Go-litely vs. Fleet

aleftina
aleftina Member Posts: 102
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
When I had a colonoscopy last time in the hospital, they gave me a gallon of go-litely to drink, I said no, just give me Fleet, it's only few gulps and I am over and done with it, they said no, you have to have Go-litely because it has electolytes in it and you don't get dehidrated, and it is easier on the intestants. (BTW my cancer was back outside of my colon and colonoscopy didn't show anything, which gave me great false hope at first untill I had a CT scan which revealed the tumor outside my colon, ovaries and uriters - bomber!). But anyway, a friend of mine went for a colonoscopy 2 days ago and the doctor's office gave her Go-litely to drink too. Hey, maybe you guys want to try it next time. You just drink it all day starting in the morning and drink it all day, by the late afternoon things start to get moving, and you are really clean by next morning. It doesn't taste as horrid as the other stuff, but there is a gallon of it, so it's not easy either, but if it's easier on the intestants and there is less dehydration, maybe it's worth to try.

Comments

  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    #2
    Hi A,
    Just completed my 2nd chemo tx, and I'm already worried about the follow-up colonoscopy. I took the fleet phospho stuff for my baseline colonoscopy, and my GI doc had me take first dose in the evening followed by plenty of fluids, then last dose 3 hrs before the test, with no fluids. I got SOOOO nauseous, I was dry heaving every time I moved my head. When I had to have my prep for surgery, they prescribed nu- litely, and said it was easier on the stomach. I got to my 4th glass before I was really feeling nauseous, and by the 6th I was hurling. Luckily, I had enough in me to work to clean me out, and I had been on a light diet for 24 hrs prior. Not sure what I can do the next time! If my MD approves it despite surgery, I would actually prefer the Fleet stuff, just avoid that last dose in a.m.? With half a yr of chemo ahead of me, maybe they'll develop another alternative. Has anyone used the Visicol pills?
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    #3
    I hated the Go-Litely...I thought I was drinking cold wax. I even put it into shot glasses to try to trick myself into thinking it was a trendy new shot...yeah, right! I guess we should be lucky that there are different options available?

    Best wishes whichever route you choose to re-route!

    Stacy
  • KrisS
    KrisS Member Posts: 229
    #4
    Neither option is great. I called up my sister on my cell phone while in the bathroom after I got a third of the way through the Go-litely. Talking kept me distracted from the chore, so while not fun, and I ended up vomiting the last glass, it was not dreadful.

    The next time I got the Fleet stuff. It made me SO nauseous, that every time I looked at the bottle later, I started retching. I threw the rest of the bottle in the trash. I have to say that the last experience made the the idea of an ostomy sound more attractive!
  • livin
    livin Member Posts: 318 Member
    #5
    Hi Alefina, My experience with Go-litely is horrible to me. I refuse to drink it. I gagged and throw up drinking it. I prefer the fleets any day. I really prefer neither one of them but since I ended up with a intestional Stricture from radation I had 2 years ago I get a Colonoscopy with dialation of the intestine about every 4-6 months and have to drink the prep. Bellieve me just to think about the prep I get sick-smile.
  • taunya
    taunya Member Posts: 390 Member
    #6
    Hello Everyone,
    I am scheduled for a colonoscopy on Tuesday and the thought of the Fleet makes me want to hurl. I have to be there at 7am, do they really expect me to get up at 4AM and drink a bottle of Phospho-Yuck??????I will call the office on Monday and ask them. I think it is all pretty gross, but it usually beats the alternative. Wish me luck. Hey, today is my birthday too!! I am so happy every time I get one now!!! Have a great weekend everyone!!
    XO,
    Taunya
  • aleftina
    aleftina Member Posts: 102
    #7
    taunya said:

    Hello Everyone,
    I am scheduled for a colonoscopy on Tuesday and the thought of the Fleet makes me want to hurl. I have to be there at 7am, do they really expect me to get up at 4AM and drink a bottle of Phospho-Yuck??????I will call the office on Monday and ask them. I think it is all pretty gross, but it usually beats the alternative. Wish me luck. Hey, today is my birthday too!! I am so happy every time I get one now!!! Have a great weekend everyone!!
    XO,
    Taunya

    My surgeon never requested I drink the stuff in the morning, I always had one dose (of Fleet) at 2:00 p.m. and the second at 5:00 p.m. the night before, I don't know why the paper they give you says to take in the morning. It is not possible and how do you suppose to go to the hospital after you just drink it at 4:00 am? That's so dumb. Though at the hospital they gave me an enema (they tried Fleet, but I said I will take the water one, it would just tear my intestants up, what are they thinking???) Good luck with the colonoscopy and Happy Birthday, I just had mine Monday. :)
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    #8
    Had to add my own experience to the "pot".....literally! haha

    I chose the phospho soda but even talking about it I get a dry heave proving the Pavlov's Dogs Theory quite true.

    My most successful way to clean out is to break up the doses in three glasses and after each chug-a-lug was followed by LOTS of water. The cleanse came by that night before bed and last dose was at 10 pm to ensure clean out in the am. Sometimes I give myself an enema in the morning for extra cleanout. I only had one unsuccessful clean out and that was the time I drank too much at once w/out enough H2O chaser. I was hurling like a demon and was so sick I could not look the bottle in the eye. I said "screw it" and suffered the consequences the following day.....aborted colonoscopy....they went as far as they could manuever around my sunflower seeds and such. (I guess I forgot to lighten my diet that time).

    So do you all stay awake and watch them hike up into your intestines or do you opt to sleep? I saw my tumor, was quite loopy with wonderful relaxants, and exclaimed at the interesting mass blocking my gut. But I am glad I saw it, had the visual, and identified the perp.

    So I cast my vote for Phospho Soda, one evening of torture rather than an entire day, and staying awake to watch.

    peace, emily who adds the herbal tea "Smooth Move" to her arsenal of pre-colonoscopy clean-outs
  • aleftina
    aleftina Member Posts: 102
    #9
    2bhealed said:

    Had to add my own experience to the "pot".....literally! haha

    I chose the phospho soda but even talking about it I get a dry heave proving the Pavlov's Dogs Theory quite true.

    My most successful way to clean out is to break up the doses in three glasses and after each chug-a-lug was followed by LOTS of water. The cleanse came by that night before bed and last dose was at 10 pm to ensure clean out in the am. Sometimes I give myself an enema in the morning for extra cleanout. I only had one unsuccessful clean out and that was the time I drank too much at once w/out enough H2O chaser. I was hurling like a demon and was so sick I could not look the bottle in the eye. I said "screw it" and suffered the consequences the following day.....aborted colonoscopy....they went as far as they could manuever around my sunflower seeds and such. (I guess I forgot to lighten my diet that time).

    So do you all stay awake and watch them hike up into your intestines or do you opt to sleep? I saw my tumor, was quite loopy with wonderful relaxants, and exclaimed at the interesting mass blocking my gut. But I am glad I saw it, had the visual, and identified the perp.

    So I cast my vote for Phospho Soda, one evening of torture rather than an entire day, and staying awake to watch.

    peace, emily who adds the herbal tea "Smooth Move" to her arsenal of pre-colonoscopy clean-outs

    I wish there was a better way. For the CT scan too. We have to drink all that garbage. I dread it already. But what can you do. I hope they will invent something soon.
  • livin
    livin Member Posts: 318 Member
    #10
    aleftina said:

    I wish there was a better way. For the CT scan too. We have to drink all that garbage. I dread it already. But what can you do. I hope they will invent something soon.

    Hi Aleftina, I agree about the prep for CT. Sometimes you are already nausated or had been vomiting before you need a CT then they give you this bottle-2 bottles to drink, I remember that I couldn't take a CT because I was to Nausated even after they gave me something to stop being nausated. We need to come up with a pleasant tasting Prep for these procedures. I didn't like drinking the prep for barium enema either.

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