Jerry going in for a colonoscopy......any advice?

Originally Posted by michelle mayall

my hubby had one earlier this year he said the worst part was after walking through the hospital with terrible wind hehehehe it was every step and it was so loud he was so embarassed lol

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Oh, that wouldn't embarrass my husband! He'd be laughing his head off while walking if that was happening!

Both my mother and my step-father have gone through a colonoscopy. My step-father had to drink a huge amount of the prep and it was definately the worst part. He was gagging and couldn't drink the whole amount. On the other hand, my mother, who had the surgery last year, had some new type of prep and only had to drink half the amount. Can't remember the name but ask for the newest prep on the market.

Originally Posted by michelle mayall

my hubby had one earlier this year he said the worst part was after walking through the hospital with terrible wind hehehehe it was every step and it was so loud he was so embarassed lol

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My mom was soooo embarrased over this. Imagine a very conservative 65 year old who can't even talk about farting in conversation having terrible wind in public! My mother went beet red and said she could never return to that hospital again.

Buy Jerry the softest toilet paper you can find and tell him to relax. It's the 'ick' factor that gets everyone nervous but it really is a 'breeze' to get through (pun intended).

I will have to have a colonoscopy in the next few years since my father died of colon cancer when I was 16.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

The BEST tip I got before prepping for mine was to pick a Gatorade flavor to mix with the prep stuff that you know you won't ever want to drink again.

I chose lemon-lime gaotorade, and to this day, I can't drink the stuff because it brings back the memories of my prep - BLEAH!!!!

The prep IS worse than the test, but it is SO worth it to get it done!!!

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I got the same tip but I chose ginger ale because I don't really like it anyway-have to have another one in 3 yrs so will have to find something else to put on the don't like any more list

I didn't get the least bit sick, just hungrey. I came home and felt fine didn't have any problems at all. I guess it depends on the person. When I had Carpel tunnel surgery I had the cast off befoe I got home, my hubby ask me what are you doing and I said it's to tight Also when I had a D&C I came home swept the patio and cleaned house, I'm a hard to person to get to lay down. Everyone thinks I'm nuts but I'm not I just go with the flow...

I am not a cat but I have had two of these and you are right about the preparation being worse than the procedure. I assume your kitty will be out just like I was for the procedure but will need to be cleaned out before hand.

Originally Posted by Persi

I am not a cat but I have had two of these and you are right about the preparation being worse than the procedure. I assume your kitty will be out just like I was for the procedure but will need to be cleaned out before hand.

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No she's talking about her husband having it...

Originally Posted by halfpint

No she's talking about her husband having it...

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LOL, yes, Jerry is my husband, not my cat!

Just tell him that there is no food for 24 hrs, and that youre going to bake and cook a kitchen full of yummy goods for when he comes home!

His appt is scheduled for Monday morning. How far in advance can he not eat?

I'm amazed they didn't give him his instructions yet. He will not be able to eat anything solid after Midnight Saturday. Sunday will be clear liquids only. They should have provided you with a list of things that are "acceptable".

Originally Posted by AbbysMom

I'm amazed they didn't give him his instructions yet. He will not be able to eat anything solid after Midnight Saturday. Sunday will be clear liquids only. They should have provided you with a list of things that are "acceptable".

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That's coming this week Karen......

That's a little silly. I hope it comes soon. You shouldn't have to run out the day before to buy stuff.

I agree its the prep part thats worse then the actual scope. I have one yearly I have for the past 20 years! usually its not solids for the 24 hours before the scope clear liquids only. No dairy and the liquids can not be red or grape colored either.The dye in these colors may stain the inside of the bowel causing it to appear inflammed when its really not.
Just tell him to plan on not leaving the house after he has drank the laxitive. Yuck for me thats the worse part its salty and gags me every time When it hits it will hit! I always eat alot of popsicles..
During the actual scope they usually make sure your asleep or well sedated. Some I was awake and watched it on the moniter.
Hes lucky hes having this kind years ago the old type was horrid!

We just had someone at work that just had this - the prep was worse than the procedure! As to not giving him the info too far in advance - maybe they didn't want to scare him off! LOL. We'll be thinking about him - hope everything goes well!

DH is supposed to have one yet this yr as he turned 50 in Jan.-hasn't made appt-I know he isn't going to like the prep after reading this!!!
About 20 yrs ago I had to do the barium thing as I was diagonsed w/stomach ulcer. The barium was bad enough but the laxative afterwords was worse-I'm glad I drove fast from the hospital just in time to spend the afternoon in the bathroom. (must have tv and reading material in bathroom for DH!!!)

Oh, Susie...that is pretty scary. I've never had one before, but have heard that it's not a picnic. I will keep Jerry in my thoughts & prayers.....

I agree with the statement on gas- wow- you have gas in places you don't even know you can have gas. It's really weird! It can even travel around!

I did think the prep was worse. The phosphasoda stuff was horrible tasting, it reminded me of bile. I tried drinking it in gaterade, but it just ruined the taste of it. Just make sure it's really, really cold, and if it's ok iced. It goes down easier when it's ice cold. The problem I had was that it grossed me out so much flavor wise that I kept throwing it back up. My mom hated the taste, but she didn't have the same reaction to it. She was able to drink it down quickly and not get sick.

I don't remember much of anything from the scope itself. They had me under twilight sedation.

What I thought was worse was the lower GI, because they pump you full of barium, and guess what's white for the next few days!

Have any of you ever been scoped down the throat, an endoscopy I think? Do they put you in the twilight zone for that too?

I had both done and it was not plesant. The endescope they make you drink a substance that makes your throat go numb so the scope will go down easier. I was put compleetly out for my first colonoscopy/endiscopy. The second one I was given drugs to put me out but they didn't work so I was awake for the entire thing. I don't recomend being away for any part of it. It is painful and I never needed to know what my bowls look like, it was a little more information than I ever thought I needed.

I had the endoscopy done too. That was no big deal. I had to prep for it, again that was the worse, but the procedure itself was a piece of cake. I had an xray tech holding my hand chanting "swallow swallow!!" while they stuff the tube down my nose and I swallowed it. It was really pretty cool to watch my insides on the moniter. It didn't hurt at all, but my throat was a little scratchy afterwards. It really wasn't awful at all. I didnt' get any kind of sedation for any of these GI tests, except for the Colonoscopy.

I also had a sigmoidoscopy and upper and lower GI's done.

They thought I had Crohn's disease, which is why I had all this stuff done.