Tips for successful colonoscopy prep

My "current Gastro doctor" is incommunicado, unavailable for comment, impossible to talk to, can't even make an appointment: his staff STINKS, beyond stinks, and they're not "his staff" since he's in a practice with a GI doctor who's been around for 30 years. I called to make an appt. last Wednesday, of course you can't speak to an actual person, only machines, so I left a message. Not a particularly friendly one. And not one call back, I said I needed an appt., not one call back at all Thursday or Friday. Imagine if something goes wrong during that procedure? No one answers your call.

As for ointment etc., PCP prescribed it. I'm afraid of the prep and what it will do to those things, never had them before. It took weeks for them to clear up and I lost five pounds in the process. I can't eat bran: fructan. I'm working on using miralax to keep the bowels flowing freely, haven't figured out how best to use it without causing too much BM.

I found another GI doctor associated with the hospital where I get all my imaging done but I haven't met him, haven't even called his office. Because his office is IN the hospital, this is better should something go wrong. Also, this is a huge corporate practice that spent literally millions rebuilding this hospital so there's always someone to talk to and always someone on call.

Let me point out here: the GI "doctor" who did my third colonoscopy in 2019 might have killed me, he still could have killed me. He deliberately kept information from me regarding the nature of the polyps he removed: one was tubulovillous, the other was sessile, both are known to be precancerous. There was no dysplasia but tubulovillous COME BACK 60% of the time and THAT one was in the same location as the first one removed in 2012. He NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. When I got his notes, I saw he had a difficult time with my colonoscopy, my colon is "corrugated" according to him. Odd that the doctor before him, who did TWO colonoscopies for me, never complained about that. THEN he told my then PCP (another lousy doctor) that instead of colonoscopy I should have Cologuard tests: well known for positive false results AND won't remove a dangerous polyp, will it. THE MAN IS A MURDERER.

So trusting another GI doctor is going to be next to impossible.

I have colonic inertia, as well as a tortuous/redundant colon. Colonoscopy preps have always been a nightmare and have never been “complete” enough for them to do a thorough exam, despite following instructions precisely,
I had to do a prep recently for a different procedure and it worked amazingly well. I could not believe that I was totally clear in a matter of hours with little discomfort. I also have hemorrhoids.
The week before, I added a 1/2 capful of Miralax to my am coffee. I also began gradually cutting back on high-residue foods the closer I got to the day. Two days before, I went on an all clear diet, nothing but jello and clear liquids. Once I started having loose stools, for me, even before I started prep, I used Desitin, and reapplied as often as needed. And soft tissue or wipes. If you can’t flush wipes, toss in garbage. And blot, never wipe. All this will help your bottom and make prep so much easier. At least it did for me. Of course, run this by your dr. Mine told me it’s like a “pre-prep” to get things moving so the actual prep has a better chance of working and is not so traumatic. Best of luck! I’ve also had some horrible, unfeeling drs, so I can totally sympathize. Always wonder why people like that choose health care as a profession if they so dislike dealing with sick people? And it’s not just drs.

Some years back I had “poor prep” and the doctor was really angry with me. Thank goodness I saw my Allergist soon after, who told me that some people need to take additional steps. He got me in touch with the right people in the GI department and from then on, I did the additional steps which I believe in the medical field is known as “expanded prep”. Three years ago I did the expanded prep and I felt happy that my prep was “good”. Fast forward to current time, to my great dismay, my prep was deemed “poor”. For those of you who have experienced this, what additional steps do I need to take in addition to the steps I followed ? Here are my steps:

1. Seven days prior to colonoscopy, ate only low residue, low fiber foods. Took Miralax at night.

2. Two days before colonoscopy, stopped eating. Drank only clear liquids.

3. Two days before, I drank Magnesium Citrate. Drank water per instructions.

4. One day before, I drank GoLytely. Drank water per instructions. I didn’t do the split dose due to taking two preps and very early appointment time for colonoscopy.

I am 76 years old. My next colonoscopy will be in a year.

Thank you.

GI Dr. insists on colonoscopy, I have a history of benign but precancerous bad type polyps (four colonoscopies since 2011). Last summer got a horrible hemorrhoid after really straining (dumb I know!!!) It seems internal AND external. I am too old for surgery (over 72) and this thing is permanent and bothers me all the time.

I'm terrified of the prep. I'm so terrified I'm thinking of not getting this procedure. I know I'm at high risk of colon cancer because of these polyps they always find but I lost TEN pounds because of changing my diet to higher fiber (made it WORSE, MORE constipated and hurt the hem worse!) and a case of diverticulitis (no infection, just inflammation) in December where they put me on Augmentin when I didn't need it and I spent 6 weeks with a very serious yeast infection. I weigh 105 pounds I cannot lose one more ounce.

Anyone with a bad internal/external hemorrhoid do this prep without serious complications and weeks of pain? I can't go any more time without eating. Right now, I'm still taking miralax every day (reducing dose) because the yeast infection really messed up my bowel biome and that prep is going to do it again!!! HELP!!!!

Is Natural Calm a good alternative to Miralax for colonoscopy?

Is Natural Calm a good alternative to Miralax for colonoscopy?

Some years back I had “poor prep” and the doctor was really angry with me. Thank goodness I saw my Allergist soon after, who told me that some people need to take additional steps. He got me in touch with the right people in the GI department and from then on, I did the additional steps which I believe in the medical field is known as “expanded prep”. Three years ago I did the expanded prep and I felt happy that my prep was “good”. Fast forward to current time, to my great dismay, my prep was deemed “poor”. For those of you who have experienced this, what additional steps do I need to take in addition to the steps I followed ? Here are my steps:

1. Seven days prior to colonoscopy, ate only low residue, low fiber foods. Took Miralax at night.

2. Two days before colonoscopy, stopped eating. Drank only clear liquids.

3. Two days before, I drank Magnesium Citrate. Drank water per instructions.

4. One day before, I drank GoLytely. Drank water per instructions. I didn’t do the split dose due to taking two preps and very early appointment time for colonoscopy.

I am 76 years old. My next colonoscopy will be in a year.

Thank you.