Tips for colonoscopy prep

[foreverchangingnappies]

Ive got one booked next week (finally) and I’m honestly terrified about it! More so the prep than actually having it done..

Any top tips to do in the days leading up to it to make it better? Luckily I can be home all afternoon!

also the actual procedure… does it hurt? I’m having sedation but still a little worried it will hurt.

I have had several. For some reason I prefer to just chug down the prep (I put lemon and lime cordial in it) in double quick time, I ignore all the rules about every hour or whatever. I get it into me as quickly as possible. I don't find it that awful at all.

I do have a stash of adult incontinence pants (like baby swimmers) and honestly, they are the best thing ever. No worries about soiling the bed/chair or whatever, and double confidence on the way into the hospital in (someone else's) car aswell, just in case!.

I suppose the volume of prep is the hardest bit, not so much the taste for me. So that's why I get it into me asap.

I couldn't tell you anything about the procedure. I'm totally knocked out with the glorious mix of Midazolam and Fentanyl. I would never do it without the sedation. Never.

chill the prep and have ice-cold 7 up or similar ready as well. Sip from each to get it down.

Take the drugs.

I really didn't find it that bad.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I’m going to try to have just white toast and white pasta from Tuesday (my procedure is Friday) so I’m hoping that will make the prep a little more bearable!

Will find something to use as a chaser to make it more bearable and will definitely use a pad for reassurance - what a great idea!

Don’t use your favourite drink as a chaser I was off irn bru for a good few months after mine. I preferred it really really cold and just chugged it back like I was in a drinking competition! Make sure it’s well mixed as well, I used a milk frother thing.

The prep is actually fine. Down it nice and quick but really take note when it says be near the loo. For me, the urge to go to the loo came v v quickly! The clear out was good in that I wasn't in the loo all night. Just felt like I had been flushed through. Was nice to feel lighter! Good luck x

Don't make plans to leave the house you won't be able to. Don't panic if it takes longer to start or stop then you think trust the process. I found keeping the prep as cold as possible helped. The prep is definitely worse then the procedure. Be prepared that whatever flavour you get if your anything like me you won't be able to eat or drink that flavour again for months years. Also don't sneeze or cough 🙈🤣

Mine is next week too. I have had two before so feeling well versed in the prep but I have a work meal the day before, hours before starting the prep, which may be an issue.

I also don't have anyone to pick me up so I don't know whether to do it without sedation so I can drive myself and avoid having to pay for a taxi. I've always had sedation before so it makes me nervous!

I drank the prep ice cold with lots of ice in it. And I used a straw. Mine was mango flavour and super sweet so it made me gag. I used peppermints to suck on after every drink I took.

I'd no farting afterwards!

I don't think you can get a taxi home on your own. You need an adult to accompany you and stay with you for a while or overnight. Maybe check the hospital rules as they won't let you go without someone to accompany you.

Otherwise you might need to do it without sedation and maybe just Entonox or similar. If you think you can do this, go for it. Sorry to put you off, but I couldn't go without sedation, but you are probably far braver than me! Good luck anyway.

They won't let you get a taxi if you have sedation. Also you are supposed to have someone with you over night. I didn't but was fine!

Decaf coffee chaser for the prep. I found it took the taste away which was very needed as it was so difficult to drink. The decaf coffee was a palate cleanser for me personally and made it bearable!

oh, also, they say the prep should work within a certain time, but mine took much longer to work, I started drinking the prep in the morning and didn’t start emptying my bowels until 4am the day of the procedure. But all was fine. The procedure itself is uncomfortable, farty and odd, but interesting to watch on the screen!

Oh gosh so glad you told me that as I forgot that going in a taxi wouldn't be allowed!

There would be someone with me afterwards, but I was trying to save DH from having to drag the 2 DCs out to come and pick me up, it's a fairly long road trip. Back to the drawing board!

The prep was grim and I swore if I ever had to do it again I would starve myself beforehand to minimise the amount in my system.
It was an unpleasant drink but I got it down with squash.
I think I started at 6pm
There were two doses and the first dose hadn't "worked" by the time I took the second a couple of hours later. Then it started and I was up until 1am.

I recommend a pad or pull up in case of accidents. It's not like regular diarrhoea it's just pure liquid.

Try to have a low fibre/ low residue diet for as long as you can stomach it for the week before or longer if you can.
Think of it as clean before the big clean.

Take the sedation.

The wind pain afterwards can be bad. Mine was, but when I had it the second time was not as bad( they abandoned the 1st due to pain).

I was told by the second doctor that it was ?diathermy burns,and they used clips instead, and there was hardly any pain (Polyps).

Have fizzy drinks at home for after as it helps to ' get the wind out'. Also some windeze from home bargains just incase.

Buy a douche or baby wipes and cream, as bum gets sore. And a pad for accidents. Expect to be in the bathroom for hours, I sat on toilet watching netflix half asleep 🤣

The procedure is not as bad as the prep. So once you're through that ( 2 x 1 hours) you're plain sailing.

keep the mix cold with a couple of ice cubes. Straw. And a chaser drink. Sip sip sip and keep going! It does end eventually

I’ve had loads of colonoscopies as I have a FH of bowel cancer . Strongly suggest : drinking the prep cold / using a straw/ sucking on a wedge of lemon straight after each sip of the prep . Lemon is brilliant for disguising the ghastly taste . Sorry it’s ghastly . Lots water . Vaseline for sore bottom . But best of all have a very low residue diet for several days before - more than they say - as you will have less poo to pass . PS I’m a GP as well as a colonoscopy survivor!

Hi - I recommend the "mixer" approach recommended above but what I would say is switch to the recommended diet 5 days before rather than 3 (like PP has said...) - that way, I personally found the Plenvu prep very easy and effective (was graded "excellent" on the report). I did stock up on jelly and sweets etc. but found I didn't really crave them - but best to prepare. I thought I'd be hungry but that wasn't the case - even afterwards I had to be persuaded to each something.

As for the procedure, I had this under Propofol (I turned down the standard sedation using Midazolam/Fentanyl as I wanted NO awareness at all) so I can't comment on this as I was totally out (so I suppose that is the comment). It instantly wears off so zero hangover effect as well.

Best of luck!

Thanks all! I started low fibre diet yesterday and will take the prep Thursday (3pm and 6pm) booked in first thing Friday. I’ve been mostly eating white bread, cheese and pasta so hopefully will manage the prep ok! I’m dreading it but will have to get through it!

Thinking of doing apple juice (from concentrate) with it as I believe it counts as a clear drink?

Thanks to a medical condition I have to do this every year. I'm a real foodie and hate the bland food bit. I've found that you can make the food much tastier without fibre if you use distilled flavours. So for example, you can buy garlic infused oil to cook your chicken breast. Or make a lovely stock with mushrooms and vegetables, strain it carefully and you have a fairly tasty risotto. Also there is a fish sauce called beurre blanc using distilled onions or shallots - you can Google the recipe it's very easy - that is absolutely delicious and makes you feel like it's a treat meal and not deprivation.

I agree with others about having a long lead in. I usually start reducing fibre at least five days before. But I will still have some colour in my diet up to two days before the prep. Strained tomato juice has always been ok for me, as well as peeled, cored, cucumber and courgette and well boiled carrots. I'll be really strict on the final day though. Obviously this is not medical advice, just what has worked for me - I've typically been told that my prep is excellent 🤩

I second everyone who's said to buy tena pants and use vaseline from the start!

I had this last week and was so grateful for all the tips on MN.

I'm not sure that apple juice will be strong enough to get rid of the taste of the prep solution as it is very salty and disgusting.

I bought this and so pleased I did as I could have it as strong as I wanted and it tasted really nice (unlike squash which tastes awful when it is too strong):

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/264510637

Belvoir Elderflower Cordial 500Ml

I took one sip of the prep using a straw and immediately took a sip of the cordial, again using a straw. I really looked forward to the cordial as it was so nice, that I quickly forgot about the prep solution and it felt like a reward to look forward to after the sip of prep.

I also put lots of vaseline just after I had taken the prep and had no issues.

I also wore Tena pants which were very handy in bed and when travelling to my appointment which was in the pm and so I took the second dose first thing in the morning.

The instructions said that I should stop going to the loo around 2 hours after my second dose, but I was still going 6 hours later! I am not sure why.

The actual procedure was fine, I had sedation, but did not feel sedated at all and my stomach just felt a bit full up with air, no pain at all.

Oh, and don't use toilet paper or wipes, get one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YDQTRWB?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1

HappyPo XL Easy-Bidet 2.0 - Portable Handheld Bidet Sprayer for Travel, No Battery Required, Gentle Water Cleansing, Ideal for Menstrual Care, Postpartum, and as a Poo Spray for Toilet - Petrol Color

This really helped me as I could have it as strong as I wanted:

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/264510637

Mine is tomorrow (pm) and I am quite worried about getting there if I am still needing the loo at this time (I was planning to go by public transport which would take an hour or so). I may have to play it by ear.

I didn't find the solution that bad last time but it wasn't this mango plenvu one. I'm starting it in a minute and a bit scared especially as I already have nausea as it is. Urghhh. I've been a bit too relaxed about the whole thing and haven't planned any specific drink to have with it or anything. I even went up to London for work today and didn't have ready access to low fiber food so I have not eaten since breakfast. I am starving already.

Add to it a particularly heavy period, ai am going to be a shadow of a (weak) woman by tomorrow. I can do this!!

Ps - and I hope it's ok to ask here OP - but if anyone else has any decent prep recipes or meal ideas please do share them. I've gotten much better at making things tasty since I started doing this every year but I'm sure I could still do better and I really want to as I'm going to be doing this for the rest of my life!

Can you get some tena incontinence pants for your journey to the hospital?