The Dreaded Colonoscopy Prep

It's bad - yes, it's THAT bad. Because there aren't many "young" people who go through this, I decided to blog about it in hopes of helping someone else my age who has to do this.

I'm 35, no spring chicken, but not 50 either. 50 is the recommended age to get your first colonoscopy. I had hoped that by the time I reached 50 and needed one, they (whoever they are) would have developed a better tasting or easier prep. Unfortunately, I couldn't wait until I was 50.

Why am I having one? For as long as I can remember I have either been constipated or have had mashed potato like BMs. Not diarrhea, just mush. I often spend hours in and out of the bathroom, with 5 kids, that's no fun and not always doable. Usually when I start going potty, I have to plan about 3 hours and by the end, my BMs are tinged with blood. Then later on in the day, I usually pass some mucous - which I know can't be normal.

Many doctors have told me I should have a colonoscopy. But, I have always pushed it off, even cancelled a couple, in fear of the prep!! But, recently, I've become more and more worried about my health and I knew it was time. My regular doctor recommended a nice gastro doctor and he did recommend the colonoscopy and gave me the prescription for MoviPrep.

The appointment was made 2 weeks later - many times in those 2 weeks, I almost called it off. But, I kept looking at the sweet faces of my girls and knew I had to do this.

So, along came Thursday afternoon. I was allowed to eat a breakfast, so had an english muffin. The rest of the day, I would be on a clear liquid diet. I was supposed to start my prep at 4pm, but I couldn't until about 4:20pm. It is supposed to be done in an hour, but it was 2 hours. So, I mixed these 2 packages into the container they give you, add water and then I put it in the fridge. (I did this in the morning, so the drink was cold.) I got plastic cups and straws. You have to drink 240ml every 15 minutes.

1st 240ml - Put in plastic cup, used small, drinking straw. First 3 gulps went okay. When I went to do it again.. UGH!!!!! It's a sweet - no... ultra sweet, nauseating taste. And it smells like cleaner. It tastes like what I would think cleaner might taste like. I chased it with water and orange soda. BLECH! I gagged. I almost threw up many, many times.

2nd 240ml - I put ice in the cup (the first one had started to get warm by the time I had drank it all). I used the straw again. UGH!!!! Still awful! Kept gagging.

3rd 240ml - Tried drinking it without a straw, but with ice. A few gulps here, a few gulps there. But, when I was halfway there, I knew I couldn't drink the rest like that. So, I went in search of a bigger straw. A wider one like the kids get at restaurants or come with big, refillable amusement park cups. This is how I finished this one.

Then I read some tips at a website.

4th 240ml - Plugged nose TIGHT (I had plugged nose before, but not TIGHT). So, I plugged tight, took a deep breath in and out, in and out, in and held it and sucked as much as I could through the wide straw. Before letting go, I drank orange soda through a straw, and then a gulp of water to swish around and spit out... finally followed by a big sip of warm chicken soup. This was the easiest way.

And this is where I am now... Part one done. Part two to start at 10pm. I started having BMs about an hour after I started drinking. They come every 10 minutes.

I'm being proactive. Instead of waiting for my bottom to start hurting, I put vaseline on before I go to the bathroom and I use flushable wipes instead of toilet paper, and then when I'm done, I put on some Desitin. I have my sitz bath and Tucks ready in case I need them.

The liquid diet hasn't been too hard... yet. I started to get hungry around 1pm. I don't like a lot of things, so Jell-o was out as well as many other drinks. I drank orange soda and water most of the day. I had orange popsicles and then I tried chicken broth... chicken broth does not taste good. So, I warmed up a can of chicken noodle soup and took the broth out of it and drank that.

Besides going to the bathroom, the only problems I've had have been a little headache, and some lightheadedness. Oh, and my stomach is making noises I've never heard it make before!!

This has been part 1. I shall be back with part 2, either later or tomorrow.