Colonoscopy prep: make it easier

@shorts thank you! I will have chicken broth and apple juice and - good idea - ginger ale. Maybe Jello. I’m especially concerned as I weigh 90 lbs and called the GI doctor’s office & asked the nurse if I should reduce the amounts. She said no - everyone’s colon is the same length. But I’ve seen other preps with 1 bottle MiraLAX and 4 Dulcolax.

@barbaradh thanks for the tips - i plan to swish water in my mouth and spit it out, if needed. And, i'll plan to take a snack if they don't have one. . . something easy like a fruit bar or protein bar.

It never hurts to have a snack on hand. I was super hungry after each of my colonoscopies.
They will weigh you before the procedure starts. The nurse said everyone is amazed how much weight is lost after the colon is emptied. But you can it back quickly.

@berekann colonoscopy was uneventful except for one thing I haven’t read anyone addressing. The first one I had when I was in the short recovery I could hear my neighbors passing gas. I was horrified that I might do the same so i refrained from releasing gas. As soon as I stepped inside my doorway I doubled over in such pain that I thought for sure my intestines were perforated. My son immediately called the Gasteronology department listed on my discharge papers. I spoke to a nurse. She immediately asked “did you release gas after your procedure?” I said “of course not”. She said please do so now and I’m pretty sure your pain will go away. Sure enough it did. So don’t be shy release away.

If you have jello make sure it is not red or purple color.
You need to avoid food with those color dyes in them. The colon can take on those colors and appear different because of them. This detail is usually listed in the prep sheets the office gives you.

@barbaradh
This is going to be slightly indelicate, but along with staying very clean during the prep, I suggest using some Vaseline to protect the external area which does become irritated from overuse. All this is mostly gone and done with the next day. You’ll be surprised how good you feel. Oh, and make sure you have something healthy and yummy to eat when you get home, right before you nap.

@barbaradh During my prep, i did eat green jello, along with drinking lemon-lime gatorade with miralax, and some apple juice and lots of water! everything was so sweet! and the chicken boullion was too salty. My prep was rough - 6 Dulcolax and 2 bottles of Miralax in 3 bottles of Gatorade - i was pooping clear Gatorade by 3pm and gave up on the rest after that as it was making me ill. The procedure went fine- and no polyps or other problems, so never again!!
For all the advice to "finish your prep" - you know your own body and judge accordingly.

So happy that it’s over and you came out of it without any complications. Do you write it is your last one because at your age the doctor said you are finished?