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General health

Is thtere a gourmet alternative to Picolax and Klean-Prep please please please?

23 replies

jodiPicolax · 30/05/2010 14:17

I have a colonoscopy coming up and last time the Picolax revolted me so much that I brought it up; this time they have sent me Klean-Prep.

I would be happy to pay whatever it takes to get my hands on a more palatable laxative. Any ideas what the posh people take when they have to clear out their plumbing?

OP posts:

Report

belgo · 30/05/2010 14:21

I think you can just drink lots and lots of water , and not have any laxative, the weight of the water itself acts as the laxative? Don't quote me on that. Ask the nurses in the endoscopy department.

I don't envy you though!

belgo · 30/05/2010 14:26

apparently Klean prep tastes of vanilla and it helps to have it dissolved in really cold water.

fruitymum · 30/05/2010 14:31

Try the Klean Prep because the alternative may be a bowel wash out so they can get your bowel clear for the scope. Lots of water - good luck,

CMOTdibbler · 30/05/2010 15:14

The posh people take picolax like the rest of us - unfortunatly, there is no other way of getting a really clean bowel. You can add some squash/cordial of your choice to make it more palatable though

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 30/05/2010 15:18

You can mix it with cordial, blackcurrent helps.

Stay close to the toilet and rub some vaseline on your behind though.

jodiPicolax · 30/05/2010 16:38

Thanks for all that advice. I am dreading it. I'll try the really cold water idea, and the cordial. Maybe I should just sip it continuously this time - I think I'd tried to "get it down" too fast before.

It's not till the end of June, so I have a month to dread it!

Do you think it would help to fast beforehand? I am fairly used to fasting/semi-fasting for short periods.

OP posts:

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 30/05/2010 16:53

Don't fast, you'll be on the floor. You have to have a restricted diet anyway though IIRC.

jodiPicolax · 30/05/2010 17:08

Yeah, no fibre. Am so not looking forward to it.

OP posts:

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 30/05/2010 17:20

Once it's done then that's it though. If it helps to find out what's causing your problems then it's worth it.

belgo · 30/05/2010 18:48

you can ask the doctor if you can take an anti sickness tablet

mole1 · 30/05/2010 18:57

Sorry, but I found Klean-Prep gross. It tasted better to me mixed with tonic water, and I just couldn't drink it as fast as it said on the packet. It still worked perfectly well even though I didn't quite drink it all. Sympathy to you.

Macforme · 30/05/2010 22:09

I had a drop of red wine with mine.....
(well it is a clear fluid..almost!)

There really isn't an alternative to either picolax or Klean Prep.. hope it goes ok for you.

If you haven't read this before..and need a smile.. Dave Barrys account of his clean out is brilliant....

jodiPicolax · 30/05/2010 22:59

Thanks, Macforme, I did see that on the MN threads when searching colonoscopy. Thanks for all your support, all. It is routine for me, just my two parents both died of bowel cancer , no symptoms as such myself, although of course digestion is always variable.

I would welcome other suggestions about things to add to Klean Prep to make it more palatable. Tonic water sounds good.

The reason I thought fasting - even just for the day before - might work is that there would be little to flush through? So less awful?

The anti sickness pill is a good thought, thanks, Belgo.

OP posts:

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 30/05/2010 23:16

It's not really bad to be honest, just remember to stop drinking it when there's clear fluid being pooped out. Your bum can get really sore from the wiping so do rub some vaseline there as it will help, pat with the tissue don't wipe.

Ask them to sedate you for the procedure though.

These things always seem worse then they are. If you fast then it won't make any difference, you'll just be hungry and feel faint.

jodiPicolax · 31/05/2010 07:18

OK, thanks. I didn't know you could stop drinking it when only clear fluid was being "produced". Are you kidding, I will certainly be sedated for the procedure.

OP posts:

Smash09 · 31/05/2010 10:49

Hello Jodi - not much advice other than what's been offered really but wanted to wish you luck! It is NEVER as bad as you imagine it will be and the sedation avoids any memories of the procedure.
Unfortunately the laxatives are designed for function over fancy and they aren't brilliant tasting at all as you know...
I would get the Klean-prep as it is much milder tasting. Also I am quite sure that you could actually do 2 litres of movicol which is equivalent to the KP but in smaller sachets - both contain the active ingredient polyethene glycol and electrolytes. The Movicol has a very mild lemoney taste rather than the TERRIBLE idea of vanilla lol. Why on earth they thought vanilla would be a good flavour for such a drink I don't know. The movicol is MUCH easier to mask, therefor, by adding squash to it. I regularly take it (in smaller quantities!) for management purposes and like to dilute it as instructed then add a dash of whatever squash or cordial I have around. A friend of mine mixes the drink with lemonade/sugarfree pop, which you might also find much more palatable.
Anyway good luck again and hope it's pver soon! x

jodiPicolax · 31/05/2010 12:15

Thanks for this, Smash. I think I might see my GP to talk about using Movicol instead. Although, having googled colonoscopy prep, some people talk about taking a lot of large tablets with tons of water, which I might also ask about - I would certainly prefer it. I imagine docotrs usually prescribe soluble sachets because they don't trust people to drink enough fluid; but I would.

OP posts:

belgo · 31/05/2010 18:08

yes but drinking lots of water can be dangerous so you should only do what the doctor tells you to do.

The goal is clear fluids coming out of the other end.

I can sympathize.

Nutrients1 · 18/06/2016 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

tb · 18/06/2016 21:58

I'm having my second in about 6 weeks, and went to see the surgeon a couple of weeks ago. They've changed the procedure. You now have to spend the afternoon between the 2 drinks, taking Movicol. What on earth for I have absolutely no idea.

At least they've stopped the half-pint of laxative shoved up the rear end at 6am on the morning before leaving home. It's a 20 mile journey by motorway, with variable traffic jams, and no toilets on route.

I have already got a large reserve pot of Conotrane to soothe my bottom during the afternoon.

BluePitchFork · 18/06/2016 22:07

the fasting is for 2 reasons: to not imjure you in the violent clearout and to not leave any colour behind that could obscure the view.

vikingorigins · 18/06/2016 22:17

The OP posted 5 years ago. Don't think she needs to know now.

ZOMBIE

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TheSpottedZebra · 18/06/2016 22:20

Nah, not zombie, but SPAM zombie. Reported.

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