| Re: Colonoscopy preparation
There is flexibility in the timing of taking the prep liquid. It is also helpful to go on a no residue diet the day before the all liquid diet. That way when you drink the prep there will be less residue in the intestine that needs to be expelled. Since your travel time is 1 hour and you need to be at the MD 1/2 hour before the colonoscopy, if you do the morning part of the prep an hour and a half earlier, starting at 5 or 5:30 am, you should be finished dumping prior to leaving the house. I have been having colonoscopies every year for the last 8 years and always start earlier than instructed and it has never been a problem, my colon was properly cleaned and ready for the exam. If you are worried, you can either wear a depends, incontinence pad, or bring a complete change of clothing along with you.
If this is your first colonoscopy a few helpful tips. Make sure the prep drink is cold before starting it. Use a straw and chug it down, that way you taste less of it. A swish of mouthwash after you drink a glass of the Lytely will mask any bad taste. If you become nauseous from the Lytely, you can increase the time intervals between glasses of prep. Make sure you are very well hydrated (drink lots of allowed beverage) before you start the Lytely. The prep is a necessary evil we all have to endure, but heck, it is far better and easier to find any polyps or small cancers during the scope, than not having the colonoscopy, develop an advanced colon cancer and then going through 6 months of chemo.
Good luck on your exam
Leslie
Last edited by LESLIETOO; 07-03-2011 at 10:08 AM.
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