I’m probably a weirdo but it’s one of my favorite laxatives and by far the most effective and least revolting of the liquid ones (hell is liquid dulcolax, and if you have never tried it, take my word for it, it’s like toothpaste mixed with the worst mint choc chip ice cream, and some chalk, for that extra yuck texture). If you drink Mg citrate on an empty stomach it can hit you pretty hard and fast but I have had to wait for a few hours sometimes. The consensus is that you should hydrate a lot with it. In my case (but please understand it’s just my GI tract, and it’s very moody, and I would not consider it to be the norm), all the Gatorade zero I can drink without feeling nauseous makes everything work better and, if I am lucky, faster. It’s never a given and sometimes I have to take a second bottle but please, if you are doing any kind of medical prep, follow your physician‘s instructions and not mine. I have to get scoped very often because of my Lynch, and I have tried all of the prep stuff out there and combinations thereof and sometimes I have to call my doctor and make sure that it’s okay to tweak them and add something because I feel that the standard doses are not working on my bowels that particular time.
I find that a little vodka makes everything go down almost okay (and it’s not something that I would advise, but I have indeed brought it up with my doctor and he doesn’t quite approve of i, but he tells me that he would rather I kept up with the whole prep and with the check ups and if a spoonful of Absolut is what makes it bearable, and it is really just that much, he is fine with it. It is really just a spoonful and washed down with so much Gatorade zero that it is really more of a placebo than anything else but it helps me. Again, check with your doctor and please no bashing. I’m only sharing my experience and I have written enough disclaimers 🤣).
I prefer my Mg citrate at room temperature unless it’s during the summertime. Most people would puke at the sole thought of it but remember that it is also an option and that for some people cold=spasms and that you can have a better experience with room temperature prep gunk.
The cramps can get rough, especially if combined with dulcolax an/or senna (go me!) tablets. I am always paranoid that the regular prep dose is not going to do its job and I will have to repeat the test that I will be generous with the dosages, but it’s cleared with my doctor and I have never had anything but squeaky clean insides. I’m awake for my colonoscopies and it’s actually almost fun to watch how pristinely clean I can be. Mg citrate does work very well. Hydrate throughout the whole process and hydrate more and keep hydrating, unless told otherwise by your doctor. They are also the person who you should call if you can’t keep it down, feel unwell and your body is responding to a chemical that can get pretty harsh in some odd way.
Good luck!