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<p>Overall, the process wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought is was going to be … the last 4-6 hours of prep were not too much fun … I avoided the run the the bathroom problem by moving in for the last couple hours - it saved my a lot of travel time. Glad I did it … and more glad I “passed”.</p>
<p>You don’t miss two days of work, only one and a couple of hours the previous day. The driver only misses part of the morning if you schedule it right. The way my prep worked was that I took some Dulcolax tablets at 3 pm, then began drinking the stuff (Miralax mixed with Gatorade) at 5. It’s only after you start drinking that you have to run to the bathroom, or at least that’s how it worked for me. My procedure was scheduled for 7:30 am, was over by 9, and my husband drove me home and got to work by 10:30.</p>
<p>I had a screening colonoscopy a few months ago. They found a small benign polyp and recommended that I repeat the procedure in 8 to 10 years. Does anybody know if there is an “industry standard” for when to repeat the procedure after finding a benign polyp? I was surprised to hear I could wait another 8 to 10 years.</p>
<p>The prep day was obviously the worst part of the procedure, but I was fortunate to have been the first procedure scheduled the next morning. I’d hate to spend my day waiting! I woke up and saw the television, said something to the anesthesiologist and promptly fell back asleep…believe that means she gave me a ‘booster’!</p>
<p>My body failed prep the first time. Honestly, it was one of the most unpleasant experiences I can recall. My doc used the old-fashioned full-gallon type. Let me put this delicately–nothing happened until after I’d finished it. The taste/feel of it is bad enough, but I got more and more bloated–thought my stomach was going to explode. When it finally started “working” I was up all night back and forth. Exhausted by the time I got to the procedure. Then woke up to find out I’d failed–my systme wasn’t “clear” because I have a, quote, “tortuous colon.” huge aarrggghhh.</p>
<p>Doc said come back in a couple months, we’ll do a “two day” prep. that was a couple years ago, and I haven’t yet been able to talk myself back into it again.</p>
<p>Not that it isn’t a good idea or anything, but yikes, that was awful.</p>
<p>You could do the prep on a Sunday, schedule first thing Monday morning and be back to work after lunch. Although, as people have said, you can still prep the day before without missing work. The clear liquids still allows you to work, only the end of it is unpleasant, and can be done after work.</p>
<p>I have to admit the prep didn’t bother me nearly as much as the side-and-after-effects. I’ve had cases of turista while traveling that were much worse than the prep.</p>
<p>I had my colonoscopy at 4 in the afternoon, though, and a day without caffeine was horrible. I had a pounding headache by noon. Once the procedure was done, no one had warned me about the five-minute-fart problem, and dealing with that in Starbucks (where we went immediately following my release)… well, try pretending it’s not you when you’re making that noise for that long.</p>
<p>(I would like to say that that Dave Barry article is hilarious.)</p>
<p>“Does anybody know if there is an “industry standard” for when to repeat the procedure after finding a benign polyp?”</p>
<p>My doctor did say that he was being overly cautious by ordering a sigmoidoscopy at 6 months and another full colonoscopy at a year. I was all in favor of that approach. The difference might be that I apparently had a very large benign polyp. I had my annual checkup recently and when my doctor looked at the lab report from the colonoscopy he seemed very impressed, and not in a good way. </p>
<p>Someone mentioned the idea of having a colonoscopy late in the day. I read a study that said doctors are statistically more likely to successfully find a polyp early in the day when they are fresh and alert. </p>
<p>And for garland, maybe you could try eating very lightly for several days before your next procedure. That way the prep will have less, um, raw material, to work with.</p>
<p>I’ve had my second colonoscopy. The first was routine but the second was due to bleeding symptoms which scared me to death. All ok though thank heavens, just an interior hemorrhoid, and a tiny benign polyp was removed.
Prep was unpleasant but ok. Used the Fleet little bottles method.
My mother (aged 92) however recently needed one due to symptoms. The prep was extremely hard on her. I stayed with her that whole evening/night. For some reason they made her use the gallon method and she could barely tolerate that, after which she was parked in the bathroom half the night.</p>
<p>What I wonder about is how much I may have embarrassed myself during the procedures. With the “waking sedation” you are apparently still “conscious”, and I wonder if I swore and and protested up a storm. It’s embarrassing enough that I apparently asked the nurse and doc the same questions about 9 times in the recovery before I actually remembered I was doing so and remembered the answers.
Then the first time I had it, I promptly fell into the bushes outside the clinic as my friend was leading me to the car.</p>
<p>I have a colonoscopy every two years or so. (I have Ulcerative Colitis.) I can say the prep has changed significantly in the last few years. Since I have a very negative reaction to the saline drink, I am delighted with the new, easier prep. It has not eliminated the negative reactions (very sick to my stomach–sick enought to dehydrate). I have a wonderful doctor, we have tried every combination of prep/sedation under the sun to avoid the post prep reaction (even more sick to my stomach–but I react this way to all sedation) (please note this is VERY uncommon).<br>
For the prep, eat very lightly starting the day before the prep. Almost all liquids. Keep the house cool that day (air conditioning on if necessary). Have Gatorade on hand. Brush my teeth after every prep (yes, even the new one). Drink plenty of water. Drink more water.
The procedure is scheduled for first thing in the am. When I am awake after the procedure and the dr. is happy with me leaving, Dh picks me and brings me home. Drink one large mug of chicken soup with orzo. Drink one small glass of gatorade. Go to bed. Sleep as much as possible, when I wake up repeat the soup/gatorade. Along about the third time I wake up I am ready to eat food. It’s been a lot of trial and error but this works for me.
I hate the whole thing, but I love my family and my life. It’s two days every 2 or 3 years, I can do this. Keep in mind my reactions are unusual. My 82 yr old dad came home and ate 2 slices of pizza while watching a movie. He was not happy about the prep, but he had no real negative reactions.</p>
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<p>This is not possible for most people, because you can’t drive for the rest of the day and the drugs don’t leave your system for a good long time. When I had mine, I came home and went to sleep. During the nap, a friend coincidentally called who happened to be a GI. He asked what was wrong with me and I said I was sleeping off the drugs from a colonoscopy. He said, “Hang up and let me call back and leave some information on your machine, because you are not going to remember this conversation because of the drugs.” (I did remember it, but the point is you can be very fuzzy.) I think most people aren’t fully up to speed until late afternoon or so, even if they think they are. Plus, even though you haven’t eaten the whole day before, you don’t feel hungry right away and you can feel weak. My husband seems to bounce back very quickly from his, but he doesn’t get put all the way out. Anyhow, I think it has to do with how much medication you have. One of my kids get colonoscopies because of Crohn’s and since the whole procedure is harder on people with inflammation, they tend to give them a lot of drugs and the day really is lost.</p>
<p>Mom2M, what do you think is the best prep product? I’m surprised about your Dad. My MIL is 80 and lost her father to colon cancer and they told her, now that she’s 80, the risk of a colonoscopy now outweighs the benefit and they won’t give her one. Tissue tears easily on elderly people.</p>
<p>My H had the test about a month ago. They not only told him not to drive for 24 hours, but they also warned against use of any type of heavy machinery and said he shouldn’t make any important decisions for the rest of the day. It was pretty funny hearing him try to convince the nurse that he just HAD to cut the grass that afternoon. He was really loopy and he had the nurse and I in stitches. But she was so serious that what she was saying was true that she made the doc come back in and admonish him not to use a lawnmower for the rest of the day. Of course, a few hours later, he didn’t remember the silly stuff he had said. : )</p>
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<p>Ummmm, yeah, unless you have the usual sedation. My DH is on an “every year” schedule, and believe me, he is in NO condition to make any business decisions afterward. The discharge papers even state that one should not sign legal documents, make important decisions, operate machinery or drive.</p>
<p>My friend’s husband asked to stop for a hamburger on the way home after his procedure. They sat a while enjoying the meal. Played with the grandkids who were meeting them there. Went home and took a nap. Two hours later he emerged from the bedroom and said “When are we having lunch?” Amnesiac drugs work… just don’t do any work while you take them.</p>
<p>Something that sort of helped me with drinking the prep stuff… I know it sounds silly, but if you drink the stuff with a straw, your nose doesn’t come as close to the glass and you minimize the smell.</p>
<p>Also, have some ice on hand. Just prior to drinking the stuff, chew on a couple of ice cubes; it will dull your taste buds. As soon as you’re done drinking, throw some more ice in your mouth. Again, it will dull the taste buds. I figured this out almost halfway through the prep and it did make a small difference.</p>
<p>This is a trick we used to use with our kids when they were young and took yucky-tasting liquid medicines. So why not use it for adults if it works?</p>
<p>DH just had his first a few weeks ago. He said the worst part was walking out of the pharmacy with the gallon jug of Go-Litely for all the world to see. When it’s my turn, I’ll ask them to put it in a bag.</p>
<p>I had the procedure last fall. The only problem I can remember is being on the special diet for a couple of days. I had an morning appointment and was back to work by noon. In fact I think I drove myself. It was a 5 minute or so drive. I remember putting a book and banana in the car and water just in case I wanted to wait awhile.</p>
<p>^^^^LasMa no one goes lighty after taking that!</p>
<p>On a serious note…I just learned that a friend of mine who after months of complaining about a bloated and uncomfortable feeling in her belly had a colonoscopy. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and is scheduled for surgery next week. She is 53 years old and has never wanted to take the test. Colon cancer is one of those avoidable cancers, so put on those big girl panties or boxers and get a colonoscopy. The test can save your life.</p>
<p>I have my first one scheduled in two weeks. My biggest fear is dear husband. For the last six years he has been part of of medical study on colonoscopies so he has one every year. i am always his driver and I make terrible fun of him all looped up. I can’t help it, he is just so out of it and so unlike his usual self. I know he will be merciless when it is my turn.</p>
<p>Great thread. I’ve been postponing mine for 9 yeaRS.</p>
<p>My dr has never mentioned it, my grandpa died of colon cancer but he was in his mid 80’s, I also don’t eat his midwestern diet.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the reminder. I had my first (and only) 5 years ago. At the time, they found a few polyps and recommended a follow up in 5 years. I just got off the phone with the scheduler. I wanted the first appointment of the day, so I won’t be having the procedure until mid-October. There’s no way I could hang around, starving and anxious, to wait for an afternoon appointment.</p>