To ask if anyone has ever had to drink this vile stuff?

[el1zabeth]

I know this isn't really an AIBU topic, but it seems to get the most response when posting here hence my reason for doing so. I have a colonoscopy booked for the morning and I have to drink 2 litres of the most vile drink known as Moviprep. It's supposed to clear you out in order for the bowel to be completely empty for the procedure, but I just don't think I can drink it all. I have until around midnight to consume it but it's soooooo vile, it's already making me heave when I take a mouthful. I hold my nose when I sip it so I can't taste it fully, however, the last sip made me heave so much that I think it's going to come up rather than 'go downwards' to do the job it was meant for. Has anyone else ever had to drink this and if so, are there any tips on what I can do to get it down?

Update: I'm back home now and the results show no signs of cancer at all, yay.

Good news OP.

I did Klean-Prep a few months back for a scope. Really disgusting vanilla flavour. I wouldn't have minded so much but you needed to drink SO much of it. Properly sickly. Was not a happy bunny.

I have had to have a colonoscopy every three years for the last 25. I drink it down by the glassful (like some men drink pints) that way I only taste it once per glass.

Mix it with orange or lime or lemon squash. Get it really ice cold in the fridge/freezer. Drink it through a straw, and ignore when it says to do 250ml per half hour, just down it. I've had loads of scopes and this clears me out just fine.

Well, I didn't have a clue what it was going to be about as I've never needed a colonoscopy. However, it did intrigue me as to what it was about. Suffice to say, at least now I know what to expect if I ever have to undergo a colonoscopy! Thanks for the heads up.

Update: I'm back home now and the results show no signs of cancer at all, yay.

Good news, OP.

I had take MoviPrep once. The instructions I was given told me to take a "gentle" night-time laxative the night before. Also, my friend, who has had a few colonoscopies, said to ease up on the solids the day before you take the prep, so two days of liquid diet. I think the combination of liquid diet and laxative is the reason there was no explosive action for me.

The MoviPrep still tasted like snot, though.

Glad all is okay OP. I've only just seen this post and knew you were talking about Moviprep before reading any further!

Haven’t rtft but as soon as I saw the title I knew what you were going to be talking about 🤢 Even thinking of it makes me want to retch. I’ve had to do it twice now, but will NEVER be able to do it again!! Hope you managed it and that the colonoscopy went well 🤞🏻

Don’t know if they’ve changed formula, but when I did it four years ago, taste wasn’t too awful. Or maybe I have strange tastebuds. The running to the loo was unpleasant. But if they can get you checked out and hopefully you are ok, will be worth it. Just one day. Think of it as a bushtucker trial!

I knew from the title, too!
I felt like Dumbledore, drinking the potion of despair.
It is vile - just get rid ASAP - I would echo using a straw & holding your nose.
My toilet is upstairs; put it this way, I'm glad that our kitchen floor is lino...

Trust me it’s even worse if you already have colostomy bag!!
🤢

The idea is that you have a clean bowel for them to look at and search for any nasties. If you don't "clean out", this makes it difficult for them. More than once I know of people who have been sent home after they realised they hadn't taken the meds.

I must have weird taste buds. I had a colonoscopy and had to drink something. Although it.wasnt particularly nice, I don't remember having any particular trouble drinking it, just made I cold and mixed with juice. . Maybe different hospitals give out different stuff??

I remember when it was picolax. My insides felt like they were on fire!
Then literally two seconds later the full force of it hit.

My recommendation if anyone is ever given picolax is drink it sat on the toilet.
Needless to say, I didn't make it quite on time to the bathroom.
The second time I had movicol and it was more controlled at the point of exit, did taste foul but better than on fire guts. Even the glass I mixed it in was hot.
Good luck for today and tomorrow.

I think it took about an hour before the movicol started to take effect.
Xx

Picolax took about three hours to produce a gurgle. Was quite gentle.

Down it and think of England!!

I had Picolax before my procedure. I don't know if that is just another name for Moviprep but it didn't taste too bad.

That stuff is absolutely drinkable.I was up all night trying to get it all down and still only managed about two thirds of it. Just awful. I was very stressed about the colonoscopy itself, but in fact that was a doddle. The Moviprep, though, is unbearable. I do not understand why they can't give you tablets and tell you to drink a litre of water with them instead.

I had picolax but my OH was given Moviprep. I'd deffo go for Picolax- so much less volume. It works quickly though

@El1zabeth it is vile, I have Crohns and have to drink it. The best advice I was given was to mix it with lime squash, it seems to go down better .
Good Luck. X

I smiled when I saw this title as I thought of that stuff before I even opened the thread! I had to have a few colonoscopies a few years back and the drink was worse than the procedure. When I was telling the pharmacist about this he said, haven't you been given Picolax? Much quicker and much less unpleasant (well, it was for me...). An alternative which may suit you better but do check with your doctor. Good luck!

My husband had the same investigation and was able to add squash to it, to help if needed.
Only othervadvice I can give you, is make sure your not far from the toilet. You will only get a moment's notice that you 'need to go'

So as i mentioned upthread, I have a colonoscopy tomorrow. I've just started drinking the stuff the doctor prescribed - Ximepeg, rather than Moviprep - and while it's not exactly nice, it's not the worst thing I've ever tasted either. It's less vile than the Movicol I've had to drink for the last two nights anyway.
Presumably I'll have to wait a few hours to see how effective it is though.

I’m having bowel screening in a couple of weeks and just had a lovely surprise delivery of an enema kit! I can’t say I was expecting that!

I had Picolax 25 years ago and will never forget it. If the other stuff didn't work, Picolax will. It does take quite a while though. I'd anticipated it to kick in during the morning but it wasn't until mid afternoon. It was one glass or orange flavoured powdered drink, followed by a second in the early evening. My husband had to trick me into drinking the second, after the extreme effects of the first. I do have chronic bowel pain with severe IBS though, so a more normal bowel would probably result in a lot less painful reaction.

I knew you’d be talking about bowel prep from the title! I had picolax last week and whilst it was unpleasant wasn’t unbearable. Took over 10 hours to start working much longer than I expected! Glad you got good news OP!