Yes, it's that time. My turn has come for the dreaded colonoscopy on Monday, April 5th. It really helped me to see Carol going through hers last year because I had NO idea what the experience was like before she posted about it...now I've been to the specialist for the pre-test consultation and have the whole scoop.

I've been to the market and picked up all the stuff I'm allowed to eat on Sunday, which isn't much! The depressing thing about it is that the stuff on the "allowed to eat" list is all white stuff and sugar. White bread, white pasta, white potatoes, jello, koolaid, etc. Ugh! I said something to the nurse at my consultation appt. about not drinking sugary drinks and she said I SHOULD drink them for the prep because I'm not eating hardly anything that day and my body will need the sugar. Bleh!

Carol and anyone else who has had a colonoscopy...any tips you can give me on eating the day of my prep (and the days leading up to it) would be most appreciated. A friend who has had one told me she started eating lighter (less meat) days before the test even though they don't require that. Makes sense to me so I am planning on doing that too.

I'm so glad to hear that it was clear! : )

P.S. I loved the picture of you and Myriam! Thanks for posting it.

quote:

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Originally posted by kd:
You are very kind to have shared this with us. You took the fear factor out of this procedure for a lot of us.

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I did that because Carol (Nana on CT) was so kind to share her experience on the board last year when she had her colonoscopy. I knew my time was coming so I paid attention to her posts...it really put my mind at ease just KNOWING what to expect.

I decided to share my experience because I thought it might help someone else. I know everyone is different but, for me, even if a procedure is yucky, I would rather know about it ahead of time to mentally prepare myself than to go into it blind and then be scared or surprised by what happens to me.

And, by the way, apparently a LOT of people go through a colonoscopy without any pain at all, so don't assume that because I had pain, you will too.

Truly, it is a necessary preventive measure and any discomfort or "yuckiness" you experience will be a drop in the bucket compared to getting colon cancer. Now, before I go any more Katie Couric on you guys, I will close. LOL

YIKES! What is this junk you have to drink agllon of? Wht if youcan't? Are there other options? I had to drink some chalky junk once when I was in the hospital (they were checking for an ulcer)...I couldn't do it.

But congrats to you! So glad it's over and that everything was a-ok! :-)

You are very kind to have shared this with us. You took the fear factor out of this procedure for a lot of us. Thank you, Sheria! I'm glad you're feeling better and that everything went well.

Hi Sheri,
Sorry about the pain. Glad everything went well! I think that I might be one of the next to turn 50 (but not for four years). Thanks for going ahead of me!

Denise

It's over! YAY!

I had been told by a number of people (including the doctor) that I would be conscious during the test, but that the drug they use makes you sleep and not remember what is happening. Well...my experience was that this is mostly true except that I certainly remember one part of the procedure--I was yelling in pain.

The good news is:
1. The test was clean--no polyps or any sign of trouble. WHEW!
2. I don't have to have another colonoscopy for 10 years. YEA!

I am having some abdominal cramping and am a little drowsy but otherwise am feeling fine. I splurged on a Sausage McMuffin and hash browns for my first real meal in 2 days.

Thanks for all your well wishes...they are much appreciated.

Hope the test went well today, You are probably at the Drs office/hospital right now so my thoughts are with you and it is a good idea to rest today and then tomorrow you will feel much better. At least for me I was drowsy the day of my colonoscopy.
Rest and enjoy dinner.
IVA

Sherie,
Thinking about you today- the test day. How are you doing?

Morning of the test update:

Prep went fine. Nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. The phospho-soda is, however, just as nasty as you've heard. BLECH! Thank goodness I was allowed to mix it with juice or I don't think I could have gotten it down.

Do you think I can count all those runs to the bathroom as my exercise for yesterday? LOL With so little food in my system (and feeling woozy as a result), I didn't feel it was a good idea to exercise yesterday so I took a day off. I suspect I'll be drowsy from the anesthetsia today so probably won't be up to it today either.

Sheri, Good luck tommorrow with the test. I'll be thinking about you.

Hey all...thought I'd give an update on how "prep day" is going. The restricted diet for the day before the test SUCKS cuz you can't have any protein at all. I've eaten regularly throughout the day so I haven't been hungry, but I've been a little woozy much of the day. I had dry toast and OJ for b'fast and a baked potato with a small amount of chicken broth poured on it and a bowl of jello for lunch.

I baked two potatoes this morning thinking I'd have one for lunch and another just before I have to take "the yucky stuff" (aka phosopho-soda) at which point I am allowed no more solid food. But I really wasn't hungry enough to eat the second potato so I just had another bowl of jello. I'm afraid the phosopho-soda is going to make me nauseous or throw up (I hear it's horribly salty) and I don't want to be too stuffed if that happens!

I have 20 minutes until I have to take the first dose of phospho-soda. Then only liquids from 5 p.m. until after the test tomorrow around 9:30 a.m. And a second dose of the phospho-soda at 8 p.m.

Eat a piece of fruit or some good healthy veggies on me!

Thanks for your good wishes, ladies.

After talking again to Helen, the friend who is going to be taking me to and from the test Monday morning (and who has been through this herself), I decided to go light on the food today instead of having the big "last meal." Helen says this makes the prep day a little less nasty and I'm for ANYTHING that will do that!!

I'm going to go to bed shortly and I am having that same feeling I had today in the grocery store...like I want to eat because I know I won't be able to have what I want tomorrow. What a pain! LOL But I'm not going to have anything just before going to bed because that makes me feel nasty and bloated, not to mention it is not good to do with acid reflux.

Prep day, here I come!

Yes, good luck tomorrow. Hope all goes well.

Denise

Sherie,
I hope that all goes well with the prep tomorrow. Once in a while those fries get me too!

Love the grocery store story! I was in TJ's last week and it seemed that there were cookies every place I turned or looked. Couldn't wait to get out of there!

Denise

I had an unusual experience at the supermarket today. Usually, I am very focused when in the store...I go in, I get what I need, and I leave. I rarely expend much energy looking at or thinking about food I "can't" have (I put that in quotes because, of course, I COULD have it, but at a price higher than I choose to pay most of the time).

Today, with the colonoscopy prep day coming up tomorrow, I was noticing foods I wouldn't usually even see. I wanted everything. Not because I was hungry. It's either the stress of the test and prep coming out (though I don't feel too much overt stress yet) or it is just the thought that I will be on a very restrictive diet all day and night tomorrow and that is making me want to eat everything in sight! LOL

I did outstanding getting in and out of two grocery stores with my usual healthy choices but, on the way home (I live next to a McDonald's), I decided I had to have a small order of fries.

I was torn about how to handle this. I mean, on one hand, I was clearly not wanting fries out of hunger. But I also acknowledged that I have been craving fries all week (ever since I had the window open one day driving past and caught the scent) and that maybe it wouldn't be a horrible thing to allow myself this treat with what I have to go through in the next day and a half (prep day plus the actual test).

Anyhow, I went thru the drive-thru and got a small order of fries. Waited til I got home and had unloaded all of the groceries and my gym stuff out of the car to eat them. I must say that, other than being a bit over salty (cuz I rarely eat salt), they were marvelous.

I don't feel great about getting them but I'm not going to beat myself up.

Sherria:

Trusting my memory from 9 1/2 months ago, is on the last day of food I had to stop eating at 4:P.M (and I had a good dinner) and then had to take a liquid drink (can't think of the name of it) but it was in the isle with the ex-lax in a green bottle, it tasted like warm ginger ale.
The next day it was liquid, basicly like everyone else said on the board, I was never told anything about sugar at all, I did question on fruit and vegies, and I was told nothing with seeds or skin on them, that I could take the skin off of an apple, peach. but ended up not having them, also no O.J with the pulp did have an Alba 77 choc. milk shake, I found this filled me up faster then chicken soup.
I hope your appt. is early, and bring a book to read as you will be there for awhile when they give you that yukky drink ( you have to drink a gallon of it.) and you will goig to the potty alot. After it was all over the nurse brought me some coffee and p/b crackers.
They did give me something to put me to sleep, and I didn't feel anything during the proceedure.
Now if you remember why I was going for this (bowle problems) they did find polyps, and removed them and since then everything has been O.K.
I am suppose to go for another one in June, but am hesitating on it

Hope everything turns out O.K, and let us know what the outcome was....

Sherie,
My dh has gone through this drill multiple times and sticks to the clear liquids. If you eat something other that that, the view is obstructed and the proceedure might have to be repeated. I only say this because my dh cheated "just a little bit" before his first one and had to have it redone.
I will add that generally it is not too bad. Because it is so time limited, you can endure it. After the test, dh was quite hungry and wanted to eat within an hour. Be ready with food!

Hi,
I don't have any personal experience. I stayed with my grandma while she did the fasting part and an enema and the drinking the icky stuff.

She was 97 years old and got through it fine. She was a tough little thing - about your height, Sheri - about 4'9". I don't know if I would get one at 97 - because I don't think that I would want the treatment if something should be found. I know I'll be getting one at 50.

I think that it is like a root canal. You just gotta do what you gotta do. Hang in there!

Sending good wishes your way!

Denise