This may come under the category of “TMI” but . . it’s real life and we talk about pretty much everything on here. Tomorrow is my regularly scheduled colonoscopy. I think they recommend having them every 10 years if you haven’t had any scary signs. This will be my first one to have since we moved here but it’s actually my fourth colonoscopy and hopefully, the next to last one.
If you have never had one, I encourage you to talk to your doctor about them. They aren’t bad . . you’re asleep for the whole thing. The prep . . oh, my goodness. It’s gotten SO much better . . unbelievably better.
I can remember the first time I had one and I sat in the bathroom, trying to drink whatever the nasty stuff was that I had to drink, and trying to keep that down. It wasn’t bad enough that it was doing what it was supposed to do but it was so sickening to have to drink it. The first two colonoscopies I had used that same stuff.
The third one was done in MO and the stuff I had to drink wasn’t quite as bad but it wasn’t good.
The stuff I’m drinking now . . it’s downright tasty. The doctor here has you use 119 g. Miralax, poured into 32 oz. Gatorade. You drink 8 oz. every 10 minutes . . four times. Then a couple of hours later, you do it all again.
I’m using the cherry flavored, but not red colored, Gatorade and after having had nothing to eat today, I’m loving this stuff.
The worst part of the colonoscopy . . everything in the fridge looks so good! I open the door and I see Dr. Pepper, cantaloupe, broccoli, leftover chicken, cabbage and corned beef.
I’m so thankful that the prep is so easy this time.
Cilla Tyler says
Adding some booze to the prep helps also!!!
Rebecca in SoCal says
Before my husband had his first colonoscopy, he was really dreading it. Everyone kept telling him the worst part was the prep, but he couldn’t believe that. He had to drink a gallon of “prep”! I had one near the same time, and found 1/2 gallon challenging.
Anyway, now that he’s been through it (twice), he dreads the prep more than the procedure, due at least in part to the drugs, I’m sure!
Linda says
What a coincidence, I had colonoscopy this morning. Glad it’s over. The procedure is a cake walk, but the prep is no fun. I had to do a two day prep. Not too much worse than one day except I was starving all weekend. After coming out of the twilight sleep, my husband said I teared up when they handed me a bag of ritz crackers. Then Starbucks after that for breakfast.
Nothing like getting the all is clear from the doctor too.
Good luck tomorrow, Judy!
Carol says
that Gatorade prep would be a piece of cake. the stuff I had to drink before the one I just had was downright vile. part of it the evening before, then up at 3am for the rest of it. that was awful when you don’t think you can even keep it down–and no more sleep obviously until the procedure. have never heard of that Gatorade mix.
Terri Schanz says
I’ve had a half dozen colooscopies in the last 20 years. The last one was 3 years ago and I’m was good for 10 years now. The preps have changed over the years. The last one was pretty easy. Just an 8 oz bottle of mag citrate that tasted kind of like 7-Up and then some pills.
Nelle Coursey says
I hated the “Go Lightly” not only because you don’t go lightly, but the taste was so bad! The last glass I had to drink was so bad I threw it up. The one I had this time was so much better! It was not that bad. and as you know the procedure was a snap because I was at knitting shortly after!
Mary M says
The prep is so different depending on the doctor. My last one was in January and involved a 6 oz bottle of prep mixed with 16 oz of water and then 16 more oz of water within the hour at 12 hours before the procedure and repeated at 5 hours before. The prep taste was so much better than the original stuff. Also, a liquid diet starting 24 hours before but no restrictions on color (red and purple were fine) and milkshakes and blended (smooth) yogurts were encouraged. Not bad at all.
Joan says
I only had to take a couple of pills before my last one! So much easier than the nasty drinks!
Sherrill Pecere says
I did like Terri..the mag citrate and pills but the mag citrate for me was HORRIBLE. It was so salty and gagged me! I’m up again next year. First time I had it, I had to back in a year. I was so mad. Then I waited 3 years and then this next year. Sure hope this next time will be the time I don’t have to go for 10 yrs AND hope I get the Gatorade prep!! LOL
Verna A. says
Best wishes for a good outcome! I just had my second one done. For the first, I drank a gallon of that crap the day before, and it was all good (well, as good as it gets!). Last time, I was to drink half of the gallon the day before, and the rest starting 4 AM the day of the procedure. It didn’t work! I had to start over and drink another gallon of the stuff. Thankfully it worked this time, and I was finally able eat the next day after the procedure (2 1/2 days without food!). I’m happy so many here have had the test. My father had colon cancer, and I wish he had had one sooner.
montanaclarks says
The prep was so bad it will be a cold day in h*ll before I have another colonoscopy!! There has to be a better way!
Cilla Tyler says
Yep!!! I agree!!!! It’s been 15 years since my last one and probably will be my last. The prep was horrible. I fell going up the stairs to bed due to dehydradation.
cassews says
Interesting .. Our Doc said no colonoscopy if your ummm poop test comes back negative. My hubs had to have one as his test came back positive and they did find polyps. So now he has to have one every 3 years.
Wanda says
The pills are the best . Also my gastro Dr side mix stuff with Crystal light. That was a big improvement ,when did that but do pills now Good luck and enjoy the rest you’ll have afterwards
Jeri Niksich says
Lost my Mom to Colon Cancer years ago, when I finally found a family doctor he informed me of how high at risk I was of getting the same. So a “Flex Sig” was done and at the very beginning the Dr. Seen polyps, so I was sent to an Oncologist. The prep was that nasty Go Litely, HA what a laugh….to go politely. I was 31 at the time and the polyps were what would have been seen in a 45yr old woman so I had to have a colonoscopy every year for 4yrs! Talk about fun…NOT! I’m now down to every 5 years HOORAY! But I have to say this last time I had to see a general surgeon and he did NOT put me under!! That was so painful that I will gladly drink 2 gallons of Go Litely just to be put to sleep during the next one. What a horror story that was!
Ruth says
My husband just did his colonoscopy last Friday! The 1 gallon Rx liquid he had to drink said to make it up and put it in the fridge 24 hrs before, it’s much better cold. He was able to drink all of his prep, evening before and morning of. When I had my colonoscopy I couldn’t get the last of the prep down at all. I just choked on it. But, neither of us has to go back for ten years, YAY!! Good Luck and don’t give in to the fridge food!!
Karen Sutton says
I’m with you on the prep. Go Lightly was the first prep and what a misnomer that is! I’m having one in the next several weeks – the procedure is a piece of cake, the prep, not so much:)
Joyce says
I had my first colonoscopy earlier than most people because of a history of colon cancer in the family. The first time it was the gallon of nasty, but my doctor did prescribe some pills to take at the beginning to kill your gag reflex. It’s probably the only thing that helped me get that stuff down. I remember you were supposed to drink 8 oz every 20 minutes. By the end, it was taking me 20 minutes just to drink the 8 oz. My last colonoscopy was so much better! There was only about a liter that you had to drink at a time. 1 liter in the evening and 1 in the morning. They told me to mix in Crystal Light lemonade mix and any clear soda I wanted (Sprite/7-up) and to chill it. I also found that it was much easier to drink if I used a straw. I could get the straw fairly far back in my mouth, so I barely tasted it, and that helped a lot.
Good luck with your appointment, and just think of all the yummy food you can have afterwards!
Lee says
I was due for my 2nd one last year…I’m still procrastinating because the prep “beverage” was so bad, and the “go” inflamed, ahem (TMI), those other things they created Prep H for ; /. I’ve seen a stool sample method advertised on television (in lieu of the colonoscopy) and think I’d rather try that if I could convince the doc to do that first. Right now, I’m well over a year late in my other annual tests too.