What is the bowel prep like?

I'm working right up to the day before my surgery.
Thanks.

Bowel prep..........ummm, don't think you want to know the answer. It is horrible. You need to alot a ton of time to be VERY close to a restroom as you will be going pretty much nonstop. I can think of only one thing that tops it in the bad taste dept.

I think awful sums it up. But it does get the job done!

yikes! I haven't had the bowel prep, but my husband who had one for a colonoscopy, and the ladies who have posted here.... don't leave home! You will be using the bathroom ALOT.

Oh yeah, forgot to say it will work if you can keep it down. Had to just not drink the last little bit it was causing me to feel pretty barfy. Sorry so candid, but thought you might want to know.

There are different types of bowel preps. Some of them such as "GoLytely" (and who ever named that has a wicked sense of humor) which involves drinking a gallon of stuff over a couple of hours time. Some doctors have you do Magnesium Citrate (which is OTC) which is a couple of bottles of stuff that you mix with water or some other clear beverage. Then there is the Fleets Phospo Soda Prep, which involves 4 bisacodyl tablets, a small bottle of liquid Phospho Soda, and a small enema.

It all depends on your surgeon (and other pre existing conditions) on what type of bowel prep (if you have to do any) you will be doing.

I have to do two Fleets enemas in the morning, thankfully. I would rather have that than a bowel prep.

Stay close to the toilet and get yourself some moistened wipes and some
A & D ointment for the bowel prep. Your tush will thank you.

i had to drink the mag citrate and the experience was not bad at all. no cramping..just going to the bathroom alot. if youre working, just make sure you have access to a bathroom and that you dont mind using it if others are in there. you cant hold it in.

Bowel prep can vary quite a bit from dr to dr. All I had was an enema that was given to me after I checked in at the hospital the day of my surgery. It wasn't that bad and was over in just a few minutes.
I did have to do a "GoLytely" for a colonoscopy once. It wasn't fun but can be gotten through. Staying near the potty and having a lot of soft wet wipes handy is a good idea for that

Best wishes. It's important to do only do what your dr orders, no more, no less.

I had to do the Fleet Phospho Soda, 2 small bottles, lemonade flavoring packet, mixed into a glass of water.

It was absolutely no big deal, infact a bout of flu and running to the toilet is far worse than this, you did have to go to the bathroom a couple times and it did tire you out but perfectly manageable .

By the time you get to the second bottle, let's just say there is not much left to be cleaned out , I actually took the second bottle, slept through the night then woke up and did it's thing before i went to the hospital.

There are some helpful posts in the hints section, I followed it to the t, especially the broccoli/green jello one , and it helped .

GL with the BP and your surgery.

I must have had it easy because mine was not a big deal!

I had to do one fleet enema the night before. Used the bathroom one time, then I was done. So NOT a big deal! In fact, dh and I were totally laughing about the process!

Maybe you'll be as lucky?

Not sure which bowel prep you have to do, but as I have done them all, I recommend NOT doing GoLytely. You don't go lightly, the cramps are worse, and it is just way too much gross stuff to drink.

I put ice in mine and drank it through a straw to help it go down faster. Still, I couldn't manage the every ten minutes!

And the tips for wet wipes is a good one. I used the medicated ones for hemorrhoids. They have something in them to help with swelling and the rawness of going so often.

I've also used an enema and drank the fleet stuff. The enema was just awkward but not too bad. I hardly had any cramps and I wasn't as sore. The fleet stuff was okay too as I felt it cleaned my system out better than just the enema but I cramped more with it than the enema.

Your doctor will recommend what is best for you and which works the way he/she needs it to, but I really don't recommend trying to work the day you are doing it. You really have no control of your bowels and when people say you need to be close to the toilet, they don't mean having to walk past other cubicles to get to it. They mean right outside the bathroom door.