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Original poster

Colonoscopy please help

121 replies

Vomdotcom · 25/04/2023 19:05

I’ve got one tomorrow and I’m attempting to drink the preparation drink (laxative) but it’s making me projectile vomit, anyone got any tips. I’m private but can’t reach anyone and will likely have to pay even if I can’t have the procedure

OP posts:
Dontevenstart · 25/04/2023 20:15

I have to do these pretty frequently OP - you have my sympathies…but they’re really not bad, as procedures go.
Moviprep, or whatever you have, -wise: what’s always worked for me is to drink it cold and just get as much of it down as you can per go. I use orange squash with mine and make it as strong as possible so it doesn’t taste. But just get it down, whatever you do: gastroscopy is a lot worse, and that might be their recourse if you’re not prepped for this.
You absolutely have got this.

Littleelffriend · 25/04/2023 20:16

I was really worried but the procedure was totally fine. I didn’t take sedation had gas and air and it was fine

CalloohCallayFrabjousDay · 25/04/2023 20:23

CoraPirbright · 25/04/2023 19:20

They only told me after the fact that you can mix squash or ribena in with it!! I nearly threw up and felt quite tearful at the prospect of the second dose. It’s quite funny how well it works though!!

Loving the euphemistic “lemon and ginger flavour” on the box. “Battery acid and sea water”, more like. Good luck OP!!

Not ribena! The colour can affect the test.

Original poster
Vomdotcom · 25/04/2023 20:30

Dontevenstart · 25/04/2023 20:15

I have to do these pretty frequently OP - you have my sympathies…but they’re really not bad, as procedures go.
Moviprep, or whatever you have, -wise: what’s always worked for me is to drink it cold and just get as much of it down as you can per go. I use orange squash with mine and make it as strong as possible so it doesn’t taste. But just get it down, whatever you do: gastroscopy is a lot worse, and that might be their recourse if you’re not prepped for this.
You absolutely have got this.

I’m really worried I’ve loused it up… my tummy feels like I’ve got food poisoning for sure, very gurgly but not working yet and it’s been 2 hrs… surely not from taking 45 mins to drink?

OP posts:
sonicmum2002 · 25/04/2023 20:30

I found that a warm salty drink like a couple of teaspoons of Marigold bouillon in hot water helped counteract the bitterness. A sip of this drink to wash down the laxative drink helped. Good luck!!

newtowelsplease · 25/04/2023 20:38

Echo what's been said here about v cold and add cordial or something else to hide the taste. Not blackcurrant though, it needs to be clear.

Don't worry about tomorrow OP, the prep is far worse than the actual procedure!

vipersnest1 · 25/04/2023 20:42

If your stomach is churning it will work. My gut is slow to respond too. Good luck.

Ghostlyfeet · 25/04/2023 20:45

I took plenvue yesterday. The first lot took 3 hours to work. I mixed it with Coke Zero and ice cubes.

celticmamabear · 25/04/2023 20:52

I mixed mine with lemon squash. I did throw up a few times. Do your best. Its not easy but this time tomorrow it'll be all behind you (no pun intended lol)

Pfpppl · 25/04/2023 20:52

You have my sympathy, I had to do this a couple of years ago and it really is grim. I really struggled to drink the solutions and found the second one tasted even worse than the first. I ended up taking as big a sip as I could of the prep, followed immediately by a big sip of something else to get rid of the taste. So rather than drinking the prep and then 500ml of something else as instructed, I sort of combined the 2. It made it much more bearable and although I took well over the amount of time suggested it still had the (un)desired effect! I remember one of the nurses asking me how much of the stuff I'd managed to drink and seemed surprised when I said the whole lot, evidently a lot of people don't manage it all. They commented in my notes how well prepared I was, so my approach clearly worked well for me.

As for the actual procedure itself, they gave me a sedative which actually knocked me out, so I woke up in recovery after it was done with no recollection whatsoever. Compared to the prep it was a breeze.

Good luck!

nicky2512 · 25/04/2023 20:56

It is awful. First time I had to do it I was being sick so much I didn’t think it would work (it still did). I told them how bad it was and when I needed another a month or so ago they gave me picolax. Only two cupfuls needed and works the exact same. Not helpful for you now but maybe for any one else in the future.

FluffyTrousers · 25/04/2023 20:59

The prep is by far the worse bit of the whole thing. Straw, lemon cordial and very cold. I also had plain water chasers on the go to wash the flavour away.
Colonoscopy with sedation was a breeze.
If you have time get onto YouTube and watch Billy Connolly talking about his colonoscopy.

Justgorgeous · 25/04/2023 21:01

Hello ! I also popped some sudocream on my bottom after each visit to the loo. The procedure is fine, I had the sedation though. I personally found the prep okay, I used a straw and made it really cold. Good luck !

FannythePinkFlamingo · 25/04/2023 21:05

Mix it with Coke Zero and slug it back. I have colonoscopies every two years and the prep is bar far the worst part.

LibbyL92 · 25/04/2023 21:06

What’s the prep called?

I had plenvu last week and I was the same. Just take it slowly and stay strong.

I don’t envy you I was in tears drinking this.

crossstitchingnana · 25/04/2023 21:08

I have them every few years and I think the laxative is the worst bit. I always take the sedation.

Throwncrumbs · 25/04/2023 21:08

CoraPirbright · 25/04/2023 19:20

They only told me after the fact that you can mix squash or ribena in with it!! I nearly threw up and felt quite tearful at the prospect of the second dose. It’s quite funny how well it works though!!

Loving the euphemistic “lemon and ginger flavour” on the box. “Battery acid and sea water”, more like. Good luck OP!!

Do not put ribena in it, only lemon or really dilute orange. Nothing red !!!

BlueyDragon · 25/04/2023 21:12

As others have said, the prep is much worse than the event. Mine (Picolax) took ages to work the first time, I was working at home as advised wondering why I hadn’t gone to the office (pre-Covid when WFH was weird) when after about 4 hours of gurgling it kicked in! It is grim but you will get through it. Chugging the vile stuff down is the only way to go, using a straw also helps. I had a very strange concern that I would still be pooing during/after the procedure but it has never happened.

Be warned, they give you the weirdest paper pants with a back flap to them.

Take the sedative if they offer it, and they should offer it. You can’t drive or sign legal documents for 24 hours after though. I have lost count of the number of these I’ve had now and I remember very little of any of it.

It’s an unpleasant way to get answers but at least you get the answers. Good luck OP

Luredbyapomegranate · 25/04/2023 21:15

If it’s gurgling that sounds like it’s working.. won’t be long.

Sympathies - it’s disgusting. The procedure is not so bad, but I would take the sedative. IME the experience the nurses do tend to say that no one else has taken it today, but I don’t believe them - I think that’s it’s just because they have to hold onto you a bit longer post sedative.

LibbyL92 · 25/04/2023 21:15

also, 10 years ago I cried the whole way through my colonoscopy. Was on agony.

last week however I had sedation and it was a walk in the park! Much better than the prep! X

Original poster
Vomdotcom · 25/04/2023 21:18

LibbyL92 · 25/04/2023 21:06

What’s the prep called?

I had plenvu last week and I was the same. Just take it slowly and stay strong.

I don’t envy you I was in tears drinking this.

This is it plenvu ‘fruit punch’ flavour…
kill. Me. Now

OP posts:
Carla224 · 25/04/2023 21:20

Are you actually vomiting or wretching because you dislike the taste? Don't think you should be projectile vomiting from it - that doesn't sound normal. Is there a number you can call?

You don't need to camp out in the loo - you won't or shouldn't feel at all ill. I wouldn't leave the house after taking it but as long as there's a vacant loo nearby you'll be fine.

It's not that bad, I found it all quite funny really. DH was laughing while I was singing on the loo to try and drown out the noise.

It was fine, I didn't get stomach ache or anything like that - I just needed the loo!

Take the sedation for the op - I can't imagine this wouldnt be offered to you going private. The thought of it is worse than the actual thing. I was nervous and sedated and came round feeling like I was annoyed I'd been woken up from a lovely nap.

Wheeled back to my room, got dressed, had some tea and toast and then I was in the car with DH going back home.

Original poster
Vomdotcom · 25/04/2023 21:23

Carla224 · 25/04/2023 21:20

Are you actually vomiting or wretching because you dislike the taste? Don't think you should be projectile vomiting from it - that doesn't sound normal. Is there a number you can call?

You don't need to camp out in the loo - you won't or shouldn't feel at all ill. I wouldn't leave the house after taking it but as long as there's a vacant loo nearby you'll be fine.

It's not that bad, I found it all quite funny really. DH was laughing while I was singing on the loo to try and drown out the noise.

It was fine, I didn't get stomach ache or anything like that - I just needed the loo!

Take the sedation for the op - I can't imagine this wouldnt be offered to you going private. The thought of it is worse than the actual thing. I was nervous and sedated and came round feeling like I was annoyed I'd been woken up from a lovely nap.

Wheeled back to my room, got dressed, had some tea and toast and then I was in the car with DH going back home.

I’m being a bit melodramatic, the first bit did make me sick, and I’ve got a really sensitive gag reflex/ mouth to funny tastes, so brought it all back up…I think it’s the texture too… it’s slightly thicker than water so it’s disconcerting and it’s lots of fluid on an empty tummy that always makes me feel queasy
the straw however has been a game changer, I mean it’s making me wretch and question my existence but

OP posts:
Original poster
Vomdotcom · 25/04/2023 21:23

^ it’s going down… I do feel sick though

OP posts:
Hopper123 · 25/04/2023 21:30

I sympathise completely it's revolting and very hard to drink that much of it. I found having a few gulps of that and then having a few sips of warm bouillon mixture in between helped (a bit like man vs food when they have salty fries to offset the sweetness of a ridculously huge dessert amd help them finish it). Hope you manage to get it all down amd that your procedure goes well tomorrow.