Magnesium Citrate

I have to take Mag Citrate the day before surgery. Has anyone had to drink this stuff. I have to take it and then three hrs. later drink another bottle. Does it taste bad? I gag easily, any suggestions they said I can't mix it with anything it come flavored is it better chilled, drink slowly, chug it down?

I have had to drink magnesium citrate on a couple of occasions for bowel prep. It goes down best if it is really cold, and you won't want to sip it -- just get it down quick. It's not completely horrible -- Main problem is a very very very very citrus/salty taste. My advice is get it down and have a glass of juice, or water to chase it with. Thankfully the bottles are not that big.

All the best to you through your prep, surgery and recovery. (I think the waiting really was the hardest part)

My question regarding this, is how quickly does it work and do you have to stay close to a bathroom all day. I also have to take it and am curious how it works.

You will want to be close at home to a bathroom once you start drinking this. It took about an hour before the effects started to take.

When I took it, I was told to start by drinking 1/2 at 3:00 p.m. In about 30-45 minutes I had to make my first of many trips to the bathroom. Then things settled down a little, I had my dinner of jello and broth (on a clear liquid diet that day) and after dinner, probably 2 - 3 hours after beginning to drink it, I began having very frequent trips to the bathroom. All done by 10 or 11 p.m. (before my trip to the castle I was instructed to finish up with an enema before bed).

All in all I just had to go to the bathroom frequently and a lot! At the end it's just water. I had no bad cramps or upset stomach with the magnesium citrate (unlike the phospho soda I had to take as prep for a colonoscopy, which was much worse to drink, and which made me feel sick).

In my experience, you just want to be near a bathroom when you begin drinking it -- when you have to go, you have to go!

thanks for all the hints. I haven't been told to limit my diet the day before, just to drink the mag. citrate in the morning. The doctor did say to stay close to home. She's not sure if it's necessary, but I'm taking it as a precaution in case the endo has adhered to organs (I guess). I don't have to have an enema (thank goodness)

I've used the magnesium citrate when I had a IVP (checking out kidney infection) and it does taste pretty bad! It is very salty, and may make you gag a little. Do try to drink it as fast as you can, and be prepared to have it take effect within an hour or so.

Thanks to all of you. It helps to know what to expect. At least I can kindda prepare for it. I too have complex atypia endometrial hyperplasia. I was told to eat lightly the day I take the Mag Citrate. I really appreaciate everyone's input.

I have had to drink this a couple times and found that having it cold and using two large straws (McDonald's has big ones) in the bottle at the same time, with them as far back on your tongue as you can put them and still suck through them, start sucking and swallowing as fast as you can and don't quit until its finished, it goes down much better. I kept a strong tasting hard candy ready to pop in my mouth after both bottles which helped cover the SALTY taste. This has also worked for me with drinking the gallon of NuLytely or GoLytely that I have had to drink for several colonoscopies in the past.

I don't suggest mixing it with anything because the first time I drank it the radiologist suggested mixing it with juice and I did mix it with tomato juice and believe me.....could not stand tomato juice for years and years after that.

Good luck! I would drink it for you if I could because I know with all you are going through this just adds to the stress.

yummy, all I can say is chill it hold your nose and down the hatch, and I wouldn't reccomend straying far from the old pot, with me it took about 2 hours to work I was thinking this isn't going to do anything but when it hit it hit bigtime. I was up all night running to the pot, talk about a raw butt.