Colonoscopy

[Bob74]

Hi all! I'm having a colonoscopy tomorrow night and am terrified! Can anyone tell me if it's ok to mix 7 up with the moviprep to make it taste better please? They mention cordial but not 7 up / Sprite / lemonade etc. I'm hoping it's ok because it's clear but I don't wan to do anything wrong - thank you!

No, definitely not.

Squash yes....fizzy drink no

And only yellow coloured cordial. No black currant as it stains the inside of your bowel so they can't examine it properly.

I usually make up the prep as a shot in as small an amount of water as I can get away with and then chug that back and follow it with as much plain water as I can manage. I can manage a litre of water easily but a litre of prep is a step too far.

The prep does taste disgusting. I don't think it can be mixed with 7 up etc, but lemonade was definitely on the list of things that you could drink during the prep day, so you could have the prep with a 'chaser' of Sprite. My list said 'clear liquids' including 7up, bouillon, squash, coke, tonic/soda water etc. No 'dark red' fluids (eg ribena), no drinks with milk, no fruit juices with pulp or seed.

I had a colonoscopy in July. The prep was worse than the procedure, so don't worry about that.

Please don't be terrified. You'll be absolutely fine. The worst part is definitely the prep. Get set up in the toilet, light a nice scented candle, drink plenty of fluids and put vasaline on your bum before you wipe each time.

Have the sedation if you can, you'll be nice and zen and you'll be home before you know it. Get some nice food in for afterwards.

OP - you should have got a booklet explaining the procedure and telling you specifically what you could drink. Here's a picture from mine

No, but you can drink full sugar lemonade as a drink while you're taking it. My nurse told me to drink lot more fluids than recommended to stay hydrated.
My top tip would be to stay on the toilet as much as possible to minimise wiping. And don't be shy of doing some really big farts afterwards!

Use a straw. Doesn’t touch taste buds. Chill for 30 mins in the fridge. I had one a few months ago. Don’t overthink. Clug it down and then take a glass of plain water straight after.

Reserve the bathroom. Use baby wet wipes and yes Vaseline or sudocream.

I had a shower the morning of my procedure and quickly blow dried my hair. Only had a few hours sleep but honestly it made me feel 100% better and someone admired my hair too!

I had the first appointment and that made a difference too.

@Bob74 - any clear still drinks will be fine . Best advice I had was to get some straws and drink some moviprep and then some e.g. elderflower , clear squash , tea without milk in alternation. But if tonic water is OK according to your instructions then do it. Definitely not blackcurrant.

My other piece of advice is do it slowly - I downed the last glass in one ( first moviprep thing of of two ) , thinking I'll just do this , and threw the whole lot up. Phoned hospital and they said don't worry just try to keep the next one down. Next morning I drank the thing much more slowly & got a gold star for my cleansing

The colonoscopy , I found was so much less stressful / unpleasant than the moviprep. I was very very nervous but if I ever had to have another , I really would not worry. I found it so much less unpleasant then I thought it was going to be , in fact doctor showed me stuff on the camera and I was rather interested. ( I did have a sedative - but DF has had one without and said it did not hurt at all. )

All best to you .

Oh and just to say - they put orange into moviprep - doesn't make it taste better just revolting thing with a hint of orange. I would do as other posters have said and sip it down with alternating water - clear cordial. It is never going to be a lovely martini but it is doable - once done that is the worst of the whole thing. The actual procedure is a walk in the park. But once you have a fair amount of moviprep down - stay near a loo for a while .

You will be fine @Bob74 I am sure - I was very nervous and it was so much better than I thought.

The moviprep doesn't taste that bad. Just chug it down and have some 7Up afterwards. Colonoscopies aren't as bad as you think they will be. I have had a few and they really are not too awful!! Keep calm and watch the screen. The person doing the procedure will explain everything she sees and what she is doing. I hope everything goes ok x

Thissucksmonkeynuts I didn't fart at all after mine. The nurse said they try and remove the air they pump in.

Thank you all! I've popped some lemon squash in with the moviprep and am nearly through the first one - alternating it with drinking the 7 up as suggested. It's disgusting and making me feel sick but hey I'm getting through it!! Fingers crossed for later, frustratingly I'm not til tonight so I hope the surgeon isn't too tired (!)

Really appreciate all your reassurance. Now just worried about the results!!!

@Bob74 Keep going - the results will be what they are but just get yourself in there - one step at a time. I really wish you all the best - I am not a betting woman but if I were I would say you'll be back telling people this is not as bad as you imagine.

I mixed mine with Sprite and it was fine. Although it wasn't Movprep I had, it was another one where you drink less but the results are a bit more "dramatic".

I am not going to lie, the prep was very unpleasant. But it wasn't like being ill with diarrhea where you feel sick, it just sort of pours out of you like wee.

I have no recollection of the actual procedure as I had sedation. I was awake apparently, but I can't remember it.

I did shit myself in the carpark of the (aptly named) Go Outdoors on the way home from the hospital though so be warned - it can keep going for ages.

@Bob74 how did it go?