Preps

drmrgirl47 · March 2006

Hi everyone,
I have to go for my yearly colonoscopy this Tuesday and I was just wondering what kind of preps you guys take. I have the gallon of Colyte with the 4 flavor packets. I so dread this. It just brings me back to when I went for my operation and had to drink the same awful stuff. Last year I had the fleet with the gingerale and that wasn't half as bad. They did away with that one as they found it caused kidney problems. I am not much of a drinker and have such a hard time with this. So just wondering if you all have to take this also. Thanks.

KathiM · March 2006

Kidney problems, ich! My scheduled for april, I thought I would have the Fleet again. Thanks for the heads up! I will ask my doc about this. I ALWAYS have trouble with the prep, for awhile last year I had to do it each week for 1 month. In prep for tests, surgery. I'll see what I can find out, let you know.
Kathi

fedester · March 2006

hey girl,

i have found something that worked for me. i usually take gallon of go lytle(sp). and i have been drinking it thru a straw. it seems when doing this it bypasses your taste buds. i works for me. hope it helps
good luck
all the best
bruce

HowardJ · March 2006

My gastro prescribes the HalfLytely with Bisacodyl tablets (he modifies the sequence of taking the tablets from what's on the box). It comes with several flavor packets so you can choose. It's not great but better than GoLytely (you drink half a gallon) or phospho-soda (the one which causes kidney problems). I used GoLytely for my fist colonoscopy, then phospho-soda for my surgery. Of the 3, HalfLytely is the the one I prefer but there's no easy way.

Good luck!

Howard

lfondots63 · March 2006

Hi drmrgirl47,

I did the halflyte also for my prep. Not great but you don't have to drink so much. I also heard that there was one that was all pills. Not sure what it is but you might want to ask your local pharmisist. I think that sounds even better because the consistency of the drinks makes me ill. Good luck.

Lisa

ron50 · March 2006

Hi drmrgirl47,
I have Picoprep and biscodyl followed by 6litres of water after each dose. I have had seven scopes in eight years ,the second was during chemo when I was taking this awful stuff called levamisole I drank prep and threw up non stop for a day and a half and eventually had fleet .I told my GI I would never never drink that stuff again and I won't I am just about gagging writing this post,give me renal failure any day ,Ron.

spongebob · March 2006

I'm with Ron - I'll take the hit to my kidneys! When I did the Fleets, I got it ice cold and mixed it 50:50 with margarita mix. I would venture to say that if you get the Go or Half- lytely (by the way, why do they call it "go-'Lytely'" when it makes you go 'heavily'?)... anyway, I would venture to say that if you get the "lytely" ice cold it may be more palatable as well.

Gosh I have a scope comming up. I hope that military medicine is behind the eight-ball on this one and still gives the Fleet's (I never dreamed I'd actually be hoping for Fleet's)

Bottoms-up! (our situation give a whole new meaning to that phrase, doesn't it?)

- SpongeBob

terril · March 2006

I have taken the Fleets. Nasty. I ddrink it real fast with water. Gag. I have never had to dring the stuff that consists of gallons of Go Lytely, or whatever they call it. You know something...they have the dumbist names for these things. Go lytely. Since when? Give me a break. I call it c***alot. Well, that's the truth!!! Terri

scouty · March 2006

Don't your docs know what chemo does to your kidneys, liver and heart!!!!!!!! 1000 times more damage then fleet.......I just did fleet phosphate in January.

Lisa P.

jsabol · March 2006

Hey drummer,
Good to see your post; it's been awhile! Hope things are going well for you, and that this colonoscopy comes back all clear! I hate the pre-testing worries almost as much as I hate the prep. Sorry to hear about the Fleet Phospho soda; I can't take it or the Go litely...both solutions make me hurl; pretty nasty business, losing it from both ends simutaneously. Using a straw, as Bruce suggested, is also helpful if the taste gives you a problem. I know some folks have had luck with the Visicol pills (I think that's the name), but you have to be sure to drink LOTS of water/fluids anyway to avoid dehydration. I have worked out a plan with my GI doc using old fashioned citrate of magnesia, which hardly anyone uses now since it is not "powerful" enough. I have to do a clear liquids prep for 2 days prior, but it works for me.
Good luck with the prep and the results; keep us posted. Judy

Betsydoglover · March 2006

I think used with good sense you can safely use the phospho-soda (Fleet). I forget the exact regimen but my gastro doc always prescribes a rigid schedule of water drinking when taking it and from what I have read that is the key. It is true there have been a few cases of acute renal failure, but it looks like hydration may have been an issue. And, not that I have anything against lawyers (almost went to law school myself), but much of the internet "information" regarding this is available on law firm websites seeking clients. A bit of a tip off.

The "Go-Lytely" (as others have said, very strange name!) is awful (I was asked to use that - without flavoring - for my colon surgery.) Fleet is much better even though none of it is fun. I don't need another colonoscopy for about 18 months, but I think I'll go with the Fleet again and plenty of water throughout the day and especially after taking the Fleet.

Someone mentioned pills - forget the name, starts with a "V" - but they contain the same substance as Fleet and I'd rather have two nasty small drinks than something like 28 pills.

Good luck. I imagine the straw suggestion will help and even though you are not much of a drinker, with the Fleet you should be asked to drink quite a bit of water. So either way you'll need to drink.

The prep for this test is definitely worse than the test itself! We can all sympathize.

Betsy

glimmerofhope · March 2006

I hate to hear that the Fleet's is bad for kidneys since I also have two large kidney stones that are causing be regular pain. I took the "go-lytely" gallon of the worst tasting stuff for my first colonoscopy.

I have had 1/2 my liver cut out, surgery to both lungs, 10" of colon removed, and numerous chronic infections, strong antibiotics and toxic chemo that put me in the hospital for a week three different times BUT..... that Go lytle was one of the worst memories of all of this stuff... I made a mark on a clear plastic glass at the 8 ounce level and I felt nauseous each time I saw that glass for the next few months...(finally threw it out)

The Fleets was not nearly so bad and was more effective I believe in cleaning me out since the fluids coming out look like tap water.

If Fleets is still available, I think I will still take it for my next.

2bhealed · March 2006

I guess I'm late here since you will be doing your scope tomorrow, but just want to weigh in on the issue here....

I have only done fleet phospho and I believe it was kanga who taught me the best way to tolerate it:

mix it with apple juice and drink it through a straw. It actually works! I have been doing preps for almost 5 years now and by far this works best for me. Oh, and I also drink some Smooth Move herbal tea. Drink lots and lots of water with the phospho.

As for kidney damage it's almost laughable that it's even an issue when you're talking about people pumped with chemo for months on end and we're talking about one night of drinking prep. How interesting of the med establishment. If they really cared about kidneys (or hearts) they wouldn't hand out cytotoxic drugs like they do.

good luck on your scope and hope it comes out clean!

peace, emily

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