to think these sachets of yummy-looking pre-colonoscopy prep may not clear my snail's-pace system in time!!!

[emeraldgirl1]

Got colonoscopy tomorrow morning and this afternoon I have to start drinking the clear-it-all-out stuff... Am just getting a bit worried that it isn't going to move through my system in time! I have horrendously slow bowels (reason for the colonoscopy!) and at the moment I need roughly 2 sachets of movicol a day plus careful diet just to keep things in check.

But the last couple of days I haven't had much of a proper BM at all (apologies if you're breakfasting) cos I've been easing up on the movicol and cutting down the fibre in preparation for today, as instructed. Now I'm getting worried that the clearout stuff (a much stronger version of movicol) won't get everything cleared out of my sluggish system in time for tomorrow morning. DH had this done a few months back and his was marvellously effective, but then his system is very fast and regular.

If it's not clear tomorrow morning then they'll have to give me an enema (don't know what it is, but I don't like the name...)

Anyone else done this colonoscopy prep under similar circs, with ridiculously slow-moving, potentially slightly backed-up bowel? Did it work IN TIME????/ Argh - not particularly worried about the whole procedure tomorrow but now I'm stressing about this aspect of it and not sure there's much I can do right now...

Thanks and sorry if TMI

If it's Picolax, I wouldn't worry, really.

Do not, I repeat do not, leave the house today

Thanks Gumby ... Yes, I remember poor old DH doing this and he kept turning a bit white and dashing for the bathroom...

It's Moviprep... a v v concentrated version of the Movicol I usually take - as I say it did marvels for DH but I've worked out (careful and highly-scientific calculations based on panicking a few weeks ago when I was STILL expelling beetroot 5 days after eating it) that my system works about 5 times slower than his...

Vaseline for your to-be-wrecked arsehole.:o

Youtube Billy Connolly for an ace take on the shitfest.

My mum had this recently. From what she told me I'd echo the advice above not to leave the house. I'm pretty sure she told me leaving the loo wasn't really a great option.

I hope it all goes well with your examination, not pleasant but worth it in the long run I'm sure.

Oh, yes, I'm all Vaseline-ready and got the wet wipes...

So am I getting the general sense that I'm crazy to be worried that this stuff won't have an effect on me fast enough...?

We do colonoscopies a lot where I work. (I'm a nurse.) Firstly, for some people, the prep doesn't work fast enough, we sometimes have people running for the bathroom when we are admitting them. It's not a problem but you might have to go last on the theatre list to give you a little more time.
If you do need an enema, it's nothing to worry about, other than being a bit embarrassing! The enema will clear you out very quickly if nothing else does.
Finally, remember that most people who need to have a colonoscopy have some sort of problem with their bowels, and the prep works very well for most of them, so stay near a bathroom today.

NurseJennyLee said exactly what I was going to say!

Thanks hazelnutlatte - I will bear all that in mind!! I can deal with embarrassing (if i need an enema) as long as it's not too painful... I have been telling myself that thing about most people having bowel trouble if referred for a colonoscopy so will keep that in mind too!

Is Picolax the same kind of thing as Movicol?

Really, don't worry and DON'T leave the house today

Thanks valiumredhead...

I've been told to start drinking the stuff at 2pm (appointment is at 11 tomorrow morning) but should I start slightly earlier to give myself slightly more time? More like 1pm this afternoon perhaps? Or will it really make very little difference?

also, dont worry about the actual procedure, other than the embarassment factor, its really not that bad.

i had one three weeks ago and reall stressed about it... i wish o could go back and tell myself not to worry so much about the actual procedure, because its not that bad.

good luck

The Picolax thread

Tis vair vair funny, assuming you can cope with wrenching humour from a hideous situation.

Oh, yes, I can cope with humour from a hideous situation... hoping that might stand me in good stead... but does anyone know if Picolax and Moviprep are the same thing basically?

OH it will work dont worry about that you will feel rather washed out and empty I have had clear out stuff and boy does it work

I had picolax for my colonoscopy but it didn't have the desired effect apparently it doesn't work as well on some people :(

You will come back to this post and laugh. Eventually. I had to take The Sachets for a colonoscopy just before Christmas - never mind 'Don't leave the house', don't leave the bathroom!! And they most certainly aren't yummy, either - it's a bit like drinking pints of liquiefied struck matches.

It's OK though - the colonoscopy itself isn't as horrible as you might think. I've had both mine without sedation and had a lovely guided tour of my large intestine, which distracted me from the I'm-lying-on-my-side-with-my-arse-out-in-a-roomful-of-people side of things. I didn't find it painful at all. In fact, I barely felt it apart from when the camera was going round a bend right at the very top of the bowel, and even then it was just a slightly odd sensation rather than pain.

I hope the procedure goes well and puts your mind at rest. If it's relevant, there's a lovely chatty colitis-and-Crohn's thread over in General Health and most of us have had our arses out for various doctors over the past few months (I think it's called 'Could this be Ulcerative Colitis?')

Oh lordy @picolax I had a bladder operation years ago wont go into it , but i need my bowl cleansed and this jug of innocent looking picolax arrived at my bedside , I shit myself inside out sorry for the TMI but there is no other words

Thanks everyone!!! Am off now to get a lovely big stack of magazines in preparation for what I assume will be an afternoon chained to the loo...

I haven't had my colonoscopy yet as it was cancelled but my friend gave me a tip that I felt I should share:

Vaseline in the fridge
Also, make sure you have extra luxury soft toilet paper

Erm good luck!

I think that patients usually get sedated for Colonoscopies; but not for Sigmoidoscopies. I had the latter.
Took picolax then went to the pub with friends to meet some lads we liked.. Doh!!

I'm sure it will work in time, but if not an enema is just a suppository which you can ahem, apply yourself and it'll have a local clearout almost instantly. I'm sure you don't need to worry and the hospital staff will be used to all sorts of situations. Good luck.

Having had experience of this more than once unfortunately, after you take the sachets, DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE. For the protection of your neighbours, friends and family if nothing else.

And good luck.

Even if you need an enema it's no problem at all, as weemumbelina said it's just a suppository, coompletely painless and very effective. Think of it as a laxative up your bum. Good luck!

I did Picolax. I was very glad I had a huge stack of glossy mags in the bathroom next to me for the day. And I could MN on my phone.