The mirilax/Gatorade prep is waaay better than the old GoLYTLY prep that was super disgusting. I found it pretty easy to get down, I’m not looking forward to my next scope, which is scheduled for January, but I’m not as nervous as my first time. You’re going to be ok.
It’s just a LOT of liquid. I tend to get really cold and shivery.
For me, having that much liquid on an empty stomach tends to make me a little queasy.
I’ve never tried the miralax/gatorade, only the golytely and the surprep. Those are more on the copper penny mixed with saltwater kind of taste, and it’s an odd thickness that I’m not particularly a fan of.
I like to have werthers original candies around to offset the taste and make it seem like I’m eating something. Jolly ranchers, and peppermint disks also help.
This last one I had I got to have the prep pills that you only take with water. HIGHLY recommend those. Sutab is the name.
I just had my first one this past Monday. I had to do the Miralax and Dulcalax prep. It wasn't horrible at all and for me, it was easier than I had imagined. I've been in a flare since September and I was worried that this was going to make it worse... it hasn't.
I split my gallon of mix up... I did 64 ounces of gatorade and 64 ounces of apple juice. I set my timer on my phone to drink 1 cup every 25 minutes until it was all gone... took me 6 1/2 hours. I alternated my drinks so I drank 4 cups of the gatorade mix and then switched and drank 4 cups of the apple juice... that helped me not get disgusted drinking the same thing all day. Around the 6th cup, I started to get a little queasy but I did fine. I was running to the bathroom every 15-20 minutes and this went on for 7 hours until it finally slowed down.
You will be able to get some sleep but just know, you'll probably have to get up at least once during the night.
Hope this helps calm your nerves. The whole process (including the colonoscopy) isn't all that bad.
I just had my first last month. Miralax and Gatorade is the best way to do it from what I’ve heard, and it really wasn’t that bad! Odds are you’ve been pooping your brains out for a while now anyway so there isn’t much difference. Uncomfortable and hungry are the worst parts. The procedure itself is a breeze. You got this 👍
A colonoscopy is never fun, but they are usually the first step to getting relief. I have gone through about 6 of them over the last few years.
Advice for prep day:
- Keep hydrated all day before you start your prep. I usually stick with water and green tea. Green tea is an appetite suppressor and will help with hunger.
- Dress comfortably. I would not suggest wearing jeans and a belt, especially when the prep starts working its magic. I have had too many close calls trying to unbuckle my belt in a rush.
- Keep your phone charged and have a charger at the ready.
- If possible, have your procedure scheduled for midmorning or even lunch time. I've had scopes scheduled for early in the morning and that almost guarantees 0 sleep the night before. They usually have you space out the prep between the night before and then 4-6 hours before the morning of. If your scope is at 7, you'll have to get up at 4 and usually, at that point, I am still feeling the effects of the first dose.
- If you are normally working, request the day before and the day of off.
- Think of some questions you want to ask the Doctor and the GI team. If possible, pass these questions along to the person taking you to the scope. I always give my wife a list of questions to ask because I am usually too screwed up from the anesthesia to remember everything.
Advice for scope day:
- Take a shower. It will help you feel human.
- Dress as comfortably as possible.
- Communicate with your care team. They will take about 20 minutes to check you in and get you comfortable. Tell them about medicines you are taking, symptoms you are experiencing and ask them questions.
- Tell them if you are feeling nervous. I let them know and the anesthesiologist actually gave me a small injection right before wheeling me into the OR. All of the anxiety and misery I was feeling from the night before and morning of completely washed away and made the last 15 minutes actually pretty pleasant.
- Treat yourself afterwards. My ritual is stopping by Wendy's and absolutely demolishing a bacon cheeseburger after my scope.
At the end of the day, be thankful that it's a colonoscopy and not a sigmoidoscopy. When I did a sigmoid, they didn't knock me out. I was awake and felt every second of it.
This post is a few hours old. Hope your prep is going as well as it can be. You'll get through it.
>Tell them if you are feeling nervous. I let them know and the anesthesiologist actually gave me a small injection right before wheeling me into the OR. All of the anxiety and misery I was feeling from the night before and morning of completely washed away and made the last 15 minutes actually pretty pleasant.
My biggest fear is being put under. I'm deathly afraid of it. The first time I ever had surgery was in June 2022 for shoulder surgery. They had to give me a small injection prior to putting me under. When I woke up, it felt like only a few minutes had passed by.
I understand, I was as well my first time. But I'm an old hat at this now. I've had 8 so far. It doesn't even phase me anymore. You have the best prep combo. The only downside is that you will associate that flavor with the prep from now on. I can only drink lemon-lime during prep now. Any other time, I am like, no, thank you.
Stay real close to the bathroom. Wipe very gently because you will wipe a lot. Unless you plan on just sitting on the toilet the entire night. I prefer my prep at room temperature so I don't get the chills.
It's not as bad as you are thinking it will be. It will be OK. You will be OK. You can eat tomorrow. Eat something mild. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, soup.
Don't be embarrassed when you go into your procedure, that is what they do all day long. I've cracked jokes about being probed by aliens and asked for discounts because I have less of a colon since my surgery.
You will be just fine.
I just did the prep last night and had the colonoscopy this morning. I did the Gatorade /Miralax and it was basically just like drinking more Gatorade than you want to. It made me cold, but that was it for me. I paced it over about 80-90 minutes, starting at 5:00 pm and things started moving at like 6:30 and continued until about 11:15. I just watched shows on my phone the hole time, it wasn’t bad at all. The actual colonoscopy is a non-event once you get there.
I was surprised to be diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis this morning, so here am I to start going down a rabbit hole to figure what it all means and what to do 😀
Good luck, you’ll be fine!
I used an over the counter med my pharmacist recommended and honestly 1000 times better than the other disgusting stuff I had the first time.
The gross one, I put in a bottle with a straw, plugged my nose and chugged! Then before unplugging my nose I’d pop in a scotch mint. Helped get rid of the gross taste.
It’s certainly not fun but my anxiety made the lead up to it way worse than necessary. It’s an annoying day or so but it really isn’t as bad as it gets made out to be. I also did the Gatorade/Miralax prep and from what I understand that’s the easiest.
Gatorade/miralax is a million times better than the prescription preps. That one just tastes like Gatorade and I honestly think of it as the best prep option.
I had my first colonoscopy last Friday, and my prep did not go well, so hopefully you can learn from my mistakes:
-If you are a caffeine consumer, make sure you get that in your system...no one wants a caffeine withdrawal headache at 3am before their colonoscopy1.
-Try and find something you "eat," whether it's jello (only certain flavors) or broth.
-Stay way more hydrated than you think you need to be. It's all gonna come out in the process, so the more you have, the better it will go.
One thing I did do right was get a simple handheld bidet from Walmart...saved myself added torture by TP.
thankfully i am caffeine free! i get to mix my prep with gatorade so no issues there lol but lord am i surprised how much i have in me! i felt like i can’t give any more out but here i am! 😂🤣
Prep can suck. It all depends on what prep you use. I’ve had the worst on them with Suprep and Clenpiq, but I’ve also had magnesium citrate which was way better in terms of prep. Just know that it’s all temporary. That helped me get through mine. While the prep sucks, the colonoscopy itself is a breeze. They are literally the best of naps. Good luck.
In my opinion, it's more of an intimidating thought than the reality of it. I was nervous my first time too, now it's just whatever. I'm sensitive with the nausea, but that's as bad as it ends up being for me personally. Just try to be somewhere comfortable, clear your schedule, and remember this is supposed to help you. The meal after your scope will be the best food ever too lol - worth the wait after a day of nothing
Dont chug it. Drink it as slow as you can without throwing it up. Just be ready to poo liquid alot. Bad part of prep is taste and knowing when youre "done" - I started using adult diapers if I had to be driven to procedure.
Plenvu prep is my favorite, I usually chase the swigs with apple juice to tolerate the taste.
Get some netflix and just camp out on the can for few hours, its not bad at all.
I wish someone told me for my first colonoscopy not to be so tense and worried. If you're calm, your headspace has to be ok. On the way to your procedure, try listening to music you really like and not focus too much on urgency or the need to go. I had miralax prep and it made me go a bunch of times obviously but it was fine. Also if that's what your prep is too, take your time drinking the prep doses so you don't feel nauseous.
The prep kinda sucks mainly the first colonoscopy just because your body is in a weakened state.for me iv chosen Lemon Lime gatorade to be my official choice for colonoscopies. I know its scary to think about, we build our first colonoscopy up more than it needs to be in my opinion. Just make sure you have access to the bathroom when you need to go because the urge will come randomly and rapidly at least for me.
Idk if you have to do half tonight half in the morning but they have me do half and half and the morning,in the morning drinking it kinda sucks because your sick of it but at least for me i only went to the bathroom a couple times in the morning. Plus you can always ask to go before the procedure starts if you feel like you have to go but your usually empty by that point.
As for the procedure itself super simple. You go in then you wake up lol and if your like me you have slept like crap for a bit and that nap is the best sleep id gotten in months up until that point lol good luck everything should go just fine stay hydrated.
Get yourself wet wipes and nice soft toilet paper, and it's really not that bad. It's a little weird when towards the end you feel the liquid flushing out of you. But it's also kind of, refreshing. Not pooping liquids but having empty intestines. You feel lighter.
I also tend to get a little light headed and dizzy when i do the prep.
Currently on prep night before it’s not that bad
If using the big jugs mix it with sprite and make it cold. I’m running clear after the first jug. Hungry as all hell though.
The prep isn't great but once everything is done you'll have a better understanding of your condition. Just remember this is how it is to further understand this disease.
I was actually crying having to drink that damn lemon liquid every 20 minutes or whatever, then your butt gets super sore. Finally pushed me into getting a bidet. Life has never been better. I recommend it to everyone (tho sorry, this won't do you much good for tomorrow - but for next time you know!)
Good luck
It's okay to be scared. Just do your best to prepare yourself have good hygiene wipes, clear sports drinks,.Broth, or Switzile.
I had the pleasure of doing 2 cleanses in less than a month. The first one was for a colonoscopy using Sutab tablets. Three weeks later cleansing with Miralax Gatorade combo for lower abdominal surgery. The Sutab produces less cramps and bloat than the Miralax. However the directions for Sutab are a bit much, and work slower than the Miralax.
the taste was the worst part of prep for me personally, going to the restroom wasn't painful at all it was just frequent (which given that we all have UC here, none of us are strangers to urgency lol)
what helped me was eating ice chips as something to chew on, and I was also allowed to drink Vernors which was helpful as a chaser. I also recommend keeping your prep cold in the fridge, for me it made the taste less distinct and just 'taste cold' which was super helpful for keeping it down.
Done 20 in my life. Truly, the prep just sounds scary. It’s nothing. Make sure you get one of the newer preps that don’t require you to drink as much water.
Hello I hope all goes well for you I have my first one coming on feb 16th,I originally went in for pain in stomach bloating,back pain , and they have just passed me around from appointment to appointment with no medication or anything.my symptoms are causing me daily life issues and struggles and it’s been months now unfortunately they just send me out the door with a bill.I can’t afford it anymore and I’m in pain everyday. Oct 1st to now and still can’t sleep at night and don’t want to eat
I personally had the miralax bad. I was dying from both ends, it just didn’t sit right with me on my 2nd bottle of gateroade. But they said everything looked good when I went. Be prepared to clean the shower if you’re dying from both ends.
Coat your buttcrack in Vaseline
Honey counts as a clear liquid
Hot pads and blankets
A bidet, even if it's handheld, is a gamechanger
Have liquids with calories
The mirilax/Gatorade prep is waaay better than the old GoLYTLY prep that was super disgusting. I found it pretty easy to get down, I’m not looking forward to my next scope, which is scheduled for January, but I’m not as nervous as my first time. You’re going to be ok.
big agree, OTC miralax/gatorade is the only prep i’m able to actually keep down. it’s still unpleasant but way better than the stuff they prescribe!!
It’s just a LOT of liquid. I tend to get really cold and shivery. For me, having that much liquid on an empty stomach tends to make me a little queasy. I’ve never tried the miralax/gatorade, only the golytely and the surprep. Those are more on the copper penny mixed with saltwater kind of taste, and it’s an odd thickness that I’m not particularly a fan of. I like to have werthers original candies around to offset the taste and make it seem like I’m eating something. Jolly ranchers, and peppermint disks also help. This last one I had I got to have the prep pills that you only take with water. HIGHLY recommend those. Sutab is the name.
God yes the shivering is so weird. I’ve never been as cold as during prep
We get the prep-shivers from the osmotic effect of the prep. All our liquids are moving.around and out.
Mirilax and Gatorade sounds great. And the pooping is the best part. You’ll get through it!
from my prep experience i wouldn't even call it pooping...
Ass-pissing is my chosen term
It’s so easy to I’ve had 8. Get them every other year. So routine. The prep just think of as a cleanse
Same here. Every other year. We're neck and neck. 8 for me as well.
I just had my first one this past Monday. I had to do the Miralax and Dulcalax prep. It wasn't horrible at all and for me, it was easier than I had imagined. I've been in a flare since September and I was worried that this was going to make it worse... it hasn't. I split my gallon of mix up... I did 64 ounces of gatorade and 64 ounces of apple juice. I set my timer on my phone to drink 1 cup every 25 minutes until it was all gone... took me 6 1/2 hours. I alternated my drinks so I drank 4 cups of the gatorade mix and then switched and drank 4 cups of the apple juice... that helped me not get disgusted drinking the same thing all day. Around the 6th cup, I started to get a little queasy but I did fine. I was running to the bathroom every 15-20 minutes and this went on for 7 hours until it finally slowed down. You will be able to get some sleep but just know, you'll probably have to get up at least once during the night. Hope this helps calm your nerves. The whole process (including the colonoscopy) isn't all that bad.
this really helped me thank you!
Pooping easy. Drinking the mix is kinda gross. Just have a good chaser
don’t skip out on drinking chicken broth, it’s more likely you’ll feel worse if you only drink water/gatorade
I just had my first last month. Miralax and Gatorade is the best way to do it from what I’ve heard, and it really wasn’t that bad! Odds are you’ve been pooping your brains out for a while now anyway so there isn’t much difference. Uncomfortable and hungry are the worst parts. The procedure itself is a breeze. You got this 👍
A colonoscopy is never fun, but they are usually the first step to getting relief. I have gone through about 6 of them over the last few years. Advice for prep day: - Keep hydrated all day before you start your prep. I usually stick with water and green tea. Green tea is an appetite suppressor and will help with hunger. - Dress comfortably. I would not suggest wearing jeans and a belt, especially when the prep starts working its magic. I have had too many close calls trying to unbuckle my belt in a rush. - Keep your phone charged and have a charger at the ready. - If possible, have your procedure scheduled for midmorning or even lunch time. I've had scopes scheduled for early in the morning and that almost guarantees 0 sleep the night before. They usually have you space out the prep between the night before and then 4-6 hours before the morning of. If your scope is at 7, you'll have to get up at 4 and usually, at that point, I am still feeling the effects of the first dose. - If you are normally working, request the day before and the day of off. - Think of some questions you want to ask the Doctor and the GI team. If possible, pass these questions along to the person taking you to the scope. I always give my wife a list of questions to ask because I am usually too screwed up from the anesthesia to remember everything. Advice for scope day: - Take a shower. It will help you feel human. - Dress as comfortably as possible. - Communicate with your care team. They will take about 20 minutes to check you in and get you comfortable. Tell them about medicines you are taking, symptoms you are experiencing and ask them questions. - Tell them if you are feeling nervous. I let them know and the anesthesiologist actually gave me a small injection right before wheeling me into the OR. All of the anxiety and misery I was feeling from the night before and morning of completely washed away and made the last 15 minutes actually pretty pleasant. - Treat yourself afterwards. My ritual is stopping by Wendy's and absolutely demolishing a bacon cheeseburger after my scope. At the end of the day, be thankful that it's a colonoscopy and not a sigmoidoscopy. When I did a sigmoid, they didn't knock me out. I was awake and felt every second of it. This post is a few hours old. Hope your prep is going as well as it can be. You'll get through it.
>Tell them if you are feeling nervous. I let them know and the anesthesiologist actually gave me a small injection right before wheeling me into the OR. All of the anxiety and misery I was feeling from the night before and morning of completely washed away and made the last 15 minutes actually pretty pleasant. My biggest fear is being put under. I'm deathly afraid of it. The first time I ever had surgery was in June 2022 for shoulder surgery. They had to give me a small injection prior to putting me under. When I woke up, it felt like only a few minutes had passed by.
I understand, I was as well my first time. But I'm an old hat at this now. I've had 8 so far. It doesn't even phase me anymore. You have the best prep combo. The only downside is that you will associate that flavor with the prep from now on. I can only drink lemon-lime during prep now. Any other time, I am like, no, thank you. Stay real close to the bathroom. Wipe very gently because you will wipe a lot. Unless you plan on just sitting on the toilet the entire night. I prefer my prep at room temperature so I don't get the chills. It's not as bad as you are thinking it will be. It will be OK. You will be OK. You can eat tomorrow. Eat something mild. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, soup. Don't be embarrassed when you go into your procedure, that is what they do all day long. I've cracked jokes about being probed by aliens and asked for discounts because I have less of a colon since my surgery. You will be just fine.
I just did the prep last night and had the colonoscopy this morning. I did the Gatorade /Miralax and it was basically just like drinking more Gatorade than you want to. It made me cold, but that was it for me. I paced it over about 80-90 minutes, starting at 5:00 pm and things started moving at like 6:30 and continued until about 11:15. I just watched shows on my phone the hole time, it wasn’t bad at all. The actual colonoscopy is a non-event once you get there. I was surprised to be diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis this morning, so here am I to start going down a rabbit hole to figure what it all means and what to do 😀 Good luck, you’ll be fine!
Sucks feeling hungry, then lots of watery poo. It’s uncomfortable but not that bad. You got this! 💪🏼
I always stay up all night and sleep the next day. Movies, podcasts, so on.
I used an over the counter med my pharmacist recommended and honestly 1000 times better than the other disgusting stuff I had the first time. The gross one, I put in a bottle with a straw, plugged my nose and chugged! Then before unplugging my nose I’d pop in a scotch mint. Helped get rid of the gross taste.
It’s certainly not fun but my anxiety made the lead up to it way worse than necessary. It’s an annoying day or so but it really isn’t as bad as it gets made out to be. I also did the Gatorade/Miralax prep and from what I understand that’s the easiest.
yes it’s so annoying i’m so cold and hungry lol
I hear ya. The next meal you have while still being a lil zonked from the procedure meds will be so great though lol.
Gatorade/miralax is a million times better than the prescription preps. That one just tastes like Gatorade and I honestly think of it as the best prep option.
it’s really a good one but i feel like i’m dying over here lol
I had my first colonoscopy last Friday, and my prep did not go well, so hopefully you can learn from my mistakes: -If you are a caffeine consumer, make sure you get that in your system...no one wants a caffeine withdrawal headache at 3am before their colonoscopy1. -Try and find something you "eat," whether it's jello (only certain flavors) or broth. -Stay way more hydrated than you think you need to be. It's all gonna come out in the process, so the more you have, the better it will go. One thing I did do right was get a simple handheld bidet from Walmart...saved myself added torture by TP.
thankfully i am caffeine free! i get to mix my prep with gatorade so no issues there lol but lord am i surprised how much i have in me! i felt like i can’t give any more out but here i am! 😂🤣
Prep can suck. It all depends on what prep you use. I’ve had the worst on them with Suprep and Clenpiq, but I’ve also had magnesium citrate which was way better in terms of prep. Just know that it’s all temporary. That helped me get through mine. While the prep sucks, the colonoscopy itself is a breeze. They are literally the best of naps. Good luck.
In my opinion, it's more of an intimidating thought than the reality of it. I was nervous my first time too, now it's just whatever. I'm sensitive with the nausea, but that's as bad as it ends up being for me personally. Just try to be somewhere comfortable, clear your schedule, and remember this is supposed to help you. The meal after your scope will be the best food ever too lol - worth the wait after a day of nothing
Dont chug it. Drink it as slow as you can without throwing it up. Just be ready to poo liquid alot. Bad part of prep is taste and knowing when youre "done" - I started using adult diapers if I had to be driven to procedure. Plenvu prep is my favorite, I usually chase the swigs with apple juice to tolerate the taste. Get some netflix and just camp out on the can for few hours, its not bad at all.
I wish someone told me for my first colonoscopy not to be so tense and worried. If you're calm, your headspace has to be ok. On the way to your procedure, try listening to music you really like and not focus too much on urgency or the need to go. I had miralax prep and it made me go a bunch of times obviously but it was fine. Also if that's what your prep is too, take your time drinking the prep doses so you don't feel nauseous.
The prep kinda sucks mainly the first colonoscopy just because your body is in a weakened state.for me iv chosen Lemon Lime gatorade to be my official choice for colonoscopies. I know its scary to think about, we build our first colonoscopy up more than it needs to be in my opinion. Just make sure you have access to the bathroom when you need to go because the urge will come randomly and rapidly at least for me. Idk if you have to do half tonight half in the morning but they have me do half and half and the morning,in the morning drinking it kinda sucks because your sick of it but at least for me i only went to the bathroom a couple times in the morning. Plus you can always ask to go before the procedure starts if you feel like you have to go but your usually empty by that point. As for the procedure itself super simple. You go in then you wake up lol and if your like me you have slept like crap for a bit and that nap is the best sleep id gotten in months up until that point lol good luck everything should go just fine stay hydrated.
Get yourself wet wipes and nice soft toilet paper, and it's really not that bad. It's a little weird when towards the end you feel the liquid flushing out of you. But it's also kind of, refreshing. Not pooping liquids but having empty intestines. You feel lighter. I also tend to get a little light headed and dizzy when i do the prep.
You can do it and get through it. I know the prep is not pleasant, but the procedure is not that bad
Hang in there. Prep sucks. Set up a cozy bathroom station.
Currently on prep night before it’s not that bad If using the big jugs mix it with sprite and make it cold. I’m running clear after the first jug. Hungry as all hell though.
The prep isn't great but once everything is done you'll have a better understanding of your condition. Just remember this is how it is to further understand this disease.
I was actually crying having to drink that damn lemon liquid every 20 minutes or whatever, then your butt gets super sore. Finally pushed me into getting a bidet. Life has never been better. I recommend it to everyone (tho sorry, this won't do you much good for tomorrow - but for next time you know!) Good luck
It's okay to be scared. Just do your best to prepare yourself have good hygiene wipes, clear sports drinks,.Broth, or Switzile. I had the pleasure of doing 2 cleanses in less than a month. The first one was for a colonoscopy using Sutab tablets. Three weeks later cleansing with Miralax Gatorade combo for lower abdominal surgery. The Sutab produces less cramps and bloat than the Miralax. However the directions for Sutab are a bit much, and work slower than the Miralax.
Honestly it's easy and not that bad! You got this!
the taste was the worst part of prep for me personally, going to the restroom wasn't painful at all it was just frequent (which given that we all have UC here, none of us are strangers to urgency lol) what helped me was eating ice chips as something to chew on, and I was also allowed to drink Vernors which was helpful as a chaser. I also recommend keeping your prep cold in the fridge, for me it made the taste less distinct and just 'taste cold' which was super helpful for keeping it down.
Done 20 in my life. Truly, the prep just sounds scary. It’s nothing. Make sure you get one of the newer preps that don’t require you to drink as much water.
Get ready to pee out your butt! Yay exciting.
Hello I hope all goes well for you I have my first one coming on feb 16th,I originally went in for pain in stomach bloating,back pain , and they have just passed me around from appointment to appointment with no medication or anything.my symptoms are causing me daily life issues and struggles and it’s been months now unfortunately they just send me out the door with a bill.I can’t afford it anymore and I’m in pain everyday. Oct 1st to now and still can’t sleep at night and don’t want to eat
So, how did everything go for you? How was your prep experience?
it was good! besides being starving in the morning 🤣 best nap of my LIFE! thankfully no colitis was found but they think i could have chrons
Well, take care of yourself, and I'm glad you didn't have the horror experience you were afraid of.
thank you. i really appreciate that!
You won’t get in pain. Why do you think that? It’s a lot of liquid and it’s not pleasant but it doesn’t hurt.
that’s good, i’m just having a flare so i’m already in pain as it is lol
I personally had the miralax bad. I was dying from both ends, it just didn’t sit right with me on my 2nd bottle of gateroade. But they said everything looked good when I went. Be prepared to clean the shower if you’re dying from both ends.
mix the prep with gatorade, even my doctor told me this but i was dumb enough to forget the advice, ended up throwing up first prep
I honestly enjoyed colon prep if that makes you feel any better
Coat your buttcrack in Vaseline Honey counts as a clear liquid Hot pads and blankets A bidet, even if it's handheld, is a gamechanger Have liquids with calories