Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

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Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby Jackmaniac » 23 Mar 2013, 06:44

So i'm having a colonoscopy next week to see if my fissure is really a fissure or not. They're having me do the Miralax/Ducolax prep, so i'm looking for some tips on how people have dealt with the prep in the past from causing more damage.
I have two close family members with ulcerative colitis, so my doctor wouldn't let me get away with just a sigmoid :(
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby suzyljank » 23 Mar 2013, 06:50

Hi, eat light 2 days before and lubricate before you have a BM. It really helps. I still tore a little with my colonoscopy. I wish I would have asked them to use a pediatric scope, they're smaller. Hope everything goes well for you. Suzy
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby jr2 » 23 Mar 2013, 10:32

My gastro. says he allows patients to do a three-day liquids only diet fast with two enemas the morning of the procedure. He says it's enough for him to be able to see what he needs to see to rule out ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, and in fact can be helpful because the preps themselves can cause inflammation and ulcers that can look like IBD but is really just a reaction to the prep.
If your GI won't go for that (probably not many will...my doctor is awesome at working around problems and being flexible, but it's still worth asking), the best you can do is as Suzy suggested above. Eat light, use lots of Vaseline, and try to get in some sitz baths in between waves of diarrhea.
The GI docs won't let you use a pediatric scope because it isn't long enough to see the entire length of the colon of an adult so you're still at some risk of tearing with the actual procedure.
Good luck!
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby Jackmaniac » 23 Mar 2013, 18:14

Mine originally was gonna have me do SUPREP, but then mentioned that the dose doesn't vary between a 100lb vs a 300lb person. So he changed it to miralax prep. My sister started having colonoscopies at age 10 and she did the miralax one then, so I think it can be a bit gentler (I hope).
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby guiness » 26 Mar 2013, 19:06

Eat soft foods and not too much and you wont have to drink all 14 doses of miralax maybe. It doesnt hurt though... No cramps. The colonoscopy you are asleep for... I was really nervous but afterwards had no recollection of any of it. I just woke up in the recovery room. It was kinda funny. I was hurting though yesterday but much better today. Take two advil and break the fast with steamed green veggies like spinach or non citrus fruit, like cantaloupe. Eat soft and take stool softeners as your body gets used to food again.
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby guiness » 26 Mar 2013, 19:07

Oh yeah, eat some yogurt in case you flushed out good bacteria during prep.
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby Jackmaniac » 26 Mar 2013, 19:18

Thanks. I tried to eat fairly light today, although i've had more BM's that normal today, so I've been eating a bit more cause I already feel empty and weak. Tomorrow I do the clear liquids and prep.
Kinda wish I wasn't having it done now, cause I've been feeling pretty great the last few days. But the discomfort varies a lot day by day. But I think I might have a solitary rectal ulcer in addition to a fissure, so it really has to be done. I don't go in till 330, so it'll be a long two days without food.
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby Jackmaniac » 27 Mar 2013, 19:28

So this is unexpected. Been 4 hours since I started the prep and it's not really working. Dammit!
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby jr2 » 27 Mar 2013, 20:20

That happened to me one time with one of my preps. Then it all came on me at one time and never stopped all night long. I didn't know how I was going to make it to the actual appointment as I was still going by the time I had to get in the car to leave.
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Re: Colonoscopy Prep Tips ?

Postby Jackmaniac » 27 Mar 2013, 21:01

finally starting. i had even started it early in hopes i'd be done by now and get to sleep. i'm gonna take the morning half early. although, it really wouldnt be bad if it werent for the nausea. zofran isn't helping much
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