colonoscopy prep - poop and migraine Qs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot depends on which prep you are using in terms of sleep. I did Gatorade and miralax starting at 4 and was up all night (because it took so long to take effect.)

Me too. I was up at night and so had a bad headache the next morning. Of course, I probably had caffeine withdrawal as well so who knows which of the multiple reasons caused the headache.

I am worried about this. I usually have two coffees, each with a liberal dose of high protein milk (about 13 G protein) in the AM. If I don’t get this by 10 AM, it could trigger a big headache and my appointment isn’t until 2:30 pm. I’m never sure if it is the caffeine withdrawal or the lack of protein that triggers the headache.

I am thinking about taking a caffeine pill and my migraine medication the morning of the exam with a small sip of water. (Prep directions say it is OK to take meds the morning of with a small sip of water.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should confirm with your doctor, but you usually can have gelatin, which has some protein. I make it with apple juice and plain non-flavored gelatin. White grape juice is also good.

I did clenpiq prep. It took 2-3 hours after drinking it to start the colon evacuation. I ate lightly and relatively low fiber the days before and it was not nearly as bad or as much stuff as I thought there would be. Not totally low fiber, since I did have a salad for lunch the day before, but I did avoid seeds and nuts and also red meat which is supposedly show to digest. Doctor said I was very clean.

No one told me this beforehand, but you also should think about what you're going to eat afterwards. If polyps end up being removed, I've read that you want to wait another couple weeks before eating things like nuts and seeds and berries. I thought I'd want to eat right away, but I actually only wanted gelatin and broth afterwards, so I was glad that I had extra. The next day I didn't want much more than chicken soup. I was surprised that I wasn't actually hungry.

Good luck! It was a relief to get it done!

Problem is that I really hate gelatin or clear jello - even in good flavors. The texture makes me want to puke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should confirm with your doctor, but you usually can have gelatin, which has some protein. I make it with apple juice and plain non-flavored gelatin. White grape juice is also good.

I did clenpiq prep. It took 2-3 hours after drinking it to start the colon evacuation. I ate lightly and relatively low fiber the days before and it was not nearly as bad or as much stuff as I thought there would be. Not totally low fiber, since I did have a salad for lunch the day before, but I did avoid seeds and nuts and also red meat which is supposedly show to digest. Doctor said I was very clean.

No one told me this beforehand, but you also should think about what you're going to eat afterwards. If polyps end up being removed, I've read that you want to wait another couple weeks before eating things like nuts and seeds and berries. I thought I'd want to eat right away, but I actually only wanted gelatin and broth afterwards, so I was glad that I had extra. The next day I didn't want much more than chicken soup. I was surprised that I wasn't actually hungry.

Good luck! It was a relief to get it done!

Problem is that I really hate gelatin or clear jello - even in good flavors. The texture makes me want to puke.

Have you tried it without chilling it, so it's fully liquid like a drink? Or maybe bone broth could be good? I was allowed black coffee and tea.

[Anonymous]

I wanted to thank people for all the suggestions. I did not get a migraine! When I started getting hungry I drank white cranberry juice, and I think it had enough sugar to prevent the headache. I also made sure to drink my normal amount of coffee, just black.

I followed the low fiber diet the week before. I also take a magnesium pill daily in normal circumstances which meant I wasn’t constipated or full going into the prep.

I used the clear Glacier Cherry Gatorade for my split Gatorade/Miralax prep. I also found some coconut flavored protein water, but I ended up not needing it.

One thing I learned is that I should have had lots more liquid beyond the prep Gatorade and the half a bottle of juice. Although I felt fine, I was pretty dehydrated, which made finding a vein difficult.

My colonoscopy was totally fine even though it was my first at age 55. I really encourage everyone to do it!

Thanks so much for the tips!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an afternoon colonoscopy scheduled. I start prep the day before at 4 pm and start the second half the day of around 8 am.

My Q - when should I expect the prep to make me start pooping? Am I going to be up all night rushing to the bathroom?

Also, I tend to get migraines on an empty stomach. Normally, I need regular protein to avoid a migraine. The gatorade and clear liquids alone, may provide calories or sugar but that doesn’t typically seem to prevent the migraine. Any tips to prevent migraines during prep?

My prep said I could have eggs and bacon in the morning on the day before prep and then a yogurt at noon. That helped with headaches. Once you start the prep, you will not want to eat. I did not start the pooping until 30 minutes after first drinking the concoction - not after the first stool softening pills they instruct you to take. What time are you instructed to start drinking the Gatorade concoction.

Also, IMO, orange gatorade is preferable to lemon or lime.

Is there a way to get a morning appointment? I have always had one.

Isn't orange gatorade too like red? That's why they recommend lemon or lime - to avoid red food coloring.