# Give me your colonoscopy prep tips!



## 19069

I'm scheduled for Weds. Prep starts tomorrow. I have 4 liters of Trilyte to drink and also dulcolax tabs. Any tips on the best flavor of Trilyte? I have the choice of cherry, lemon/lime, pineapple, and berry. I am thinking of setting up a tv and VCR in the bedroom (with closest access to the bathroom) and renting videos. Tonight I am enjoying eating real food. I had the flex. sig. on Friday and found the clear liquid diet prep to be a real drag. You feel hungry, but the liquids just pass right through. Not thrilled to be going on it again, but oh well, it's only one day. Any tips to make prep night easier? Thanks!


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## Screamer

Yep! Firstly the ducolax do cause some tummy pain so be warned! Not everyone is the same but I was passing the water and probably could have had the procedure done without the prep







Secondly make sure what ever flavour you choose it's one that isn't a favourite. I guarantee you will probably never drink anything of that flavour again. Mine was lemon. I used to LOVE lemon cordial and lemonade. NEVER EVER again. Even now just the smell of lemon cordial sends me to the loo!The tv and vcr are a good idea, also get some good magazines to keep next to the toilet, cause you will spend quite some time squirting on the loo.Also get a great loo paper. I recommend Kleenex cottonelle or Sorbent extra thick. And get some of those flushable bum wipe things (I think Sorbent make them) for when things get a little tender down there.Oh and a tub of vaseline (petroleum jelly) cheap as chips and after every time you pop off to the loo pop a finger full on your bum hole (sorry had to be graphic there) as that will create a barrier and help with any stinging and stop things being so sore.Also I found gatorade (just don't get red, blue or purple as these can be mistaken for blood in the test) as my supplement drinks between the trilyte to be great (that and warm chicken broth I think it's called consume' for when you get sick of cold drinks, it's great for lunch and dinner time!).Umm finally you can just bunch up some loo paper but I felt completely dodgy on the way to the hospital and sat on a garbage bag and towel. I just used a sanitary napkin being a girl but you might want something to pop in your undies for the trip "just in case". I was fine till I got there but I only had to drive 5 minutes and I flew to the loo the minute we got there.Hope all this helps, be sure and stay hydrated or you can get migraines and throwing up and good luck with your exam. Let us know what they finally find.


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## 19069

Thanks Screamer.







I appreciate the advice. I cleared out quick too for the sigmoidoscopy prep. Funny how some people say the Trilyte prep is not so bad and others gag on it.Your comment about being "dodgy" on the way to the hospital scares me!







I have a 40 minute drive to the hospital. I will probably try the sanitary pad trick just in case (I'm a girl too). I'll be glad when it's over!


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## 21918

Happycamper--For my last colonoscopy, I stayed at my parents house because they are only 15 minutes away from the hospital. My house is 1 1/2 hours away and I didn't want to chance it.Screamer's suggestions are great. I locked myself in the bathroom at noon and didn't re-emerge until 10:00pm. (At which time my mom's dog barked at me because she didn't remember that I was there.) I took a book and the gallon of GoLytely (cherry flavor). I also took a glass to pour it into and a straw to drink from. It seems like you can drink so much more through a straw. I woke up a couple of hours before the appointment so I could be sure my bowels were empty before I left home. I also wore a big pad just in case. Luckily, the pad wasn't needed, but it gave me peace of mind.My husband did all his prep here at home and rode the whole 1 1/2 hours to the hospital with no problems!







Good luck. Just keep telling yourself "This too shall pass."


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## 19069

Thanks SLM-I am in the home stretch with the Trilyte prep.As I write this it is 9:30 pm. I went with lemon/lime flavor, though it tastes so nasty, I just gulp it down fast. It has that salty soapy yuck flavor. I think whatever flavor you pick is fine, because it's just yuck.LOL!One of pre-admitting nurses called today and so she answered a few questions. I am not drinking anything after midnight, and my procedure is at noon, so I will probably be okay for the 40 min. car ride. Hopefully all will be cleaned out by then.Kinda nervous about the whole thing, but I guess that's normal. "This too shall pass." Was that a pun? LOL!


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## 21918

Sounded appropriate.


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## Screamer

I wasn't nervous about the procedure at all. Seriously it's nothing. Good luck with the procedure and don't panic too much about the car ride. I was fine and most people are, it's just a bit daunting when you feel like you gotta go constantly (even though there's nothing in there to come out really). I went a couple more times after the procedure but this doesn't happen to everyone, so don't worry if it does.I'll be thinking of you


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## 14118

I just had a colonoscopy 2 days ago. They have new prep called 'half-lytely' which consists of starting with 4 dulcolax and then drinking a half gallon of the liquid. this prep is much less soapy and slimy than the co-lyte or go-lytely preps. In reality half-lytely is like 19 doses of miralax with some buffers like sodium chloride, potassium ans some other innocuous stuff that you drink over 80 minutes. the go-lytely is really disgusting. Half-lytely is much less noxious.For comfort, use a bidet instead of toilet paper. If no bidet, do the Asian style with a small bucket (1/2 liter to liter in size) and pour water to clean yourself with no irritation.I have never had trouble with the car ride. Usually completely empty within 2 hours of drinking the prep. The worst part for me is no eating. I also agree with one poster who said to eat lightly for the day or so before the prep. Good luck to all. The procedure itself should be a breeze. Make sure that you get lots of versed and fentanyl. I never knew what hapopened during any of these procedures. Some GI guys do them better than others. I have had them when they are terrible and don't give enough to kill the pain. Versed has an amnesiac effect, which meamns that you do not remember any unpleasantness.


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## OppOnn

In case anyone reads this post, although too late for poster,please note that it is a good idea to scroll down to other posts on thissite before posting. In this case, you'd have found my post onMiralax prep, which tastes of NOTHING and is much GENTLERthan Fleet and the Lytley's...I took mine with 2 Ducolax, whichwere fine. I have no idea where so many GIs are still recommending the harsh.foul tasting preps to us poor unsuspecting patients when there is somethingmore modern out there, which has been there for at least 18 months, because I had it for my last 2 colonoscopies. One might question their modernity and human caring in everything if they are still recommending out of date, old-fashioned preps. Here's the link about my Miralaxprep experience.http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/75310261/m/374103961O


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## Kora

What I did along with drinking all that juice / water was have some jello. It kind of made me feel like I was actually eating something, and it was on the "ok" list the doctor gave me for the prep (just stay away from the reds/purple ones - as another poster mentioned). Also popsicles are great tone thing I was prepared for was the drive home AFTER the prep. They gave me a muffin and cheese in the recover room and it ran through me as fast as anything - I don't think the fleet or ducolax had completely worn off yet. Our drive is 1 1/2 hours from the hospital and at least three times on the drive I had to scream at DH to "stop the truck right now" - and pull off the road so I could do my business. Very humiliating but thank goodness he is very understanding and we live in a rural area!


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## OppOnn

Poor you.I wonder if what you had directly after the procedure was too muchto digest in the circumstances. I was only given something to drink afterthe last one and the one before I was given a small cracker.Whatever, try Miralax and Ducolax next time!OO


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## 18944

Man, I wish I would have known about the Miralex when I had my colonscopy. I had to down that disgusting salty Fleets - I made the mistake of mixing it with ginger ale, which used to be one of my favorite drinks, especially in my bad stomach times. It's been nine months since the colonscopy, and I still can't smell ginger ale without gagging!By the way, that completely sucks, Kora. I'm very fortunate in that I only live 15-20 minutes away from where my procedures were done and can't imagine a long car ride post-procedure (mine went fine, I was just very sleepy and all that air in my colon made me gassy and painful when I sat up straight). Did they give you the food or did you eat it yourself? I was only allowed to drink - Not that I really wanted to eat anything, but I was just curious.


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## OppOnn

I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything at all until I had passed wind.I was embarassed and the male nurse said: we do 20 a day, we're used to it.I did, and felt better. O


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## 14032

HiI am scheduled for colonoscopy in mid-Nov. My doc has prescribed TriLyte, and told me to use a straw when I drink it. The straw reduces taste and smell.


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## OppOnn

Why don't you read my post above about Miralax?!!O


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## 14032

OppOnnI can't tell if your post was in response to mine or not, but it doesn't matter.I am going to a new GI doc with a very good reputation - he is two hrs away.I read your info re miralax after I went there. Do I need a Rx for Miralax? He had to give me Rx for TriLyte.One other thing: Ducolax is HARSH on me and doc says I dont have to take it with the TriLyte. I will post what doc says about Miralax on this thread. I am interested in knowing. He works in office with about ten other GI docs.Thanks for your hint


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## OppOnn

Yes, you need a prescription for Miralax. You can buy the Ducolax tablets over the counter. You only need 2. But my GI says you do need them as part of the prep.Not all pharmacists know about Miralax and Ducolax for preps. So the instructions you get from the pharmacist may not be correct. I got instructions from my GI on how to prepare it.If you do get it, and your GI doesn't know about Miralax/Ducolax as a prep, go back on this thread and click the link to my original post on my prep dated Sept, 23 for details you'll need.You may want to do that before you go to see your new GI, cut, paste and print it, and take it with you - in case!O


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