Weight gain after a colonoscopy

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    jlwalsh854 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Everything came back normal. I'll chalk up the weight gain to water retention and hope it goes away in a few days. Glad I don't have to do this for another 5 years. The gallon of Gavilyte I had to drink was awful.

    I hear it's more palatable if you drink it cold. I have also heard that some people will use a flavor additive such as MIO to make it more tolerable (for future consideration).

    I only bumped this to ask if things are normalizing for you.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    So thankful we use pico salax here. It is 2 satchels of powder you mix in a glass of water each. It's not bad for a prep.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    We use golytely here (same medicinal ingredients as the Gavilyte, I presume different manufacturers), which is such an ironic name. A full 4 litres of stuff that initially isn't too bad tasting, can become quite intolerable by the end.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Oh I am aware of golytely and do thankful I don't have to drink that!
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I just can't do Gatorade. I drank litres of g2 when I was in a very bad flare and on tpn and it just brings back so many horrible memories
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.

    Yuck! Omg love the prep conversation with others who are intimately familiar with it ;)
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.

    That would ruin the results of the test. That's why the prep needs to be clear. Even with the flavor packets it was still awful. :s

    Yes fiber in your colon during a colonoscopy is not a good idea.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,789 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    jlwalsh854 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Everything came back normal. I'll chalk up the weight gain to water retention and hope it goes away in a few days. Glad I don't have to do this for another 5 years. The gallon of Gavilyte I had to drink was awful.

    I hear it's more palatable if you drink it cold. I have also heard that some people will use a flavor additive such as MIO to make it more tolerable (for future consideration).

    I only bumped this to ask if things are normalizing for you.

    I added the orange crush powder to every glass I drank and it was pretty good!

    And it really, really is a great nap. :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.

    Yuck! Omg love the prep conversation with others who are intimately familiar with it ;)

    Actually, I haven't had to do one myself, but I've certainly prepped the meds for others often enough. I have been thinking lately that it might be time to consider that I may be having some issues, although if that's the case, I have just been living with it for 25 years, so why worry now?
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.

    That would ruin the results of the test. That's why the prep needs to be clear. Even with the flavor packets it was still awful. :s

    I was really just trying to demonstrate that it could be worse :open_mouth:
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    jlwalsh854 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Everything came back normal. I'll chalk up the weight gain to water retention and hope it goes away in a few days. Glad I don't have to do this for another 5 years. The gallon of Gavilyte I had to drink was awful.

    I hear it's more palatable if you drink it cold. I have also heard that some people will use a flavor additive such as MIO to make it more tolerable (for future consideration).

    I only bumped this to ask if things are normalizing for you.

    I added the orange crush powder to every glass I drank and it was pretty good!

    And it really, really is a great nap. :)

    I have to agree that it is a great nap. I was so happy when they switched the medications they use. Before they actually had to admit me to day surgery to knock me completely out since the sedation drugs didn't really work on me and my doctor told me "it's really hard for me to do the procedure correctly when you are screaming."
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I just can't do Gatorade. I drank litres of g2 when I was in a very bad flare and on tpn and it just brings back so many horrible memories

    Augh, sorry to hear that. Gatorade is nasty Imo, but not drinking it due to bad memories really sucks.
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Anything is better than the gatorade/Miralax mixture.

    I think a thick fibrous psyllium husk mixture might be worse.

    I've never had husk, but I've heard some unpleasant experiences, so I can imagine you may be right. :s

  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    jlwalsh854 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Everything came back normal. I'll chalk up the weight gain to water retention and hope it goes away in a few days. Glad I don't have to do this for another 5 years. The gallon of Gavilyte I had to drink was awful.

    I hear it's more palatable if you drink it cold. I have also heard that some people will use a flavor additive such as MIO to make it more tolerable (for future consideration).

    I only bumped this to ask if things are normalizing for you.

    I added the orange crush powder to every glass I drank and it was pretty good!

    And it really, really is a great nap. :)

    I recall someone mentioning colors to avoid in gelatin's etc. when doing a prep on another Colonoscopy thread... Someone mentioned Popsicle's etc. and several colors the nurse said to avoid. I don't recall what the colors were though, it would somehow mess up the test view.

    Does this sound familiar to anyone? I'd never thought of adding 'crush' power or anything... I just know I hate the taste of Gatorade so I don't think I could suck that down. :#

    It's helpful to read suggestions by those that have been in the trenches and to know there are options.
    Keep em' coming. :laugh:

    To those of you having upcoming surgeries... I'll keep you in my thoughts! <3
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    edited December 2016
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    jlwalsh854 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. Everything came back normal. I'll chalk up the weight gain to water retention and hope it goes away in a few days. Glad I don't have to do this for another 5 years. The gallon of Gavilyte I had to drink was awful.
    Good news. Thanks for the update. I agree, the prep is ten times worse than the actual colonoscopy.

    I recommend it whenever someone asks about a good cleanse. If your insides aren't clean after a colonoscopy prep, not even a bottle brush is gonna help.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited December 2016
    This content has been removed.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    @Hearts_2015 I was instructed during the liquid fast, no red or purple juices, jello, koolaid, or gatoraid. Apparently the colorings temporarily stain your insides and could conceal lesions in the bowel wall.

    Also the red stain can look like blood
  • Unknown
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  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    In the old days before they invented a liquid prep you drink to wash out your insides, a colonoscopy was preceded by three or four enemas or colonics. I'll stick with the prep. :/

    There are some preps that require enemas. Not sure which ones but I see people mentioning it in the Crohn's/ulcerative colitis fb groups I am in.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    In the old days before they invented a liquid prep you drink to wash out your insides, a colonoscopy was preceded by three or four enemas or colonics. I'll stick with the prep. :/

    There are some preps that require enemas. Not sure which ones but I see people mentioning it in the Crohn's/ulcerative colitis fb groups I am in.

    I vaguely remember a prep I did ages ago (over 30 years) for some lower GI something that included the biggest enema ever. It was... there really are no words to describe that experience.

    I forget the name of the last colonoscopy prep my GI doc had me use. It was supposedly a lighter prep. I do remember that in addition to avoiding purple and red, I needed to avoid orange as well.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Back in my pre Crohn's days about 15 years ago I had a barium enema. Same prep but the test is a million times worse than a colonoscopy.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,765 Member
    I was given the Suprep - two 16 oz containers of vileness, one the night before and one the morning of the procedure. It smells like cough syrup and was hard to swallow after the first few swallows. Still, it sounds better than what you are describing.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member

    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    @Hearts_2015 I was instructed during the liquid fast, no red or purple juices, jello, koolaid, or gatoraid. Apparently the colorings temporarily stain your insides and could conceal lesions in the bowel wall.

    Also the red stain can look like blood

    Thanks! @singingflutelady @Noel_57

    That's what it was, the liquid fast part that you have to be careful of the colors. It's the prep that's keeping me from scheduling an appt. I know, I know... I need to just make an appt. already.

    So how does this work... liquid diet lasts how long? Then the prep? Does every doctors office do different types of preps? It's out patient right? I keep hearing about this wonderful nap I get to look forward too! :wink:

    Once you're there how long does the procedure take plus the recovery etc.?

    :laugh: I'm one of those ppl that likes to know all the details beforehand.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    I was given the Suprep - two 16 oz containers of vileness, one the night before and one the morning of the procedure. It smells like cough syrup and was hard to swallow after the first few swallows. Still, it sounds better than what you are describing.

    @spiriteagle99 In between the 'vileness' can one slam a glass of water down every so often...would that help make it not so disgusting or can you drink with it? Or it's just plain disgusting anyway you look at it?
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,789 Member
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    @Hearts_2015 I was instructed during the liquid fast, no red or purple juices, jello, koolaid, or gatoraid. Apparently the colorings temporarily stain your insides and could conceal lesions in the bowel wall.

    Also the red stain can look like blood

    Thanks! @singingflutelady @Noel_57

    That's what it was, the liquid fast part that you have to be careful of the colors. It's the prep that's keeping me from scheduling an appt. I know, I know... I need to just make an appt. already.

    So how does this work... liquid diet lasts how long? Then the prep? Does every doctors office do different types of preps? It's out patient right? I keep hearing about this wonderful nap I get to look forward too! :wink:

    Once you're there how long does the procedure take plus the recovery etc.?

    :laugh: I'm one of those ppl that likes to know all the details beforehand.

    I had mine done on a Friday morning and had to stick to a low fiber diet 2 or 3 days before and liquids only the day before. The gavilyte solution came in a packet along with a gallon jug and I had to mix it with a gallon of water. Definitely drink it cold!

    Yup, it's definitely out patient. I don't remember how long the procedure took (I was napping :) ) but as soon as I woke up and they showed me what they found (I have ulcerative colitis) and I could walk straight, I got to leave.

    I took the rest of the day off because this was my first time but I really could have gone to work. The procedure is invasive but no big deal.

    My suggestion when you prep is make sure your phone, tablet, and/or laptop are fully charged. And in the bathroom waiting for you. And get some baby wipes.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2016
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Back in my pre Crohn's days about 15 years ago I had a barium enema. Same prep but the test is a million times worse than a colonoscopy.

    Maybe that's what it was. I know I've had a barium enema. My memory is terrible thanks to a brain tumor. I have vivid snapshot memories of some things and can remember being in my bathroom with that stupid prep enema and the size of the bag. The solution was soapy! I just don't remember if the prep with that enema was for the barium enema. Because I've had a lot of GI issues on and off over the years.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,765 Member
    It's like drinking a pint of Nyquil. It got followed by a quart of water which took the taste away, it was just hard to force it down.

    I had one day of liquid diet - Gatorade, apple juice, coffee w/o milk, and Mountain Dew - so I wasn't actually as hungry as I expected. The day of the procedure I was told nothing by mouth for 3 hours beforehand, so I got pretty hungry and thirsty. I had to do the 2nd dose at 5 a.m. for a 10:30 procedure so I had time to get hungry. I'm ready for a nap now. I was told it should take about 45 minutes, but I assume that's not counting sedation and recovery.
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