# So, ever been through colonoscopy prep? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854 "2010-01-14T00:02:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/21 "2010-01-14T05:23:07Z")
Cool! At last, an explanation for the appendix that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/22 "2010-01-14T05:25:24Z")
Did it about a month ago. Drank the two little bottles, which is the equivalent of drinking eight billion cups of coffee. Nasty. But it was novel knowing there was no matter in my entire digestive system. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/23 "2010-01-14T05:27:01Z")
My doc gave me a huge bottle of pills. I think it was six at a time. Then another six pills 2 hours later. Then again 2 hours later. Each time I had to drink 32 oz of fluid. Still, it was better than the vile liquid other people told me about. not too bad at all. I got both ends checked. He found a lot of irritation in my esophagus and put me on Prilosec. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/24 "2010-01-14T05:29:22Z")
96 ounces? You lucky bastard! I had to do 128 ounces. And yes, golyltely should be called goheavily or perhaps goquickly. Make sure to request pictures. Normally I don’t beat my own drum, but I have to say my lower intestine is quite lovely. Now that I’m thinking about it, I might contact the doc for a jpeg copy and post it on Faccebook. It’s the best picture of me I have. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/25 "2010-01-14T05:32:08Z")
Well, of course it’s a great picture, it reveals the inner you. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/26 "2010-01-14T05:59:53Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yogurt and probiotics. Not only can you, you _really_ should after the “prep”. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/27 "2010-01-14T06:26:17Z")
Anyone have to crap after the procedure? My wife drove us home and we stopped and had a late lunch after my procedure. Got home and I had to make a fast trip to the john. Surprised me. I didn’t expect to crap for a couple days. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/28 "2010-01-14T14:16:18Z")
I’ve been through it. I had to drink about a gallon of some clear liquid with the consistency of watery syrup. It was, without question, the most unpleasant day of my life, and that includes the day I broke my femur. To put it bluntly, my anus was on fire from having liquids spray out of it for 15 hours, and all the wiping. I was nearly in tears on the ride to the hospital the morning of, because it felt as if I had been anally raped with a brillo pad. But the procedure itself was a breeze. Next time, I’ll arm myself with a squeeze bottle of warm water for the bidet effect. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/29 "2010-01-14T14:48:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not only can you, you _really_ should after the “prep”. Makes sense, but no one mentioned that to me when I went through it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/30 "2010-01-14T14:50:52Z")
Pepper Mill just went through this. The new treatment, with much less stuff to drink (and none of that sodium citrate) was better, but still a literal pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/31 "2010-01-14T14:52:56Z")
> [@sevenwood](#): > > When folks ask me about the colonoscopy prep feature I tell them that for the first hour nothing much happens. > > Then for the next oh, say, 90 minutes you go through many watery bowel movements. > > Then for the next three hours you pee out of your ass. You get quite used to it, actually. > > And yes, the actual procedure is no problem at all. Sums up my experience. It’s interesting, in an academic sort of way, so see the short time it takes fluid to go from jug to toilet when my body isn’t doing anything to slow it down. A friend of my recently had one and was only required to drink the laxative and then fast, no huge jugs of body-flush, so the requirements clearly vary. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/32 "2010-01-14T15:00:02Z")
How do you not get dehydrated after all that? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/33 "2010-01-14T15:17:50Z")
Went through a couple of them. The first used Gatorade. The second used Moviprep. The Gatorade tasted better, but you had to drink a ton of it; it was pretty bloating. The Moviprep tasted like lemon-flavored sea water. It’s tolerable if you drink it very cold; the next time, I plan to mix it up in the morning and let it chill. You don’t get dehydrated because you’re drinking a couple of gallons of water. In addition, the prep solution contains electrolytes. Since that’s what plants crave, it’s good enough for you. In any case, I was out during both procedures and remembered nothing about them. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/34 "2010-01-14T15:34:36Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > How do you not get dehydrated after all that? What **RealityChuck** said. In addition, you’re encouraged to drink lots and lots of clear fluids during prep day to counteract the dehydrating effect of the induced diarrhea. Nonetheless, you do get a quart low. It’s morning of my scope day, after the 5:00 a.m. final jug of Gatorade I haven’t been allowed to drink anything more, I’m half an hour away from being picked up for the ride to the hospital, and my mouth feels parched. Besides keys, a book, and my cellphone, I’ve got a banana and a packet of crackers tucked into my go-to-hospital bag, in hopes that I’ll be allowed to devour them as soon as I regain consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/35 "2010-01-14T16:03:46Z")
I’ve done it twice. Both times with the two little bottles. The first time, I got quite nauseated for a couple of hours after taking each bottle – I think that was the worst part of the whole thing. The second time I had no nausea… I think it was because I made sure to drink a lot of water before and after each bottle. (Tall glasses before, steady sips after.) ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/36 "2010-01-14T17:50:24Z")
I read a thread on another forum about the dangers of Picolax, or more importantly, why men should pay more attention. This forum was promptly lost, but careful research has recovered the original text. [So here it is, the full text of Blu-tone’s adventures with Picolax](http://www.singletrackworld.com/2009/02/the-picolax-thread-returns/) Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/37 "2010-01-14T17:55:33Z")
Dave Berry’s description is pretty apt: > [@](#): > > I don’t want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate \* everything\*. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink\* another _liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even_ eaten\* yet. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/38 "2010-01-14T19:01:27Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > I’ve been through it. I had to drink about a gallon of some clear liquid with the consistency of watery syrup. It was, without question, the most unpleasant day of my life, and that includes the day I broke my femur. To put it bluntly, my anus was on fire from having liquids spray out of it for 15 hours, and all the wiping. I was nearly in tears on the ride to the hospital the morning of, because it felt as if I had been anally raped with a brillo pad. > > But the procedure itself was a breeze. > > Next time, I’ll arm myself with a squeeze bottle of warm water for the bidet effect. There’s also an adult equivalent of flushable baby wipes. I used them for my last colonoscopy prep. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/39 "2010-01-14T19:03:07Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > What **RealityChuck** said. In addition, you’re encouraged to drink lots and lots of clear fluids during prep day to counteract the dehydrating effect of the induced diarrhea. > > Nonetheless, you do get a quart low. It’s morning of my scope day, after the 5:00 a.m. final jug of Gatorade I haven’t been allowed to drink anything more, I’m half an hour away from being picked up for the ride to the hospital, and my mouth feels parched. > > Besides keys, a book, and my cellphone, I’ve got a banana and a packet of crackers tucked into my go-to-hospital bag, in hopes that I’ll be allowed to devour them as soon as I regain consciousness. They usually offer you small snacks and drinks in recovery in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854/40 "2010-01-14T20:23:02Z")
> [@](#): > > If you totally purge your digestive system of every last particle of foreign matter, how do those beneficial bacteria get re-established when you again commence eating? > [@](#): > > possibly from your appendix > [@](#): > > **Cool! At last, an explanation for the appendix that makes sense.** so the appendix is Evolution’s way of keeping fit and surviving colonoscopies? Imagine a hominid 4 million years ago, who has a decision to make: 1. either remain in the trees with the monkees ,or 2. stand upright , and proudly conquer the plains of Africa and then the whole world----but with a colonscope tube rammed up his wazoo. Four millon years before they invented anesthesia. I vote for staying in the trees. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ever-been-through-colonoscopy-prep/524854.md?page=3)