
Tips for a Better Colonoscopy
Colonoscopies are essential to preventing colon cancer, but the prep is never fun. Here are some tips for making sure the preparation goes well—and you don't have to repeat it.
Mar 26, 2019
Menopause & Aging WellSheryl Kraft, a freelance writer and breast cancer survivor, was born in Long Beach, New York. She currently lives in Connecticut with her husband Alan and dog Chloe, where her nest is empty of her two sons Jonathan. Sheryl writes articles and essays on breast cancer and contributes to a variety of publications and websites where she writes on general health and wellness issues. She earned her MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College in 2005.
Full BioLearn about our editorial policies
"Ooh, I love the way this colonoscopy prep tastes. Bring it on!" said no one, ever.
Let me reassure you. It's so common to dread it. In fact, it's the procedure before the procedure that causes most people—myself included—the most angst. It's hard to find an equivalent of unpleasantness. (All I can think of is going to the dentist times a zillion.)
But it's a necessary evil. A squeaky-clean colon is the best way to detect colon polyps and colon cancer early, when it's easiest to treat. Any debris or particle left behind could hide something serious lurking beneath the surface. Read 10 Things Every Woman Should Know About Colon Cancer.
Squeaky-clean is important, because if you don't follow the instructions and clean out your colon as directed, the doctor can't get a full view—and you may be sent home to repeat the prep. All over again (my worst nightmare).
If the prep your health care professional gives you is different from the one your friend got, it's because there are many over-the-counter and prescription preps out there. Every health care professional has their favorite that they swear is easiest or best to use. Or they may choose a specific one for you if you have a special health consideration (like constipation or inflammatory bowel disease).
Among the available options: Miralax, GoLytely, MoviPrep, Prepopik, Suprep. Some require you to drink as much as a gallon, while others require just 10 ounces (for the lower-volume preps, you'll need to make up the difference in the amount of additional water you drink to get it moving through your system).
For people who have difficulty drinking liquid solutions, some health care professionals prescribe oral sodium phosphate tablets (Visicol, OsmoPrep), which must be taken with clear fluid. They may be better tolerated but carry a warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because they can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and kidney damage in some people, as can oral phosphate sodium liquid solutions (Fleet Phospho-soda EZ-Prep, Fleet Accu-prep).
I've been having colonoscopies since I was 50 (although the updated guidelines say you should begin at 45) and have used more than one of these. It seems that each time I go, my doctor raves about a newer prep that her patients like and insist it is "so much easier to take." Um, no. I've never met a bowel prep I could attach the word "like" or "easy" to.
And yet. There are ways to make the best of a bad situation.
To that end, I've scoured the Internet to find tips and tricks for making "the cleanout" a bit more tolerable. Some tips are from reputable organizations, like the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics, while others are from patients, including colon cancer survivors. (Always check with your health care professional before following any of this advice.)
A Few Days Before
Powering Through the Prep
During the Prep
The Finish Line—You Did It!
This post originally appeared on mysocalledmidlife.net.