Steroid timing and colonoscopy preparation medicine

[Hidcote]

I am due to have a colonoscopy on Monday afternoon. I have to take some bowel evacuation medicine at 7pm on Sunday night and again at 6 on Monday. I am tapering from 6mg of Pred to 5.5 which I normally take with omeprazole and yoghurt. The clinic nurse suggested waking at 4am and taking the pred and omeprazole then which should give the pred time to be absorbed before the flushing process. Would this timing work best or could I take the pred at 2 which might let me get back to sleep?

Should I increase the dose? I think I will opt for sedation during the colonoscopy

thanks for you help

[SheffieldJane]

I was given an IV drip for fluids and hydrocortisone. My procedure involved an overnight stay in hospital for a capsule camera endoscopy, and copious amounts of laxative and liquid that encouraged the expelling of the camera. I preferred this.

The 2am idea should work but an empty stomach was key to a good picture - again when I had the normal colonoscopy I was given hydrocortisone with the sedative. I do think it prevented the sedative from doing much. My dose was similar to yours. It was arranged without fuss, there and then. It protects from an Adrenal crisis.

[Gardenbay]

I had a colonoscopy two weeks ago I took my pred an hour before I took the medicine to clear the bowels, I didn’t suffer any effects, the next day I took the pred as normal.

[cranberryt]

I would do what your doctor says, but certainly clarify woth them. Mine told me no prednisone morning of. They gave me some in my IV so I didn’t need to take it at all that day.

Please get anesthesia. It’s very painful without! My first time they used a type that didn’t work for me (I couldn’t communicate but felt everything) so the second time they gave me something else!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to cranberryt]

"It’s very painful without!"

Not necessarily. It is standard to do them without here - and the doctors take more care so have a far lower rate of perforation, I had a couple of uncomfortable moments as they went round corners but it wasn't painful. Having things explained provided distraction ...

[Holycow2 in reply to PMRpro]

You must of been one of the lucky ones as people I know who have had it without sedation have been in a lot of pain! I had with the sedation and felt something very uncomfortable. They then gave me the pictures/medication Iwas given and it showed they gave me more half way through so I would agree to be sedated!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Holycow2]

Depends a lot on the operator ...

[Hidcote]

Thank you all for your help, which helped to allay my fears. It all went smoothly. I had sedation took an extra 3mg which the endoscopist said was helpful. Nothing awful was found but I have to do it all again because, although I followed the instructions to the letter, it wasn’t clear enough inside to see everything. That means seven days of a low residue diet and three litres of the flushing medicine, which isn’t fun.