First Colonoscopy next week - tips?

[Baconville 578]

I had a very successful RNY surgery on 6/25/13 and am maintaining a weight loss of over 200 pounds from my highest pre-surgery weight. Last year I reached that 'magical' age that requires you to undergo a colonoscopy and since colon cancer is very prevalent in my husband's family (not in mine though) my husband will not leave me alone until I have it done (I know I should be greatful!)!

I am scheduled for next Tuesday. The directions are a low Fiber diet for three days prior, liquids only the day before, with a lot of drinking (Gateraid) the night before. The drinking part won't be a problem for me - I can guzzle a 20 ounce bottle of Water in 5 minutes if I want to. Just wondering how the rest of it went for anybody that wants to share who has had one post surgery. Not worried about the procedure - just the prep!

The low fiber diet is going to be the hardest! No fresh veggies, no fruit, no whole grain breads or cereals (I can have white bread and processed Cereal though!), no potatoes! Yikes - those are the staples of my diet these days! I can have as much meat as I want - I just don't know what I will have with it!

Thanks for any advice!

Carol

[James Marusek 5,244]

I had a couple colonoscopies. The main problem was they knocked me out prior to the colonoscopy and just when I was starting to come out of the anesthesia, the doctor gave me the debriefing. I remember the doctor was very excited. That is all I could remember a half hour later when I became fully awake.

So maybe you could ask the doctor to wait a little on debriefing you. Or you might have your husband there during the debriefing so he could jot down everything that was said. They provide you with very nice color photographs of the inside of your colon. I just wish I was awake when they told me what everything of importance was.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

Do you really think that three days of low-fiber eating is monumental? Three days? You have it easy, especially if you can tolerate Gatorade, of which I sipped once decades ago and still recall as liquid potting soil.

I won't describe the swill I had to drink for colonoscopy. Low-fiber for a few days would have been a bacchanal in comparison.

Edited March 8, 2016 by WLSResources/ClothingExch

[BestDayEver 418]

My prep has been nothing like the one you've been prescribed. The day before I had to take 4 dulcolax and drink an entire bottle of miralax mixed with 64 oz of Water. Needless to say I was completely cleared out. Yuck!

[Kindle 8,667]

I didn't have any dietary restrictions other than the day before. Liquids only for 24 hours and was given a colon prep liquid to drink 12 and 4 hours prior. OMG was that horrible. Tasted like cherry koolaid that someone poured a cup of salt into. The worst part was I was only 3 1/2 months postop VSG and couldn't begin to drink all the colon prep they wanted me to. That and trying not to gag on it.

The best advice I would have given myself (had I known) was that the colon prep kicks in a LOT faster with a tiny tummy than they advised me it would. Only took 20 minutes to produce "results", but luckily I was close to home!

Good luck! Ugh.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

Plan to stay close to the pot and enoy the night of a 1000 showers. Ahhh, but did I ever feel so clean. I don't think so.

[cherri2082 149]

Good luck but stay close to the bathroom! Aquaphor is great for sore butt!!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using the BariatricPal App

[Baconville 578]

My prep has been nothing like the one you've been prescribed. The day before I had to take 4 dulcolax and drink an entire bottle of Miralax mixed with 64 oz of Water. Needless to say I was completely cleared out. Yuck!

Actually, that is almost EXACTLY the prep that I will be doing. I only have to take 2 dulcolax and I mix the miralax with 64 ounces of gatorade. I know that it will not be pleasant, but I was wondering if it was different for us WLS patients. The low Fiber diet is IN ADDITION to the day before prep. Apparently it 'bulks things up' so it moves through quicker. Four hours before the test I need to drink 10 oz. of Magnesium Citrate. The low fiber diet really through me! I am being ordered to eat everything I used to eat, but haven't in nearly 3 years!

Carol

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

So you haven't eaten meat in three years? Are you a vegetarian? If so maybe you should advise them of this.

[Baconville 578]

My prep has been nothing like the one you've been prescribed. The day before I had to take 4 dulcolax and drink an entire bottle of miralax mixed with 64 oz of Water. Needless to say I was completely cleared out. Yuck!

Actually, that is almost EXACTLY the prep that I will be doing. I only have to take 2 dulcolax and I mix the miralax with 64 ounces of gatorade. I know that it will not be pleasant, but I was wondering if it was different for us WLS patients. The low fiber diet is IN ADDITION to the day before prep. Apparently it 'bulks things up' so it moves through quicker. Four hours before the test I need to drink 10 oz. of Magnesium Citrate. The low fiber diet really through me! I am being ordered to eat everything I used to eat, but haven't in nearly 3 years!

Carol

No, I eat meat nearly every day - I am definitely NOT a vegetarian. But I also eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day - especially fresh veggies. I sometimes have a salad twice a day. No fresh veggies is going to be hard - even for just three days.

[Julie norton 2,850]

The best hints I can give from my experience is have the prep liquid ice cold.

Then get some magazines, or a good book, buy some soft wipes and don't plan anything out of the restroom for several hours .

The next am wasn't as lengthy .

Good luck and hope all is well. Think pink healthy colon!!

[Baconville 578]

DID IT! I was quite uncomfortable for a while until things started to move (SO much gas - I felt like an overfilled balloon!), and it isn't something I will look forward to doing again, but I am very glad I had it done. They found one very small polyp which they removed easily. It was of the pre-cancerous type, so I get to do it again in 5 years. Hopefully, with my much healthier diet and regular exercise, in five years I will have a healthy pink colon!

Thank you all for your tips and advice!

Carol