JenniferInOhio Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Any advice for Colonoscopy prep? Any specific prep that I should ask for (that might be better than another)?I had to do a prep before a pelvic diagnostic lap 2 years ago. I ended up as an inpatient for 2 days because I kept having adrenaline rushes...heart rate going from 70-130 in a matter of seconds...wasn't diagnosed with POTS yet. I don't know if my problems stemmed from the prep or the anesthesia.Anyway, any advice would be so nice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Our reactions are different to the same tests, but according to my own experience, I recommend you to ask for a conscious sedation. (Of course if you have no intolerance and/or allergy to it).You will not be sleeping during the test, but you can feel more comfortable. Ask if you can have it.Colonoscopies are very safe. Nurses and doctors are usually more comprehensive and nice because they are aware of your being nervous, etc. Relax and ask them if you have doubts.I hope you get the results you are looking for.Love,Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I think "we" get dehydrated and that's not a good thing! I like the phospate? its a small bottle as opposed to the gallon premix. Way easy for me to get down 2 tsp of yuck, than a gallon of ew. what I mean is the former tastes worst but is over with much easier.it is my opinion that "we" need extra IV fuilds afterward too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lthomas521 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Does your doctor know about POTS? Make sure that they have extra fluids at the ready. Ask your pharmacist about options for bowel prep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I think "we" get dehydrated and that's not a good thing! I like the phospate? its a small bottle as opposed to the gallon premix. Way easy for me to get down 2 tsp of yuck, than a gallon of ew. what I mean is the former tastes worst but is over with much easier.it is my opinion that "we" need extra IV fuilds afterward too.My Colonoscopy was carried out without any sedation, and I had a bad time... I was told (afterwards) that it would have been much better if I had sedation... A year later, when I had an endoscopy, I asked for sedation... It was supposed that I had to be conscious, but the soon the sedation was fixed, I was sleeping... It took a lot to wake up. Doctors were upset because I had been sleeping all the time... I had no IV fluids, (in fact, I did not know I could have POTS, never heard about it yet)... Do you think that my reaction could have been caused because of a hypersensitivity + not having been giving fluids during and after the test?Furthermore, after the endoscopy, I was feeling lightheaded, dizzy and exhausted.My husband was extremely worried, it was supposed to be a test of say 20 minutes, and it took hours (because I was sleeping and they did not know how to awaken me, I was just left in a room sleeping)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Yes, ask for the smaller prep and Do ask for immediate hydration by IV upon arriving for the test. My bp was 60/40 and I was not in good shape for days!!! By explaining your needs before the test you will most probably have as good a test as possible!best regards, tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I've had several. I actually prefer the half lytely as opposed to the smaller amount. It doesn't mess with your electrolytes, and there's no cramping. It certainly cleans you out, but does not affect you by pulling out K+ and sodium, which diarrhea is apt to do.I do a full liquid diet two days before, a clear the day after that and then do the prep on prep day. I never have to drink the whole bottle before I'm cleaned out. And I don't need any pills to help out.I have never heard of a colonoscopy being done without conscious sedation and wouldn't go to a sadist doctor that did that! You are not sedated for a sigmoidoscopy, but then they don't go up there very far for those and the prep is different.Everyone reacts differently to the meds. One is an amnesiac...versed, so you might be awake, you just won't remember much, if any of it. it snows me pretty well too, although i barely take any any more, as I have gastros every eight weeks. But i still sleep all day, even with a small dose.If I ask my doctor for fluids, he is always great about giving them, even if it's just a gastro. My son has a really horrible time waking up, and he doesn't have POTS. We just pour him in the car, take him home and he sleeps it off. I actually enjoy sleeping like that, you don't feel awful when you are sleeping!Good luck sweetie.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferInOhio Posted February 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Okay, I will ask for fluids when I get there.Has anyone tried Miralax? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunfish Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 i'm familiar with miralax, but not as a colonoscopy prep (but rather as a treatment for severe ongoing constipation). i've had several colonoscopies over the years and have thus tried several different preps. the large volume stuff, the teeny tiny phospho-lipid bottle, etc. the one that i actually found palatable, and which i don't think would have made me vomit if i didn't have major GI motility issues (the others did and my motility issues were only minor at the time) was lemon-flavored citrate of magnesia. i actually didn't mind the taste at all. it's inbetween volume-wise (i think the standard prep is two ten ounce bottles, but i'm not certain) and it actually reminded me of a slightly stronger tasting San Pelligrino Italian soda. i kid you not. i know my dad did his colonoscopy with only pills for the prep. any GI doc i've had thinks that's no good, but i've found each doc tends to think their way is the way to go. for my last colonoscopy they actually had to do all the "clean out" from below via enemas since i can't eat or drink enough otherwise. not fun, but honestly not any worse than most of the oral preps i've done (other than the one i liked).i'd second the suggestion of overloading on the fluids even a day or two before starting the prep...stuff containing electrolytes especially.and morgan - crazy as it sounds, my mom actually had a colonoscopy without any sedation whatsoever. she had to beg and plead and ask several places before they allowed it, but she says she'd do it again. she doesn't have any health issues and it was a combination of issues that motivated her to do it that way. it's definitely not the norm. melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I've had 3 colonoscopies without meds. I think its the doctors expertise that matters. The first 2 by Dr. Hale were not bad at all, the third quite unpleasent.I'm due for #4 in a year. During the first I was breast feeding and didn't want meds, the second was the same doc, the third I was in for 2 procedures and couldn't be sedated unless the 2nd procedure was canceled. Don't think I'll do that again. I never "talk" about it but I might as well. I've had hepatitus C since the 70s. So I am anti meds in general because of liver issues. The 2nd procedue was a liver BX.Had my 3 kids no meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I could do it without meds, but man, I don't care how gentle the doc is, it has got to hurt.My doctor said he can get the scope further on me than anyone, before he does medication, but at some point I cry uncle. He also says I'm the only patient that can talk around the bite block with the dilator down my throat...but I digress...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukkychrm42 Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I was given IV fluids and oxygen the whole time, but my BP still crashed when they gave me the Versed, so I spent most of it awake. The demerol didn't help that much. Just make sure they take what precautions they can, and hopefully they'll be ready for anything. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jersey Girl Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I had my first colonoscopy this past summer and drinking the nulyteley(?) was the worse part of it. I did arrive early at the same day unit in the hospital so I could receive extra IV fluids before the procedure and this helped. I also had a long consultation with anaesthesia so they wouldn't give me anything related to medications that I had remotely reacted to in the past (NSAIDS, for me). Ask to be scheduled first on their schedule so you have more time to recuperate afterwards and it is less time between not eating from the night before. good luck! Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Lake Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 I just had a colonoscopy 2 months ago. By far the worst part for me was the prep. I felt very dizzy and dehydrated from all of the night before stuff. The best advise, like many have mentioned is to get extra fluids right after the procedure. I had told my doctor about my pots prior and he was great about starting the IV fluids when we were finished. Good luck to you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 You've already been given excellent advice. I highly recommend the halfLytley. It works, but isn't too much to tolerate in terms of nausea, etc. Only a half gallon of liquid- 4 large glasses. Definately, the dehydration (from the prep) could be causing the tachy. Stay away from a prep called Phosphosoda. It sounds tempting as it's a mere 1.5 oz, but it seems to bring on strong tachy due to it's potency. Make sure your GI knows about your condition. Pre-arrange to arrive at the hospital early (during prep) for IV fluids if you begin to get tachy during the prep.As far as the sedation, I'm a big fan of it. I had a colonoscopy with sedation that didn't work and it really, really hurt. Those of you who can tolerate it w/o are much braver and stronger than I! Make sure an anesthesiologist is present to help you if you have a bad reaction. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. You've already had a bad experience, so I know this one will be GOOD! let us know.Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferInOhio Posted February 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 Thank you all so much for your advice and tips!! Now, I just have to call back the nurse to schedule - she called me Monday morning to schedule and I told her I would have to call her back - I'm such a chicken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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