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Bad experience with suprep: colonoscopy tomorrow

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/2/2017 8:14 PM (GMT -7)
Hi Everyone,

I took suprep 2 hours ago and drank a ton of water afterwards following the directions of the prep. I am in remission technically until possibly now.

I don't recommend suprep. It tasted worse than any of the bowel prep's i've tried despite chilling, using straw and tons of lime...really bad taste.

I started getting sig abdominal cramps at about 7/10 now on the pain scale and serious bloating. I only had one small BM and 2 hours and 15 min have passed. I also have my period but the initial pain was 2-3/10 and after the prep went to 7/10.

Question: 1) Should I go to the ER for the pain or wait? Is 7/10 pain normal?

2) Pain is likely high because I only had one small BM after almost 2.5 hours. Everything i read online said that many people got results with 15-30 mins.

Thanks!
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Red_34
Forum Moderator
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 23581
Posted 4/2/2017 8:18 PM (GMT -7)
What you are describing is not normal for the the Suprep. Instead of going to the ER, maybe you should contact the on call GI and see what they recommend.
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DBwithUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 4/2/2017 8:20 PM (GMT -7)
Unless you think you have a bowel obstruction, I would not go to ER. The stuff should work given time, and the pain is likely due to pressure form mild constipation. the chemicals themselves do not cause pain.
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/2/2017 8:59 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks guys! i'm glad folks are still awake! BwithUC, I think I don't have a bowel obstruction because I went to the bathroom today before the prep and everything looked completely normal and a good amount came out. The pain only started an hour after the suprep solution. Think you are right with the constipation angle.


Sherry, I called the GI on call (great idea) and he said pain is likely because I have not emptied after drinking the solution (only went once a tiny amt) and told me to get a fleet enema and see if that moves things along. sent partner to go get one of those.

I still have pretty sig bloating (look pregnant) and abdominal pain is 7/10 ....ugh! Pain is worse than UC cramps.

I really hope things move along and I can do this colonscopy!!!!

Post Edited (Jane974) : 4/2/2017 10:09:35 PM (GMT-6)

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loulou82
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2014
Posts : 76
Posted 4/3/2017 6:50 AM (GMT -7)
Jane, sorry to hear you've had horrible symptoms taking the suprep. It did take about 2 hours before the bowel prep worked for me although I took something called moviprep. Hope things moved along for you and youre able to go through with the colonoscopy today.
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/3/2017 11:08 AM (GMT -7)
UPDATE: after a long night without sleep, I was able to do the colonoscopy! the suprep did not work for me and caused intense abdominal pain without any BM's for hours. I also vomited the entire second dose of the prep. Anyhow, I ended up taking two fleet enemas in the end and was able to make it through the procedure no problem!

Now I know to call the doctor on call and keep fleet enemas just in case. Next time I am definitely not doing anything that requires liquid and am asking for laxative pills given the vomiting from the prep.

My results: GI said colon looked completely normally visually. He said that there was inactive inflammation in the rectum only. He took biopsies so we'll see what he finds.

Does anyone know what that means if there is inactive inflammation in the rectum? He said you can see there was inflammation there previously.
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DBwithUC
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Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 4/3/2017 12:03 PM (GMT -7)
it is called scaring or cell deformation from past chronic inflammation. may get better over time.

I think the question of why the prep did not work needs investigating. Unless once you did the fleet, a lot of liquid came out, the question is why did this liquid laxative not work? Do you have IBS? It has to mean something that a powerful laxative did not work on you.
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loulou82
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2014
Posts : 76
Posted 4/3/2017 12:35 PM (GMT -7)
Definitely give that prep a miss next time. That's good news your colon looks completely normal, hopefully the inactive inflammation will improve soon too.
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iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16177
Posted 4/3/2017 5:11 PM (GMT -7)
When i was in a remission, the report showed only inactive inflammation. UC is chronic and involves permanent changes to the architecture of our large intestine (e.g., your blood vessel pattern become erratic). They likely saw something similar. If the biopsies confirm then you could be in a remission.
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/4/2017 10:12 AM (GMT -7)
Thanks everyone!

I found the sheet where the GI doc wrote his impressions. He wrote the the colon looked normal but there were minimal vascular changes. He did not say inactive disease--that was my interpretation.

I couldn't find any info on minimal vascular changes. Is this related to active inflammation? Is this what you guys are referring to in regards to changes to the architecture of the colon?

Thanks again!
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iPoop
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Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16177
Posted 4/4/2017 12:05 PM (GMT -7)
Yes vascular change is a permanent architectual change indicating IBD from repeat patterns of inflammation and healing with a chronic illness patient.

A normal large intestine has an orderly and predictable pattern of small blood vessels and capillaries. IBD patients have a chaotic and seemingly random pattern of blood vessels and small capillaries, it's quite distinct when viewed from a colonoscopy or endoscope. When inflammation occurs, the walls of the intestine swell to multiple times their normal thickness (looking like a lead pipe in an xray). When we heal our intestine returns to a normal thickness. That process really jumbles up the pattern.
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/4/2017 1:39 PM (GMT -7)

iPoop said...
Yes vascular change is a permanent architectual change indicating IBD from repeat patterns of inflammation and healing with a chronic illness patient.

A normal large intestine has an orderly and predictable pattern of small blood vessels and capillaries. IBD patients have a chaotic and seemingly random pattern of blood vessels and small capillaries, it's quite distinct when viewed from a colonoscopy or endoscope. When inflammation occurs, the walls of the intestine swell to multiple times their normal thickness (looking like a lead pipe in an xray). When we heal our intestine returns to a normal thickness. That process really jumbles up the pattern.

Thanks, ipoop. That is very helpful. My GI was not able to explain this to me when I asked what it meant!

Many of you guys have more knowledge of IBD than any of the GI docs i've seen!
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FlowersGal
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 889
Posted 4/4/2017 1:56 PM (GMT -7)
YAY for being in remission! Go, You! :-D

Weird that suprep did that to you! Sorry you had to go through that, but glad you were able to get through the colonoscopy fine.
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/4/2017 3:29 PM (GMT -7)

FlowersGal said...
YAY for being in remission! Go, You! :-D

Weird that suprep did that to you! Sorry you had to go through that, but glad you were able to get through the colonoscopy fine.

yay for being in remission smile I'm still waiting on the pathology report though before officially celebrating! smile I think i'm going to book a nice week long vacation if the pathology report comes back normal.

Yeah, suprep was the most difficult out of the many preps I've taken. The taste did not sit well with me and induced lot's of vomiting and pain. Next time i'm going with laxative pills or enemas.
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DBwithUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 4/4/2017 3:39 PM (GMT -7)
enemas are only a prep for flex sig.

use lots of fluid with laxative pills or you will not get washed out, and the scope might get canceled.

But why do you think laxative pills will work when liquid laxative did not? Don't you think the pills will just cause cramping and pain if you are unable to evacuate after taking them?
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 396
Posted 4/4/2017 3:49 PM (GMT -7)

DBwithUC said...
enemas are only a prep for flex sig.

use lots of fluid with laxative pills or you will not get washed out, and the scope might get canceled.

But why do you think laxative pills will work when liquid laxative did not? Don't you think the pills will just cause cramping and pain if you are unable to evacuate after taking them?

I think your question as to why the prep did not work is a good one. I drank more than enough liquid so that was not the issue. There was something in the suprep ingredients that did not sit well with me and for some reason I did not get intense pain when taking many laxative pills during the previous colonoscopy. Suprep has sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate in it whereas the pills are a bit different. I think I was having stomach pain because I was not emptying hours afterwards. It was not until I took the enema that I went to the bathroom and then the pain went away. Additionally, I got my period the same day as the prep so I may have had more sensitivity to everything and more likely to get abdominal cramps. I have never had a colonoscopy prep while having my period.

Plus, the second dose I vomited entirely due to the taste and being on an empty stomach. I would have been able to stomach pills without any flavor in the early AM.

The two fleet enemas did in fact empty me enough for the colonoscopy along with the one dose of suprep.

Post Edited (Jane974) : 4/4/2017 4:57:07 PM (GMT-6)

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Marciwgardening
New Member
Joined : Oct 2020
Posts : 4
Posted 11/14/2020 10:21 AM (GMT -7)
Re Suprep, I had colonoscopy 8/28/20 and since then, my lower left abdominal pain is lasting each episode 2-3 hours - more than double prior to colonoscopy. Doctors have no explanation for pain. My moderate Crohns on terminal ileum do not explain. I have lost 25 pounds and was thin built to begin with. Eat liquid breakfast and less than 1/2 food of prior, due to debilitating pain. Have given up coffee; only water.have given up all heavy foods snd eat mostly cooked vegetables and sometimes a little salmon. I am so weary of pain and putting life on hold and spending so much extra time lying down when pain is most severe. Have asked Gastro to refer me to dietician, but two month wait. Any ideas, please?
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quincy
Elite Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 32483
Posted 11/14/2020 11:30 AM (GMT -7)
Put out a new topic question...better than a thread from 3 years ago.
q
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