Colonoscopy Prep, Experiences and Tips

Although I am just 33, I know some day I will need this procedure done. I would like to hear the experiences of those who have experienced it. My concerns are:

Will it hurt? Will I be sore for long afterward? Will I need a large volume enema there before the procedure? Will I be embarrassed due to lack of privacy? Can I bring a female friend for moral support? I will appreciate you kind answers.

Vicki

I have had 2 colonoscopies. I must say that it saved my husband's life. We found an early cancer in his rectum and it saved his life.

The procedure gives you something to drink the afternoon before the colonoscopy. It cleans you out. You do not take an enema for the procedure or anything fun at all. Whatever it is cleans you out. You spend a lot of time that evening going to the toilet. You are to eat clear non red things for 24 to 36 :-\hours before the procedure. You go in they put in an iv and you relax. They take you into the scope room and you are asked to turn on your left side. They start the iv fluid that puts you out for it and when you wake up you are in a bed in recovery. I did not feel or remember a thing. It was very unerotic, but necessary. Nothing really sexy about it at all.

Hi vickie, I am Jim. 64 yrs old, and yes I have had a colonoscopy. First you get your scrip from the doctors, go to the drug store, and purchase 2 fleet enemas, a bottle of (crap) liquid that you drink to make you go, Then the night before, you fast, drink the crap liquid, and use the fleet before bed.

Oh sometimes besides the fleets, they give you a gallon jug and this powder to mix up a gallon of solution, that you drink. Then in the morning a hour before your appt, you use the other fleet. At the hospital you get in a gown, get on the table in private, and they lube you real good, check your anal cavity, and then insert the thing that holds the thin cable and camera in your butt, and the doctor runs it up your colon and looks at all your insides. Its not really bad.

Can't wait for my next one. Oh after the unit is in your butt the doctor injects air. its not uncomfortable. Sometimes they hook up an IV and give you a mild sedative. Hope this helps you out ....Write me ....Jim This is done in my area, NYS and different procedures are used where ever. lets here all the procdures. I watched mind on the tv screen as the doctor did this procedure.

I remember my mother and some of her older friends talking about a medical examination that involved a series of enemas to clean them out before the procedure or examination. I think it was called "enamas until clear". Is it possible to prepare for a colonoscopy using only enemas rather that drinking that awful liquid and then cramping and running to the toilet all evening? If so, are there physicians who would permit this as an alternative? I have not yet had the displeasure of a colonoscopy, but I would sure prefer enemas as a preparation. In fact, I would refuse to take a Fleet enema when I have the real thing available. When I was a kid, our family doc seemed to precribe an enema for almost any ailment, but modern medicine seems to prefer chemicals. Maybe chemical laxitives are necessary and/or better in the case of colonoscopy, but I would like to know before I have to submit to one.

The medical community has abandoned enemas as a prep for most invasive examinations, Fleets being an exception for very shallow rectal procedures. The "Go Lightly" electrolytes are administered to induce evacuation of the alimentary canal. Nasty stuff to me. The full colonoscopy is done under sedation and you will not feel nor recall anything about the procedure. Nothing erotic.

Vicki, I have had 2 colonscopies! They are not uncomfortable at all and I felt no soreness after! The preparations vary and you can consult with your physician to determine which to use. The sedatives also vary! Contrary to what others have said, I do remember the procedures. I told my doctor that I did not want to take the drug Versed. The reason I didn't want Versed is that you will not remember the procedure. Since I had no one there with me, I wanted to remember, just in case there was an Uh Oh! Colonoscopy is a piece of cake! (Barium enema is a different story)

I have had three and the are no big deal. No sedation and no Golytely. They are reluctant to consent to enemas for fear you won't be cleaned out. It doesn't mean you can't do some in addition to the prep the doctor prescribes. Will you be embarrassed? I doubt it; since, you are on this site discussing enemas I assume you aren't embarrassed easily.

In my experience, I had to look for a doctor willing to do a colonoscopy without sedation. In my experience female Dr as they are more empathetic towards the patient's wishes. Most don't want you awake because, if you are awake they have to move slower. Time is money; but, if there is an oops I want to be 2nd to know. Also I can drive myself home.

There is some cramping pain; but, if you have done a large volume enema you have already experienced similar discomfort. No soreness afterwards; but, you will relieve the air the doctor injected during the procedure. But your 33 and by the time you get your first, it may be non-invassive and reliable.

Vicki, at 33yrs of age, by the time you are old enough to need a colonoscopy, they might have something better than the ones used today.

It won't be long before colonoscopies go the way of the mammoth. The medical community is talking about a pill-like nugget that when swallowed, will be tracked by a device that can visualize the inside of your colon. This would avoid the initial entry of a colonscopy tube, but would still be needed if polyps were found during the tracking.

Colonoscopies are usually routinely recommended at age 50 and every 5 years thereafter. If polyps are found, then they recommend the procedure every 3 years.

I'm sure they would do a colonoscopy on younger patients if there was a non-routine need to do so.

I'm 52yo and have had colonoscopy done twice. Worse part of the process was the bowel prep the day before. The first time I had it done -- not knowing any better -- I followed the doc's instructions to drink a gallon of 'go-lytely'. Explosive agony on the toilet for 3-4 hours after that.

The procedure itself is an easy one, with me, 15-20 minutes start to finish. I've had it done at two different hospitals and the sedation protocol in each was intravenous Versed together with a small dose of demerol. I was awake and conscious, but it was akin to being pleasantly drunk. I could feel the doc pushing away with the tube, but didn't mind it one bit. One hospital even made the IV catheter insertion painless by giving me a numbing injection of lidocaine with a small bore needle before sticking with the IV cath.

Second time I had it done, rather than do the 'go-lytely' cocktail route, I had a double session colonic with my colon therapist and was thoroughly cleaned out. The doc even commented on how well my prep was.....I saw a news clip last week that a hospital in Connecticut is doing in-hospital colonics prior to colonscopy as the preferred modality for prep. Colonics still aren't mainstream with the medical profession, but it's gaining respect.

Does anyone know why doctors are still prescribing barium enemas for lower GI series rather than colonoscopy? Especially since colonooscopy is considered the "gold standard" for intestinal disease diagnosis.

Joan T.

Joan, I can't be sure, but one time my doctor sent me from his office to the hospital for a Barium enema. The nurses gave me three very large enemas before the xray, as with a colonoscopy, they require a 24hr prep to clean the colon.

Don't worry. Colonoscopy is almost always done under sedation and this generally includes midazolam (Versed) along with a narcotic. With this combination on board it's highly unlikely you'll get an erection, no matter how gorgeous the nurses are, and even if you do it's even more unlikely that you will have the pleasure of remembering it afterwards!

It has been my experience that the prep all depends on the doctor. I have not had to prep any patients for this procedure in about 15 years, but if they were an in-patient, they usually got to drink the Golytley AND got enemas til clear, but if they were having the procedure done as an out-patient, they were only required to take an oral prep. Not sure if it was Golytley or not.

All the patients were given IV versed, so they were completely out and didn't remember or feel anything afterwards. If you would like a colonoscopy, complain to your doctor a few times about having bowel problems, or suggest that you might have IBS. I truly do have IBS, and when I discussed it with my doctor, he immediately made me an appointment for a colonoscopy just to make sure there was nothing "serious" going on. That was about 5 years ago, and I just had to drink a small amount of an oral laxative. I received photos of my colon afterwards, and it looked very clean and pink!!!

Golytely, like Sherman went through Georgia. It is all that is used now. No enemas involved. There is an alternative prep with Fleets phosphosoda.

I told my Dr that I hated golytely! Asked him if there was an alternative! He didn't prescribe enemas, but he did prescribe things which were much easier to tolerate.

Ask your Doctor! Experiences shared here are awesome, but you

need to go to the professional source.

I have had numerous colonoscopies and been prescribed a full range of preps including all the Fleet Prep Kits and the so-called Golitely.

For me Golitely was a total failure, and required me to come back for a second colonoscopy.

Now I just tell my Dr. "I'll take care of it" and take multiple high volume enemas or a home colonic irrigation.

I also decline any anesthetics, which enables me to leave immediately after the colonoscopy and drive myself home. I think its a much better way to GO !

On my last colonoscopy he expressed delight at how cleaned out I was, as well as spontaneously announcing that I now have a VERY HEALTHY looking colon.

I have previously had a history of polops (removed) from almost 35 years ago. Since then I have taken regular and frequent high volume enemas and the polyp problem has disappeared. 😄

As everyone has said, the biggest problem with them is the prep. The Fleets ginger-flavored solution makes me gag. I've had 6-8 colonoscopies (divereticulitus leading to colectomy), barium enemas, sigmoidoscopies, the whole enchilada, which I wasn't allowed to eat until I got home.

My main contribution is, my doc will not allow unsedated colonoscopies to prepare in advance if a polyp is found. To remove polyps, the doc takes a slender tool with a wire loop on the end, lassoes the polyp with the wire, then burns it off. That can cause pain, so he wants the patient out in la-la land. I suppose he could wait and administer sedation afterwards, but then you have to wait, yadda-yadda-yadda.

Now if you go in for a colectomy, give me a shout. My wife had a C-section to deliver our twins, and my scar is twice the size of hers, in about the same place.

InlandWaterways. I have to correct some false information you have been provided. The fact is there is NO PAIN when they drop the loop over the polyp nor when the polyp is burned off. I have never had sedation during my colonoscopy and I have had polyps removed during several or the procedures.

There is cramping as the scope makes the turns. The nurse assists by requesting feedback about the pain level. Most of the discomfort is when the scope is going in. There is no discomfort on the way out which is when they remove any polyps they find.

I have found some doctors provide mis-information in an effort to get the patient to do it sedated. It's about the money with those doctor's. Faster procedures mean more procedures. Sedation means the anesthesiologist gets paid and the clinic gets paid for the additional services.

Tom,

I said CAN, as in MIGHT, obviously, in your case, there wasn't. I've had a half dozen removed, and I wasn't awake to tell if there was pain or not. I can only relate my doctors advice, a man who saved my life, literally, so I'll be happy to take his advice whenever he cares to share.

There are probably those doctors who do as you say, sedate for reasons of profit, but be careful in generalizations; there are many more whose priority is the patient's welfare, rather than the check. My wife is a nurse at the hospital where I've had more than a few trips to the OR, so she ensures the doctors we use are the 'right' kind.

Personally, when it's time to ride the guerny, I'd just as soon be awakened when the credits are rolling.

Not to get in the middle of the debate on whether polyp removals cause or do not cause pain. I've had polyps removed on a couple of occasions by the same doc. The first time, when he identified the polyps, he said that they were not large, but asked if I wanted to be sedated. I said no, and the removal was easy and just a bit uncomfortable.

A few years later, same doc, more polyps, bigger and further up in the colon, and he asked me the same question. But this time he added that I might want to consider a deep conscious sedation with Versed because these polyps were going to take him a bit more time to remove and cauterize. He had already given me a starting dose of Versed before doing the colonoscopy. When he said the smell of the cauterization could be disturbing to me, I said "Versed, please". Since they already had an IV line in me with a nurse anethetist in attendance, this was easy.

Every doc is different, and as long as the doc gives me a say on what I want done and what not, I'm fine with that and appreciate being given the freedom of choice.

Sorry; but, this is just too easy to leave it alone.

I'm trying to figure-out how somebody would be able smell the polyp removal cauterization that's happening inside their colon. The only logical answer I can come up with is cranial-rectal inversion. :😃

For my first colonoscopy, I used the phosfo soda which really was not bad. I did do a clean out before though!

Had one a couple of years ago. No erection. Don't even remember them doing a rectal exam on me!

I've had a total of 3 colonoscopies, all 'without' sedation. It used to be, years ago that they knocked you out 'completely' for the procedure, requiring that awful 'trying to wake up' after the procedure, and of course having someone with you to drive you home. Back then they were all done in hospitals as well, where now they are done in doctor's offices.

My first was years ago during those times. I was single, had no friends or neighbors that I could depend on, (not to mention asking someone to take off work for the day to be my chauffeur), so I just drove myself to the hospital, (and quickly!).

Hoping that I didn't need to hit a bathroom on the way. Believe me, the prep is actually worse than the procedure! As someone else mentioned, you will wind up sleeping in the bathroom, and on the toilet the night before!

That stuff they give you to drink is the worst! Drinking 8 ounces of it every 15 minutes... it's like drinking a bottle of mineral oil, once it starts, it never ends!

Anyway, arriving at the hospital, I was asked who was there to drive me home. Naturally I said no one, I drove myself. Well it was like a hurricane had hit the area, with nurses and staff running around, not knowing what to do.

At one point, 'someone' told me that they would have to cancel the procedure and reschedule for when I had someone there to drive me home. I said that will never happen, and on top of that, I went through all that prep work for this, and wasn't about to go through that again!

Finally the doctor was called down, came to me and asked what all the problems were. I simply told him that I'm single, and don't have anyone dependable that could drive me there, then back home again.

He stated that this procedure is normally done with sedation, back at that time general anesthetic! I told him that I had gone through all that prep work, was there ready for the procedure, and to just get it done and over with without the sedation!

He had never done it that way before, but agreed to do it, only stating that an I.V. would be started anyway, and if I couldn't tolerate it, they would knock me out, and figure out how to get me home afterwards.

Naturally, totally nude with only a hospital gown on, I was wheeled into the procedure room. Judging from the following 2 that I had years later, I would say that this particular doctor was good at what he did. I made it through the procedure without very much discomfort at all. It really wasn't that bad!

He commented afterwards that he wished more patients would opt to do it without the sedation. Being wheeled out of the room afterwards, a male nurse told me that if I needed to fart, just to go a head and let it out, and not to try and hold it in to try and be 'polite'. (They do inject air up inside you to open up the intestines.) He said that was a sound they were very used to hearing around there anyway...

Well afterwards, I was able to get up, get dressed and walk out of there, while at the same time others were still 'trying' to wake up from the anesthetic they were given.

Times changed over the years, now the procedures were being done in doctor's offices, and not with a general anesthetic, but just something to relax you and put you in a 'twilight sleep'.

Some people will just sleep through the procedure, some will stay awake, but just won't give a damn... It's not unlike receiving nitrous at a dentist's office, you're aware of what's going on, but you just don't care!

My second and third were done pretty much the same way, but now in a doctor's office, and again, no one to drive me back and forth, so no sedation. Although don't know if it was my system and getting older, or the particular doctors, but the second was a bit harder to get through.

Luckily the doctor's nurse was extremely experienced and knew just where to apply her hands and some pressure to help the '6 foot' scope around the bends in my intestines.

The third was nearly unbearable! Doctor seemed to be in a hurry, nurse not as experienced as the previous, and I was lucky to even get through that one.

But if you're going to be a typical patient, have someone to drive you there and back home, it won't be any problem at all! You will be given sedation, and afterwards hardly even remember the procedure. You'll find that the 'prep work' is the worst part of the entire procedure.

That third doctor was someone that I had seen for a couple years for occasional hemorrhoid treatments, and knows of my 'extra circular activities', and is actually pretty laid back and pretty cool about all of it. Where others I had seen over the years, where just too straight, stuck up, and judgmental about it, and condemned me for it.

I had asked my 'good' doctor why can't I just do a series of enemas to get preped for the procedure instead of drinking that awful gallon 'jug' of stuff and wind up sleeping on the toilet the night before.

He told me that the series of enemas would tend to inflame the lining of the intestines, and he wouldn't get the view that he needed. Watching the scope follow through my intestines on a television, I noticed that the stuff they give you to drink to clean you out, really doesn't do all that well at giving you a good clean out!

Not to get gross here, but I was still able to see pockets of 'green matter' up inside my intestines.

Don't know if it's true about a series of enemas, or even a colonic really inflaming the intestines any more that those harsh chemicals they give you to drink.

Got to remember one thing... the scope is 6 foot long, and they are only looking at the large intestine. Drinking some 'solution', is going pass through your stomach, then through your small intestine, and onto the large intestine.

It's that drinking of that gallon jug of that stuff that loosens and starts moving 'stuff' out of the small intestine, which really isn't needed! I believe that's one reason people find themselves spending the night before sleeping on the toilet, and probably why it just 'never' seems to stop coming out!

'Ready to leave'... No, one more trip to the bathroom! In the car, ready to leave... wait a minute, another trip to the bathroom! And when you 'finally' make it to the doctor's office, WHERE'S THE BATHROOM!

Changing clothes, yet another trip to the bathroom, finally up on the table, ready for the procedure... wait a minute, I 'really' need to use the bathroom again!

By that time, the doctors know that you're pretty much empty enough for the procedure and are ready to start it. It's just that every little pocket of what little is left in you will give you that 'urge'.

Those chemicals are harsh, will give you cramps, makes things 'unpredictable', and so much so that instead of wearing a diaper, you wind up just never leaving the bathroom the entire night!

I think doctors should look more into patients having a colonic before such a procedure. It will only clean out the large intestine, which it what they want to look at anyway, and I think would be much easier on the patient. And it will give them something else they can bill for!

And the doctor wouldn't have to give the colonic... a staff member could do it. There are only two states that require a license to give colonics, and it doesn't take much to get that license.

If I remember from 'my' training, an extra 20 hours of classroom training, then a test to pass. All the other states don't even require a person to be 'classroom trained'. One person can go to the school for a, (if I remember), 30 hour course, then can come back and show others how to do it. As simple as that...

A 'few' doctors are finally starting to come around with the thoughts of colonics being beneficial to one's health.

JB, Having had three colonscopies like yourself, I can relate to everything you wrote. I've had Versed administered each time...that stuff is seductively enticing. When I check in for the procedure in the outpatient dept, I just answer 'yes' when they ask if I have arranged a ride or pickup. The local hospital really doesn't closely monitor whether there is a car waiting outside for you.

I did the go-lytely routine for my 1st procedure 10-15 years ago, and found drinking a gallon of that liquid to be nauseating and just plain wicked. For my next two procedures, the lady I see for colon hydrotherapy gave me sessions that were 1.5 hours long/each the evening before the scoping which did an excellent job of cleaning me out while not crossing the line with water absorption. The doc even commented this last time 'round on how good my prep was (I didn't tell him that I did the colonic prep). But from the video, I could still see poop in the intestinal folds. But as long as the doc was happy, all was well in the world that day.

I've only had one colonoscopical procedure done and it wasn't a horrible experience at all. The "clean-out" required drinking about a gallon of fluid which caused you to evacuate practically everything in your nether region.

An IV was inserted in my right arm and just before the procedure a bit of anasthetic was inserted so it was a bit of a buzz. I was pleased that I wasn't "knocked out" so that I got to view the insides of my colon. Looked OK to me--but, then, what in the heck do I know?!

At any rate, it was an experience that allowed me to virtually have my head up my ass! Although I could feel the tube wind its way up along the colon, it wasn't unpleasant at all--almost like trying to insert a colon tube.

The preparations vary according to the clinic/institution where it takes place. The tendency now is by all means to drink this extreemely strong purgative which is necessary because the bowels are in constant movement, so 1/2 an hour after an enema you may have there some residuals.

Some supplement to that drink (which is quite horrible and in particular painful if one has an ulcer or a tendency to ulcer or just sensitive system) 1-2 enemas. Again the trend is towards the Fleets.

It is not painful because you should be sedated. You should NOT agree to be examined not being sedated.

You are not allowed to bring a friend. It is not more embarassing then any other invasive procedure - lower half naked, covered with a sheet, sedated, one nurse present, and you wake up 15-20 minutes later.

I have had it 5 times. It is MUCH easier then endoscopy where you may have posteffects for a few days.

Take care

Carmiavi2000, I read your advice stating to NOT have this done without sedation. It appears your advice is based on your having had a colonoscopy 5 times. I am curious as to how many of these 5 colonoscopys you had voluntarily done without sedation? (BTW: Waking up during the procedure does not count)

Many times people offer advice on topics based on conjecture and hearsay. I would say if someone was interested in trying it but had concerns about being in pain, they could have the doctor have them connected to the IV and that way their ready to go out on command.

I have only had 3 colonoscopys but all were done without sedation. I am NOT proposing everyone or even most people should do it without sedation. I am saying people should decide based on factual information not fear. From my experience the temporary discomfort was worth being able to watch and discuss the entire procedure while it was happening.

Some people think it is weird to have a colonoscopy without sedation. For those on this site, do you profess to your friends and relatives that you like doing enemas for fun? 😮 When they look at you as if you have 4 heads, will you continue explaining to people the warm (sometimes sexual) feelings that enemas produce?

That's a fact. Ask your doctor about PIE.

IMO The reason most doctors don't want you to use large volume enemas as a prep is because other than people like us a lot of patients wouldn't start fasting early enough (48 hours), take the time to do true high volume enemas (they stop because they don't like the cramps) and/or they won't keep repeating until they see clear returns (hey that was clear enough my a-hole hurts). The result is the patient arrives not ready and the procedure has to be repeated.

A lot of doctors like GoLytely or Colytely. It is a PEG lavage prep. You drink what feels like the contents of your car's cooling system. I use that analogy because PEG is (polyethylene glycol). The good news is in the event the second ice age happens while you are drinking the prep you will be last to freeze; however, you will be found in the next millennium frozen to the toilet.

The other prep is Fleet Phospho-soda®. Strong salty taste. It is not too bad with margarita mix: however, leave out the tequilla or you'll be sh--faced before you finish sh--ing.

One I would like to see increase in practice is the Pulse Irrigation Evacuation (PIE). That one the patient arrives several hours early and the staff preps the patient with a machine similar to a colonic. I would be for that but it is not offered in Maryland. We can keep requesting it. It is available in New York City.