I’m scheduled to have surgery April 16th. My surgeon wants me to drink two bottles of magnesium citrate the day before surgery to keep me from getting constipated afterward. I just tasted this stuff and it’s awful. There’s no way I’m going to get all that down. It’s like soda water with some rubbing alcohol mixed in. I have Miralax, so I may drink that instead. Has anyone else had to do this before surgery and how critical is it that I do this? Thanks for all the great information that you all give.

I had to do it before surgery and thankfully I only had to drink one bottle. I got the grape flavored one. I used a straw and just drank it in 3 big gulps with a shot of apple juice in between. You can always call your dr and see if you can take something else instead.

I didn't have to do anything like that before surgery. I had a bowel movement before leaving the hospital and haven't had any constipation whatsoever.

nope - I didn't have to either. But since I had to do a liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery (and this was ALL liquid - no solid food allowed), I doubt I had anything in there.

If it's something your surgeon requires I would suck it up and do it.

My son's Bowel Prep before colonoscopy contained both Mg Citrate and Duocolax. A LOL which was part of it,i He was permitted lemon and lime Jello along with fluids during,prep. In the pictures he received after the procedure was finished, there is visible lime jello,cliinging to the colon walls. As much,as he went to the BR before, you could swear it would be impossible! ???

Add ice cubes to it or refrigerate it so it's cold. It goes down much easier. I've told my patients this when they've had to do preps. Good Luck!

1 hour ago, elcee said:

If it's something your surgeon requires I would suck it up and do it.

If any doctor requires something and I don't understand why, I ask them questions, such as, are their other options to achieve the goal here?