Colon prep didn't work

[ghostjmf]

Disconsolate in the extreme about this. Will have to redo in 2 weeks if I have the nerve. Not so sure that I do have, after reading that what I was told to take, Miralax plus biscodyl + Gatorade is supposed to be identical to Golytely except I was told I could leave out the Gatorade, which does osmotic balancing, so I did.


Maybe the fact that you drink 1/2 as much of the Miralax prep total as of the Golytely was the problem; its twice as strong. And the protocol for Miralax has you splitting the doses. Waking up at early dawn to take the 2nd quart. Making the 2nd quart impossible to get down in its entirety, because the memory of how awful it is is too recent. But, mainly, it didn't work.


When they looked in my colon they found it was still full of, uh, "stuff". I had told them that from the outset; that the solution didn't have the desired effect on me (unless the desired effect was to make me sick to my stomach but with a still insufficiently unstuffed colon). My previous doc, the one who moved to Chicago, told me before they went that even when you are fasting your body still of course produces refuse from the stored stuff it consumes for energy. Which I kinda knew already. So there's no way around this colon prep routine.


I don't know if I can go through this 2 weeks from now, or ever. Now that I know, having looked them up, that they're essentially just the same drugs, except that the Golytely has the foul-tasting Gatorade-y stuff already in it, but is more dilute, & they let you drink as much as you can stand in a continual sitting.


Just for the record, while Miralax is not foul-tasting, after about 2 glasses it gives you double the nausea that Golytely does, because the Miralax solution is twice as strong. Just for the record, here.


So now I've got a prescription for Golytely & a reappointment. But I don't know if I can/will go through with it.


Oh yeah; my gastric doc wants me to take a bottle of magnesium citrate the day before. Which the net assures me will taste "just like acid". Like I said, I'm scared in advance.

[Beebs52]

Sorry, Ghost. This distresses me, too, since I go in Monday for mine. Picked up the Suprep, which sounds like the Golytely crap, and am dreading Sunday/Monday. I think what may help me is if I don't OD on jello/broth/water/ginger ale before taking that hideousity. But, as you know, the stomach has a mind of its own, and with this mess it just up and decides to go walking with no warning.

[Bob78164]

I'm sorry this has been so difficult for you.

It's been three years, now, since my own procedure. For those who still have this to look forward to, I will say that I didn't suffer any of the difficulties ghost is reporting. I wouldn't call the prep solution yummy but neither did I find it particularly distasteful. The texture (though not the taste) was very slightly milky -- the taste was lemony. It had the intended effect and it had it quickly -- be sure, when you drink it, that there's a clear path between you and the facilities. --Bob

[macrae1234]

My story is identical to Bob's prep wasn't bad and had desired clean out effect. Maybe it's true bridge players are perfect a..holes LOL

[SportsFan68]

I couldn't face the last few glasses without some help, so I dumped it into iced apple juice and got it all down.

My next meal was chicken/garlic pizza. Yeah, yeah, far from ideal. I wasn't looking any gift horses in the mouth.

[MarleysGh0st]

I'm sorry, ghost.

I've had the Miralax treatment twice, now, and each time it had the desired effect. And the taste, while not to be recommended, wasn't intolerable.

Last Friday, I had an upper GI scan. The barium mixture I had to drink for that also was far less unpalatable than I had imagined.

[BackInTex]

No problems here. My wife has trouble swallowing stuff like that and keeping it down. I have no problem with it or anything else , unfortunately.

It was all rather pleasant for me. I really like a good poop.

[jaybee]

I wish I could remember the name of the prep solution that I and Mrs. Jaybee used during our colon procedures last summer. We were told that they had two different solutions, one that required massive amounts of other fluids mixed with the laxatives and a second one that was much easier to take with smaller amounts of fluid. The second version was much more expensive but was included in our insurance plan so we went with that.

Keep in mind that it was still horrible - tasted like cough syrup with an attitude but it was only two 6 oz bottles. Did the same clear diet restrictions as any method but mixed one 6 oz bottle with about 6 oz of Gatoraide-like drink. One dose mid-morning of the day before the procedure and one dose later that evening. Again, horrible tasting stuff but you can toss it down in under a minute and then you're done. Sounds like a much better alternative than what you went through.

Since the first attempt was not successful, maybe the other stuff could be covered this time?

[Bob78164]

My new doctor (having just received the results from my previous colonoscopy) just messaged me that I should have another in a couple of years. I thought I recalled that in some cases the recommendation was every 10 years rather than every 5 years. --Bob

[Beebs52]

My new doctor (having just received the results from my previous colonoscopy) just messaged me that I should have another in a couple of years. I thought I recalled that in some cases the recommendation was every 10 years rather than every 5 years. --Bob

So far I've had three within the last two years (second one because, like Ghost, I wasn't deshitted enough). I also didn't have my first procedure until I was 60, rather than 50. But, the reason for the one-year follow up this time is because I'm "a little polyp maker" per my gastroenterologist. She described the multitude of normal and pre-cancerous polyps they removed the last time and so there you have it. Maybe this time I'll deshittify sufficiently and the polyp-making machine will be disabled for awhile.

[Bob Juch]

Next time try Bowel Blaster! http://www.bowelblaster.net/

[Beebs52]

Next time try Bowel Blaster! http://www.bowelblaster.net/

I rather like the name. It is what it is.

[jaybee]

Yeah - the whole time thing is based on what they find up in there.

Mrs. Jaybee doesn't have to go back for 10 years. I too, had some 'pre-cancerous" polyps removed - that puts me on the three-year schedule.

[Bob78164]

Yeah - the whole time thing is based on what they find up in there.

Mrs. Jaybee doesn't have to go back for 10 years. I too, had some 'pre-cancerous" polyps removed - that puts me on the three-year schedule.

I heard back from my doctor. I had a benign polyp, so they want me back five years after the first one. --Bob

[ghostjmf]

Thanks all for the sympathy! Now for some tea!

I'm really scared. I have the redo scheduled in 2 weeks. I'd rather it was scheduled never. This time, because I specifically told them it had worked for me last time, they wrote me a prescription for Golytely, but since Golytely really is the exact same chem (polyethylene glycol) as in Miralax, I remain scared. Golytely worked for me last time, after Fleet Oral Enema failed. But this time around I'm 10 years older, about 60 lbs thinner, & diabetic. May not be the same colon. So to speak.


I had a discussion today with a nice endoscopy dept call-back person; they can't authorize anything but Golyely, Miralax or Nulytely, but informally tell me to use Milk of Magnesia a few days before. Which would really ruin my Thanksgiving trip, so I can't. I can use it on the night of the prep, though.


What made matters even more awful is that the Miralax finally had its effect, on & off, yesterday after they had already signed me out for "failed prep". The endoscopy dept call-back person thinks the massive amounts of liquid involved with the Golytely is what works the magic on the people for which it works better than Miralax (there's an actual study on-line claiming the preps are identical. I still suspect Miralax has some delayed-action built into it that was what made it not work for me.) So the unspoken thing here is that I should have just followed up the Miralax with a couple more quarts of water. I thought that would dilute it, so I didn't.


Endoscopy call-back person told me they no longer use Fleet Oral Enema; it puts some people into renal failure. Gee, nice to know after you've taken it. Even though it was 10 years ago. It may not be still on the market, for that reason.


I have half a mind to load up on onions that have had moldy upper layers removed. And crab Rangoon, even though I don't eat the non-kosher animals otherwise. I only say this because these 2 items are practically guaranteed to give me the desired diarrhea. I know this from sad experience; the onions took some detective work by me years ago, but I verified it the hard way. Well, call it the runny way. The Rangoons were masquerading as some "I don't know what it is but it tastes like a cream-cheese wonton so I'll have some more". And since it did not give severe distress to anyone else at the party, I don't think it was rotten crab or rotten cream cheese, just another of my food sensitivities showing itself. I have not verified it the runny way, though.


I might actually look into that stuff BJ sent a blurb about. Anything to help. Anything I can take as a pill, instead of drinking polyethylene glycol mixed with Gatorade.

[jaybee]

Probably a moot point, since you have listed only three types of 'stuff' that they will prescribe for you but I went through our records to find out the stuff that they gave us:

It's called Suprep. Rather than include links, it's easy enough to Google. Maybe you can talk them into it.

Like I have said in other replies above and in the other thread, even though it tastes awful, there is really not that much of it. Use it twice, 2 to 4 gulps each time, lots of nasty facial expressions and you're done.

[Beebs52]

Suprep is my poison of choice this weekend.

[Bob Juch]

Here ya go:

Spoiler

[ghostjmf]

Here are some reviews for the Suprep. Frankly, it sounds like the Fleet Oral Enema stuff. Turns out its a combo of drugs (see below) but has Fleet's sodium phosphate in it.


http://www.drugs.com/comments/magnesium ... ation.html


Here is an article warning against taking stuff w/ sodium phosphate in it: http://www.geripal.org/2012/02/dangers- ... nemas.html


Which is probably why Suprep isn't on my clinic's prep list. Since they told me about Fleet causing renal failure, which is why they don't order it used any more.
I don't want to scare Beebs, but I probably will have.


I am currently planning to stick with the Golytely, only because it worked for me once. Also, they think they gave me the 2-stage prep instructions (from my conversation with them), but they really only gave me the 1-stage instructions. I had a harder time with the 2-stage Miralax prep because waking up to take your 2nd round of prep 3 hours before you are going to get on a bus & subway to go to the hospital is horrifying, even when the prep doesn't have the desired effect in time. I'd rather be "cleaned out" before I get on public transportation (or a cab; same problem. Would have same problem, plus my very own cleanup problem, if I could get someone to ferry me in my own car. You get the picture.).


I am going to try to do what I did 10 years ago, which is a 2-day no-solids fast. The instructions only say one-day. 10 years ago I did a 2-day solids fast because I was afraid the prep wouldn't work, as the Fleet already hadn't. So I'm back to that.

[Beebs52]

Lalalalalalalala I can't HEAR you....

Actually, I've had the Suprep twice before and I guess my kidneys survived. I'm just in a horrible mood thinking about doing this in general. Again. With that shit, both drinkable and poopable.

[ghostjmf]

Beebs:

I was wrong; despite being in a link with sodium phosphate as an ingredient, the Suprep link itself only lists sodium sulfate. So you will live. I hope. That you've survived it before is good news.


Best of luck here.

[Beebs52]

Beebs:

I was wrong; despite being in a link with sodium phosphate as an ingredient, the Suprep link itself only lists sodium sulfate. So you will live. I hope. That you've survived it before is good news.


Best of luck here.

Ah thanks. It's just so annoying, no? Dreadfully so.

[ghostjmf]

I now have 3 tries at this:

Fleet Oral Enema: horrid stuff. Certainly looked like it worked, to me. Not to the Drs. This was only supposed to be for a sigmoidoscopy (lower portion of colon).


Dr. rewrote orders for a colonoscopy (whole colon) just so they could justify prescribing Golytely, which they assured me "wouldn't taste as bad" but would be a massive volume of liquid to ingest.


It worked.

Miralax: despite being the same ingredient as Golytely, was the worst of the 3 experiences, as produced major nausea, much more so than with "normal" diarrhea, with little colon action until the next day.


I was informed this time around that the Drs. have the option of suctioning out the offending material if it appears watery enough. Maybe it didn't appear watery enough to them, though by then it did to me. Maybe they just didn't feel like it. There is a problem with injury if they do this. Slight problem, but its there. I wish they'd done it, though.

[ghostjmf]

A comment from the nasty jerk showed up in a completely unrelated thread. As is typical of them. They think that's funny. I wonder why they are reading this thread if the topic doesn't strike their fancy. Its not like I didn't put "colon" in the subject line on purpose. Oh well. Thanks for the sympathy & info, sympathetic & informative folks, anyway.

[ghostjmf]

As opposed to any other sagas, like why I get an abusive "instruction", in that same unrelated thread of which I already spoke, that would get anybody else thrown off the board, except the abuser is a board moderator, so gives themself a free pass. Also, their "advice", if taken literally (actually couldn't be, as it involves an imaginary object) would not help with the prep at all, of course. I see that their knowledge of human anatomy is so skewed (& also screwed) that they don't know that sexual torture does not help gastroenterologists inspect the colon. Oh well. They'll have to do a colon prep themself some day, providing they live long enough to hit the age where its recommended.


At any rate, the Dr. rewrote the prescription for Golytely, the miracle drug which worked last time, 10 years ago. So I go to the drugstore & they give me a generic equivalent. Which is also pineapple flavored; gaaa. I like pineapple, but won't after this. I tell pharmacy I want the real Golytely & pharmacist says your Dr. has to say "no subs". Else here in Mass we're required to give you the generic equivalent. By now I'm ascribing mystical powers to the real Golytely. But Dr's practise official calls back to say they won't write "no subs" because it has to be a medical reason, & my wanting the same stuff that worked 10 years ago isn't one, to them or my insurance. According to them, Miralax, which didn't work, is "not the same as generic sub for Golytely". Everything I've looked up says it is. Which is why I think there's something magical about the real Golytely that seperates it from Miralax. Particle size. Whatever. They counter that generic sub is "double the strength & double the volume" of their prescribed Miralax prep. If that's all that's different, they just could have told me to take double the strength, & double the volume at double strength of Miralax the 1st time around & I wouldn't be having this whole experience, insults from you-know-who included. Well, I'd still get the insults, but on some other topic.


The pharmacist told me the Gatorade chems that come already mixed into Golytley (& its generic sub) are important to getting you "going"; the Dr's official had told me I could skip them when doing the Miralax prep. Also, if Gatorade gave people the runs they wouldn't be selling it for people to drink during marathons, I don't think. And the Superbowl. That would give "running pass", or whatever, during the SB a new meaning.


I just want this to be over.


I paid about $21.00 for the Miralax setup, & would have paid more had I bought the Gatorade too. The generic sub for Golytely costs $5.00. Real Golytely would have cost me $36.00. I am going to go back there & see if they can sell it me not-on-prescription.