Boy, that didn't go so well. Any ideas?

believeit 2011
believeit 2011 Member Posts: 36
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
So, I finally convinced my wife to get a colonoscopy. She's 48 and has been having digestive issues and stomach pains for a couple months now. She had the consult last week and has the procedure scheduled for Thursday morning. I am not her favorite person right now. I was working late while she was supposed to start drinking the Miralax and Gatoraid prep at 5:00pm. She called to say she was runnning the kids around and got a late start and started drinking at about 7:00pm. By 8:30 my son called me to say Mom was throwing up and crying. I talked to her about ten minutes later and she said "I'm done, I'm not drinking anymore". I told her to try to continue at least until she started "going" and that I was on my way home. I got home a little after 9:00pm and she was in bed asleep. She said "that's it, no more". She drank half the mixture and quit, she threw up like four times. Here it is midnight and she hasn't "gone" once. CRUD.... Man I breezed through my prep both times. Now what, I'll have to cancel the appointment and how can she get this done? What other options are there? I'm mad at her for quitting and she's mad at me for pushing her to get it done. Plus, I was working late because I'm supposed to have off work Thursday to take her. Now I guess I'll go to work. Don't want to waste a day off for nothing...
It's always something...

Comments

  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #2
    so sorry
    So sorry to hear this! What a nightmare. I won't try to address the relationship issues (!!). But, once things have calmed down and when (if?) she is willing to try again -- can you call up the doc/practice, explain that she could not tolerate the prep and ask for (insist on?) an alternative. There are/must be alternatives out there.....

    If she is having stomach pains, endoscopy of stomach is an option (enter thro mouth, not below). NOT a fun procedure but don't need to do the prep (as I recall).

    Good luck!

    Tara
  • jararno
    jararno Member Posts: 186
    #3
    Prep
    I too had an awful time with the Prep. I did get enough down to get the test done, but I admit I poured quite a bit down the toilet! For the cancer surgery I was given pills to try....it was just as bad for me. Hopefully there is something they can do. Not sure if enemas are given anymore. Sorry she had such a bad time. I understand her not being able to finish. I am due for another colonoscopy soon and still need to set everything up, but have been putting it off.

    Take Care,

    Barb
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #4
    Call the doctor!
    There are other preps - pills, Magnesium citrate, etc. I have a lot of allergies and I cannot tolerate GoLightly or any of the liquid preps - nor can I tolerate the Tang-like gunk before CAT scans - and my docs had several tricks up their sleeves. What I do is take 4 Docolax, wait 2 hours and take 4 more and drink a bottle of Magnesium citrate mixed with either 7 up or apple juice. Believe me, it works and it works fast. It's over so quickly I usually can get some sleep in as well.

    DON'T LET HER GIVE UP!

    Hugs, Vicki
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #5
    There are different preps
    I'm having problems with my husband, who DID finish the prep, but it didn't work, so they couldn't complete the colonoscopy. The next prep he tried, he couldn't keep down, so they canceled the procedure. Fast forward several years to his attempt this week - new prep, still incomplete cleaning.

    Your wife may have to try extra days of liquids, and maybe start on laxatives early. Perhaps something like Mag Citrate plus enemas might clear her.

    I have empathy - vomiting makes me panic, tho I've managed to keep down my Miralax prep, Half-Lytely prep, and 2 rounds of MoviPrep.

    We're waiting to hear the dr's new ideas for hubby...

    Go to work today, and reschedule. She's not the first to have to cancel last minute because she couldn't keep down prep.

    Alice
  • Nana2
    Nana2 Member Posts: 255
    #6
    My husband used a pill prep
    My husband used a pill prep that worked great for him. It emptied him fine too. Hope you can get her to try again and not give up. I need to get a colonoscopy done too. After a year and a half on cobra insurance I finally got on Blue cross Blue shield after being rejected once. Now I'll wait six months to a year (to be sure they would cover any unforseen problem) and then get my first one done at 55. After watching my husband go througn this, I WANT to be checked out. I'll say a prayer for you guys.
    April
  • believeit 2011
    believeit 2011 Member Posts: 36
    #7
    Wait and see
    Thanks folks for the input. It's now 8:00am and she did "go" twice but definitely not enough. Waiting for the Docs office to open at 9:00, not mad anymore, :) just frustrated. I knew she was going to struggle but jeez... She can't tollerate many medicines and gets nauseous very easily, especially with anesthesia. It scares me thinking if it is, or becomes, anything serious she is not nearly as strong or willfull as me. I'm afraid she would give up easily (which she admits)and that scares me terribly. I thought about the enema too but I think that's just for the lower section.(I've done those too for an EUS).I guess I really take for granted how well I tollerate things like this compared to how some people struggle. Sometimes it is hard to understand. Well, I guess it's wait and see what magic potion the Doc has.
    Thanks again.
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #8
    believeit 2011 said:

    Wait and see
    Thanks folks for the input. It's now 8:00am and she did "go" twice but definitely not enough. Waiting for the Docs office to open at 9:00, not mad anymore, :) just frustrated. I knew she was going to struggle but jeez... She can't tollerate many medicines and gets nauseous very easily, especially with anesthesia. It scares me thinking if it is, or becomes, anything serious she is not nearly as strong or willfull as me. I'm afraid she would give up easily (which she admits)and that scares me terribly. I thought about the enema too but I think that's just for the lower section.(I've done those too for an EUS).I guess I really take for granted how well I tollerate things like this compared to how some people struggle. Sometimes it is hard to understand. Well, I guess it's wait and see what magic potion the Doc has.
    Thanks again.

    Don't let her "giving up easily" scare you
    I've been terrified of vomiting since I was a child, and don't do well with illness. My cancer dx terrified my family, because they didn't think I'd go through the treatments or would give up.

    As horrible as it was, I found a new strength in myself, and subsequently astounded people at how I handled things. Lots "stronger" people have said to me that they couldn't have gone through what I went through.

    In any event, let's assume the best - that her gut problems are not cancer-based or life-threatening. That doesn't lessen the need for her to get scoped, but try, as hard as it is, to keep things in perspective.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #9
    I'm sorry to hear about the
    I'm sorry to hear about the rough time with the prep. But I know what it's like to procrastinate the colonoscopy too and know how important it is to get it done so you can hope for that all clear from the doc. I had to drink what felt like a small child's swimming pool of Golitely. That was sooo hard.And another story. Back to your wife though, she needs to get the prep done and have the test. She needs to be able to relax and not stress about it and start on time so she doesn't feel the need to hurry hurry and get it down.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #10
    Believeit
    I would really like to talk with your wife. All of our stories on here are heartbreaking and it brings tears to me eyes that now she is having to even think about this. But she needs to know and hear from other's that she is so not alone.

    Lot's of hug's, Gail
  • believeit 2011
    believeit 2011 Member Posts: 36
    #11
    plh4gail said:

    Believeit
    I would really like to talk with your wife. All of our stories on here are heartbreaking and it brings tears to me eyes that now she is having to even think about this. But she needs to know and hear from other's that she is so not alone.

    Lot's of hug's, Gail

    She knows it's important, but....
    Thanks girls, you're all very carring. We talked to the nurse in the Doc's office and she convinced my wife to try the extended prep where you drink the same stuff but over a longer period of time. She's supposed to start about now and drink half today then half tomorrow morning. She said she'll try it, which I'm happy about. The only problem is she only weighs about 106 lbs. and has a very high metabolism. She gets headaches and nauseous if she doesn't eat every couple of hours. By test time tommorrow it will be about 60 hours with no food. (I think) From 11:00pm on Tuesday until 11:00am Friday. (she is drinking liquids) Is that even safe???
    Man, she is not gonna like me....
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #12
    believeit 2011 said:

    She knows it's important, but....
    Thanks girls, you're all very carring. We talked to the nurse in the Doc's office and she convinced my wife to try the extended prep where you drink the same stuff but over a longer period of time. She's supposed to start about now and drink half today then half tomorrow morning. She said she'll try it, which I'm happy about. The only problem is she only weighs about 106 lbs. and has a very high metabolism. She gets headaches and nauseous if she doesn't eat every couple of hours. By test time tommorrow it will be about 60 hours with no food. (I think) From 11:00pm on Tuesday until 11:00am Friday. (she is drinking liquids) Is that even safe???
    Man, she is not gonna like me....

    It's better, then the
    It's better, then the alternative.....Believe us! I have been known to sneak in A (1) top ramen noodle, every once in a while but not between sleep and test. ;-}
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #13
    Yuck
    I'm sorry. Hope the doctor can suggest something else that will do the trick! People have mentioned a Miralax prep, which I'm going to ask about when I'm scheduled for my next one in the spring. I take Miralax twice a day every day, and it does produce results. Might be a good option, and it has no taste, so it's easy to take.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • believeit 2011
    believeit 2011 Member Posts: 36
    #14
    tootsie1 said:

    Yuck
    I'm sorry. Hope the doctor can suggest something else that will do the trick! People have mentioned a Miralax prep, which I'm going to ask about when I'm scheduled for my next one in the spring. I take Miralax twice a day every day, and it does produce results. Might be a good option, and it has no taste, so it's easy to take.

    *hugs*
    Gail

    All good now
    Thanks, the extended prep did the trick. Same thing with Miralax and Propel but over two days instead of two hours. Easier to tolerate. Were going there now.
    Here's hoping everything is OK.
    THanks
    Chris
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #15
    believeit 2011 said:

    All good now
    Thanks, the extended prep did the trick. Same thing with Miralax and Propel but over two days instead of two hours. Easier to tolerate. Were going there now.
    Here's hoping everything is OK.
    THanks
    Chris

    Chiming in a bit past...
    Hope everything went well...

    I, too, have trouble with all preps...back in the day, I used the stuff they no longer allow because of the high salt content....

    I never finished a prep...but, the 2 days before I went on a VERY light diet...liquids, but ones with vitamins, etc in....no beef...lots of water...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • ketziah35
    ketziah35 Member Posts: 1,145
    #16
    What is the pill prep?

    What is the pill prep?
  • Nana2
    Nana2 Member Posts: 255
    #17
    My husband was given about 7
    My husband was given about 7 pills he had to take the day before his colonoscopy so he did not have to drink any kind of liquid laxitive. The pills cleaned him out.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #18
    Nana2 said:

    My husband was given about 7
    My husband was given about 7 pills he had to take the day before his colonoscopy so he did not have to drink any kind of liquid laxitive. The pills cleaned him out.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • believeit 2011
    believeit 2011 Member Posts: 36
    #19
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Man what a relief,
    Man what a relief, everything checked out ok. Clean as a whistle. You just read so many stories of the same symptoms turning out to be bad you kinda think the worst first. I didn't have half the "scarry" symtoms as my wife and mine was cancer. Of course I've read about couples battling cancer at the same time and you think 'what are the odds" but it does happen. This site is great in most respects but it can make you paranoid. Now we still gotta find out what IS causing her problems. Mark one off the list. :)
    THanks folks.
    Chris
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #20
    believeit 2011 said:

    Man what a relief,
    Man what a relief, everything checked out ok. Clean as a whistle. You just read so many stories of the same symptoms turning out to be bad you kinda think the worst first. I didn't have half the "scarry" symtoms as my wife and mine was cancer. Of course I've read about couples battling cancer at the same time and you think 'what are the odds" but it does happen. This site is great in most respects but it can make you paranoid. Now we still gotta find out what IS causing her problems. Mark one off the list. :)
    THanks folks.
    Chris

    GREAT news!!!
    Maybe it's IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome). Or stress from all that's going on!

    Kudos for continuing the quest to find out exactly what it is!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #21
    believeit 2011 said:

    Man what a relief,
    Man what a relief, everything checked out ok. Clean as a whistle. You just read so many stories of the same symptoms turning out to be bad you kinda think the worst first. I didn't have half the "scarry" symtoms as my wife and mine was cancer. Of course I've read about couples battling cancer at the same time and you think 'what are the odds" but it does happen. This site is great in most respects but it can make you paranoid. Now we still gotta find out what IS causing her problems. Mark one off the list. :)
    THanks folks.
    Chris

    Good news for sure
    Very glad that the wife was able to get thru the prep and get the test done.

    Especially glad for you both that everything is AOK in her colon.

    Take care and hope they find out what is cause with an easy remedy.

    Marie who loves kitties

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