Day of Colonoscopy Prep?

[aaronc879]

I'm 45 and primary care physician recommended I have a colonoscopy so have one scheduled for Tuesday 2/4. Since it is a 12:30p exam they said I can take the whole prep the morning of rather than splitting it between evening and morning. That seems like the better option to me so I don't have to worry about an immediate urge while i'm in bed. My only concern is if I will be done "going" by the time I need to leave the house at 10:40am for my 12:30p exam. It says to take pills of Dulcolax at 4a and MiraLax/Gatorade solution from 5a-7a. Is 3 and a half hours after finishing the solution enough time to be finished? I don't want to have an urgent need to go while in the car or waiting in the waiting room at the hospital.

 

[Aerides]

Well your commute is the only issue really, while you'll be done, you'll still have fluids that might need to get out.

When I had mine I was pretty empty within an hour, everything after that was water, for the rest of the evening and in the morning. BUT...you want to start eating lighter today. Reduce meat, heavy fiber, etc. More veggies and salads - they probably gave you that guidance to reduce things for a few days prior? The idea is you aren't already...at capacity or even close, before you prep.

In addition to the prep, I had to drink a whole lot of water in the hour after it.

 

[Dtail]

Plus it will be one of your best 45 minute naps.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

Greatest nap ever.

1230 is tough because of the fasting schedule.

I would do part the night before just to ensure that it is totally complete for the procedure. Definitely don’t want to go thru it all only to have them say “the prep wasn’t totally completed, we have to reschedule.”

That happened to my brother.

 

[aaronc879]

Greatest nap ever.

1230 is tough because of the fasting schedule.

I would do part the night before just to ensure that it is totally complete for the procedure. Definitely don’t want to go thru it all only to have them say “the prep wasn’t totally completed, we have to reschedule.”

That happened to my brother.

If you split the prep how do you ensure you don't go while in bed? Seems like all at once may be the better option even if I have to get up for the day at 2a and start the prep at 3a.

 

[Ronstar]

I can't speak about your prep, but I think I've done the prep the day before. But all of mine (3) were early am appointments.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

In my experience you will wake up just fine when you need to.

I find that the prep sits in your stomach for an hour, then you need to have a good book to read for about an hour, then you’ve got a bunch of short trips to the bathroom, and then there is a “break in the action” until dose 2. Dose 2 has the same cycle.

I’ve had 6 (7?) colonoscopies and that’s how it always works for me.

YMMV

 

[aaronc879]

In my experience you will wake up just fine when you need to.

I find that the prep sits in your stomach for an hour, then you need to have a good book to read for about an hour, then you’ve got a bunch of short trips to the bathroom, and then there is a “break in the action” until dose 2. Dose 2 has the same cycle.

I’ve had 6 (7?) colonoscopies and that’s how it always works for me.

YMMV

Good to know but I guess i'm looking for anyone who has done it all in one dose, not split.

 

[SecondCor521]

My experience with split prep for an am colonoscopy was similar to Closet_Gamer's.

I have not done it all in one dose, but I would expect the experience to be that the experience is doubled - you'd be in the bathroom for a longer while, then intermittently, then you'd be done.

Your colonoscopy provider office should be able to guide you based on your appointment time and whatever prep they've prescribed. They've probably done hundreds or thousands, and they know the approximate range of responses by people's bodies. They'll allow enough time in your schedule to where your digestive tract will be done emptying before you transport yourself there. I'd just follow their instructions carefully and ask any questions you have before you start to make sure you understand.

There'll be a bathroom in the waiting room at the procedure location - scope that out when you get there. I'd definitely call the doctor's office and make sure they understand your commute length - they might have you start a bit earlier since that sounds like a really long commute.

 

[MarieIG]

I didn't eat for three days prior - then took the dose as a single, which was an option - and still had - issues.

 

[aaronc879]

There'll be a bathroom in the waiting room at the procedure location - scope that out when you get there. I'd definitely call the doctor's office and make sure they understand your commute length - they might have you start a bit earlier since that sounds like a really long commute.

My commute isn't long at all but they want me to be checked in at 11a for my 12:30 appointment. It's only a 15 minute drive to the hospital from my house. That's door to door including parking time.

 

[aaronc879]

I didn't eat for three days prior - then took the dose as a single, which was an option - and still had - issues.

What kind of issues? That is basically what i'm planning. Eating almost nothing for 3 days then taking a full single dose the morning of. Did you still make it to the exam on time?

 

[braumeister]

Two days before, I eat very lightly. The day before, nothing but clear broths. Beyond that, I would do just whatever your doctor recommends. They do this all the time, so they know what works best.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Well your commute is the only issue really, while you'll be done, you'll still have fluids that might need to get out.

When I had mine I was pretty empty within an hour, everything after that was water, for the rest of the evening and in the morning. BUT...you want to start eating lighter today. Reduce meat, heavy fiber, etc. More veggies and salads - they probably gave you that guidance to reduce things for a few days prior? The idea is you aren't already...at capacity or even close, before you prep.

In addition to the prep, I had to drink a whole lot of water in the hour after it.

Actually no salads (lettuce) and uncooked vegetables as well. Anything with fiber is out.

 

[MarieIG]

What kind of issues? That is basically what i'm planning. Eating almost nothing for 3 days then taking a full single dose the morning of. Did you still make it to the exam on time?

Yes, I made it - to the exam on time. It was too much prep for my GI track to handle and my GI track rebelled every which way.

 

[jollystomper]

I definitely agree with eating lightly for a few days before the prep, My last colonoscopy was on a Monday. Saturday and Sunday I essentially ate a liquid diet, lots of clear liquids, soup and soft veggies. My prep started Sunday evening and it was by far the easiest compared to my previous 2 colonoscopies.

In terms of the waiting room, in the facility I used they understood that and made sure I had easy access as needed to a restroom as soon as I arrived ( got there about an hour before my scheduled time).

 

[RunningBum]

I don't remember splitting the prep. Had a pretty early appt so they said to start at 6pm, I think. Like someone said, it takes about an hour to get you going, then you'll be going pretty regularly for the next hour or so (and you'll want to stay near the bathroom during this time), and then pretty much done. You may need to go a couple of times, but you'll have a fairly normal urge to go, not super urgent. I didn't have any concerns with going to sleep. And I probably went a couple times in the morning, but again no super urgency, and I had a 45 minute drive. My last one was a little over a year ago and I don't remember anything traumatic with the prep.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I’ve only had one colonoscopy and it was split prep but as others have said- dr does this all the time. I would follow their instructions.
I do recommend apple juice for your day before the prep. Sort of a pre prep prep.
Eating lightly a few days before also helped a lot.
Good luck!

 

[SecondCor521]

My commute isn't long at all but they want me to be checked in at 11a for my 12:30 appointment. It's only a 15 minute drive to the hospital from my house. That's door to door including parking time.

Ah.

Again, my experience is that perhaps 3 hours after taking the prep, my digestive tract had done all it was going to do (and of course it did plenty for those three hours), and it just sort of relaxed and did nothing for probably two hours before my appointment, which made things fine for the drive and the waiting room.

 

[Buckeye]

I’ve only had one colonoscopy and it was split prep but as others have said- dr does this all the time. I would follow their instructions.
I do recommend apple juice for your day before the prep. Sort of a pre prep prep.
Eating lightly a few days before also helped a lot.
Good luck!

DH did a colonoscopy a week ago. He did a low fiber diet for day 3 and day 2 before the procedure (according to the doctor's instructions), then clear liquid the day before and the prep (the newer one, 2 bottles plus lots of water) the afternoon and evening of the day before. Most everything was cleared out after the first bottle of prep though. I could see by the pictures that were included as part of the report they sent home with us that everything was clean as a whistle!

 

[badatmath]

I've had 5 and only ever done split preps. Never used your prep.

I did get an Rx for anti nausea med last time and it helped immensely. Some stranger online suggested it and doctor didn't object. I only took it once, about 45 minutes before starting to drink the crap.

 

[SecondCor521]

I didn't eat any differently, and my doctor said my prep was perfectly satisfactory.

Chilling the prep helps, and having a straw helps. But OP sounds like he's taking tablets instead of the stuff in the jars.

Overall, I thought the complaints about the prep were overblown - it's not fantastic, but it's not really that bad IMHO. The nap I had during the procedure more than made up for it.

 

[aaronc879]

I didn't eat any differently, and my doctor said my prep was perfectly satisfactory.

Chilling the prep helps, and having a straw helps. But OP sounds like he's taking tablets instead of the stuff in the jars.

Overall, I thought the complaints about the prep were overblown - it's not fantastic, but it's not really that bad IMHO. The nap I had during the procedure more than made up for it.

I am taking 4 pills followed an hour later by the MiraLax/Gatorade drink which is 8oz every 15 minutes for 2 hours. I'm not concerned about the actual drink, just concerned about the timing of being on the toilet and if I can be confident I won't have to go anymore after leaving the house 3.5 hours after finishing the last of the drink.

 

[badatmath]

I didn't eat any differently, and my doctor said my prep was perfectly satisfactory.

Chilling the prep helps, and having a straw helps. But OP sounds like he's taking tablets instead of the stuff in the jars.

Overall, I thought the complaints about the prep were overblown - it's not fantastic, but it's not really that bad IMHO. The nap I had during the procedure more than made up for it.

I'm not sure how you all get such good naps. I woke up in one of them. . . I could see a lot of pink on the screen but I didn't feel pain.

I'm a smallish person too - BMI 19 so not like giving a teaspoon to an elephant . . . maybe everyone get same dose IDK.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I had done the prep twice. Once was about 20 years ago and I was not told to restrict my diet prior to the 24-hr period of the prep. The whole experience was traumatic and I kept needing to go to the bathroom to void.

I did my prep for a colonoscopy last year. I was told to restrict my diet for a week prior to the prep. It was very easy, not much to void and after going to the bathroom a couple of times, I was practically cleaned out. I had no idea that fiber and sinew from meat are the culprits in having bm sit in the system.

These days I no longer worry about whether I am eating enough fiber and vegetables.