# Psyllium husks the week before colonoscopy?



## Knyttet (Oct 21, 2013)

Hi everyone.

I'm gonna have my first colonoscopy next Wednesday. According to the instructions I got from the hospital, I should avoid foods containing seeds one week before the colonoscopy. I just realized this morning, that I hadn't thought about the fact that my psyllium husk supplement actually consists of seeds too! I used I the last time yesterday morning (that is Friday). But is psyllium husk the same as normal seeds? I mean, they help cleansing my bowels.. they shouldn't get stuck in there. I'm afraid that I'll be constipated if I quit it now. I am using Smartlax at the same time and together with psyllium it helped me get rid of the terrible constipation I was suffering from.

Now if psyllium husks are not allowed, is it really bad that I messed this up?  I'm usually so good at following instructions but I've just been so exhausted lately, I did not think of this. I don't want this to cause complications, I've waited so long to get this colonoscopy done!


----------



## Knyttet (Oct 21, 2013)

Okay, now I found a confirmation that you should quit using fiber supplements 7-10 days before the procedure. Gaahhh. What do I do now. I've waited a month for this appointment and it's really important for me to get it done asap. Why why why did I have to screw this up


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

why don't you call the hospital or your doctor's office and ask them. that way you'll get expert advice and answers to all your questions. when i had my colonoscopy, in the instruction information they gave me there was a phone number to call if you had any questions. and believe, they are used to getting calls and questions about all this. i know it's saturday and your doctor's office is probably closed (although maybe you can leave a message) but the hospital might be taking calls.

good luck with everything. hope you can still go ahead with it or if you can't and you have to be reschuduled, hope the wait isn't too long.


----------



## Knyttet (Oct 21, 2013)

thanks for your reply, Annie. I thought about calling but the only place I could call would be my hospital's emergency sector and I don't know how helpful they would be.. I'm gonna call the gastro clinic on Monday. I really hope it's enough to have 5 days without the psyllium before the procedure.. I really can't bare to wait for a rescheduled appointment 

Thank you!


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh yes--I hope five days without psyllium will be ok too and fingers crossed it goes as scheduled.


----------



## PD85 (Aug 19, 2010)

I highly doubt that anything you eat/drink before hand will have any effect on your colonoscopy after you've drank a gallon of that laxative stuff the night before to flush you out.


----------



## IBS is BS (Jul 2, 2012)

PD85 said:


> I highly doubt that anything you eat/drink before hand will have any effect on your colonoscopy after you've drank a gallon of that laxative stuff the night before to flush you out.


Exactly!

Knyttet,

Psyllium would be through you in a maximum of 2 days anyway.

All the reduction in fibrous foods means is that they want the large intestine to be as empty as possible so that the intestinal wall lining is visible during the colonscopy.

You can either reduce the amount of fermentable foods (e.g. Fibrous foods and FODMAPs) or you can just do an enema the night before.
Preferrably just do both. But the 7 days is certainly an overstatement.

If on the whole day prior you consumed a low-fiber diet and then performed a enema or did a laxative drink on that night or the morning of the procedure, everything would be emptied from your large intestine just fine for the colonoscopy 

Don't worry!

Good luck


----------

