I fail Colonscopy Prep 101

[pameladean]

It appears that every three years I have to go to the ER. David says, "For your checkup!"

So the GI Clinic gave me eight liters' worth of the unflavored electrolyte solution and told me to drink six of them, one eight-ounce glass every ten minutes, "unless you feel that you're going to puke if you drink any more; then it's okay to wait longer". This worked for about five glassfuls, after which the intervals grew and grew until I'd taken about eight hours to drink three liters and would, at that rate, pass the deadline for drinking anything at all well before it was all where it should be. I was way behind on ingesting such meager nutrients as were allowed me, as well. I called the GI nurse on call and explained the situation, and she asked some questions and opined that I had probably had enough (well, I certainly had) and should just come in in the morning and let them decide if the proceduce could be done. I went to bed and woke up 45 minutes later shaking all over and with a very fast heartbeat, the kind that makes you think that, if you feel like this, you must have been running away from something Very Unpleasant that will Get You Any Minute.

I called the long-suffering GI nurse on call, and she said it was probably blood sugar and I should have some juice, even though it was after the deadline. They might be able to do the procedure anyway, I should still come in. I drank the juice, and some more juice. Raphael was still up and was extremely kind and supportive. After consultation with R and the internet, I pretty much bagged the procedure and had some seafood broth that I'd rejected for prep purposes as being not clear enough, and some toast. This calmed things down. I went to sleep. I woke up at four a.m. with the same problem. I hate going to the ER, but the GI nurse had mentioned the possibility, and it seemed time. I went in a taxi and hit a quiet time.

They did all sorts of tests, just to be safe. That's the checkup part. There was nothing wrong with me except dehydration, which three bags of IV fluid did not entirely fix, but they sent me off since all the tests and labs showed pristine health, and I'm fine now. Except for feeling like a failure in the endurance division. In addition to Raphael's hanging out with me and doing research for me, David collected me when I was finally sprung from durance vile, and took me to have fish tacos; and Eric called twice on prep day and has called once today. I am very fortunate in my sweeties.

Everybody I talked to in the ER was very insistent that I reschedule the colonscopy. But that solution Will Not Pass My Lips Again, so I hope they have an alternative.

As iatrogenic emergencies go, it could certainly have been worse. I do worry that it has induced a Permanent Tendency to Capitalize Important Concepts, however.

P.

Comments

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. That sounds like a miserable time.

There are other prep procedures -- pills, and other liquids. The prep I used involved drinking about 6 oz of incredibly salty stuff twice, about 12 hours apart. The first wasn't so bad -- I drank it immediately after exercising, and I think my body was craving a bit of salt at the time.

Since you learned that dehyration was an issue for you this first time out, it drinking more plain water during the clear liquids day might help.

Fingers crossed!

FYI, while I haven't found information about it online, one friend did all of his prep with enemas and didn't have to swallow anything. So you might want to ask about that option, too.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

So the GI Clinic gave me six liters' worth of the unflavored electrolyte solution and told me to drink four of them

//turns green

I am very very glad you are all right, after all of that! UGH.

[ksumnersmith.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad time.

There is a product called Royvac that I found much, much easier to handle for prep than that solution. Some details are <a href="http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/CPS-%20Monographs/CPS-%20(General%20Monographs-%20R)/ROYVAC.html>here</a>.

[raphaela.livejournal.com]

Glad you're okay, and glad you've got plenty of people taking care of you.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. I do hope you never have to do that again, ever.

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

What a pain! Hopefully that heads off any other ER adventures for some time now, and you can just enjoy your pristine health and supportive sweeties under happier circumstances.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I had to drink a small bottle of something nasty twice, some hours apart -- each followed by a glass or two of water. If you chug the nasty and then drink a couple glugs of clear water before drawing breath it's not too bad.

I really didn't mind the prep, other than not much caring for the interrupted sleep. (I also drank some black coffee before the fluid cutoff so that I wouldn't go in for the procedure in total caffeine withdrawal.)

[pameladean]

Well, this is cheering, because I was thinking of all you guys having gone through this and never made a peep about the hideous amounts of nasty stuff, and here I was flunking the whole course. Now it turns out that the whole scenario was different.

P.

[fireriven.livejournal.com]

The thought of that electrolyte solution STILL makes my stomach turn and it's been about five years since my colonoscopy (which, incidentally, the anesthesia wore off during). I will never drink that crap again either!

A former boyfriend's mother had to have the procedure done as well and hardly got any of the electrolyte solution down before she started vomiting it back up. She called the relevant medical personnel and they just had her take beaucoup store-bought laxatives.

When I got mine (about 2 years ago)

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

I had to use Miralax powder (the nasty laxative) in Gatorade and down that instead for prep. Can you stand Gatorade at all? It had to be one of the light colors of it, but at least it didn't have to be unflavored. It doesn't look as if they still make a clear one any more, alas.

The colonoscopy itself wasn't too bad, though I babbled like an idiot because of the sedation. Fortunately, my beloved husband is a nurse and very understanding. He only made a very small amount of fun of me, which I permitted, considering that he spent a day off sitting around around an icky GI procedures facility with me, and dealt with the Drama that is getting an IV in me when I haven't had any fluids for 11 hours.

Much, much better luck next time.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I had to do a gallon of lemon-flavored stuff; it wasn't that bad, but I sometimes drink things like Gatorade.

Honestly, it wasn't the stuff I had to drink that did me in, it was the cramping that resulting from the total voiding that made me reconsider living, but that part didn't last that long.

I did love the post-colonoscopy euphoria; there's always that to look forward to!

I'm sorry you had such a bad time. It sounds absolutely awful, and the fact that 3 bags of IV fluid didn't take care of it is pretty awful! I hope you and your doctor can find a Happy Medium. There are LOTS of options.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

It sounds pefectly miserable. I had a colonoscopy at the end of 2006 (that being the year I turned 50, so to celebrate my doctor told me to get one). Drinking the stuff was, shall we say, a mildly unpleasant experience, as was the time spent getting my bowels ready for the procedure.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Sympathy, believe me. I had to drink the huge quantities, and it was an ordeal, though not as bad as yours. The "procedure" (as they always call it) itself was a snap compared to that. They really, really need to find an alternative.

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

Eep! Was there any sort of dye in the solution? I'm wondering if maybe you had an allergic reaction to something in it - the kind that can be really serious. :/

I'm glad you're okay.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

What a miserable time -- I hope you're fully recovered now.

I still remember my last colonoscopy a couple years ago. The actual event was uneventful (I was out for most of it), but the 4 litres of stuff I had to drink beforehand -- well it tasted like rancid kool-aid. The actual effects that were supposed to happen were only mildly unpleasant, but I could not get all that stuff down.

And I had to pay almost $35 for that ghastly stuff -- and all it was was some powder inside a big plastic container.

I really think that there's GOT to be a better way of doing this. At the very least, the liquid should be unflavoured, so it doesn't make you nauseous.

I didn't get dehydrated (rather the opposite), but I was noticeably short-tempered from the lack of food, even though I could drink apple juice to keep my blood sugar up.

[gypsy1969.livejournal.com]

I'm always thankful when those things are over. My husband has to have one in a few weeks. I hope you can get one that you can tolerate & that the results show no problems.

If you are having low blood sugar issues you might want to get your doctor to get you a glucometer & sticks. I am borderline diabetic (or pre-diabetes to some) and I have to watch it both ways.

[lcohen]

*hughughug*

i'm glad you're okay and sorry that was so hellish.

[willshetterly.livejournal.com]

Tell them you need Plan B. I've blocked out what I had to do, but it was different and more bearable. And then you're done for ten years, hurrah!

Ah! Just found my post about it here. Definitely a different prep than yours.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I do that every five years, and am a total believer! But the last time, they gave me something powerful that I had to drink only one bottle of--not the gallons of mix. The not eating for 24 hours does get to my blood sugar, too, but not as horribly you experienced.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

And I've seen what happened to a person who didn't get regular colonoscopies. After that, I have no complaints about the prep.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

oh, yik! that sounds horrible. i think i won't ever get one of these things done to me.

and look at it this way. at least you finished your book beforehand.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

On the one hand, I'm on the board of a small charity that supports colon cancer research. On the other hand, as you know, I'm chronically dehydrated and a renal patient and I was pretty sure Kaiser's required prep would kill me, and found evidence of that. This is the alternative I found. I should probably ask the next time I see my primary and see if they're willing to use different prep now.

[thinkum]

Fred had one done about four or five years ago, and had to drink the nasty electrolyte stuff. I had one done a year or so ago, and was mercifully spared that; instead, mixed a small amount of concentrated liquid into a large glass of water and gulped it down, then did the same thing again some number of hours later, and that was it. I do have to say that the liquid tasted absolutely vile, but at least it was a quick 'down the hatch' and over with. Also, since they're not making you drink a gallon of electrolyte, it's a lot easier to keep yourself hydrated with nicer-tasting clear liquids. :-)

I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of on the endurance front -- one of my colleagues at work had a very similar experience to yours. I'm just glad the medicos were able to get you re-hydrated!

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

I was told there were two standard solutions you could drink. One was the one you did, and I opted for, except that it was flavored (grape or lemon, I think). The other I believe is the one lblanchard mentioned, where you drink much less. However, the doctor warned me that it is, um, tougher on your other end as stuff exits.

I was worried about being able to drink all that liquid, but actually that turned out to not be an issue for me, perhaps because I am used to ingesting large amounts of food and liquid. Without the flavoring and refridgerating the solution, however, it might have been.

[meijhen.livejournal.com]

For about 18 months, I did software training for docs at GI clinics....I got to sit in on all kinds of procedures (mostly colonoscopies & EGDs), and talk to all the patients. I traveled all over the country and went to a whole bunch of clinics.
Not one of them required the prep that you're describing! One of the things I had to do was review the prep instructions they gave the patients, and it was invariably OTC stuff, except in very particular cases.
That's just horrible! I hope you have a better experience the next time, in fact I think you can insist on it!
Sorry that happened to you :(