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Failed prep for colonoscopy: What can I do?

Digestive Health | Last Active: May 16 10:35am | Replies (156)

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@deedeedavidson

I am 70 yrs old and just did the Su Tabs prep. Prep has always been terrible for me, lasting all night and no sleep at all. However, this time was the absolute worst. By the time morning came I was crying and bleeding from lesions. It felt like acid coming out of me. During the colonoscopy ( I could barely get dressed to go to the procedure) I apparently had an acid reflux event which ultimately ended up in pneumonia. But what I learned from reading my colonoscopy report was that I had a “tortuous colon” that made the colonoscopy “difficult”. This was the first time anyone had ever said this and I had had a few miserable colonoscopies before this. Apparently this explains why it took so long to complete the prep because a tortuous or redundant colon is much longer and twistier than the average so it takes twice as long for me to process food ( or colon prep). Also explains why I have always had constipation problems! Might check into this if you have colonoscopy prep problems.

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Replies to "I am 70 yrs old and just did the Su Tabs prep. Prep has always been..."

@deedeedavidson -
I am so sorry to hear about your experience. I am not a health care professional but have experienced difficult colonoscopy preps myself. I found this in the Sutabs package insert: "Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088." When I googled that number it indicated that it was for "Reporting by Health Professionals." You can ask your doctor if s/he reported your experience. Drug manufacturers analyze these reports to determine if any changes are necessary (e.g., product changes or labeling changes).

Here is a link to the FDA site for adverse side effects:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/finding-and-learning-about-side-effects-adverse-reactions#:~:text=Unwanted%20or%20Unexpected%20Drug%20Reactions&text=Side%20effects%2C%20also%20known%20as,heart%20attack%20or%20liver%20damage.
It is great that you actually read your report and now know more about your own anatomy! Knowledge allows you to be a better advocate for yourself.

I am always interested in learning about a drug that has been recommended by a health care professional before I take it. The best technique that works for me is to google "(drug name) package insert" and then I look for the link that includes "fda.gov" and follow that one. The package insert contains a lot of technical information, including dosage and administration (e.g., the Sutabs stated "Do not take other laxatives while taking SUTAB."), contraindications, as well as warning and precautions (e.g., the Sutabs stated "Osmotic laxative products may produce colonic mucosal aphthous ulcerations, and there have been reports of more serious cases of ischemic colitis requiring hospitalization. Concurrent use of stimulant laxatives and SUTAB may increase these risks").

I do hope you are doing well and feeling much better. Congratulations again for reading your colonoscopy report!
@annabelle