Bowel Prep Question

Only 6 days to go. This waiting has been driving me crazy, but is almost here. My doctor gave me a choice for the bowel prep: fleet enema or the drink. Does anyone have an opinion on which one is, well uh less of a pain in the butt?:-)

Thanks
Missy

The drink tastes dreadful, but is effective. The enema is just gross. I have experienced both, and if I had the choice, I would go for the enema. Wait, no, the drink...NO, the enema.....Seriously, just thinking about the drink, I am getting that horrible taste in my mouth. Definitely, the enema....I think..

I have 3 days till my surgery Wed I start my prep.. I have to drink the citrate of magnesium and then at 9pm self enema.. If I had my choice of the two I would go with the drink, just hold your nose and down it. unfortunately I have to take both.. I dont know why each dr has their own recipes for the bowel prep. Good luck!

I drank the drink...it has an awful taste but works fast...i've never had an enema except at the hospital in prep for a surgery, I guess. It was gross. The drink is best very cold but the taste doesn't improve. Also i had to drink it every 10 minutes and after a while I just couldn't stomach it...i called the doc and she told me to go ahead and space it out furthur but to drink more of it every time. It makes about a gallon and i only had to drink about 1/2 a gallon before it completely cleaned out my stomach.

Texas Rosie

The enema for sure! I've had to do both before. The drink literally made me vomit for hours! The enema isn't that bad. Do it early in the evening if you can. I waited until 9 or 10:00 and I wasn't totally cleansed. The morning of my surgery I was standing in line, checking into the hospital and I thought I would pass out because I had to "go" right then. When I finally made it to the surgical floor, I told my nurse and she said that it was completely normal. Good luck to you!

Lisa - How early would you say would be good to take the Fleet Enema?

The emena for sure!I had to do two, the day before.One in the morning and one at night.Plus a liquid diet.

My advise would definatly be the enema. I know it's gross to think about it, but when you taste the liquid you'll wish you had chosen the back road. I begged and pleaded with my doctor and they only want you to drink the liquid. Their reasoning is "because you'll be clean from the top down. When you take the enema, you only clean your bottom. If there is anything in the middle you'll have a better chance of choking or vomitting during surgery." I meet with the surgeon himself the morning before my surgery so I'm going to try and plead again.

Oh, the best time to do it is around noon the day before surgery and try to stick to liquids until your food/drink cut off time. It helps cleanse you faster and you most likely will be "cleaned out" by morning.

Good luck and take care!

I had to be on a liquid diet for 3 days before surgery so there was supposed to be less to clean out. I wish I would have done the enema around 7:00 the night before. Try to walk around your house in between trips, that helps get things moving.

Tonight is my last bit of solid food. Then a liquid diet on Wednesday. I've got an enema and some of the phosphorus drink left (not a full dose) so I might pick up some more on Wednesday. I've got a meeting until late and can't start my prep until I get back to the house (9-10p). My doc advised to start earlier so I'll see if I can pop out of my meeting early. I don't think I'll be able to sleep before the surgery so I guess I'll walk about the house and let things flow.

My question is what to have on hand post-op if there are problems. Laxatives and stool softeners only? I couldn't imagine having an enema post-op. A wonderful sister recommended some tea and using a footstool to help get into position. Any other thoughts?