I am having a colonoscopy in two days… Could you give me some advice about that?

A glass at a time, I would put a little ice in or make it cold by putting it in the refrigerator. Have a schedule of how much you have to drink by a certain time.

Follow the directions. What I did was just hold my nose and chugged it down one large glass full at a time.

My other advice is to do it without anesthesia. The pain is not that bad and then you can walk on out of there and drive home and enjoy the rest of your day without being all rummy dummy.

Respectfully, I disagree with @gondwanalon. I had my first one some years ago without anesthesia and hated every second of it. I was extremely uncomfortable. Since then I’ve had at least four more, all with anesthesia. My other piece of advice is to give yourself a few days to feel back to normal.

I have to agree with Pachy. This is a procedure I didn’t want to be awake for. I didn’t mind being a little loopy for the rest of the day.

I also vote for choosing the sedation. My family has slightly twisted intestines and having that probe snake up there is also extremely uncomfortable without some sedation.

Relax.

:P

talljasperman doesn’t drive so transportation shouldn’t be a issue. I would hope he has arranged in advance for that.

@Pachy I suppose that you could have had an inexperienced doctor doing your procedure. I had a couple of knuckleheads doing my first procedure and I admit it was a bit hard to tolerate. But such is my dislike for anesthesia I chose to do my second colonoscopy without anesthesia. I lucked out the second time because the doctor knew what he was doing and there was not much pain even though he harvested 3 polyps. FYI: I felt completely normal as I walked out of the hospital while other people were still recovering (from anesthesia) from before I got there.

Anyway if you can’t handle pain well (even for this short 20 minute procedure) and don’t mind spending a couple hours in recovery and feeling drugged up all day then definitely go with the anesthesia.

I hope that they find nothing abnormal. Good luck!

When I had to drink some crappy stuff before an operation I used a straw. That helps you not taste it so much.

The prep is way worse than the procedure. Just relax and go to sleep and when they wake you up it’s over.

The yucky drink would be the least of my worries. Just chug it. I’d be way more concerned about the possibility of having to give myself an enema. The thought of that is worse than the thought of the colonoscopy in itself. I once almost had to give myself a suppository for constipation and it nearly gave me a panic attack. If anything is being inserted into my butt, I’d prefer it be done by a doctor that knows what he’s doing…and I prefer that I be out cold while he does it. After watching my husband endure a doctor sticking two fingers in his rectum to check on his prostate, I’m not too keen on the idea of anything going up there. Luckily, I’m 24 and I have a few years before a colonoscopy is necessary.

@gondwanalon and @Pachy I’ve never had a colonoscopy, but my mom has had quite a few and they usually put her in what she called the “twilight” – not general anesthesia, but something that temporarily knocks her out or puts her in a loopy, relaxed state. She never drives herself home afterward, but she does get to leave right after the procedure and she’s not out of commission for the rest of the day either.

@gondwanalon, it’s not that I can’t endure 20 minutes of pain (discomfort is how I think of it because I’ve certainly experienced and endured many types of far worse pain); it’s simply that in the case of a colonoscopy, I choose not to. Sure, I’d rather not feel a bit off my stride for a few hours, but for me, being able to sleep through the procedure and wake up in one seems like seconds with no memory of it is well worth that.

Anyway, that’s my experience and my opinion. But isn’t this the great thing about Fluther, where a question like @talljasperman‘s generates the sharing of many kinds of real-life experience and allows the questioner to make up his or her own mind?

Whatever you decide to do, @talljasperman, I know it’ll go well and that you’ll be glad to have it, er, behind you.

I personally don’t drink the whole gallon as I mentioned on your last Q, but I am an average weight woman and don’t take any drugs that cause constipation. So, what I do might not be sufficient for you. The worst is to get to the procedure and not be cleaned out, because depending on the doctor they might let you just come back later that day or the next day, or you might have to start from scratch a week later.

At first you might not think it is working, but when it’s starts to work it really works and you need to stay near a bathroom. I eat a little less the two meals before so there is not as much to clear out of me.

Read the directions thoroughly. Make sure you have a variety of liquids at home that are per issuable from sweat to salty to try to help you not be hungry and get a reasonable taste in your mouth.

It really is not as bad as everyone makes it sound.

I specifically as for diprivan to knock me out. I am drugged the rest of the day. I don’t feel very drugged, but the next day when I am really clear of the medication I realize how out of it I was. More relaxed than anything.

I am able to eat with no problems after the procedure if you wondered about that. If they drug you, if someone can meet you and help you home I think that is a good idea even on public transportation, but not necessary. They might keep you a little longer after the procedure if you are alone. It’s no big deal. When I get it done they tell me right away what they found. Sometimes they have to tell you two or three times because of those forget drugs. You don’t realize, but whomever might be there with you has heard it more than once or the nurse.

The doc should tell you what to do to cleanse out your system. Main thing is don’t get to worked up about it. It is a minor discomfort, in my experience.

@all I had the colonoscopy, no polyps… I’m fine, drinking that stuff tastes better with cold Ice tea.

Thanks for the update. I’m glad it was uneventful.

That’s good news.

Update… I’m feeling better know. Doctor just wants me to have more fiber in my diet. So I’m going to have Froot Loops with water (Milk doesn’t last long in my fridge).

@talljasperman Your problem is fiber and your solution is Fruit Loops? Fruit Loops have 3g fiber per cup. That’s not gonna cut it.

@livelaughlove21 Maybe Metamucil. That’s what the dr. suggested.

@talljasperman Certainly a better idea than Fruit Loops. Still not sure why you thought Fruit Loops had a lot of fiber. Beans are also a great source of fiber. There are high fiber cereals out there as well.