I had my first ever colonoscopy at age 49 yesterday. I had done some research on this website and on others prior to the consultation and have to say thank goodness for the input from folks like you. In any case, the prep was a little rough, not the actual solution but the fact that I was not allowed to eat ANYTHING the entire day prior to the procedure (my appt was at 1300). So I pretty much was starving. He gave me a prep called MoviPrep, and I had been instructed by the little ladies at the doctor's front desk to first mix it in a little water and then add a carbonated liquid, coke, ginger ale, etc. The morning before the procedure, for the first liter, I put a tad of water to make sure the powders were mixed, and then filled it up with Ginger Ale, and put it in the frig. They also told me to get straws. So that was the mix and it was not bad at all, just felt really full of liquids. My doctor had me drink 1 liter over 1 hour starting at 5 pm(8ozs every 15 mins) and 16 ozs of liquid right after. I mixed up the next batch and put it in the frig. Almost immediately it kicked in and for the next couple of hours I had loose watery stool. No cramps, no nothing. At 9 pm I did the same thing, but by that dose most everything (I think) was out of my system. Now of course, I did not eat at all the whole day (well, actually since 2300 the night prior), and I am a very light eater normally anyway, so there probably wasn't alot there anyway.
The procedure- I was so out. Woke up as they were wheeling me out. The doctor spoke with me about what happened and gave me a folder describing my treatment and pictures of 2 polyps that were removed and something else called a divicular. He told me he performed a biopsy and that I should come to see him to discuss the results, but that all went well. Now what he said next, I'm not happy about-I need to have another next year. Boo Hoo.
Long story short, get MoviPrep- mix it with water and Ginger Ale, and be sure to get a straw. Don't breathe- just suck those 8 ozs down as fast as you can. And make sure it is COLD! No freezing, though, as it might not reconstitute properly when thawed.
Good luck!
Proud spouse and mother
SnowyLynne
The worst part about the actual test? A needle prick for the IV. That is IT! I've had 10, I should know. But I was shaking like crazy for the first one, the nurse kept trying to calm me down, I hadn't even received my IV yet and she was asking me the pre-procedure questions. Even though she said a C. is nothing to worry about, I didn't quite believe her. I figured she was paid to say that.
But I was wrong and she was right.
Almost every time too, I ask the recovery nurses, have they started yet? And they all chuckle - honey, it's over, you can get dressed, go home and eat again.
- Rectal Cancer 4/29/99, Stage I, no treatment necessary
(5 hour colon resection: 90% sigmoid removed, 15 inches of colon removed, gall bladder removed, temporary colostomy, reversed 8 weeks later)
- Chronic IBS/D symptoms, multiple bm's, on low residue diet
- Takes Colace 50 mg each evening
It isn't just you. Here's something my cousin told me that she does, she sets up her laptop in the bathroom and runs her home business from her temporary "office." I intend to try that the next time myself.