Hellish Bowel Prep Tomorrow

[NurseGrace 509]

So basically it goes like this:

1. take four Dulcolax

2. one hour later - entire 8.3 oz bottle of Mira-lax in 64 oz of Fluid

3. two hours later - four MORE Ducolax (That's the entire box, in case any one is wondering lol)

Has anyone done something similar to that? This is not only going to have me chained to the bathroom but how does this not make people throw up also?

Advice? Surgery is Tuesday.

[stomlin75 161]

Wow, honestly, wtf? I am sorry. I didn't have a bowel prep at all. There is no reason to do this from a health standpoint. Clinical research does not show that this improves outcomes since the area being operated on is all above the bowels. Did they give you a reason for this?

[NurseGrace 509]

I didn't ask, honestly. I think its standard for my office.

[Thin Within 17]

I have wanted to do something just so I don't get constipated because I struggle with that enough and don't need any additional pain. But I was thinking an enema...nothing like 8 pills. That sounds crazy!

[NurseGrace 509]

I have wanted to do something just so I don't get constipated because I struggle with that enough and don't need any additional pain. But I was thinking an enema...nothing like 8 pills. That sounds crazy!

Now that you say that, he did say something about Constipation and the bowel prep. I think it had something to do with getting cleared out so the pain meds wouldnt be so constipating.

Dont forget, its 8 pills AND a HUGE container of mira-lax lol fml

[stomlin75 161]

Oh I have struggled with Constipation since I left the hospital (Dec. 7). Arm yourself with the following:

Milk of Magnesia - this stuff works (Miralax did not and made me gag)

Fiber - insoluble is what you need to move things along, soluble Fiber bulks things up and makes you feel fuller longer

Prune juice - yep, gnarly but effective

Tucks Pads and Preparation H - constipation leads down an awful path

Last but not least, get off the pain meds ASAP. I didn't need them when I was home and I didn't even take Tylenol. I was also advised to stop taking Iron because it was making it worse. (I eat meat now though so I get Iron in my food)

Good luck and let me know how your surgeries go!

[NurseGrace 509]

I will consider all those things except I cannot have prune juice because I get a JP drain for a week. He said it could be mistaken for blood if there should be a problem. lmao this is TMI but I also made sure I was stocked up on Baby Wipes... Sounds like I might need them.

[stomlin75 161]

I will consider all those things except I cannot have prune juice because I get a JP drain for a week. He said it could be mistaken for blood if there should be a problem. lmao this is TMI but I also made sure I was stocked up on Baby Wipes... Sounds like I might need them.

Girl, there is no question you are going to need some baby wipes after all that. If I were you, I would also get some good reading material - maybe a kindle?

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Uh...yeah. I guess you've never heard of a colonoscopy. I have...3 times. Not fun, but neither is colon cancer.

But having said that, I can't see why you would need that for VSG. Are you sure they didn't get your paperwork mixed up with someone else's?

Edit....I know you've heard of colonoscopy.

[NurseGrace 509]

Uh...yeah. I guess you've never heard of a colonoscopy. I have...3 times. Not fun, but neither is colon cancer.

But having said that, I can't see why you would need that for VSG. Are you sure they didn't get your paperwork mixed up with someone else's?

Edit....I know you've heard of colonoscopy.

BAHAHAHA STORY TIME

So I was a first year nursing student on my rotation in the operating room. Fine, I'm not a weakling and I have seen my share of gore. Anyway, so I'm watching this colonoscopy and all is going well. We send this patient off to recovery without incident and I'm standing around waiting for the next patient, an EGD. Goody.

I'm standing in the back trying to stay out of the way because there is really nothing I can do to help because I'm a first year. Anyway, I don't see them take away the old scope for the colonoscopy, which, happens to look exactly like the scope they use for an EGD. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head from behind my mask and surgical bonnet. The only time in my life I very seriously thought I was going to faint. One of the techs saw me and filled me in that it was not the same one, thank god. My head was about to explode.