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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Do you get a choice of liquid or pills? I can't swallow pills so would prefer liquid. Can you take your time drinking the liquid or do you have to drink it within a certain amount of time?  If you barf does that make it so the prep is messed up and you can't do the procedure? How and when do they sedate you?  Can you drive yourself there and back or do you need someone to go with you?  How long does the entire thing last the day of?[/quote]

Based on my colonoscopy a few months ago:
1. My doctor only prescribes liquid prep.  Was told pills can damage kidneys.
2. You mix the powder with water and drink 8 oz. every 15 minutes until liquid is finished, which took total of 1 hr. to drink.  Started prep at 6:00 pm and finished "eliminating" by about 11:00 pm.  Then you take second round next morning about 4 hrs. before procedure to ensure you are cleaned out.
3. You really need to drink all of the liquid to clean yourself out.  If there is a problem with vomiting, they tell you to contact your doctor.
4. They gave me an IV of fluids after changing into a gown.  Then walked back to procedure area, laid on table, was given anesthesia almost immediately.
5. You are not permitted to drive at all the day of colonoscopy.  You must have someone go with you to drive you home.  If you don't have anyone, you can hire medical transportation to take you there and back.  No cabs allowed due to liability.
6. Check in, paperwork, waiting in waiting room, talking to nurse, IV setup, anesthesia setup, procedure, wake up, eating a snack afterwards, getting changed and results from Doctor took just under 3 hrs.  [/quote]

If you go to bed early, like 9 pm, can you start prep earlier than 6 pm?  I want to start my prep around 3-4.[/quote]

You have to follow the hours instructions.  Stool forms even if you don't eat, so the hours-before-procedure instructions are tailored to how long you will be empty.

I've had half a dozen colonoscopies because I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at 20.  I've done several different preps, including the gatorade/miralax prep.  Of all of them, some of them including things that are no longer on the market because they are so damaging, the Miralax/Gatorade prep was the ONLY one that made me vomit.  The best that I've used is prepopik.  It's a small volume of liquid the night before and the morning of, followed by several glasses of water.  It doesn't taste awesome, but you drink it fast and then you just drink water.

Also- for the poster about who asked about pain - standard procedure is twilight sedation for a colonoscopy unless there's a reason to do a heavier sedation.  I am always fully sedated with Propofol, but my prior colonoscopies with valium/versed were incredibly painful.  [/quote]

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