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Original poster

Plenvu help colonoscopy

105 replies

flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 09:54

I am having a colonoscopy next week and have been prescribed plenvu. I am so nervous about it!

I am having a morning procedure, they’ve said to take the first sachet at 6pm and the 2nd at 9pm.

my worries are:

how the heck am I going to drink a litre of fluid in one hour (500ml over half an hour of plenvu then 500ml of water after)

the nurse said if you can have more then please do - aim for 2 litres! I’ll be sloshing!

I then obviously have to do it all again a couple of hours later. I’m so worried about being nauseous and puking it all back up.

when does the pooping stop? If I don’t even finish all the liquid until 10pm, how long can I expect to be up until?

Will I still need to carry on drinking throughout the night? And if I do, will I be up needing the loo or will that have stopped and I’ll just be peeing?

can I expect to still need to pee during this process?!

is it safe to have something like Lucozade sport given the plenvu is electrolytes?

sorry I am so anxious about this part! Once that’s over I guess I get to be anxious about the procedure - yay lucky me!

OP posts:
grannycab · 08/02/2025 09:58

I did it last week, and was nowhere as bad as I imagined!

I drank it through a straw (which was out of one of my water bottles so was quicte thick) and alternated it with plain tap water out of my water bottle. DId the first one in half an hour, and the second in 40 minutes. I kind of swallowed it quickly. No massive toilet issues as I was never caught short at all. I also drank black tea to take the tase away at the end.

Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 10:02

@grannycab thank you that’s reassuring. Did you feel sick drinking all that in one go? Was it the plenvu you drank quickly then topped up with the water afterwards or did you do the full litre alternated over that time period?

when did the diarrhoea stop after the second dose for you? I know everyone is different but I have seen online some saying within 2 hours which would be nice. Nurse said it could be a lot longer and I won’t be in bed until 3am!

OP posts:
grannycab · 08/02/2025 10:07

I did a gulp of Plenvu and then a gulp of water over 30 mins. My fist gulp was bigger to make a good sart. It didnt seem as much liquid as I thought it might to be honest. I drank extra water too between doses! I would say 2 hours after for me. I just drank water and one cup of black tea in the whole time so there was as little food as possible - no jelly or anything..

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grannycab · 08/02/2025 10:08

I just woke uo beofre the time so I could drink water. I didnt pee particularily any extra but was on the tiolet a lot so might not really have noticed.

The colonoscopy is absolutely fine - don't worry about it.

Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 10:11

Thank you. I hope I’ve built it up to be worse than it is. I keep dreaming about it and waking up in a panic!

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 08/02/2025 10:14

I would start earlier! I had same timings and didn't stop until 3am. Perhaps my bowel is slow.
The quantity of liquid was fine, because of the liquid pouring out, I felt thirsty/ dehydrated.

grannycab · 08/02/2025 10:14

Honestly, it really isn't that bad. I had sedation for my colonoscopy and at its worst it was like period pains, but not bad ones if you know what I mean. You can see it all on a screen as they do it

Moremustard · 08/02/2025 10:21

I didn't have sedation and agree it was like period pain, stronger ones as the 'corners' were turned...I live alone and wanted to leave hospital asap (emetohobe) I wasn't sick with the plenvu but was worried obviously. It was fine

Elderflower14 · 08/02/2025 10:36

Make sure you are very near the toilet!!!!

Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 11:00

@Chewbecca i was thinking about 5 & 8pm. Nurse said not to as I need to fast earlier, atm I can eat until 3pm but I think I’d rather sleep than eat for an extra hour. So maybe fast from 2pm and do 5&8pm?

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 08/02/2025 11:06

Hmm, my fast started at 1 for a 5pm first dose so I would start even earlier tbh. Weirdly I wasn't hungry.

Lillipops · 08/02/2025 11:10

This is interesting to hear, I am booked for colonoscopy on Tuesday morning so will need to take the meds on Monday night. With the sedation does it really make it easier? I think it's more the thought of it that's worrying me. How long after the drinks before it kicks in?

Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 11:38

I started my low residue diet yesterday and I’ve got liquid stool today. Has anyone else experienced this? I have experienced this before when I’ve had stomach bugs and had low fibre and the diarrhoea persisted longer because of it, but nobody seems to talk about it?!

OP posts:
Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 11:38

@Lillipops have you got the same prep as me? Plenvu at 6&9pm fasting from 3?

OP posts:
Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 11:38

@Chewbecca was that with plenvu too?

OP posts:
Original poster
flappingsoles · 08/02/2025 11:45

Oh and did anyone use germoloids as a barrier? It has local anaesthetic in so wondered if it would be better than Vaseline or sudocream as a barrier

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 08/02/2025 12:11

Yes, I had plenvu.
I used vaseline and it helped, have tried germoloids.
@Lillipops The sedation was great. Completely awake but totally relaxed.
My liquid poo kicked in immediately after the second dose but I know it varies hugely from person to person, there is no normal.

Original poster
flappingsoles · 09/02/2025 08:28

Oh! Another question. How do you know when you’re done pooping? Like if you go 30 minutes for example, are you ready for bed and you won’t soil yourself?! Or is it not that clear cut / less time than that?

OP posts:
Lillipops · 09/02/2025 13:35

@flappingsoles I'm 1am Tuesday so I have to fast from 9am tomorrow. First dose at 6pm then 8pm. I will be glad to get it over with

Lillipops · 09/02/2025 13:36

@flappingsoles sorry that should be 10am Tuesday

Original poster
flappingsoles · 09/02/2025 13:39

@Lillipops how odd I don’t have to fast until 3pm and I have an early morning scope.

I have just had a white bread roll and didn’t realise it’s been fortified with fibre. So now I’m panicking

OP posts:
Original poster
flappingsoles · 10/02/2025 17:23

I started my prep at 5pm, confirmed it was ok with my nurse. last ate at 1pm like PP.

feeling slightly nauseous because it’s very sweet, I’m chasing it with apple juice. Needing water after just to help with the sweetness. It’s about of liquid in the tummy.

kept myself well hydrated today, and didn’t eat much. Rice crispies and milk for breakfast and pasta with cheese for lunch. Then just water all day.

i don’t actually think the taste is that bad (plenvu, mango), but I am using a straw, super cold on the back of my tongue and an apple juice chaser.

OP posts:
Lillipops · 10/02/2025 18:47

@flappingsoles I've just had my first dose, it's way too sweet for me 😵‍💫 today I just alternated with the plenvu and water to take the taste away. I had some scrambled egg at 8.30 and then I was told not to eat anything. I struggle to drink loads of water anyway but a litre of water in 45 mins is a lot for me. I dare say it won't be there for long!

Lillipops · 10/02/2025 19:24

@flappingsoles it didn't take long to work 😱

Original poster
flappingsoles · 10/02/2025 19:56

@Lillipops it took just over an hour for me for it to work. I fou bed all the liquid really tough going too, I did feel nauseous afterwards. I managed the litre in about an hour and a half, I couldn’t do it all in an hour

about to start prep 2 😩😩😩

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