Colonoscopy plenvu prep

[bobkate]

I am mid way through trying to get the first dose of this godawful stuff down me.
I have always had issues with drinking certain textured things, anything gloopy is out, milkshakes, smoothies, etc. I actually only really drink hot water now as I even struggle with really cold liquid. Fizzy is also a no no. Just makes me gag.
Anyway the first dose is 500ml. I have managed 350ml in 1 hr.
I knew this would be an issue so since Saturday I have limited my diet to white toast in the morning, smooth soup for dinner and lunch and just hot water.
Had consommé type soup yesterday and today so I feel like there's bog all to get rid of anyway.
My question is...it says to drink the first dose, which is 500ml, in half hr. Well, it's taken me an hr to get 350ml done. I then need to do dose 2 in a couple of hrs time. I have already had a couple of clear outs since I started at 5pm.
Do I need to keep trying to get the rest of dose 1 down me based on what I've eaten/not eaten since Saturday.
It honestly is the most disgusting thing 😭 and I am feeling very sorry for myself. Colonoscopy is in the morning.

You have to drink all the dose so you are just "producing" very clear yellow water.

Some people use straws to help. Others gulp it down asap. Like they are on "I'm a celeb" 😂

Otherwise they won't be able to carry out the colonoscopy unfortunately.

Keep going. You can do this!!

Yeah it’s grim isn’t it, but yes, you need to persevere and drink the lot.
Good luck for tomorrow.

Hi, this was me 24 hours ago. The preparation is awful, l drank mine cold and broke it down into 250ml every 15 mins. I mixed some squash with it to try and make it better, used a straw.

l had procedure today hd was advised that l had excellent preparation which made their job easier.

l hope it goes well - take care

Thanks..... I am literally 'peeing' yellowness...it's coming out like a stream of wee for want of a better description...sorry, that's a but grim. I will persevere but my god, I think I'll make the next lot now as I can't see I'll get the first lot done before the next dose needs to start.

I am using a straw and having to alternate between a sip of that and a sip of juice. The gurlges coming from within are pretty epic though 🤣

Gurlges?? Gurgles!

I knew I'd have trouble with prep. I asked for picolax. It's much less to take.

I wish I'd had the foresight!

Hope you have managed to get through your preparation, l know at one point last night l felt wretched, but that did go away. I felt drained but an enormous sense of relief when l had finished the preparation.

Try and get as much sleep/rest as you can

Thanks all. I have done it!! The second was definitely less grim so I managed that quite well( well, that's a bit of a stretch but it went down quicker!). I have cameras both top and tail so going to take the sedation if offered. Then come home and go straight back to bed!

Well done and good luck today.

Going to bed after a sedation feels like the best sleep ever !!

Thanks all. Back home and can confirm the prep was by far the worst part! Had no recollection of the top end and only vague feelings during the bottom. And my prep was deemed excellent! Whoo hoo!
Now curled up on the sofa watching Bake Off.

It definitely is the worst part. I had to take my second dose at 5 am which was a bit of trial.

Just a tip in case there's a next time, or for others. Don't worry about getting it down in half an hour. Start earlier and take longer, just make sure you finish the dose at the right time.

It's like getting a gold star when they say your prep was good! It's even better when they don't find anything sinister - I hope that was the case for you.

i know someone who didnt take the prep and had the procedure refused so awful as it is then its worth it

Thanks...I 'think' it looked okay...they've taken quite a few biopsies so don't know what that means. Mild gastritis but no symptoms of that so. No polyps. Will see what the follow up phone appt says.

Hi @bobkate
Just found your thread from the other day while searching for what to do if you can't get the plenvu down 😂

Got 200ml to go, it's taken me an hour to get this far. Absolutely vile stuff.

Just wanted to ask you something if you don't mind, as you've had the same 2 procedures in having tomorrow.

I'm feeling absolute terror about the gastroscopy so it's amazing to hear you don't remember it. Were you awake when they put the tube down? Can you actually be sedated for that part? Oddly I'm not too bothered about the tail end but really struggling with the idea of the camera going down my throat!

Then again, can't be any worse than drinking plenvu...

It was the oddest feeling...they said just let yourself drift off, and I remember thinking I don't feel dozy at all. Next thing I am vaguely aware of some movement around my bum but almost dreamlike. Next thing I remember was being back in the main wardy bit and she said have a nap for half hr or so, it's all done. When I woke, I said are you sure you did the throat one as had no recollection of it at all. She said most people forget that one totally, and often ask if it was actually done!
Good luck for yours. The 2nd sachets of the prep were far easier I found but still rough.
I would 100% recommend the sedation. Meant it was easy as pie that bit.
Good luck x

Oh and they say you often don't remember as they do the throat first so yes, take the sedation and hopefully you'll be blissfully unaware of anything like I was!! X

Thank you so much for replying @bobkate!
That has actually eased my mind so much ❤️
I actually thought I'd have to physically swallow the tube before I went to sleep, so that's absolutely amazing if not the case.

100% taking the sedation, I'd have them knock me right out if I could 😆

No problem. I really hope yours goes as smoothly as mine x

I had to do this last week and looked for threads on MN beforehand to find out what people did. So I'll add my experiences as it might be helpful for other people.

I made up both doses in advance and put them in the fridge with the second dose at the back (I still panicked I'd taken them in the wrong order so maybe label them!).

I made up ice cubes and when it came to drinking it I added ice cubes, used a straw and drank a sip of apple juice with each sip. I spent an hour on the first dose and then waited for something to happen. And waited. And waited.

Four hours later, nothing. I decided to start the second dose and about half way through had action. Finally. Took about 45 minutes to get through the second dose although I had a bit of a break in the middle to visit the loo!

My appointment was at 8.30am and they had suggested taking the prep at 8pm and then 5am. I actually followed some instructions from Imperial College NHS which said 5pm and 9pm as I was worried about getting to the hospital if I started taking the second dose the following morning. Prep was deemed adequate - not sure if it could have been better but my notes also say the procedure was straightforward so couldn't have been that bad :)

I started the procedure without sedation (just the back end for me) but it was quite uncomfortable so had sedation half way through. They found and removed one benign looking polyp and took a few biopsies to check for IBD. Results due in a couple of weeks.

I hope that helps someone.

Thank you!

Thankfully, I got through it and they didn't find any abnormalities which was such a relief.

They did the bottom end first for me, something about the availability of the scopes. I found the colonoscopy quite uncomfortable but bearable, I had some gas and air. Apparently I have a very loopy bowel so it was painful and I am left with quite bad lower back pain this evening.

The throat I was absolutely terrified of but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I do remember the scope going in and did gag on it a few times but once it has gone past the back of my throat it was bearable and my memory of that part is foggy.

The sheer relief of it being over though 😅 I got myself so wound up about it I've barely slept the last few nights so I am now off to bed for a really good rest!

Glad to hear it's over for you! I had wind for a few days afterwards and period-type pain and it took some digging into google to find that that is normal for women, the official info I was given said 24 hours.