prep for colonoscopy/tips to avoid flare???

[lynnie]

soon i am going to be getting my second colonoscopy, first being pre ic.
now i am wondering being that i cannot drink carbondated beverages, juices etc. what fluids besides water nd broth can i prep with so as not to cause flare? :hmm: also wondering any recommendations about a gentler way to cleanse? :help: thanx for any helpful info. lynnie

[traceann]

Hey lynnie! I kept a good supply of unflavored Pedialyte on hand when I had mine done last July. I pretty much exclusively drank that. I kept it in the fridge even before it was opened to make sure it was nice and cold - added ice cubes too! It helped me so very much! Kept me hydrated and replaced lost stuff as well!

Hugs!
:)

[Katrina]

:welcome: to the ICN! I know others have asked the question in the past so if you don't get enough answers you may want to search "IC friendly drinks" , Colonoscopy.

I'd give you ideas if I could but my prep is always different. You can can get magnesium citrate in a suppository form instead of oral.
I don't know what you can tollerate but have you tested these:
Pear juice seems to create the least problems. Organic blueberry juice is also well tolerated by many people. As you begin to test other foods, you may even find that you can add low-acid orange juice, or consume various juices in small quantities.
Some herbal teas can be tollerated but many herbal teas are a mixture of things....there are things in the ICN shop that are more friendly including a coffee alternative.
http://www.icnshop.com/ there are IC friendly things such as alternatives, soaps, foods, books, and many other things. It is a good place to take a look at. Also has Julie's book "Confidnet Choices"
http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/ this is an essential link for everyone with IC. It is very informative on meds, living with IC, and self help....take a look!!!

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7562 this is thread of pain relief the second page has attachments I believe the last attachment is the list of pain relief ideas.

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11535 This is newbie kit from the oldies to the newbies

[ICNDonna]

I did okay with my prep. I drank a lot of water, chicken broth, and made some jello.

Just be sure to stay close to the bathroom!

Donna

[poetgirl]

Try to avoid using colon elimination preparations like Fleet's Phospho-Soda or Visicol. Both have been linked recently to higher incidents of kidney failure. Katrina's advice about magnesium citrate is probably a safer choice. Also, I would say that several days before colonoscopy prep, try to eat higher-fiber foods and drink as much water as you can tolerate so that you can begin flushing out your G.I. tract, making it easier to get through the prep part.

Good luck!

[traceann]

I agree with Poetgirl, I did that myself. Ate high fiber and then started eating very simple foods the couple days before, lots of soluable fiber - made the "clean out" easier on my body!! ;)

[Hope]

If you can't drink soda only because of the carbonation, flatten it by pouring a glass back and forth between two cups to get rid of the bubbles.

You asked a good question because i did the gatorade and flared for a week afterward - so don't do it. Pedialite sounds like a great idea.

Happy cleansing! :smile tee

Love,

[traceann]

I have to say the Pedialyte worked great for me. It even made me feel better when I was going through the bouts of potty trips that landed me in the mess of needing a colonoscopy.... perked me right up, well, as perky as girl who spent the whole night on a toilet can be....lol ;)

[cincurr]

I just made it through a second colonoscopy yesterday -- Doc kept telling me I had IBS-- put me on more fiber--- made me worse or did nothing. first colonoscopy showed some ulcerations, this one showed a lot more. He took tissue samples and said it looks like it could be ulcerative colitis. From what I have read, fiber is horrible for these flairs, no wonder I have been so miserable. I have been having frequency and urgency of BMs for 2 years, along with a few episodes of incontinence, and a couple of back surgeries and IC. I never know what is causing my back to hurt anymore. Does anyone have suggestions for what to eat when you have to stay away from fiber? My IC diet seems to have too much in it.

side note:
I am in PT still from having a disc removed at L5 in October. Today I saw a new PT and she said, "Oh, you may not even have IC. You will probably feel so much better when I am done with you." I looked right at her and said I had the test done and yes I have IC. I can't believe there are still people in the medical profession that still think it is not real.
cindy

[traceann]

Hey Cindy, for me when I was going through my bout with the lymphocytic colitis, I stuck with soluable fibers - potatoes, sweet potatoes etc. It was kinder on my systemt than the insoluable types, and easier to find in foods! Plus, (it sounds crazy) but for things with both types (like beans, fruit with skins, vegetable with skins etc) I would - if it were beans, puree them (baked beans taste just the same, lol) or if it were a veg with skins I would chop it very very tiny so that the fiber was already small, then when chewed even broken down more....

I hope this helps a little bit!!! :)

[cincurr]

thank you Tracey, I will give those things a try. :)

[traceann]

;) Welcome!

[Annie2]

Hi Cincurr,

I am so sorry to hear your doctor believes you also have UC. I developed Ulcerative Colitis a year ago and understand exactly what you are talking about! A high fiber diet really takes it's toll on me and I had to cut that out. Traceann gave you some good tips on soluable fibers that are easier on the system. I really miss raw veggies, salads and high-fiber foods but the agony that follows is not worth it. When my UC is pretty well under control, I can get away with a really small salad or small amounts of high-fiber foods but if my UC is acting up....whew, no way! Also, when my UC is bad, I really have to watch the amount of fats I ingest and limit my dairy intake. Even though I am not lactose intolerant, I find using low-fat Lactaid instead of milk helps, too.

So sorry about your UC DX. I know it is hard to deal with that and the IC diet, too. There are treatments that can really help UC and I hope you quickly find what works for you! There are several others here who are dealing with both IC and UC so hopefully they will jump in here with more suggestions for you.

:grouphug:

[cincurr]

thank you :) Annie for the advise, I have limited milk in my diet also, I just have in cooked items. For cereal I use almond milk and it isn't bad. I have to find other breakfast choices though, everything I was having is high fiber. (oatmeal, dry cereals, wheat toast.)
Any good suggestions for a quick breakfast?

[purplekris]

the only thing i know about fiber is i give 1 daughter mirilax powder for easy flow, and pruen juice for the other 1. what ype of food fiber works best for this prep? i have the loose type of problem already which is why the scope test. I have tried to stop the fresh veggies ( without the kids noticing as I push it for them ) Anyone with a link or source about fiber types, thaks

[traceann]

Hey there purplekris here's link someone else posted that has all kind of info on fiber -

www.helpforibs.com

It's where I learned all I could on everything fiber, IBS, Colitis and Crohns!! Very helpful!!

Hugs!

[purplekris]

thanks, for some reason i couldn't connect to those within the post but found it and am learning. i just started back onto my elavil per hte GI recommendations so back to more pils. i guess it's best to stick with the cocktail meds so I'll try to be a good patient.

[traceann]

Gald you were able to finally find it, ;) As I said I was a regular lurker there, lol. And believe me I can relate to too many pills, lol!!!

[DCS]

I have been informed that I need to have a colonoscopy. My biggest fear is that the prep medication will cause my IC to flare. What has been your experience with the prep medication? Have any of you used other alternatives instead of the prep med that the doctor suggest?

I am absolutely terrified of having another flare! Please give me some feed back on your experience!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
Debbie :hmm:

[mary124]

I recently just had a colonscopy and had to use their prep medication. Didn't have any problems. Good luck.

[SrMaggie]

I refused to have a colonoscopy because I had a similar procedure and the prep made me nauseus as well as the reason for the prep. It was pretty bad.
I kept saying 'no' and finally the PA said there were pills. I jumped at that. I took 28 of them in a few hours and then everything exploded. But I could drink water with it and had no other side effects. The sleep afterwards was really good from the anesthesia. :smile tee
Maggie