# The process has begun...



## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

I have begun my colonscopy prep. Mine is monday at 8 a.m. I ate my last meal at 5:30. I had my 10 oz of magnesium citrate at 7:30 (actually drank whole thing which I don't usually do). And the bathroom "runs" have begun. For such a little bottle of fluid, I have been to bathroom 3x already and my tummy continues to rumble. I actually do a little cheat now and have a cup of tea w/a couple cookies. This is to stave off starvation tomorrow. Many people are surprised I have to start my prep on sat night for a monday test. I assume it is because I don't do the "lytely" drinks? I'd never make it to monday a.m. I'll update tomorrow. Off for my tea.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

It's 12:30 a.m. and I'm HUNGRY! still have all sunday to go. Oh boy. I'll go drink a big glass of water and try to sleep til 11:00 a.m. the time for my next prep.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

It's sunday 12:30 pm. Had a fairly good night. I took a lorazepam before bed, so that helped me sleep. I did get up 2x for a quick "run." but slept midnight til 11 pm. (with 2 more runs in the morning). At noon, took the 1 1/2 oz fleet phospho soda w/lemonade. THAT'S the stuff that kills me. I have gone 5-6 x already. Stomach feels awful. Headache, naseau. Next time I do this, I have to ask if there is something other than phospho. I'm supposed to do again at 5:30 but will depend on whether I am going "clear" or not. If I am, I may do 1/2 or none and just do dulcolax at 8. I see here where people take magazines/books into bathroom w/me. My "runs" are different. I run in, sit down have a quick 10 seconds of liquid. That's it. So (excuse my language here)wipe, wash hands take all settled and then 5 min. later same thing. It's exhausting. Do you guys just sit there between runs? Or do you continually go???


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## 22560 (Aug 31, 2006)

Sounds like you're surviving ok!Good luck with everything. Not looking forward to my prep later this week - 2 dulcolax Tuesday night, 4 more Wednesday, and half-lytely.Hope it goes easy for you!


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## 21047 (Apr 22, 2005)

I started earlier too! I'm about to begin drinking my Myralax stuff, I already took the 4 pills...nothing yet. I'm just getting cranky because I'm hungry. That's my only problem.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

it sounds like in both your preps you take the dulcolax 1st...which would make sense. I read the package and it says it works in 6-12 hours. My prep has me taking it last. At 8 pm tonight. Well my thing is tomorrow at 8 am. I don't really want to be going then do I? I'll probably take earlier, around 7. I'm assuming it's to clean out that last bit. However, I don't want to be doing it at 8!!Tiredcat: good luck w/yours. It sucks no matter how you look at it. I'm hoping mine goes well tomorrow so I don't have to hear the word "prep" for 3 years!Starlight-How are you? Hangning in there? I haven't really been hungry. I think because I feel so awful. It's after I take the fleet, it just wipes me out. I've been drinking water, gatorade and sucking on butterscotch lifesavers. I may have a banana popsicle soon. Something to look forward to. My stress is mine comes back out in spurts-literally. I go in, have a 2 second runs and then not have to go again for 3-5 min. So a lot of running back and forth. Oh well. At least I can still sit upright! Let me know how you're doing!


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## 21047 (Apr 22, 2005)

I'm actually feeling ok right now. Just tired because I haven't eaten all day/I've just been sitting around. I'm done drinking everything and I've gone bunches of times now, and it's basically clear when I go. So does that mean I'm pretty much cleaned out? Mine is the same way though. When I go it's just for a few seconds, and then I can go at least 10 minutes without having to go again. I knew the prep wouldn't be an issue for me. Now I'm just kinda worried about the test. I'm going to ask them to give me the lowest dose of anesthesia possible, because I really hate the idea of not remembering things. Not necessarily the procedure, but the ride home, etc.Hope things are going well for you!


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

Ya I feel the same way. I feel ok now. Just HUNGRY!!!!!! I'm going to go to bed soon and hopefully sleep through (ha). I just want to have it over with! I'm nervous they wont be able to finish it like last time. That would suck. I wish you luck! I'll check back tomorrow afternoon to see how things went and to share my story.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

oh yeah...i think once you go clear you can figure you're cleaned out. Mine's mostly clear, little yellow, hopefully that's good. I took my dulcolax at 7. Like I said, it doesn't make sense for me to take them at 8 when they work in 6-12 hours. My test STARTS at 8. Do they really want me having to go to the bathroom once the test starts? I don't think so.


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## 19407 (Aug 27, 2006)

Hi Ladies! I've been thinking of you both today and hoping you were doing okay. Hang in there. I hope you sleep well and that everything goes "smoothly" tomorrow! Please check in when you can so we know you are finished and recovering!


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## 21047 (Apr 22, 2005)

Well, mine's done and it was a piece of cake. The most annoying thing of the whole process was the wait time (appointment at 11:15 test didn't get started til like 12:15), and sticking in the needle for the IV. As soon as they gave me the anesthesia I felt my head get tingly and the next thing I knew someone was waking me up. It was all clear, they only found a few hemmroids, so I have to go back in 3 years because of my family history. Honestly on a scale of 1-10 of suckiness the whole thing was about a 4. The prep was the worst, but I didn't even mind it that much at all.Hope yours went well Lauri!


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

Mine's done also. Was ok. MUCH better than last time. I'm pretty sure they got a polyp. I know last year on my barium enema he thought there was a polyp. I heard him tell the nurse as he began that there was a "suspected polyp in the..." that's what they were going to get. Afterwards she told me he was able to go all the way. And that he took "something to biopsy" from the "c-..." which is at the end of the colon. I said "oh so they did find a polyp." She said yes he took something to biopsy. So I'm not sure what he found to be honest. I'll call his office tomorrow and ask secretary to find out for me. Bad part was I felt very weak and sick afterwards. Something they give me makes me naseaus. When I tried to leave the 1st time, I broke out in a cold sweat and they made me lay back down. Next chance I got, I bolted because I didn't want to be there all day. I had dry heaves for the next couple hours and then spit up the little bit of water I had drank. If my 1st experience was an 8 and may last a 0 I guess this was a 6. At least it's over. Now I only have to worry til friday when he tells me the results. Hopefully it's nothing. But I am very nervous. I glad your's went well starlight. Thanks to you and sassy lady for the support. Have you been able to eat yet? I had visions of going out to lunch w/hubby. Instead I had toast and tea at about 5. I was able to keep it down. We just ordered some supper. I'm gonna try a few bites of a grilled chicken wrap. I'm sure I won't get much down. I just feel lousy. It's the meds they give me. I think he said versed and something else. I'm sure it's one of those because it lingers for hours afterwards. Take care and thanks again!


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

Well I was right about the chicken wrap. 2 bites and I couldn't stomach it. I'll just have another round of toast. Still feel kind of groggy and yucky. I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow. Would love to call in sick, but is a bad time to do so. I'm already a day behind due to being out today. I'll play it by ear I guess. I'm just nervous now that the polyp will turn out to be cancerous. I don't know what I'll do then.







Think positive I guess. I'll check in later.


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## 19407 (Aug 27, 2006)

Starlight and Lauri ... Thanks for checking in ad letting us know how things went. Aren't you just so glad it's over. I swear that that waiting and worrying is the worst part of all. Lauri, I will keep you in my prayers and pray that the news is good news.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

You're absolutely right. The waiting and the worrying ARE the worst. I always worry about the unknown..."how will I handle the prep? will I be hungry? will I be sick? will they be able to do it?" then when it's over you think "why'd I worry?" This is my 1st experience actually having a polyp. I'm trying to be positive. I'm also interested in seeing how long my dr. gives me before the next colonscopy. When I had my 1st one and it went perfect-no polyps, he originally said 3 years. (I was expecting FIVE







) Then I called him 2 years later for another reason and he says "oh you are due for a c-scope." I said "OH NO-you said 3 years." He said "Ya, I changed my mind afterwards tho and said 2 instead." Does this mean he's going to make me do this every 2 years? That was after a GOOD c-scope. What about now that he found a polyp? Will he say 1 year?? Whenever they found polyps in my mom, she had to go back in a year. I hope not. I need a good few years before I do this again. That has me a little down. Isn't it funny? I'm more concerned about how many years he'll say, than I am about the polyp. How strange







thanks for your thoughts. I'll be in touch!


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## 22560 (Aug 31, 2006)

I'm glad you guys both had a good experience! I start my prep tonight, so it's good to hear non-horror stories.


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

Good luck! Check back in let us know how you made out.


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