Colonoscopy Prep

[Kitty Cat]

Hi booked for a colonoscopy in a few weeks time. Its not the procedure which scares me. (I've had sigmoidoscopy in the past which was fine) It's the prep which scares me rigid. I have IBS and health anxiety over this and have major panic attacks even reading about taking the prep. I'm so so scared about taking the laxative and Kleep prep drink. Having spent most of my life calming my bowel and nerves down I just cant contemplate taking something which gives me diarrhoea! I take an antidepressant which has a slightly constipating effect (helps with IBS) and beta blockers for panic attacks would these drugs help through. I'm also worried about going without food for almost 24 hours as I tend to feel much more anxious and frightened when my blood sugar is low.

can anyone offer me any tips to help me please?

[ElizabethJane]

Hello I have had several colonoscopies. The laxatives are used so that the bowel,is completely clear to enable the camera to take pictures of if. You will have been given a diet sheet and it will have bland foods that you can eat the day before the procedure. On the day iself you will be allowed sips of water. The first few bowel movements will be quite fast so you will need to be at home and near the toilet. After that you will probably have to take more laxative. Bowel movements after this will be like clear water. Unpleasant but not impossible. My husband took me to the hospital and I had sedation. I had no recollection of the procedure and came home and slept for most of the day. I had low blood pressure too and was kept in hospital and given tea and toast until it returned to normal. Best of luck. You'll be fine. EJ

[Speranza]

Hi, my younger daughter had a colonoscopy on her 21st birthday . She was also really worried about the prep as they made it sound like fireworks would be going off in her bowel. In the end I think she would probably describe it as more of a bore than anything else. The bland food thing was a bit of a pain but I think I treated her to some jelly... She had Picolax which did the job but it wasn't the awful thing she had been dreading. All the best with the procedure, and I hope they find what they need to sort.

[Edie]

I'm not going to lie to you, the prep will cause sudden urges, and it will be watery.

You can keep your blood sugar up by drinking sugary drinks or eating jelly. Also worth getting in some Gatorade-type drinks, as the salts will help keep you hydrated. Just read your diet sheet carefully as you may be instructed to avoid anything red in colour.

The day before my prep-day I had a really bad IBS episode, due to having to come off my IBS meds in preparation. I could hardly eat anything. The prep wasn't too bad. Nowhere near what it was like first time around. So maybe try not to eat so much the day before and it shouldn't be as bad.

My tips:
1. Wear elasticated trousers.
2. Invest in some high quality bog roll.
3. Do not wear your favourite knickers.
4. If you think it's just a fart: it's not.
5. If you drink blue Gatorade, your poo will be blue. You may, or may not, find this amusing.

You will be fine

[Kitty Cat]

Thank you to Elizabeth Jane Edie and Speranza
you comments have helped me enormously.

Can I ask Edie what are your IBS meds? As I'm on an antispasmodic and a low dose tricyclic anti depressant which are slightly constipating, but no one has said anything about not taking these. Was your prep easier to tolerate this time because you had less in your digestive tract, from not eating the previous day?that must have made you feel awful and you were brave to go through with it! x


I've not been given an appointment by the hospital yet (its the waiting that's driving me crazy!)

Kitty Cat

[Edie]

Hi Kitty Cat, I take codeine for my IBS. Only a low dose, but I was having daily severe attacks before starting codeine.

Yes it was easier due to my digestive tract already being empty. I still passed all the liquids I'd drunk, but there was much less to pass, so that made it a lot easier

They will give you a detailed list of how to prepare. For example you will probably be asked to avoid fibrous foods such as wholegrains for 3 days, and possibly red drinks during your preparation day. They should also be able to advise you about your meds. You may need to stop them for a few days. If you're taking an iron supplement you will definitely have to stop this in preparation. If you're in any doubt, ask. Make sure they can get a clear view and do not have to repeat!

[Kitty Cat]

well I did it!!
Had my colonoscopy today. A BIG thank you to you all for your supporting words and tips. The prep really wasn't anything like as horrible as I'd feared. I spent a lot of time Googling other peoples experiences which vary so widely and I think in the end you just have to go for it. I got a completely normal bowel result which is really good news, as I have IBS and health anxiety specifically centred on my IBS, So its a question of coming to terms with the IBS
Best advice to anyone who is scared of this procedure and prep is just do it, for me it the worry about it was far worse than the test or prep itself and it is SO worth it for the peace of mind it brings

[Edie]

Yay, glad it's all over now!!!

Good to hear you've got a clean bill of health. In IBS the issue is in function rather than appearance. Hope you can have less worries aboit your IBS now.

[Spot-the-frog]

Hi Kitty, I am waiting for my appointment for a colonoscopy and endoscopy and I am glad you posted here, I too am more worried about the prep than the procedure, but after reading the posts above I will just do it.....