# colonoscopy prep - ducolax and miralax



## phyllisfin

My colonoscopy is scheduled end of the month. Have had several in the past with different preps. This is a new one on me. With the miralax, you have to drink 10-14 glasses of the liquid (it's a powder mixed with liquid) every 20 minutes plus the ducolax tabs (2 at 4pm and 2 at 8pm day before the test). My concern is that this is a lot of liquid to drink. When I used to do the nulytly, I could never finish it. Has anyone done this ducolax/miralax prep? I'm thinking of calling my doctor and seeing if I can do the 4Willie prep (sure seems a lot easier, altho a lot longer, which is no problem for me). Any thoughts, anyone??? Thanks, Phyllis


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## Guest

I just scheduled by annual colonoscopy today..and my GI doc once again okayed the Dulcolax prep...she really has been pleased with the results. I still can't understand why more doctors don't use it...just six tablets spaced out over time, a modified diet for a couple of days, liquid diet before the test and your golden. Everytime I have to do a bowel prep I thank IBS board member CeCe for teaching me the Dulcolax prep procedure...and I thank my doctor for giving it a try...it works.


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## Guest

I've never done the Dulcolax cleansing prep and never heard of the 4Willie prep but I have done the Cherry flavored NuLytely prep - once. I told my gastro then I would "kill" before I would do any of the Lytely preps again. Just too too much liquid in too short a time and vomiting big time.I've used the just PhosphoSoda prep w/o the Dulcolax tabs and enema and I've used the Magnesium Citrate prep, both require a two day liquid diet but I do well with either of them.Last scope cleansing was early Monday morning and I even managed to go to a horse show on Saturday and Sunday and compete in one class each day. It was hot and humid both days so I probably didn't drink a whole lot more water and clear liquids than I would have anyway due to the heat and humidity. And I can guarantee you I would NOT have had any appetite to eat anything anyway it was that hot and humid so I didn't miss eating at all.We had our old camper w/us so I could relax in the air condtioning w/in sight of the arena to watch the other classes, and also had the convenience of a private "potty". My daughter did all the work with the horses and I went home in the evening to do my "thing" with the Magnesium Citrate. My gastro also scripted some phenergan for me so I didn't have to contend with nausea from the cleansing. It was the easiest cleansing yet. I took about a half hour to an hour each day to sip down my Mag Cit rather than drinking the 10 oz bottle quickly and that worked well too. The ole colon was squeaky clean!!! And I wasn't a miserable, nauseous, gagging mess or upchucking all over as I was with that one bout with NuLytely.


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## phyllisfin

4WillieC and Perplexed: thanks for yo ur response. I stopped by and then called my doctors' office. The nurse called back and said I had to do the miralax and allthe liquid. As it happened she left a message on my machine, so I didn't get a chance to talk to her. Since I have a bit of time before the procedure, am calling the doctor in the morning and see if I can get in to see her, very briefly, and see what else we can come up with. I noted on a site using the fleet phospo soda, using 2 dulcolax to start and then 1 oz of the phospo soda at 2 hour intervals in the evening. Even that makes more sense to me. I do like 4 Willie's prep, but don't know if the doc will go for it -- but I'll try. That one is the easiest one, even if it takes a bit longer. But considering that I'm not eating or drinking very much lately anyway, it is very doable for me. If I get any new info, I'll let you know. Thanks, Phyllis


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## Guest

When I went to my GI doc some years ago prior to ever having a colonoscopy, I made the prep described to me by CeCe that I have explained as a prerequisite to having the test...I respectfully requested it..but knew that if they said know I would not have the test...as it turned out, it saved my life. You are the patient and you should have control over the procedure up to the point of liability for the precedure itself. The prep I have described has been proven to be effective when followed to the letter...the light diet prior to the administration of the Dulcolax tablets is important to the success of the procedure. Much of the reluctance of doctors to use a new procedure is due to the sales pitches they get from pharmaceutical sales people, as well as being creatures of habit...and many of them simply don't care to try anything new...as for me...there are lots of doctors out there. If they don't work with me, I don't work with them.


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## Guest

I have my annual colonoscopy scheduled for the morning of the 5th of May..so we will get yet another chance to show what the special Dulcolax clean out can do....Plus I get to take the day off from work...a rare thing.


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## phyllisfin

I called but didn't get to talk to my gastro doc on Friday. So, come Monday, am going to leave a note for the doctor describing 3 possible scenarios for doing the cleansing, 2 involving the phospho soda (about which I'm not thrilled, but can handle) and the Ducolax, which sounds perfect. I will then see what she has to say, and ask her to leave the answer on my machine (assuming I'm not at home). I spent Friday at home waiting for a call back and I'm still waiting. More later, Phyllis


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## Guest

If you don't get a satisfying response, I am sure there are many good GI docs in the Bradenton, Manatee county area...search for one that works with you as a partner in health care.


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## RHJPC

My gastro put me on miralax now, "twice daily or as needed" for my constipation. He said that Miralax will clean out my discoloration in my colon from natural laxatives like senna. It discolored part of my colon into a dark green color.( that's what he said)


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## Guest

Had my third colonoscopy this morning....it went very well...nothing remarkable...the prep went smoothly yet again...clean as a pin. The hard part is not eating for so long....This colonoscopy thing has become a bit routine now...I had very little anxiety this time...and the sleep afterward was great...still sleepy in fact...


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## phyllisfin

Had my colonoscopy last Thursday and it was amazing. I "sort of" followed my doctor's recommendation, but without the miralax (don't tell her). I had small amounts of food for several days before the exam, day before was only very small amounts. Started Wednesday with 2 ducolax, followed thereafter (10a and 2p) by the phospho soda (by the way, mixing it with lemon and lime gatorade wasn't bad at all. By about 5 that afternoon, I was clean. On Thursday, for the test, instead of using demoral and versad, the doctor used propofol (diprivan) and it was amazing. I went out like a light and came out of it clearly awake (was out of the hospital quickly). Only problem was injection of propofol was painful, but since I went out quickly, it didn't last long. The doctor did find one polyp, which is being biopsied and I will have the report on Thursday, when I see the doctor for a follow-up. I went into the hospital at 10am, had the usual set-up, colonoscopy about 11:30 and was home by 1pm. What a good one. It was one of the best I ever had -- and we know what these preps and tests are about. Willie, I'm glad your testing went well. Your advice sure did help when I keep the food light and easy to digest. Thanks for the help. Phyllis


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## thatgrrl72

I'm having my first colonoscopy on Friday, and my doc prescribed Visicol tablets. The tablets look enormous, and I have to take 24 of them. Has anyone taken Visicol? What can I expect?


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## Bewitched

I took visical for my colonoscopy.Yes,they are huge and i had to take a lot!It definately cleaned me out,but there was no cramping.I just hated to have to keep downing so many pills and so much water


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## StormTrackr

Visicol beats any other prep hands down; excpet for having to down what seems like a box of chalk. They're not that bad; but it is a lot of pills to take. I would rather taste ginger ale; and water; than the vile fleet prep though. Good luck.


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## StormTrackr

Visicol beats any other prep hands down; except for having to down what seems like a box of chalk. They're not that bad; but it is a lot of pills to take. I would rather taste ginger ale; and water; than the vile fleet prep though. Good luck.


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## Guest

I still submit that taking six tiny little Dulcolax pills two at a time at approximate 12 hour intervals beats the heck out of gobbling a box of huge pills...or drinking any super salty soda...no cramps, no nausea.....leaves you clean as a pin.


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## phyllisfin

for 4williec: I agree with you. I think the ducolax would do the trick. I'm going to go that way next time. Anything to make the prep easier sure helps. I did ducolax and fleet and it helped, but yours is better and easier. Phyllis FYI: Got the report back from the doctor -- one small polyp, benign, and she said probably no colonoscopy for 5 years. I told her we would see -- that seems like an awfully long time to me -- to long -- 3 is better.


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## Guest

So - 4WillieCWould you outline the time schedule for us for the Dulcolax prep for us??


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## Guest

Certainly...Lets say you are scheduled for a colonoscopy on a Monday morning (my usual choice). On the Friday prior I will lighten my diet..no beef..only low residue foods..Next day being Saturday prior to the test, you continue to eat low residue foods..pretty much normally...but at 10 p.m. that evening you take two Dulcolax tablets. Next morning (Sunday) you start a clear liquid diet..plus you take two more Dulcolax at 10 a.m....drink as much as you can on Sunday...Gatorade, water, cola, tea, coffee, popcicles, Jello..but nothing red. Then you finish up at 4 P.M. with two more Dulcolax (a total of six have now been taken). You should be pretty much cleaned out by now but you will continue to go most of the night. You stop taking anything by mouth at 12 midnight. Thats it...


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