COLONOSCOPY How hard is it on you?

Everything went great! This was a completely different experience than the last two colonoscopies I had. I’ll write it out here in case it helps anyone.

The prep I used was Clenpiq. It is a low volume split dose prep, tastes fine, like salty soda. I believe it’s considered the replacement for Prepopik (which might be discontinued). It worked very quickly, took 25 minutes to start working. Doctors are not crazy about this prep, because if you don’t drink a large enough volume of liquids to go with it, you’ll get plugged up and not be cleaned out. I drank significantly more than was required. I did NOT have to use my emergency stash of magnesium citrate to get things moving. Glad I didn’t do that “just in case”, because that would have been too much. The doctor said I was completely cleaned out and she was able to see everything.

I believe what REALLY helped me was going on a low residue diet 6-7 days prior, which is extremely hard, because it’s avoiding all the things I normally eat. No nuts, seeds, popcorns, fruit or vegetables (except for cooked potatoes and carrots), no whole wheat/whole grain anything, avoidance of fiber. It’s a really unhealthy way to eat. I was down to chicken, eggs, cheese, white bread, white noodles, that kind of thing. Fortunately chocolate and ice cream is on the diet. :grinning:
Mirolax every day for a week.

The prep day was very easy (except for maintaining a clear liquid diet all day, ugh), but I never felt bad, dizzy or drained, as I drank plenty of fluids (white grape juice, gatorade, chicken broth). What is interesting, and probably TMI, was that my bowel movements all just looked like sand from the very beginning. This was GREAT, because this time they only said small hemorrhoids, which is like a miracle for me. I’m not sure if it was because of the Clenpiq, or because I had no fiber in my body, or a combination of both things, but the first time I actually suffered for two years after my colonoscopy, so I need to repeat this prep next time for sure!

They gave me propofol, though I’d told them that last time they had to pull me out of it because my pulse went below 40. The nurse said she’d keep that in mind, and even though my pulse started out at 52, apparently it didn’t drop too low this time. Whew! Went to sleep, short procedure, slept through the entire thing. Feel fine, no polyps at all, which is a surprise, as I had polyps twice before. Glad it’s done and that the prep was easy as can be!

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Hooray! 2 wins for the colonoscopy twins :grinning:. Back in 10 years or sooner for you?

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I’m not so lucky, she said I should come back in five because of my history of polyps, so that’s likely going to be my future story, no matter what. But that’s okay, this was not bad at all!

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My polyp history puts me on 3 year cycle. But that is soooo much better than the “next year” possibility I’ve dreaded.

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This is me! I eat so many things on the No List! I didn’t manage to cut them out for my first colonoscopy because I had to travel to my parents’ house the week before. Next time, I will definitely try because my night before was awful.

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Well worth it, I couldn’t even believe the difference. Had no idea that all that fiber really doesn’t want to come out fast, and when you force it too, it ain’t pretty!

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It will be my turn on Monday. It’s my second one. Hoping all goes smoothly, but a little anxious. Nice to read stories from others so thanks all!

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Glad to hear of all the good outcomes and fingers crossed for those upcoming!

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I just had 3rd one 2 weeks ago and had 5 small polyps removed - 4 benign and 1 pre-cancerous but very small. They have me on a 5 year call back.

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Done…no polyps so I get a 7 year reprieve. :grinning:

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Good job, yay for you all!

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Excellent outcomes - congrats! :tada:

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I wish I never had my screening colonoscopy. Prep and procedure was ok and they didn’t find cancer but they did find an ischemic ulcer (I had no symptoms) I’ve since had several CT’s and they can’t find a cause for the reduced blood flow to cause the Ischemia. Now I’m conscious of any belly pain and feel like I’m a ticking time bomb.

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Maybe you’ve already done it - but perhaps second opinion?

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Just did a review of this thread because my third is coming up Tuesday morning. My first was fine except I roused briefly during the procedure - I think because the nurse’s name was Marilyn and the doctor must have been using her name. So he got my attention! I looked at the monitor, thought huh, and went back under.

Second was after I recovered from a bad bout of diverticulitis. They did find scattered diverticula and small internal hemorrhoids but let me go for ten years.

I’ve got the split prep generic of Suprep and my only decision will be how to flavor the two doses. I could just add lemon juice, or diet 7-Up, or white cranberry/peach juice. I know to chill and drink through a straw, and I have sparkling ICE for the liquid followups.

I vaguely remember my second prep being not as bad as the first but have no memory of the prep for either, although one involved Ducolax. But I’m thinking this won’t be any worse than my bad bout of food poisoning two years ago where I barely left the bathroom for two days. And maybe I’ll spend some time on the insomnia thread (since appt is at 8:00 am I will be up very early) - does this count?

I lost weight after my first and only pneumonia 2 1/2 years ago, and after the food poisoning, expect to do so for this too, so there’s the silver lining!

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Good luck, @Marilyn. I hope the prep isn’t too awful for you.

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All done and good for another 10 years, still no polyps, just moderate sigmoid diverticulosis and small internal hemorrhoids. Yay! So to speak.

Prep was relatively easy. I didn’t much mind the taste of the prep solution as is - I don’t mind cloyingly sweet stuff. It was an issue fitting that 16 oz mix and two more 16 oz waters within an hour. And only had three hours of sleep but that happens infrequently anyway.

And down 3 1/2 lbs this morning. Maybe I can keep one pound of that?

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That’s great news, Marilyn!!

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Whoo hoo! Go celebrate!

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Ten years, that’s awesome!

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