My surgeon only requires 1 bottle of mag citrate for a bowel prep but I really haven't had any results. Does any one know if you have to be as "clean" as when you have a colonoscopy or is it not supposed to be that way?

Yep you need to be colonoscopy clean. You don't want him cutting into "dirty" intestines, it's begging for infection.

When you do the mag citrate you must really push the Water. For my bowel prep patients it usually comes out to about 2 bottles of mag citrate and almost a gallon of water.

Oh and you are "clean" when what comes out looks exactly like what went in . So clear in clear out

I was only required to have one bottle of mag citrate and it didn't work all that well for me, either. I let the nurse know in the morning of my surgery (5:00 AM) and she said it wasn't a problem, it didn't need to be as complete as when you have a colonoscopy. Your best bet is to call your surgeon's office to make sure.

Well I didn't have to do any bowel prep at all. Remember you probably will be doing clear liquids the day before and nothing to eat or drink 12 hours before surgery. I was fine had no issues.

My mag citrate didn't work either. No worries, my surgeon said it didn't matter.

Miralax every 3 hours or castor oil.

My surgeon does not require bowel prep. They are not cutting into the lower bowel.

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I had to drink the Bowel Prep i think it altered alot after the surgery for me..because it was so HORRID.. i didnt want to drink anything because the taste and smell of it was still in my soul lol..just talking about it now gets me almost at a gagging point..but it works..you have to drink a certain amount for it to take an effect, probably a little over a half

Mine didn't kick in at the normal time it should have....i drank it at like 4:30pm and it didn't start working until 1am. All the time inbetween I was just in cramping pain. I kept going and going and going clear up til the time I left for the hospital. The last time I used it, it was a lot more sudden.

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by Sajijoma

It is important to thoroughly clean your bowels.It will make a difference.

My surgeon only requires 1 oz milk of magnesia at 4pm the day before. I'm voluntarily taking magnesium citrate on Friday though.

For whatever its worth, as a Nurse if I was having a bypass I would do the bowel prep. I personally would want the best operating situation for my surgeon and the "cleanest" possible. Clean = less chance of infection.