Colonoscopy Pills

Just me but I think your issues are stemming from you are thinking about this too much! I had this done on December 23 so I was cooking for my family all day, then the god awful drinks and the pills. It wasn't fun but it wasn't hard either. Then again I had a full day that was occupied so no time to dwell on how awful it was.

Seems like all you are doing is dwelling, stop doing that and you will be fine.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. But the Physicians Desk Reference says that all pills have a very low digestion/absorption rate (15-30%), so consider whether they are worth the money to do the job. If those pills just pass out of your digestive system, you've spent money and gotten less action. If you are having a colonoscopy just 5 years after the last one (vs. the 10 years they usually recommend), then you may already have a problem with family history, inflammation, or symptoms of a bowel disease or issue that could affect this as well. Obviously you don't need to say on this public forum what that issue is, but you can certainly have a private conversation with your doctor (who did not prescribe them) or the pharmacist (who deals with this all the time). Be sure you talk to the pharmacy manager or most experienced pharmacist there. If they don't have a private consultation area, call them up - even if you have to wait on hold until they have a few minutes, it's worth it. Also let them know if it's just the temperature of the product that bothers you, or if you have trouble swallowing - some people have a strong gag reflex that complicates things especially if they are drinking something thick or not-so-great-tasting. Be honest with them about your issues so they have all the information they need.

You could also ask if the liquid you are taking could be heated slightly without compromising it. If it's a pre-mixed solution, ask if it could be diluted with very warm water (they will probably say not to add boiling water but maybe warm is okay). The fiber/digestive product I take can be mixed with anything at all so perhaps the others can be as well. You want to ask if drinking extra water (which would happen if you diluted the solution significantly) will make the products any less effective, or if they work great so long as you get them into your stomach within a certain window of time.

You definitely don't want to go into this without having done a full prep that was effective. After all of this, you don't want them to tell you they couldn't get a good view and you have to start all over!

i don't understand. you chose to sit in the car for the full day before the procedure? why can't you drink the liquids at room temp?
i'd have loved to do the pills too, as the liquids trigger an unpleasant gag reflex for me. but my doc didn't offer the pills as an option, and i've read (on the internet, so who knows?) that they're sometimes not as effective.
khairete
S.

So you don't like cold drinks and you chose to sit in your car all day? I'm confused.

Rhonda, you really are obsessing over this. Are you scared they will find something or what? If you have to do it every 5 years, you are good. There are some who have to do it yearly AND due to polyps, can't eat strawberries or things with seeds...count your blessings!!

Never used the pills. Only the drink, that tastes like gatorade that hasn't been watered down.

Eating ice cream will not make your insides soft......I think you're trying to be funny! :P

I just had a colonoscopy on Friday and the Gastroenterologist told me "you have a beautiful colon". With strong family history of colo-rectal cancers, I need one every 5 years, which is when he told me to come back and stay on a high fiber diet.''

My prep was one of the easiest I've ever used..... prescribed...
day before test, no solid food, no dairy, clear liquids only, no red or purple of course ok to have carbonated beverages, sports drinks, popsicles, jello, broths and coconut water, honey / sugar. keep hydrated 8 ounces every hour.

10 oz. of Citrate of Magnesia at 4 pm, may mix with lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. (not to be used if congestive heart failure or kidney failure.)
I drank it straight, no problem at room temp.
4:30 take 2 Dulcolax tablets

5:30 Mix 238 grams of Miralax (14 dose size bottle of Miralax) in 64 ounces of Gatorade. ( I hate Gatorade, so I used a Patented hydration product called Innergize, which totally was wonderful tasting, I used cold, not ice water and mixed only half of the formula, so the last half would also be freshly made as well).
5:30 pm Drink 1/2 of the mixture (32 ounces) within the next two hours. ( had mine done in about 45 minutes.

7:30 take two more Dulcolax tablets with 8 oz water.

THEN, 6 hours before the procedure, drink the remaining 32 ounces of Miralax mixture, I used cold, not refrigerated. Then nothing to eat or drink 4 hours before procedure.

I had no gas, bloating, no nausea, and no cramping, just great elimination with clear results. Of course, many trips to bathroom.

I have had history of severe IBS and some diverticulitis, but with great patented nutrition, I have overcome all the symptoms, and am medication free. Because of my history, the Dr. was amazed at my "healthy" colon and "impressed" about my use of PATENTED Nutrition

My doctors don't use the pills but my mom does. We have issues in our family so prep happens more often than we'd like. Choking down a gallon of that horror is the worst. Forget the colonoscopy - I had bowel surgery and the prep was still the worst part!! If you can get the pills, do the pills. I had a doc that let me use Mirilax - it was so much better. Did the same thing. but had no taste.

Hi Ronda. Hope everything worked out well for you and you get 2 thumbs up on your test. I'm on the 5 yr plan too and it stinks. But I always say that a colonoscopy every 5 yrs is much easier than treatment for colon cancer.