It's Prep time! (almost)

I've got one coming up on the 18th. I'm doing the phospho soda prep. Good luck!

Hi there, I'm prepping too, using the UK's version of Go-lytely, called Klean Prep. My instructions told me to start at 3pm, I've managed 3 litres so far. The first 2 were tolerable but I've had to heavily disguise it with lime cordial, every swallow is making me shudder now....yuk!
Roll on this time tomorrow when it'll all be over

Good luck, Sara14! Let us know how things work out ASAP-- we're all rooting for you to have the easiest possible time getting thru the prep & scope. / Old Hat

Hi guys! Thanks for all the replies.

Quick question: Am I supposed to be taking my Asacol while on the clear liquid diet? My GI's nurse told me to continue with it, but my pharmacist said not to take it. I've already taken two doses of it today. I know I've asked this before, but I'm asking again just for some reassurance. Thanks!

Coalfire - How is it going? I'll be thinking of you tonight and tomorrow. I hope everything goes well tomorrow. I don't have to start drinking it until 6 p.m. because I'm drinking half tonight and half tomorrow.

princesca - Good luck with your c-scope, too!

kb5 - It's the GoLytely. Thanks for the concern. I appreciate it. =)

Also - was I supposed to mix it early this morning and let it sit for a while? I just mixed it about 20 minutes ago and am supposed to start drinking it soon.

Oh I feel your pain! I had my scope 2 weeks ago. My last scope was done 5 years ago and I used the GoLytely. It was so much. This time I had the phosphosoda and it wasn't as bad b/c it was a smaller amount. I only did 2 doses of it. The preps are the worst part. Once you get through it you'll be okay. I hope you get good results tomorrow. Good luck!!

Thank you.

I'm done drinking the prep for tonight...have to wake up at 6 a.m. tomorrow to finish the other half. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm glad I only have to drink half at a time. I can't imagine having to drink the whole gallon in one night. My BMs are already almost clear, so maybe I won't have to finish it all.

The prep is much worse than the c-scope itself, but I have to admit I liked the feeling of my colon being empty!  Good luck today.

My colonoscopy went well yesterday. I had some pretty bad gas pains last night and some mild bleeding, but am feeling much better today. I was out for most of it, but kind of remember parts. They gave me Versed and Fentanyl.

A few inches of my rectum is inflamed. I don't know the exact amount...my GI just showed me how much with his hand afterward...I think it was about 4-5 inches. So, he told me to just continue with 12 Asacol a day and that I could do Rowasa if I wanted to. I think I should, because I really want to get into remission...I've been flaring since January and am sick of it, but I'm glad it's only in my rectum now.

He took some biopsies in the rectum area. Do they usually take biopsies all over or only in the inflamed portions? I am confused about something else, too...I wanted to know what "type" of UC I have (i.e. pancolitis, proctitis, etc.), but he said he couldn't tell me that because only my rectum is involved right now. Isn't there a way to tell through biopsies even if the other parts aren't inflamed at the moment? I know I at least had left-sided colitis in February, if not pancolitis (they couldn't do a complete c-scope at that time due to inflamation, so I don't know the exact extent of the disease).

I have another appointment with my GI in mid-November.

Coalfire - How did your scope go? Hope it went well.

Has anyone heard of OsmoPrep?  It is a tablet form of prep made by Salix.  I guess my question is if there are alternatives, why do GIs prescribe a large amount of an awful tasting liquid?  My GI prescribes the small green bottle.  It's really not too bad.  I have a friend who was preping with the other stuff.  I tasted a small amount to encourage her.  I would sue my GI if he prescribed that for me.  I have a colonoscopy scheduled next month.  Good luck Sara. 

All UC involves the rectum since that's where it starts. It travels upward in a continual pattern ... to limited or throughout.

The types are mild, moderate, severe, and they are determined by where in the colon they are.

Mild...ulcerative proctitis/sigmoiditis (rectum/ rectum, sigmoid)

Moderate...left-sided/transverse (rectum/sigmoid/all of or most of the descending colon/ either including or not including the transverse)

Severe...throughout/pancolitis (rectum/sigmoid/descending/transverse/ascending/cecum) (and maybe even backwash ileitis)

Remember, it starts at the rectum and grows upward..it will always be involved no matter where it ends.
That's why the suggestion for all to use rectal meds.

quincy

Hi Sara, Glad your scope went well!
Mine was fine, I opted for no sedation/pain relief initially, but when he pumped that gas in I had second thoughts! He gave me a small dose of midazolam and pethidine, so I was awake throughout and was able to see it all on the screen which was great! Most of the problem is rectal/sigmoid, everything further up to the ileum looked fine, but he said as he was reversing that it was down about the 20cm mark that the inflammation was evident. He took several biposies, random ones of the normal looking areas as well. I could see inflammation and vessels that were bleeding in the rectum. Back next week for the biopsy results. No change in meds at the moment, but he thinks suppositories might be better than foam or enemas at targetting the low down stuff, but I'll know more next week.

quincy said...
All UC involves the rectum since that's where it starts. It travels upward in a continual pattern ... to limited or throughout.

The new doc I'm seeing told me there are some rare cases where the left side is affected and an isolated spot somewhere over on the right is affected... but it apparently doesn't happen very often.

When I was initially diagnosed years back, my inflammation pattern looked like classic UC. But now, I'm told the left side is healthy and the trouble spot is at the turn between the ascending and transverse sections... looking more like Crohn's or possibly colon cancer. I've always had pain and discomfort on the right. Docs have suspected appendicitis twice, but the appendix has been normal.

I mentioned this in another post, but my doc said research is leading them to believe there is some overlap in Crohn's and UC and they're not such totally separate entities. It's my personal opinion it's all a continuum... from irritable bowel on to the more serious IBDs.