hope that it speeds things along as I’m already worried xx
Well done! No it doesn't taste too bad, does it? I take Movicol regularly and it's nice they make these things taste ok haha. Keep drinking as you say, but do give it a few hours, don't panic if it doesn't work straight away because I promise it does the job! xx
I’m going to have a little lay down now so I can get some rest in then get back up in an hour and get on with all the drinking save me being too stressed all day. Plus it won’t start working that fast so I might as well make the most of the rest whilst I can. Thank you so much I’ll keep you posted to keep me distracted but don’t feel you have to reply I’ll just be panicking till it starts to work silly as I would be fine if it was moviprep I’m just not good with the unknown xx
You'll be fine! I will reply when I can, of course I will, it's horrible going through this all alone xx hope you have a good rest, I've found Picolax to be quite gentle so hopefully you won't be clenching too hard when it hits xx
Well I tried the rest but it’s causing really bad cramps and I’m just too stressed worrying laying down my brain is going mad so I’m going to get up and just drink loads and try and trick my brain to think it’s moviprep to make me calm down. Thank you for being so kind I just hate waiting and not knowing I’m sure it will do it’s job I just hope it hurrries up massive hugs and thank you again xx
Well we have lift off the cramping got really bad so I had to run to the loo and it did go viciously I just hope it keeps going through me as the cramps are evil…..certainly different to moviprep!! I have two do 3 sachets is that the standard? Just weird that they give me 2 boxes which is 4 sachets but said I have to use 3 sachets……is that right?? Thank you again xx
Oh good!! I guess maybe the amount of fluid might help with the cramps but I'm no medical expert! I've only ever had to do two sachets and had one box, so unfortunately I can't say - what were you told at your pre-op? xx
Well I’ve still only been once so it’s not like moviprep with that once I went that was it I was on the go constantly but I’ll just have to see as it’s still very crampy and I’m just constant drinking to help move things along.
Well my surgeon originally prescribed moviprep but due to the shortage we couldn’t get it so then I was given Plenvu a new one as an alternative similar to moviprep with similar ingredients and the same large volumes but he found it wasn’t working very well on his patients so he then swapped me to Picolax last min. When I collected it they went through it and gave me the instructions to have 3 sachets spread out the day one at 10am one at 2pm and one at 6pm I’ve shifted that an hour earlier as I started at 9am as I was worried about the time it takes to work. I asked why there was 4 boxes and she said that’s just how they come but we want you to take 3 sachets…..well if you only took 2 and that was fine then I’m sure 3 will do the trick as I was more worried the standard was 4 sachets so thank you that's kade me feel a lot better about it all xx
Yeah I think I had a gap between going, especially the first time. I think I went, then maybe 30 mins, went, then 20 mins and then about every 20 mins.
Just a warning if you feel you do need the 6pm, you will be going throughout the night in my experience- last time I did mine I did two, one at 9am and then one at 4pm and my last 'going' was 10pm. If you take it at 6pm I would imagine you'll be going until at least midnight. If you're worried about resting once it properly gets going I would say take the last one a bit earlier, but obviously if you feel more comfortable following their guidance ignore me lol xx
Bless you I won’t be ignoring you and I have shifted it all by an hour anyway starting at 9am so I’ll have the second at 1pm and the last at 5pm or even before maybe as I would never sleep with these cramps!! I have to take all 3 sachets as that’s what my surgeon has prescribed and I want to do it properly so I will have to take the 3 but wow my body does not like this stuff the cramps are horrific…….I looked into why and moviprep is just an osmotic laxative that draws water to the bowel but Picolax is both a stimulant and an osmotic as it contains the magnesium for the osmotic part and sodium picosulfate as the stimulant part and I’ve never got on with stimulants they destroy my insides 😞 I’m just glad I will get lots of drugs tomorrow for the pain relief as I’ve been dreaming about that I’m so excited about getting knocked out dealing with so much pain and barely sleeping the thought of the general is what’s getting me through this 🤣 that sounds awful but I am sure you can understand xx
Oh bless you, sorry to hear you're not getting on with it! The cramps usually eased for me after a while so hopefully they will for you too. Yes, look forward to lots of lovely drugs for recovery, make sure they give you the good stuff haha!! xx
it’s really terrible I’m so close to tears 😭 I can hardly breathe it’s hurting so much and my tummy is swollen just cramping away nasty stuff I hope I never have to touch Picolax again this is horrific. I might have to go for a walk soon as just being doubled up is evil. I’ve been going lots but nothing like moviprep I think that’s much better but never mind I’m just angry I’m stuck with this nasty stuff with another batch to go yet……tomorrow really needs to hurry up but I don’t think I will be sleeping tonight that’s for sure xx
thank you it’s really tough as it’s just exasperating my actual original pain and problems so it’s very scary I can’t believe I have to endure another dose at 5pm 😱!! I have certainly been going a lot more on this vs moviprep but once the moviprep was out I wasn’t still in agony but this one is never ending. I managed to travel to London twice on moviprep but this stuff I can barely leave the sofa except to make drinks and go to the loo.
I think they would just tell me you have taken bowel prep what do you expect especially as it is a stimulant laxative so I don’t want them to make me feel silly. I’ll just have to endure it and hope for tomorrow at least it’s early as I will leave the house at 6am to get there so I’ll try and focus on that but this has been the worst experience of my life 😭.
Thank you for being there for me it’s been nice to have someone who understands to talk to about it as it’s hard going through jt and people around me just make it worse xx
Hi hun, apologies I haven't replied for a while. I'm sorry you've had such a horrible experience, I really hope it's almost done for you xxx try and sleep as much as you can for tomorrow xxx
Don’t be silly I don’t mind it’s nice of you to reply when you do and supported me through it, it means a lot so thank you. It’s just awful still going I had the last lot at 5pm and really had to force myself to drink it due to the pure agony I’m in but I’m doing what I’m told and hoping I can just sleep it off tomorrow with the drugs as I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight these cramps are relentless I never want to go through this again in my life it’s so awful. I’m hoping it will be done by bedtime as this needs to get out of my body asap.
Thank you so much!!! I’ve cried and had enough but the cramps are relentless so who knows about tonight as I’ve tried laying down but it’s too painful I’m wishing it to be the night but also dreading it. I’ll let you know once I’m back in the land of the living and hopefully in less agony and with the pain relief of surgery xx massive hugs and thank you again xx
xx I had this before a colonoscopy and it def works am not looking forward to having it before my endo bowel surgery. All I can say is don’t leave the house as I was literally glued to the toilet.
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