# Any tips?? please



## Guest (Nov 29, 2001)

I am in the process of drinking my gallon of the "electrolyte" prep. It took about 30 minutes to drink the first glass. After each drink, I gagged. Any tips on making this go down easier? Thanks


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## angelk753 (Oct 16, 2001)

i dont think there is an easy way.Put it in shot glasses and chug it.Chase it with something.anything


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

I wasn't allowed to chase mine with anything, so you might not want to do that without your dr's ok. I think I heard someone talk about swishing something around in your mouth but spitting it out if you're not allowed to drink anything else?I know it's gross, and you have my full sympathy.One caution: If your gagging turns into vomiting and you lose much of the liquid before it starts to work, call your dr. I threw up a whole bellyful and wasn't going to be cleaned out in time for my test, so we had to postpone it. If this happens, call your dr's answering service to see what he wants you to do. Depending on the time of the test, you may be ok.Good luck. Drinking that stuff really is the worst part of it, I think. Make sure you've got some good reading material, maybe a puzzle book or two if you like those, to keep you occupied while you're on the toilet for the rest of the night. If you haven't already, but a pillow and a blanket or two in the bathroom before the emptying starts. I think some people put a small TV in there. A radio can be nice too. It's just easier to stay in your little nest there if you don't need to be on the toilet at the moment, because you will before long.The procedure is a BREEZE compared to the prep. So don't worry about that, just get the prep over with, and then you'll be done with that for hopefully a long time.Good luck!


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## vikee (Feb 5, 2000)

Abdun, If you didn't get through this ask your Doctor about other preparations for a colonoscopy.Let us know what happens.I copied these posts other people have made about alternatives to the gallon yucky drink:ï¿½I made a point of finding a good gastroenterologist that did not require drinking a gallon of that awful Golytley stuff. I was required to follow a 24 hour clear liquid diet the day before the procedure, and drink 2 -10 oz bottles of calcium citrate and take 4 ducolat tabs. This cleaned me out completely.ï¿½"Upon rising, nothing but clear liquids (broth, jello,popsicles,clear juices, soda) the entire day. At 3:00 pm I drank the first of the 2 10oz bottles of calcium citrate. At 6:00, I drank the 2nd bottle - at the same time taking 4 Ducolat tablets. The colonoscopy was done at 11:30 am the next morning (couldn't get it scheduled any earlier that morning!} Apparently I was sufficiently cleaned out. I was surprised to find it didn't taste all that bad. Kind of like a mixture of club soda and tonic water. It was sort of a sweet and sour fizzy taste."ï¿½There is a liquid preparation called ï¿½Fleet Phospho-Sodaï¿½ which is less to drink. Two different times you mix the stuff of 1.5 ounces (each time) with some water. Then you drink clear liquids. If you use this be sure to drink lots of liquids and ask the Doctor about taking Ducolax too.ï¿½ï¿½It helps if you stay on a liquid diet for two days.ï¿½"Hold your nose or stuff it with cotton so that you do not smell the stuff you swallow.""After drinking the stuff rinse your mouth with mouth wash or suck on a lemon."


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## angelk753 (Oct 16, 2001)

sorry about the chaser info.i wasnt aware that you couldnt do that.I used a diffrent prep


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2001)

Hi everyone,Thanks for all the tips....I managed to drink a little over half of the gallon in 8.5 hours. I had to stop then as it was getting close to midnight - the time I could not have any more liquids. Luckily, the half of gallon was enough to clean me out. The colonoscopy was a breeze. I do not remember anything after turning on my side. The next thing I remember is a nurse waking me up. They did not find anything unusual and I was told to make an appointment with my primary doctor. So... basically, I still do not know what is causing my troubles and why I have such a difficult time eating food as no diagnosis or next steps were provided. Thanks again.


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## vikee (Feb 5, 2000)

I'm so glad you were able to drink it and get cleaned!Happy everything else went well!I used to have problems eating. I was hungry and not hungry at the same time. I couldnï¿½t eat a lot at one time and was often nauseous.When I was put on an tricyclic antidepressant for headaches my eating problem was solved. For some reason I still need a low dose of an tricyclic antidepressant (Desipramine) or I get strange feelings about eating.I also have IBS and lower intestine problems. Fiber supplements help me a lot!I hope you find out what problem causes your symptoms.







Vikee


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2001)

I know it's too late to be telling you this, but maybe it will help someone else. I had a colonoscopy about a month ago, and someone here had mentioned rinsing out your mouth with Sprite (or 7Up) after each drink, then spitting it out. It helped so much to do that! It stopped the gagging for me. I didn't swallow the Sprite, just rinsed out my mouth with it. It made the whole prep a lot more bearable.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

That's great that the test went well for you. The best part is, it's over!! And now you've got the good news of knowing it's nothing worse than IBS, but you've got the somewhat enigmatic IBS.Good luck with your journey. There is lots of good info on these boards.


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