What is a bowel prep?

I keep hearing this term and now I'm starting to worry about that. I'm really weird, it's all the little things that scare me, not the big stuff. Anyway, what is this and is it routinely done for all surgeries? Thanks for your help. I don't know how I would get through this w/out my sisters!!! You are all so helpful and supportive!

I'm with you. The little things sure do make themselves known in the worry department. Fortunately, the bowel prep is an easy enough thing to conquer. Unpleasant, but easy enough.

It is not routinely done. It depends on the surgery and the surgeon's preference. It is done to make sure the bowels are free of feces so that if anything happens to perforate the bowel during the procedure feces are not spilled into the abdominal cavity. That is bad, bad, bad. To avoid that, the bowel prep is done and can be done using enemas or mag sulfate (very nasty lemony tasting stuff they make you drink), and fasting or a combination or any or all of them. I have had to do all of them at the same time and none of them. It just all depends. Be sure to ask your doctor about what he/she wants you to do.

I was really worried about not making it to the toilet after the enema part but I was surprised that there was absolutely no urgency whatsoever. I figure I was already completely empty from the fasting and the mag sulfate which, sadly, caused terrible intestinal cramping. Luckily the cramping didn't last long.

No matter what, if you are instructed to do it, follow the instructions. Don't take any risks with feces ending up where they don't belong.

Hang in there, you'll get through this. We all will. s

Hi Empressnormi
A bowel prep is the empting of just that, your bowels. I have started mine today. It is a liquid diet and then a "flushing" I have been given fleet soda to drink. Sometimes it is done with an enema. Not everyone is required to do this. It is up to the surgeon and the type of proceedure you are to have done. Your doctor will tell you if you need to do one to prepare for your surgery. DO NOT do it if he did not tell you to, otherwise you could risk dehydration and complicate your surgery. Hope this helped..
Best of luck and my prayes are with you for success and a speedy recovery.

Bowel prep depends on the DR and his/her preferences. Some are more extensive than others. It may be as simple as an enema or drinking something like Go-Litely, etc. Some get more involved and include a liquid diet the day before.

The important is to remember to follow the instructions that you are given, and those instructions are typically at a pre op apt, either at the hospital or the DR's office. If you aren't told to do a bowel prep, don't. If you question why not, call your DR's office and ask to be sure. Bowel prep is hard on the system, and it causes dehydration. Serious complications can occur by doing an unordered bowel prep.