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Yes, this, totally this. Even the bowel prep [was] easy and painless [for me -- added this edit]. It's a good excuse to just binge a show, too. I think the tra

Yes, this, totally this. Even the bowel prep [was] easy and painless [for me -- added this edit]. It's a good excuse to just binge a show, too. I think the traditional guidance has been to go for your first colonoscopy around age 50. My doc mentioned that they're recommending that move down to 45, because they're seeing more and more young people with issues. You should bring this up with you doc if you have any similar symptoms or if there's any family history of colon cancer. [edited]

drewg123 6y ago
the bowel prep is easy and painless Bullshit. I've got Crohn's, and have had more colonoscopies than I can count since age 13. About 75% of the time, I'm throwing up due to the prep. The prep is the WORST part. It has gotten better over the years. If you go for one, do NOT let them give you the jug full of powder. I've had much better luck with prep-o-pik. The other PITA is they generally won't let you go for the procedure by yourself, since you're under anesthetic and don't trust you to get home OK. That means you have to find a friend who is willing to wait 2+ hours for you.
- whatrocks 6y ago
  Good advice, and I've edited my comment above to clarify. I've only had to two rounds of bowel prep so far - albeit on two different types of prep stuff. Had the jug the first time. I'm sorry to hear about your experience with it.
  - drewg123 6y ago
    Thanks, I appreciate that. The prep is one of my pet peeves, so I'm sorry for the violent disagreement above!
- maxerickson 6y ago
  My prep was a stimulant, I think Bisacodyl, followed by a gallon of polyethylene glycol solution (they had me use sport drinks that weren't red). I didn't particularly enjoy it, but it wasn't a problem. I think people will have different tolerances to different protocols.
- nerdbaggy 6y ago
  The laxatives make you puke? Is it from the flavor/consistency or something else?
  - drewg123 6y ago
    After a while, its like your system realizes what you're putting into it and just eventually rejects it. Its not a squeamish thing. I can always swallow all of it. Its just that it comes back up some time (~1 hour) after drinking when I'm near the end of the prep.
  - fireattack 6y ago
    Depends on what you use of course, but mine tastes like oil. Definitely puke-inducing after a few liters.
- 01100011 6y ago
  Yeah, drinking a gallon of anything that fast is no fun, but the laxative they gave me was terrible. The worst part was that I tried drinking it cold, which made it sit in my stomach and build up, so I ran out of space to drink more. I heated it up, which got things moving again, but made it taste even worse. I will say though, after having the colonoscopy, my general bowel symptoms(never ending gas, mostly) improved dramatically. I'm thinking about doing a chemical cleanse every year just to keep things working fine.
  - drewg123 6y ago
    You reset your microbiome; I think this is what the colon cleanse people are trying to achieve. I usually try to take good probiotics and eat right (avoid processed foods, especially sugar) after to try to establish good gut bacteria.
    - 01100011 6y ago
      I've tried all kinds of probiotics, different kinds of fiber, I regularly eat yogurt and kefir, even prebiotics. I've had normal diets, and low-carb diets(not keto). Nothing ever made a significant difference until I did the cleanse. It wasn't even a natural cleanse. It was 2 gallons of chemicals.
      - matmatmatmat 6y ago
        I'm a firm believer that, sometimes, chemicals are the right answer.
- dcassett 6y ago
  My doc. said he always uses the pills with water to prep for his own colonoscopies. I did the same (I believe the pills were named OsmoPrep) - 4 pills every 15 min with 8 oz of lukewarm water. Not pleasant but quite tolerable for me, and I will again ask for pills the next time.

drewg123 6y ago

the bowel prep is easy and painless Bullshit. I've got Crohn's, and have had more colonoscopies than I can count since age 13. About 75% of the time, I'm throwing up due to the prep. The prep is the WORST part. It has gotten better over the years. If you go for one, do NOT let them give you the jug full of powder. I've had much better luck with prep-o-pik. The other PITA is they generally won't let you go for the procedure by yourself, since you're under anesthetic and don't trust you to get home OK. That means you have to find a friend who is willing to wait 2+ hours for you.

whatrocks 6y ago
Good advice, and I've edited my comment above to clarify. I've only had to two rounds of bowel prep so far - albeit on two different types of prep stuff. Had the jug the first time. I'm sorry to hear about your experience with it.
- drewg123 6y ago
  Thanks, I appreciate that. The prep is one of my pet peeves, so I'm sorry for the violent disagreement above!
maxerickson 6y ago
My prep was a stimulant, I think Bisacodyl, followed by a gallon of polyethylene glycol solution (they had me use sport drinks that weren't red). I didn't particularly enjoy it, but it wasn't a problem. I think people will have different tolerances to different protocols.
nerdbaggy 6y ago
The laxatives make you puke? Is it from the flavor/consistency or something else?
- drewg123 6y ago
  After a while, its like your system realizes what you're putting into it and just eventually rejects it. Its not a squeamish thing. I can always swallow all of it. Its just that it comes back up some time (~1 hour) after drinking when I'm near the end of the prep.
- fireattack 6y ago
  Depends on what you use of course, but mine tastes like oil. Definitely puke-inducing after a few liters.
01100011 6y ago
Yeah, drinking a gallon of anything that fast is no fun, but the laxative they gave me was terrible. The worst part was that I tried drinking it cold, which made it sit in my stomach and build up, so I ran out of space to drink more. I heated it up, which got things moving again, but made it taste even worse. I will say though, after having the colonoscopy, my general bowel symptoms(never ending gas, mostly) improved dramatically. I'm thinking about doing a chemical cleanse every year just to keep things working fine.
- drewg123 6y ago
  You reset your microbiome; I think this is what the colon cleanse people are trying to achieve. I usually try to take good probiotics and eat right (avoid processed foods, especially sugar) after to try to establish good gut bacteria.
  - 01100011 6y ago
    I've tried all kinds of probiotics, different kinds of fiber, I regularly eat yogurt and kefir, even prebiotics. I've had normal diets, and low-carb diets(not keto). Nothing ever made a significant difference until I did the cleanse. It wasn't even a natural cleanse. It was 2 gallons of chemicals.
    - matmatmatmat 6y ago
      I'm a firm believer that, sometimes, chemicals are the right answer.
dcassett 6y ago
My doc. said he always uses the pills with water to prep for his own colonoscopies. I did the same (I believe the pills were named OsmoPrep) - 4 pills every 15 min with 8 oz of lukewarm water. Not pleasant but quite tolerable for me, and I will again ask for pills the next time.