Colonoscopy timing

[Anonymous]

My doctor only does colonoscopies between 2-5pm. Mine is currently scheduled for 4. The scheduler said that meant I cannot eat or drink anything that whole day before the procedure, which feels like a very long time without any liquids. I know there is prep involved before the procedure but I’m used to having procedures with sedation scheduled early in the day. I’ve never had a colonoscopy can others please let me know if this is standard? What is the timing of the prep and the waiting?

[Anonymous]

Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

Thanks, this is all helpful. I can definitely do 4 hours. And yes, it sounds like maybe this doctor does the second prep several hours before the procedure so it would make sense to have it in the afternoon. How long is the total prep? Can anyone walk me through it? It’s scheduled for July and we will be spending most of the month at our second home but would come in for the procedure. Should I plan to come in a day ahead and stay over after? Or can I drive down and back (or dh drive) that day? Or down that morning and stay over after? Just trying to figure out if it’s something manageable for the summer or if I should push it off to fall.

[Anonymous]

My dad had his today. He was scheduled for 2pm.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't want to drive down that morning -- you'll likely want to be close to a bathroom. You won't be able to drive afterwards, but you could go back with your DH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't want to drive down that morning -- you'll likely want to be close to a bathroom. You won't be able to drive afterwards, but you could go back with your DH.

So I should drive down the day (evening?) before? Any sense of what time I will start the prep?

[Anonymous]

I had my last colonoscopy on a Friday afternoon. The liquid diet started Thursday morning and I took my first dose of prep around dinnertime Thursday night. The second dose was Friday morning around 8:30 and I checked in for the procedure at 12:30pm. Was over by 2:30 or so but I was out of commission (groggy from the anesthesia) for the rest of the day. Woke up fine the next morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't want to drive down that morning -- you'll likely want to be close to a bathroom. You won't be able to drive afterwards, but you could go back with your DH.

So I should drive down the day (evening?) before? Any sense of what time I will start the prep?

No, that's too late. I'd leave the morning before.

[Anonymous]

I just made my colonoscopy appt for July. The nurse told me they would call a day or so before to give me the exact time of the procedure. So, I had no choice.. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

+1. My doctor actually advised doing an afternoon appointment for this reason. He said many people will take the morning appointments so they can eat sooner, but that means they're getting up in the middle of the night to deal with the prep whereas people with afternoon appointments can have a regular night's sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't want to drive down that morning -- you'll likely want to be close to a bathroom. You won't be able to drive afterwards, but you could go back with your DH.

So I should drive down the day (evening?) before? Any sense of what time I will start the prep?

https://www.novagimed.com/docs/cscope_1day_miralax_gatorade.docx.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

Thanks, this is all helpful. I can definitely do 4 hours. And yes, it sounds like maybe this doctor does the second prep several hours before the procedure so it would make sense to have it in the afternoon. How long is the total prep? Can anyone walk me through it? It’s scheduled for July and we will be spending most of the month at our second home but would come in for the procedure. Should I plan to come in a day ahead and stay over after? Or can I drive down and back (or dh drive) that day? Or down that morning and stay over after? Just trying to figure out if it’s something manageable for the summer or if I should push it off to fall.

My doctor only does afternoon Colonoscopies. I was really worried about not eating since I can get light headed easily, but it wasn't bad. In fact after the procedure I thought I would want to eat but it turned out that I wasn't really hungry for another day or two and still kept going on broths and clear jello. I had polyps removed so needed to be careful about avoiding seeds and nuts and red meat for a few days after.

Ask what type of prep you will have. Mine started around 9 or 10 pm. If you're unsure about how you'll feel not eating you may not want to do a long drive alone the day before. Afterwards I would have been okay to be in a car with someone else driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

+1. My doctor actually advised doing an afternoon appointment for this reason. He said many people will take the morning appointments so they can eat sooner, but that means they're getting up in the middle of the night to deal with the prep whereas people with afternoon appointments can have a regular night's sleep.

I wasn't getting a regular night's sleep no matter what because I was pooping all night!

When did you do the clean-out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different doctors can use completely different prep schedules, but I always have to take the second half of my prep on the morning of the procedure. Since it has to be done 4-5 hours in advance of check-in time, that could mean getting up to do prep at 3:00am for a morning procedure. With that in mind, I always schedule for early afternoon if given the option.

I just had my first colonoscopy last week and, not knowing this, scheduled it for 10 am. Doing the 2nd dose in the middle of the night was not good. Next one I'll do in the afternoon! My prep said I only had to stop all liquids 4 hours before the procedure.

+1. My doctor actually advised doing an afternoon appointment for this reason. He said many people will take the morning appointments so they can eat sooner, but that means they're getting up in the middle of the night to deal with the prep whereas people with afternoon appointments can have a regular night's sleep.

I wasn't getting a regular night's sleep no matter what because I was pooping all night!

When did you do the clean-out?

Not the PP you quoted, but I always get a regular night's sleep. Start the evening prep at 6:00pm and am done with the first round of pooping well before bedtime.