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Original poster

Struggling with Moviprep

39 replies

babachic · 13/02/2022 22:50

Have my 'emergency' colonoscopy tomorrow after months of waiting and I'm really struggling to get the moviprep down. I've managed 3/4 of the first litre (second litre is for the morning) but I can't stop gagging when I drink it. I've added cordial, lemonade and drinking through a straw whilst holding my nose and still not managing. Any tips? Its been nearly 4 hours since I started and I keep having to stop because of the nausea

OP posts:
Duracellbunnywannabe · 13/02/2022 22:53

Have you tried stopping for 30 mins and just sipping water?

Comedyusername · 13/02/2022 22:56

I found freezing the cordial mixture the easiest way, or as it's probably too late, adding loads of ice. It's much more palatable ice cold. It's not nice but make sure you drink it all, otherwise it won't work properly. You need everything out of you so they can see everything they need to see. Good luck with it. I've had 3 of them and honestly it's fine. Take the sedation option though if you can!

Original poster
babachic · 13/02/2022 22:57

@Duracellbunnywannabe got some water alongside, trying to alternate sips. It's taking so long with sipping it but when I try big gulps I gag and almost choke on it Hmm

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Original poster
babachic · 13/02/2022 22:58

@Comedyusername will have a look for some ice in the freezer now, thank you! Glad you've found them okay, I had a sigmoidoscopy a few months ago with gas and air and found it very painful so definitely will be getting the sedation tomorrow! Was dreading the procedure but will just be happy to get this prep out the way at this rate

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user1477249785 · 13/02/2022 22:59

I agree. The only way is as cold as you can make it.

Clockbookbeast · 13/02/2022 23:02

If you haven't made the next one up yet, make it up with as minimal fluid as possible then drink water to the amount you should have made it up with. So if you make a litre, try making it up in 100mls then drink 900mls of water straight afterwards. Also if you have jelly in the house could try having some jelly between drinks.

Chillyjam · 13/02/2022 23:02

The colder the better, put tomorrow’s lot in the fridge now (mixed up).
I am an endoscopy nurse so have heard lots of tricks,
One patient told me they brushed their teeth then downed a glass, the toothpaste got rid of the taste, drink a bit then have something else to drink clear fluids, you can have bovril in my trust, check your information before you try this though . Have you tried to take it as a shot?

As PP said you do have to drink it all, and sadly if you vomit it up it can make it impossible to do the test.
Good luck and I hope the test goes well tomorrow, most of our patients say the bowel prep is the worst bit of the test.

itsoveritshard · 13/02/2022 23:04

Freezing cold and chug it down then sip plain water after it. It's vile stuff, you have my sympathies having to drink it. I just had to get it down me asap so sipping didn't work I just had ti go for it

ClariceQuiff · 13/02/2022 23:06

I had to do this before surgery (endo with bowel adhesions). I found it helped to have a 2 litre bottle of a palatable fizzy drink (Lilt in my case) and to take alternate sips. I diluted the Moviprep liquid with orange squash.

It got more difficult the more I drank - I think my body realised what it was doing and then started to reject it - so if doing again I'd try to take larger mouthfuls early on before my system 'cottoned onto it.'

Wishing you the best for your procedure tomorrow. Flowers

Chillyjam · 13/02/2022 23:07

I would be careful with eating jelly, check your guidelines, the trust I work for stopped allowing jelly as it was coating the bowel and making it tricky to get good views. Also I really wouldn’t recommend mixing it up with less liquid. The instructions are there for a reason.

Original poster
babachic · 13/02/2022 23:33

Okay used lots of ice and that's the last of it finished, thank you @Comedyusername

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Original poster
babachic · 13/02/2022 23:35

@Chillyjam thank you, the toothpaste is interesting, I'll try that with tomorrows lot. Ice cubes & toothpaste and hopefully it's easier. Not tried as a shot but managed to get the rest of it down now - only took from 7pm Blush

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Original poster
babachic · 13/02/2022 23:36

@ClariceQuiff thank you! I've had some lemon fanta between sips too and it helped but honestly just glad that's the first lot over. Dreading tomorrows now Grin

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Comedyusername · 14/02/2022 00:35

Well done!
I think I used a different cordial for the 2nd dose, just to mix it up a bit. Plus did you use a straw? For some reason that helped so maybe try it if you have one lying around. Best of luck with it all. You can do it!!

Original poster
babachic · 14/02/2022 01:50

@Comedyusername thank you! I did use a straw but might use 2 for the next dose to try get it over with quicker!

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Original poster
babachic · 14/02/2022 01:52

Going to try and sleep now, spent the past 2 hours in the toilet so hoping that's it over with now! Very sore though, should've used vaseline from the beginning GrinBlush

Next prep is meant to be 6am but considering how long the first took me I think I'll need to start about 4ish so I'm all ready for my appt at 12.30.

Can't wait to have a nice meal afterwards too - what a way to spend my first Valentine's day as a married woman!

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dipdye · 14/02/2022 02:08

Good luck op, it's tough to get down I know.

MollyBloomYes · 14/02/2022 02:43

OP I'm so glad you've managed to get it down and agree, having it ice cold tomorrow will definitely help. In the end with moviprep I got so frustrated with it all I think I just chugged through pure rage and stubbornness it's absolutely evil stuff.

If for whatever reason you have to repeat the test or any other bowel investigation (hope not!) then perhaps you could ask for Plenvu as an alternative. I had that for my last colonoscopy and while it still wasn't amazing stuff it was so much better than evil moviprep!

garlictwist · 14/02/2022 06:32

Oh God, it's awful isn't it. You have my sympathies. I mixed mine with 7up which made it a lot more palatable. It's a lot of liquid though.

garlictwist · 14/02/2022 06:34

Also, I finished my prep well in advance of the procedure but was still needing to shit in the hospital. I also had to go for a very emergency bowel emptying after the procedure in the bushes of a carpark on the drive home - the aptly named Go Outdoors.

sandgrown · 14/02/2022 06:41

I feel for you . The prep is awful . Definitely opt for sedation . The nurse said it would be like having two glasses of wine but the sensation was more like smoking a joint ! The procedure was fine but I did have a lot of wind after !

Original poster
babachic · 14/02/2022 06:55

Ok morning dose is worse, one glass down - three to go 🤢

For those who had the procedure with sedation, did you still feel anything? Very worried about the pain as my stomach is already very sore from the prep!

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ClariceQuiff · 14/02/2022 07:26

Well done on getting the first glass down!

I can't help with the question as my procedure was different and done under GA - but if you're sore, make sure you explain that when you are booked in, don't suffer in silence.

Squiffy01 · 14/02/2022 07:38

@babachic well done for getting it down.

Good luck today. I have had two and due another one the end of the year. First two with sedation. I haven’t had one without sedation so not sure of the difference it makes but with sedation mine didn’t hurt. You can still feel something and had quite a painful bit on the first one but that was when they got to a point they were trying to get past and couldn’t because of a blockage until then I couldn’t feel anything.
Second one was a lot better could only feel it going around a bend once, wasn’t painful at all could just feel something.
Good luck.

Original poster
babachic · 14/02/2022 08:00

@ClariceQuiff thank you, I will definitely be letting them know! Struggling with the last glass so have no resorted to singing nursery rhymes in the head as I drink Grin can't wait till this is all over!

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