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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Anyone fancy helping me through bowel prep!

73 replies

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 13:41

Having a colonoscopy tomorrow and about to drink my first sachet of laxative.

I'm on my own and quite tearful and scared about what the next few hours are going to bring.

If anyone's got any advice or jokes please share them here.

OP posts:

Report

SRK16 · 09/05/2019 13:45

The bowel prep was nowhere near as bad as I anticipated, I just relaxed on the toilet with my iPad 😂 and watched some shows!
The colonoscopy is uncomfortable but not painful- and it will be over quickly.

Good luck!

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 13:47

Thanks! I'm quite scared of feeling sick with it as I have a phobia of vomit.

Right now I keep staring at the loaf of bread in the kitchen wishing I could eat it as I'm starving!

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Kedgeree · 09/05/2019 13:49

No matter how closely you follow the instructions, they'll moan at you that your bowel isn't clear enough, so don't worry about whether you've got it right. I found lying on my bathroom floor on my left side with a nozzle up my backside to be a particular low point 🙄🥴.
I've had lots of these done, they don't get any better, but an enema does make you feel light on your feet for a day or two 😀.
Hopefully your colonoscopy will show your bowel to be nice and healthy- at our hospital they let you watch it on the screen if you want, which is vaguely interesting the first time, but less so subsequently 😉.
Good luck, and don't worry, it's horrible for sure but not as bad as you imagine.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 13:51

Thanks all. I have no desire to watch it and hope to be massively away with the fairies when they do it.

I was so close to just calling to cancel but I've come this far...

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Birdie6 · 09/05/2019 13:52

I just had one on Tuesday. The prep doesn't taste bad at all - put some juice in it if you want a change . Take your time, it looks like a lot but you've got hours to drink it.

The bowel part isn't all that terrible. Just stay near the toilet and have a book, iPad, whatever, to while away the time. Wear a pad in case you are caught short - I did have a couple of accidents but I wore some incontinence pads and that helped.

The actual procedure wasn't a problem. I had a little injection of something which made me " almost asleep" , like being pleasantly drunk. I honestly had no idea of anything happening, and next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room.

LightDrizzle · 09/05/2019 13:52

Sympathy!
I found the prep at least as bad as the colonoscopy, not so much the shitting through the eye of a needle and boring a hole through the porcelain to Oz, as getting so sick of drinking the weird salty, flavoured drink.
However, it really is doable. Don’t plan on anything during that time. My husband had it a few months earlier than me and although we both followed the guidance exactly, he was finished with the diarrhoea significantly quicker than me. It did stop in time for me, but it went on for ages.
The colonoscopy was “uncomfortable” no more than that. Unpleasant and uncomfortable but not painful or remotely unbearable.
Good luck!

CrepuscularCritter · 09/05/2019 13:53

Keep the prep nice and chilled. And if you drink it with a straw, it helps sneak it past the tastebuds. It's not the best thing I've ever had to drink but it wasn't the worst either. Good luck!

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 13:56

I went for picolax rather than moviprep as you drink a lot less.

It is apparently more "explosive" though...

It doesn't taste as bad as I feared but still struggling to get through it. Nearly there. Then just wait and see, I guess.

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LightDrizzle · 09/05/2019 13:59

Ooh! I think I had the Movilax.
I privately thought DH was a bit of a baby banging on about having to drink it when he went through it.
When it was my turn, I was very glad those thoughts went unvoiced!

TheSpottedZebra · 09/05/2019 14:05

Get baby wipes as 'you' may be a little sore.

sar302 · 09/05/2019 14:09

Oh, picolax is so much better than moviprep! You won't feel sick. Mix it with some squash - NOT ribena!

Take a book / iPad in to the bathroom and relax.

Bepanthem cream from the start - don't leave it til you get sore.

Drink loads of water

DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 14:10

This is me tomorrow. I'm having colonoscopy and gastroscopy on Saturday. Dreading the gastroscopy to be honest. The colonoscopy is fine.

Having moviprep for the first time (picolax and fleet before). I'm surprised that I have to take the 2 doses so close together 5pm and 8pm and the instructions say it should all be done by 11pm. Does this sound right? I hope it is as I have to leave at 6am to get to the hospital for 8am on Saturday

BloomedAgain · 09/05/2019 14:12

I've heard that putting vaseline on before you start helps. I am on a waiting list for a colonoscopy. Do you get a choice of sedation?

Iloveredwoods · 09/05/2019 14:14

Good luck thatmustbenigel. I had one a few months ago - it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. Watched a lot of Netflix, and drank juice (check your instructions) when I got hungry. Even the procedure wasn't that bad, and was over in about twenty minutes.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 14:14

I am also have a gastroscopy but I have put that part out of my mind as it's just too awful to contemplate.

What are you having yours for? I've had really runny poo and bloating for ages and finally decided to get checked out.

Ironically I feel like things have got a bit better recently!

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Iloveredwoods · 09/05/2019 14:15

Bloomed, I got a choice of sedation, or gas and air. I went for gas and air so I wasn't too out of it afterwards, and although a bit painful, it was fine.

DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 14:15

BloomedAgain

I have always been given the choice yes.

It's waking sedation though so I have always been fully aware, just relaxed.

Am hoping for stronger stuff on Saturday though because I can't cope with the gastroscopy.

DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 14:17

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie

I had a large GI bleed recently and they can't work out where from so having these to see if they can find,and treat the problem.

I have IBD so it's likely it's that causing it.

inchoccyheaven · 09/05/2019 14:41

I'm rubbish at drinking the prep and stand over the sink as it's usually few mouthfuls down and most of it back up again. My throat just closes up as it knows i don't like it but I am a wimp.

Despite not keeping it all down it still worked well and they didn't complain they couldn't see clearly.
The actual procedure is fine though so try not to worry.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 14:43

How long does it usually take to work? It's been an hour but so far nothing.

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DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 14:45

The first dose if picolax didn't have any effect on me. It was the 2nd that had the desired effect!!!!!

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 14:48

Oh really? The doc said the first usually sorted people. I hope it does for me as I have to take the second one at 1am and was hoping to get a bit of sleep before I leave the house at 630.

Maybe I'm being optimistic!

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DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 14:51

Honestly, don't take any notice of me, I'm probably not typical at all. I was panicking that it hadn't worked but it was all fine when they scoped me.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/05/2019 15:08

by the way, I know you can't have red drinks but can you have orange, as in Robinson's orange squash?

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DecomposingComposers · 09/05/2019 15:19

Does it say in the booklet they gave you? I usually only have lemon squash or black coffee.

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