What is this "bowel prep" business?!

I keep reading posts where people mention "bowel prep." What is that all about? I am pretty new to all of this, so I guess me and the nurse haven't gotten around to that yet. I will have to add that to my ever growing list of questions!

So, for those of you who know..please share..I can take it!
Thanks in advance,
JDen

Some doctors require a bowel prep...something to clean you out before surgery. Most either drink magnesium citrate the night before or do an enema the morning of or both. It depends on what the doctor wants. Mine didn't require it but said it would give him more room if I did it and reduce the risk should he nick the bowel. He didn't but I did clean myself out with the magnesium citrate. It wasn't that bad 10oz on ice and within 2 hours I frequented the toidie a lot.

I'm pretty sure it means an enema prior to surgery. I guess to ease up pressure in the pelvis, or worse yet, having to go right after surgery , not wanting to tug at fresh incisions. I'm gonna have to ask my doc too. Looking forward to some others sisters answers, not just what bowel prep is, but why? ~ sue

Bowel prep...I am currently doing that.

It is where you take a laxative (apparently there are different types) to clean the bowels. Sometimes an enema is called for sometimes not. It depends on the doctor.

So far, mine isn't fun. I feel worse and just want to get to the castle and get the pain meds.

My response was "you want me to do what?" when I was told I needed to do a bowel prep.

The reason I was given is so that if the bowel is nicked, what is in there doesn't leak out and cause you to become septic. I was told not to eat anything solid the day before surgery (which is today) and not eat anything red. Let me tell you, I want all red foods and everything I am not allowed to have.

Wow, thanks guys!
Good luck on your surgery tomorrow Krysten.

Bowel prep can mean anything from an enema or oral laxative the night before surgery to what I had to do, which was 2 days of a clear liquid diet, 2 rounds of oral laxative the night before surgery and nothing the day of surgery (which was 3 pm). The purpose of bowel prep is to completely clear out your digestive system, especially your colon, so that if your surgery will involve your colon, the surgeon will have more room to work if it's empty and it decreases the risk of infection or contamination.

In my case, I had severe endometriosis which had to be removed from my colon, so it's a good thing I did the longer and more complex bowel prep. Ask your doctor about what kind of prep you should do. Many women here don't have to do bowel prep at all. They just can't have anything to eat or drink after midnight before surgery. It will all depend on your surgeon and your particular situation.

I am just about done with the whole yucky bowel prep thing. I am scheduled to have a TAH/BSO tomorrow morning. I was required to be on a clear liquid diet for the whole day today, take an phospho soda (oral laxative) once in the morning and once at night. You are CHAINED to the toilet. I am also required to do an enema in the morning but I think I will skip it! The reason for all these pain and suffering is a prevention of infection. At least I was told that!!! It is not fun but that too shall pass!!! My sister in law had the same surgery and she could eat whatever she wanted until 6PM, took the golytely thing and then that was it! She did not even finish her entire golytely stuff. Ask your doctor and see what you are required to do.

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Originally Posted by JDen I keep reading posts where people mention "bowel prep." What is that all about? I am pretty new to all of this, so I guess me and the nurse haven't gotten around to that yet. I will have to add that to my ever growing list of questions! So, for those of you who know..please share..I can take it! Thanks in advance, JDen

I had no bowel prep, just nothing to eat or drink after midnight.

I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning. So, I'm sitting here staring at my first bottle of cherry flavor Citroma "the sparkling laxative'' -- ugh. I'm supposed to take a bottle at 9 a.m., another bottle at noon and only clear liquids today, and nothing tomorrow at all.

Sounds like this is going to be a long day. I put a couple Dilbert books in the bathroom already, just in case I'm spending a lot of time in there. Might as well get a chuckle out of it.

Hmmm. My Dr. told me the bowel prep was for my own comfort, lol. I didn't have extensive repairs however. He said constipation was the #1 reason for pain following surgery, and if I was all cleaned out beforehand, that I would have a smoother recovery. He was right. I didn't have many problems with my bowels, but I also stayed on top of them by taking Colace stool softners every night. I never had pain, just soreness.