@kathy49 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Has your primary doctor given you any suggestions? They would know best your general health situation. What works for one person may not work for someone else.
Ginger

Hello @kathy49, I second what @gingerw said about colonoscopy prep. I will be 82 in a couple of months and swore after my last colonoscopy at 78 I would never have another one but things change. After my annual checkup the topic came up again and after weighing the pros and cons with my primary care doctor I decided I would schedule one. My last prep which I thought was OK didn't work out very well so this time I have to take an advanced prep which involves the tasty liquid (yuck!) along with some laxative tablets. You might find this Mayo Newsfeed article helpful:
-- Colonoscopy prep: make it easier
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/take-charge-healthy-aging/newsfeed-post/colonoscopy-prep-make-it-easier/

I can have any the go-lightly, moviprep or suprep. the last two are less liquid and easier to tolerate.
My choice.

I do the children’s prep. It’s the only one I can tolerate. It’s miralax and 2 colace. It cleans me out!

Some say no more after 75 I guess some say 70. But it does make a difference your history and lets say you reach 75 but have not had one for 8 years....rather be safe and have one more while still easy (relatively) to do prep. This will be my third with no history of polyps. Doctor ordering this at Mayo is not in the GI department and is fine with me using any of the preps. It is routine. Just seeing if anyone had a story about taking xxx and not complete clean out? I also think it might be more difficult in terms of electrolytes etc. the older you are.

I have issues with low sodium and my doctors have me on a 1.5 to 2 liter liquid restriction so it doesn't fall "dangerously" low. I'm worried about the prep but I'm being told that Golytely is the prep I should use, but I can't get a straight answer as to why that would be different especially in regards to my low sodium issues.

For the past three colonoscopies I have had, I used Pico Salax. It is over the counter in Canada and expensive ($40) but if the doctor writes a prescription for it you can get it for a lot less. I prefer this prep despite the cost because it consists of two small sachets.

During the prep day you can drink any amount of your choice of fluids as you want before that on that day - black tea, black coffee, clear broths, juices and jellos (both any colour except red, purple or blue). You take the first sachet, dissolved in 120ml. water, at 4:00 p.m. on your prep day. Then you take the second sachet at 10:00 p.m. on the prep day, continuing with intake of your choice of fluids. I think you are prescribed one or two Dulcolax with this prep too.

I was never able to finish GoLitely or Moviprep because it made me throw up after the first half of the prep! Hated it! Pico Salax is so easy to take! There is a generic brand of this - Purgo-something but I prefer the taste of the brand name Pico Salax. Both brands have the orange flavour, although the powder is white.

I had the best colonoscopy and post recovery ever at 67 yrs of age. Days before the procedure I made sure I was well hydrated. I drank the electrolyte enhanced mineral waters that people drink for sports. During the time when you drink the colon prep if I drank any additional fluids it was electrolyte water. After the procedure I drank electrolyte water too and went home feeling well rested!

My surgeon had me follow this prep & it worked very well, without any nausea: 2 dulcolax pills. 2hrs later, combine a 8.3 oz bottle of powdered miralax into your favorite flavor gatorade( no red/blue). Drink 1 cup every 15 min, ( should take 1 1/2-2 hours) . Two hours later, 2 more dulcolax pills. I had a previous issue with my bowel prep not being " complete". The addition of 2 dulcolax at the end, made a difference. I also followed a low residue diet for three days prior.

I have gastroparesis ( slow bowels)
4 days one a day miralax
Day before 4 ducolax and 150 mgs gas ex
Miralax- 8 ounces every 30 minutes
I had to go longer than 30 minutes I would get very full unable to drink
I was told when that started to happen slow down
I was ready to next day for my colonoscopy