Colonics in place of RX prep for colonoscopy.

As a man of a "certain" age, I'm due for another colonoscopy this spring. The last one I had they found stuff and I'm on a every other year cycle for them now. The doctor also commented that my prep last time was barely adequate to proceed. Trying to choke down that stuff made me rather sick.

Has anyone done a colonic series prior to this? What system is best? Will the doctor approve of this as a replacement for the god awful prep rx they typically give? Any chance the colonics would be covered under insurance?

Recommendations?

I have used enemas and colonics as an adjunct to the "top down" cleansing of the bowel. I discovered that having my lower bowel cleansed, allowed for an easier time with the laxative overdose. Adjusting the food intake a couple of days in advance, also assisted in adequate cleansing.

I had a colonic in the late afternoon on the day prior. I used the Miralax thereafter. I had another colonic in the AM, prior to an early afternoon colonoscopy. I did not have sedation and enjoyed the interaction with the nurse and gastro as I watched on the monitor. The prep was described as very good and no polyps were discovered.

In recovery, the nurse asked about my prep and decision to proceed without sedation. I told her of the colonics and abbreviated laxative intake, as well as not having access to transportation afterward. She said she may try something similar inasmuch as she was scheduled in a couple of weeks.

I might note that the prep packet I received prior to my scheduled procedure, had "Enemas" as one of the prep alternatives. There was a paragraph that said enemas may be necessary if the laxatives failed to work.

I contacted a colonic business near me as I was approaching my 3rd colonoscopy in 20 years. I ask the owner if she worked with any gastroenterologists that would accept a colonic treatment as an alternative to doing the liquid prep laxative drink. She said sadly no.

You could try getting a colonic the day before and follow the no solid foods procedure prior to your colonoscopy and that might do the trick. If want to increase you colon cleaning, you could also add a series of enemas before doing a colonic and even do more enemas right before going to colonoscopy clinic. Also, over the counter laxatives would be an additional help to clear the colon if you can tolerate them, e.g., Miralax or Ducolax.

You can and shoud be honest with the front desk at check-in and just say you could not tolerate the liquid prep and you used a professional colonic and enemas to clean out your colon. They may opt not to do the procedure or say they will try but if the colon is not clear enough, they will have to stop.

I do feel it is possible to a clear the colon using enemas and a good professional colonic as long as you don't any solid food the day before the coloscopy.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

You should ask for a Rx for the SuPrep liquid laxative prep kit. That’s what I used prior to my recent colonoscopy. While the liquid isn’t exactly tasty, I was able to get it all down. And I’m prone to vomiting up anything that tastes really nasty or involves huge volumes of liquid. Right after I took the first dose (before it started working), @liquidsky gave me a nice, warm, very soapy enema laced with bisacodyl which cleaned out my lower colon (and felt quite nice). I believe this made the laxative easier to deal with; I had absolutely no cramping.

When I had by last colonoscopy, took a couple of large enemas prior to starting the oral prep. I was able to keep the prep down and everything seemed to just run right through me. I was finished in a couple of hours and slept well.

Seconding the recommendations of many; your chances of getting a good prep without some sort of top-down laxative seem low. However, I used a week’s worth of low-fiber foods, fasting for the last 24 hours, and a large warm enema prior to starting the prep to make things less miserable and would 100% recommend that.

Usually laxatives taken for constipation make me terribly sick, but with this run-up and the split-dose Suprep I was not nauseated, avoided the cold sweats, and had no abdominal pain.

I have read about endoscopy centers that pair with colon therapists but would imagine you’d need to be scoped immediately after your last expulsion to get a clean enough field before there was more brown coming down. My GI doc had me sitting around for a good 90 minutes before I was scoped.

Good luck!

I've posted on this before, but my last 2 colonoscopies were done at Danbury Hospital in CT and they offer a hydrotherapy prep on site. Both times my prep was excellent, and as I don't do sedation I was able to see everything and talk to the doc during the proceedure. Their protocol is to take a few dulcolax pills and drink a couple glasses of gatorade with miralax the night before. The morning of the proceedure you get a 45min-1 hr hydrotherapy session and the colonoscopy right after. The 2 times I've done this prep, I did a few enemas the day before as well. They also said liquids only the day before, but I ate a low/no residue breakfast and lunch all before noon(scrambled eggs with butter and cheese and some plain turkey breast). Both times I was told that my prep was perfect! My last one was in 2023 and I'm due again in 2028 - I really hope they still offer the prep option as I wouldn't want to do it any other way. I wasn't starving all day, and got a good night's sleep as I wasn't up all night doing the prep.

From my digging around, several colonic hydrotherapy providers specifically mention on their websites that they have GI docs they work with for bowel prep. Maybe you could find someone local. Insurance didn't cover it, but I think last time it was around $150 charge for the prep. Good luck and happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Echoing what others say, you need a top down element.

Also I had my first colonoscopy about a month ago and my ADHD hyperfixated so I had an amazing prep, even had fun with it. Also I'll note my ADHD medication tends to constipate me so I had to deal with that too. Here's what I did. My procedure was Wednesday afternoon.

Four days prior I went on a low residue diet, basically no food with fiber.

Monday I did a mini prep. I used a 7 day supply of Miralax, two LMNT packets, and a slushy machine. I drank 8oz of Mira-Slush every 15 minutes. Got fairly clear by the time I was done.

Tuesday clear liquids all day. I drank 8oz of water every 30 minutes, every other hour I switched to a quart of water with one packet of LMNT.

11:00 AM Mixed a 30 day supply of Miralax and 8 LMNT packets into one gallon of water, placed in my fridge

2:00 PM poured one quart of Miralax mix into my slushy machine

3:00 PM I took four 5mg doculax pills

4:00 PM Drank one bottle of magnesium citrate (did this at the end of my therapy session in front of my therapist)

4:30 PM Started on Miralax, 8oz every 15 minutes which alternated between a slushy and warm water with it.

5:45 PM I paused because I was feeling full, resumed at 6:00 PM

I got clear that night, my diarrhea was never out of control. I laid in bed and caught up on reading and journaling. I resumed the next morning.

6:40 AM Took one Gas X with 8oz of Miralax mix, I then drank four more doses every ten minutes after this.

8:00 AM Took one Gas X

10:40 I went NPO

11:30: Wife gave me a 2.5 quart water enema, held it for 20 minutes as she massaged it into my cecum

12:30 I'm at the hospital, called back ten minutes later.

1:25 Scope gets inserted and I watch it all live

My GI said I had one of the best bowel preps she had ever seen.