Bowel prep??

So reading through some threads bowel prep is talked about. Why do they do this? I wonder if I will have to. I've been for 4 colonoscopys so I know the routine lol.

While I'm getting the hysterectomy my doctor is fixing my prolapsed bowel & bladder. So I'm thinking I might need the prep. Just one more thing to add to the list lol.

I love this app. I'm soooooo glad I found it. I'm no longer reading post op and I'm feeling more at ease with knowing I have to have this done

Thanks everyone !!!

My dr has me doing a bowel prep but he didnt really say why. Not that I recall anyway lol I had a load of questions and really only concentrated on the the ones that worried me the most. Plus my memory has been a mess ever since it was scheduled. I did read on here that it lessens the amount of gas after surgery? I guess we'll find out! lol

I had to do one because my Dr. Wanted every last millimeter of room in there to attempt surgery laproscopically. She said clean out and flatten those bowels for me. I stressed over it and was treated to an enigma too which freaked me out, but in hind site it's really not as bad as you think. I imagined it like the cramping and sickness of a stomach virus and not like that at all, you just gotta go and a lot. If your Dr. orders bowel prep try not to stress about it and know its for the safest methods.

I did not need one. I've had colonoscopies too, so I was very glad to not have to do it!

My doctor said I will take a laxative the night before. He said it's nothing like the bowel prep that I needed for my colonoscopy. This one is in a small bottle and isn't wretched. He did warn that I will still need to be near the bathroom. I read that it's done to lower the risk of infection if the colon is accidentally nicked.

If you doc did not order one - don't do one !!! If you haven't had your pre-op appt yet - you might get instructions to or not to then... Every doc is different - some have none, some drinking and laxative, some enema...

I don't see a date on your info - so hopefully you have time and will get more info soon!!!

Thanks for all the responses. I will have a date within the next 2 weeks. At the latest it will be mid sept. I hope I find out soon as the wait is killing me. I'm afraid he will call me tomorrow and tell me my surgery is the next day with no time to prep. So I've been doing what I can now lol.
I'm assuming if he's doing a bowel fix he will want me empty. At least I would assume.

I wasn't told anything about bowel prep in advance, only to stick to a clear liquid diet after 5 PM the day before surgery and then nothing to eat or drink at all after midnight. Then when I arrived at the hospital, the nurse gave me a Fleet enema. So if you're not actually told to do prep in advance, don't do it! Each doctor and hospital has their own routine.

I just got my bowel prep instructions in the mail tofay: clear liquids the day before, half the bottle of mag citrate in the morning and the other half, in the afternoon. I'm thinking, take the first dose around 7 am and the second around 12 pm. With that, I should be able to get some sleep that night!

Had mag citrate, lemon-lime, for an IVP (kidney function test) and threw most of it up. It still worked and for me, wasn't very pleasant! I don't do well with that stuff even if I chill it and hold my nose. LOL!

I ordered some grape mag citrate for this go-round.

My doctor told me that if he was only taking the right ovary, I have two cysts, that he wouldn't require the prep. Since I'm also having a supra cervical hysto, I need it. Bowel nicks can happen and he doesn't like to take any chances when it comes to that type of infection.

As unpleasant as it will be, this surgery is going to make me feel better so a few more hours of being uncomfortable is worth it.

I think the bowel prep is the least of things to worry about. Make sure you have a pain management plan in place post op.