Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Colonoscopy Prep

Miralax and Dulcolax Bowel Prep for Colonoscopy
Oh Joy!

This blog is designed to help anyone going through a colonoscopy prep.  I hope this helps to provide some comfort, information or at least some laughs.  I've had four colonoscopies now, so I consider myself a professional (j/p).  Please note, I am not a doctor, my advise is strictly informational and not medical advice.

For my colonoscopy bowel prep, I was placed on the all liquid (clear) diet with a Miralax, Dulcolax, and Magnesium Citrate prep.  I do have Crohn’s Disease (form of IBD, shout out to all my Chronies out there), therefore when I follow the prep procedures, my bowel clears out pretty easily (okay, the prep is no fun, so use easy loosely).

FYI Only -- Current Chron's Meds: Lialda (Mesalamine), Prednisone (Steroids), Florastors (Probiotic), Prenatal vitamins, DHAs, Calcium

Purpose of Prep
In order for you to have a successful colonoscopy procedure, you must clear your bowel of all solid matter. Please follow YOUR doctor’s instructions.  Note: if you don’t clear yourself out completely, you will have to come back again and depending on how far along you are in the procedure when they discover this, you may be paying for TWO procedures.  Follow the directions!!!

Talk to Your Doctor
Tell your doctor if you have diabetes or take blood thinners. You may need to stop some of your medicine a few days before your test.

Ask your doctor if you should take any of your medicines the morning of your test. If so, take with sips of water only.

Pre-Colonoscopy Prepare

   One Week Before My Test:
  • Do not take aspirin products, iron tablets, blood thinners or anti-inflammatory medications; 2 days prior no multivitamins
  • Do not take fiber supplements (i.e. Metamucil, etc)
  • Do not eat popcorn or any corn
  • Arrange to have a driver (adult) that will bring you to your appointment and take you home after.
   I Had to Purchase the Following:
  • One, 238 grams bottle of Miralax powder
  • Four, 5 milligram tablets of Dulcolax (not suppository or stool softener)
  • One, 10-ounce bottle of Magnesium Citrate, Clear (NO red, orange or purple)
  • One 64-ounce bottle OR Two 32-ounce bottles of clear, blue, green or yellow sports drink, i.e. Gatorade (no red, orange, purple).
  • If you have diabetes, buy a no or low calorie drink such as Crystal Light instead. Do not use carbonated beverages.
  • Groceries for your ‘clear liquid’ diet items (see list below)
On the Day Before Your Test
  1. I could only drink clear liquids. *No red, orange or purple colored liquids; they look like blood during the procedure.  Clear, green, yellow, blue liquids are appropriate.  Do not eat any solid food or milk products until your test is done.
       Clear Liquids:
    • Water
    • Popsicles*
    • Ice
    • Soft drinks*
    • Gatorade*
    • Clear broth or bouillon
    • Jell-O*
    • Kool-Aid*
    • Black coffee or tea (no milk or cream, dissolved sugar is fine)
    2.   Follow the schedule for your bowel prep. You may need to get to the toilet right away and know that you will have many bowel movements through the day.

MORNING (Day Prior)
_ Got all my goodies together for the day…


_ Back at home, I took 4 Dulcolax tablets with water.
_ Place your Gatorade in the fridge.


I thought about substituting the Dulcolax pills for orange M&M’s, but then I remembered, no food --- awwwww booooo, okay, I’ll take the pills and put the M&M’s back!

_ I prepped for my Miralax cocktail (Miralax powder and Gatorade).
_ Mix the Miralax in a 64-ounce bottle of Gatorade OR mix half the Miralax with a 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade.
_ Cap the bottle and shake to dissolve the powder. Most people prefer to drink the liquid chilled so you may want to place it in the refrigerator.


_ Start to drink the first 32-ounces of the Miralax cocktail. Drink one glass every 10 to 15 minutes. Drink it quickly rather than sipping small amounts because it does not taste that good. Be sure to drink all of the liquid.
– 8-ounce glass
– 8-ounce glass
– 8-ounce glass
– 8-ounce glass


_ Drink the second half of the 32-ounces of Miralax cocktail.  Drink one glass every 10 to 15 minutes. Drink it quickly rather than sipping small amounts because it does not taste that good. Be sure to drink all of the liquid.
_ This is when it gets a little more difficult to drink.  It’s harder, in my opinion, to get the last two glasses down.
– 8-ounce glass
– 8-ounce glass; feeling queasy, two more glasses to go
– 8-ounce glass; was much more difficult to take this one down; only one more to go
– 8-ounce glass; cramping; bowel movements begin!

This time around I considered some different liquids, but once again these liquids were red, awwww booooo!  Okay, I’ll stick to the Gatorade.
10:00 PM (Day Prior)
_ I think I'm pretty clean now.  Although, my liquid is not very yellow yet, more light green.  Probably because I had a lot of blue Gatorade.

()
_ No more liquids or food (but technically, you couldn’t have food all day, soooooo, nothing new there).

How to Know if You’re Cleaned Out
Your bowel movements will become very watery. The bowels are clear or clean when there is only pale / bright yellow fluid without flecks of stool.

Morning of the Colonoscopy
_ On the day of the procedure, I had to drink the entire bottle of the Magnesium Citrate.  Luckily I had chilled it in the fridge the night before, but it was still gross.  I put a straw in the bottle and drank it with the straw in the back of my throat and chugged.  It helped a little.


Notes for Morning / Day of Colonoscopy
  • Do not eat or drink anything until your test is done.
  • Wear leisure clothing.
  • If you are to take your morning medicines, take with small sips of water only.
  • Bring all medicines you usually take (in the original containers) to the hospital with you or a detailed list of all medications and medication allergies.
  • Do not bring any valuables with you.
  • You will need to have an adult with you to take you home after your test. You will not be able to leave by yourself and it will not be safe for you to drive because of the medicine you are given at the start of the test.
  • You may be told to arrive 1 hour before your test is scheduled so that staff can get you ready. Expect to be here for 2 to 4 hours for your test and recovery time.
12:00 PM (noon)
_ Husband is taking me to the appointment, feeling really weak (probably some what dehydrated).  Wouldn't you know I started my girlie cycle!  Geessshhhh ... this is going to be fun, no meds!!!

12:30 PM
_ Check-in for appointment, feeling pain from my girlie cycle and drained from dehydration, not a great combo.  But the Husband is great encouragement - he keep telling myself, I can do this and it's almost over!

1:30 PM
_ Called back for the procedure, they ask lots of questions "do you have a history of..." "what medication do you take..." "when was the last time you took your medication..."
_ Had to get into the very stylish hospital robes.  I looked goooood! ;)

1:45 PM
_ Given an I.V. - okay so I'm a real baby when it comes to needles and one of the reasons is that I have really 'bad veins' no one can ever find them, add dehydration to the plate and you've got yourself a blind vein finding challenge.  The results, multiple pricks...

2:00 PM
_ Taken back to the procedure room.  Given Propofol to go to sleep - "Propofol is nicknamed "Milk of Amnesia" because of it's milky white color."  I'm out like a light!

2:30 PM
_ Procedure done, get to see my hubby!!!
_ Note: You will have a lot of air coming out of your bottom for the next hour or so.  They have to blow air up your colon to do the colonoscopy.  All glory, grace and class goes right out the window!
_ Met with the doctor, need to get a polyp checked out.  The took a few biopsy's of my ulcers (FYI ulcers are due to my Crohn's).  I still have inflammation in the first 5 inches of my rectum (due to my Crohn's), but the rest of the results were 'good' he said. (yeay)

2:45 PM
_ Debriefed and released!!!!  (FYI - No signing any legal documents today - LOL)

3:00 PM
_ Soooooo ready to eat.  The hubs and I went to Corner Bakery Cafe in the Stone Oak area of San Antonio.  It is the best!!!!  I got the Pesto Cavatappi Pasta and Chocolate Iced Cookie!!!

The Rest of the Day
Feeling okay, nothing too bad.  I've had a few liquid bowel movements still, but they are getting darker!  Enjoyed the rest of the day off from work ... got to watch TV with the Hubs, write this blog and play with my puppy, SoBe. 

My Boston Terrier, SoBe, and her Lion, Larry.  She LOVES Larry!!!


Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions or concerns.

Good luck and just try to tell yourself, it will all be over soon!!!!

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