For my colonoscopy last year, I had it done in the hospital as I had been admitted for internal bleeding and they didn’t know why (later found out to be medication for poison ivy–a steroid–that reacted badly with my blood thinners).
I had to drink a gallon of that nasty stuff the night before, which I did (mixed with Ginger Ale) and I forced that stuff down within a couple of hours. The next morning they told me not to flush the toilet when I went again, so they could check it. There were some tiny flecks of food in it or something.
So–they said I wasn’t clean enough inside and they would reschedule it again for the next morning, and I would have to drink a gallon of that shit AGAIN that night.
I turned 50 last year and my doc gave me the option of going the Cologuard route. It was waaay too easy to complete compared to what is involved with a traditional colonoscopy. Results returned were all negative.
The ease of this alternative has me thinking there must be some drawback to it. Is it not as thorough as the traditional route? Is it considered an acceptable alternative to the real thing?
It’s for people with no family history and have never had a polyp or any other problems. Many of the people posting in this thread are no longer candidates for the Cologuard route. I know I’m not.
According to what my doc said, it’s definitely an acceptable alternative for those of us considered at average risk–no history of polyps or family history of colon cancer. You have to be under 75, too. A Cologuard test is actually better in that it works by detecting microscopic traces of blood or DNA that can indicate cancer, while a colonoscopy only detects what the doc can actually see. HOWEVER, it’s not nearly as good at detecting polyps. That’s why you have to have a repeat Cologuard test in 3 years as opposed to every 10 years (5 or fewer if polyps are detected) for a colonoscopy. Well worth it–and the embarrassment of carrying the Cologuard box into UPS–to me, as I was lucky enough to have had no polyps in the colonoscopy I had.
As a Crohn’s patient, I have too much experience with these scopes and laxative routines - but never once have I been asked to change my diet for more than 24 hours in advance. That you have to do it for a week in advance is bizarre, and I could stand to hear more about that, like why, and what is restricted.
I’d like to know more about this, as maybe if I understood, I’d be less cranky about it. How does low residue days before the prep make it less unpleasant?
I see. Makes sense. But given the, uh, powerful effects of the laxative prep, it seems to me it wouldn’t matter how much or little there is to remove: you’re going to be confined to the bathroom one way or the other.
I found this a couple of years ago and thought I’d share. This gastroenterologist “cheated” the day before his colonoscopy and didn’t restrict himself to clear liquids only. The food he ate the day before was low-residue: a big serving of plain vanilla yogurt, toasted Italian bread, a “huge” gelato, plenty of clear liquids. Only clear liquids after 6 PM. As you’d expect, the colonoscopy went fine. His colon was completely cleaned out.
And he cites a study done a few years before in which subjects were divided into two groups:
One group received a clear liquid diet the entire day prior, and the other was able to eat a light breakfast and lunch with several food restrictions the day prior. Both groups then completed the standard bowel prep. The study showed exactly what we would expect: The people who starved all day were miserable, the people who ate a little were less miserable, and the quality of the bowel preps achieved were the same between the groups! The most interesting finding was that the group of patients who were restricted to only having clear liquids cancelled their appointments more than twice as frequently as the patients that were allowed to eat just a little. Hunger is a powerful force to compete with! [Bolding is mine.]
If there’s better compliance, fewer canceled appointments, and it’s just as effective, allowing low-residue foods (within reason) the day before clearly seems the way to go. I can’t figure out why every gastroenterologist doesn’t allow this.
If I do have to have another colonoscopy, I’m going to eat yogurt, plain ice cream, and other non-clear liquids (all low-residue, of course) the day before. The studies that show the outcome is as good as with clear-liquids-only have me convinced I would be taking no chances and would not have to repeat the test.
The diet is tough for me because I basically live on nuts, seeds, whole grains, lentils, and raw fruits and veggies (the healthy stuff!) This diet allows only foods with refined flour, canned veggies…
Here are some excerpts from the instructions: 7 Days before your appointmentDo not eat foods that are hard to digest—for example , nuts, seeds, bran, popcorn, salads, beans, berries, onions, and peppers, 5 Days before your appointment Consume only low fiber meals: frozen or canned fruit; applesauce, ripe bananas, fruit juice without pulp; well cooked vegetables and vegetable juice; milk, yogurt or other milk products; well-cooked meat such as chicken, turkey, fish or lean meat; eggs, tofu; white or refined cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta.
**
Maybe I’m following it too literally, but the nurse told me I can’t have anything with wheat in it. And every brand of white bread or pasta I’ve seen contains wheat (though it’s refined).
I’ve never heard the like. As I said, I have Crohn’s, and I hang out on Crohn’s/UC forums and talk with similarly afflicted folk all the time. Any Crohn’s/UC patient is well-familiar with colonoscopies. I’ve never heard of this. I am not a doctor, but this seems like crazy overkill. I mean, maybe a low-residue diet a day before your fast/cleanse, maybe, but a WEEK?
Also, they tell you eating pasta for 5 days before the appointment is OK, but you can’t eat wheat products? Like you said, unless you buy gluten-free pasta, it pretty much ALL has wheat as its first ingredient. These seem like mutually exclusive instructions.
OK, here’s the $64,000 question: What, if any, digestive tract issues do you have? Because if you’re just going for a standard colon checkup, what you’re being asked to do is, frankly, weird. If they haven’t already explained why you have to do this odd and extended regimen, you should find out why. I’ve never heard or read of this, and if I posted this on my UC forums, I think everyone would be looking at their screen like a dog watching a magic trick - which is what I imagine I looked like when I read your post.
Thanks. Been dealing with it so long, I almost forget what it was like to be without it.
Yeah, those instructions are odd. They seem to be designed to make sure you have no residue in your colon for your 'scope, but I’ve never seen or heard of going to such lengths. No one I’ve ever heard of does anything more than fast and take laxatives the day before.
10 days before: After disussion with GP, stop blood thinners (not applicable for me, but the instructions are standard).
7 days before: Stop eating food with seeds. This is where I come in, as I usually eat muesli with various seeds for breakfast.
3 days before: no salad, fruit vegetables. This means low-residue diet. In the evening, 1 laxative tablet in the evening
2 days before: 1 laxative tablet in the evening
Day before: I’m allowed a light lunch and then it’s just liquids. In the evening drink the first prep (500 mL) in 30 minutes plus more liquid (another 500 mL) in the following 30 minutes.
Day of: At 5:30 in the morning I have to drink the second prep within 30 minutes (500 ML). And then more liquid (500 mL) in the following 30 minutes. Appointment’s at 9:10.
I also have two tablets against vomiting.
I have just added information on my calendar to remind me.
The actual procedure is done in the doctor’s office. Some of my colleagues have to go to the hospital for their colonoscopy in case of complications.
Not sure if Burger King will already be open, but I’m thinking I’ll go there after the procedure. They won’t let me leave until I have some broth.
My husband had his first one 2 years before my first one. He had to drink a lot more prep than I did. “They” had changed the procedure in the meantime.
I have just collected the pre-exam package and have the diet sheet.
Out is anything wholemeal, fruit, veggies, milk, cheese, yoghurt and cream.
In is White bread, White Pasta, tea and coffee without milk. Chicken, White fish and eggs are okay too.
The appointment is for Wednesday and I have to start with the diet today, also with the Senecot at night. Tuesday, I am allowed lunch but then starvation and the dreaded Klean Prep.
After the procedure, drink lots and lots of water. You may not feel thirsty, but you will likely be quite dehydrated. And you may not feel it until the next day.
After my first colonoscopy, I felt fine and went about my day. The next day I hit a wall and just felt like shit (as it were) all day. Weak, out of sorts, just bad. I called the nurse help line and it was suggested that I was dehydrated.
With my second colonoscopy, I brought a bottle of water with me, and as soon as I was lucid and sitting up after it was over, I started drinking water. Not guzzling, but steady sipping all the rest of the day.
After my previous one, they sat me in a comfy armchair and gave me mugs of tea. I wasn’t sure if the staff there get special training in being nice, or if they pick them because of their empathy.
