Can enemas cleanse the colon completely for colonoscopy?

I am going for the Big C soon. I do not want to drink the Go Lytely stuff. What pills do they give u to take? I'm sure enemas are helpful. Fasting a plus???? I would appreciate any help! Thanks!

I was offered the pills as an alternative to go lightly but told i had to drink an inordinate amount of water with the pills. I like to drink water, but the amount seemed even too much for me so I went with Go Lightly. I refrigerated the go lightly and drank it over ice with an ice water chaser, and while it wasn't good, it wasn't that horrible cold. But instead of just not eating after they told me not to, the day before, I only consumed liquids and chicken broth, and had a colonic. (I don't really care for colonics and haven't had one since) So went I took the Go Lightly, there wasn't much to get rid of. Then took a couple of warm water enemas before going to the clinic to have the Colonoscopy. Its been almost five years and I have to make an appointment for another one. I don't like IV's, so that was the worst part. The test itself is nothing. Whether I had twilight or total anesthetic, I remember none of it.

An alternative prep involves taking three dulcolax tablets the night before, a bottle of magnesium citrate the night before and a second bottle of mag citrate several hours before the procedure. Clear liquids the day before also. Enemas don't get up that high. Talk to your Doctor.

I had mine about a month ago. Was told to take 4 Ducolax tablets at 3pm the day before the test. I was then to mix 250mg of prescription strength Miralax with Gatorade and start drinking it at 4pm. Was to have 32 oz. down by 8pm and then drink another 32 oz that evening.

I must say that the prep this time wasn't nearly as bad as it was 5 years ago.

The last one I had, I did the GoLytle stuff. After the first glass I ended up throwing up all night. Only made half of the container. At the hosp the next day I was asked if I did the prep. I told them after throwing up for 4 hours I threw the stuff away. Went home and never went back.

I had one three years ago - my clean out was a combination of pills, 7 up or ginger ale and two fleets. I have another one next month and I am going to sub a reglar enema for the fleets.

Being a colon cancer survivor, I get scoped every 3 yrs. The newer oral preps. like Nulytely aren't as bad as the older stuff. The last time I took 4 Dulcolax tabs. as Rx'd, then drank the entire gallon of Nulytely-I followed the Gastro's instructions to the letter and he still said I wasn't that clean when he scoped me. Oh Yeah! The Nulytely got stuck in the transverse; must have been at least 2 qts. and I was in terrible pain. I followed with a qt. of warm water, which opened things up and it seemed like a gallon came out of me all at once. But I didn't like having to wear Depends all night, but as I slept, fluid kept leaking out during the night.

Once you get done with the prep. the rest is a breeze; you're out and wake up in recovery. BTW, I tried enemas alone (many of them)and the Gastro. said I wasn't cleaned well at all. So, I went back to following instructions.

Jim

I'm considering a colonoscopy soon. Is there any way you can have the hospital clean you out. I love enemas but I hate pills and drinking tons of fluids.

You won't find a MD that will admit you just for a Colonoscopy clean out or an insurance company that would pay for such a thing. You can take several Dulcolax tabs and a liquid died the day or 2 before and that shoudl clean you out. A good laxative and a few enemas should do the trick.

I'm considering a colonoscopy soon. Is there any way you can have the hospital clean you out. I love enemas but I hate pills and drinking tons of fluids.

Suck it up and do what your physician says. They have experience with this every day and they know what regimens work for them. Just do it!

Hi SUSIE,

Sorry my typing a little uneven. I had an operation for a pinched ulnar nerve, and I am now sort of one fingered, cos I hunt and peck anyways.

Here you an I agree 100%. My last CS doc told me he gets real tired of having patients unprepared cos he/she does his/her own preps. "DO HIS OWN THING." Then the patient gets mad, cos the test results are "unclear," and should be redone. I don't enjoy the dulcolax, and Miralax, but I do it. Miralax IS an improvement over Goliytely. I guess you gotta ask if doing enemas is worth your life?? walt

Thanks to all for the info. you can't blame me for trying!

I have not had one yet... After reading this post I had a dream that I was having one...

Question for the medical people on here. Why won't a series of enemas, like until totally clear return, clean a person out enough for a colonoscopy?

The entire colon (large intestine) needs to be cleaned out and an enema does not go up that high. The laxative washes out the colon by stimulating the bowel to contract thus eliminating anything in there. Basically the laxative cleans out the stomach, small intestine and large intesting but the scope only visualizes the large intestine. The laxative is the most effective way to produce a cleaned out bowel. The laxative solution also aids in preventing dehydration.

I almost have to LAUGH at worry of some about the PREP for a simple procedure. I've had the real "BIG C," twice. If you think a few hours of intestinal cleanout is such a misery. try the treatment you will get if they don't finf the problem. Walt

Walt makes a very good point. The purpose of the colonoscopy is to screen for colon cancer, not for a day of fun in taking a laxative and seeing how long you can sit on the toilet. Do the prep so that there is nothing left behind. Every person involved in your procedure knows what should be in the colon, they don't need to use a 15,000 dollar tube to see it. They want to see a clean colon and no evidence of cancer.

I have to go along with the consensus. I had my first "full dress" colonoscopy the winter of '08-'09 (previous one was just a flex-sig) and it wasn't all that bad.

I got by with the stuff marketed as HalfLytely; had previously advised the supervising doc that I knew how to take enemas, but he insisted otherwise, and, in retrospect, I'm glad he did.

About 18 hours before the event, I went off all solid or dyed food, and as an experiment, tried the notorious "milk and molasses enema" for the first time. Although the M&M was effective in generating a lot of gas, I was still passing some solids after two rinses, one including some glycerine to further stimulate evacuation.

With about 12 hours left, I started the HalfLytely. Although the prescription allowed for two quarts of the stuff, I was passing nothing but clear liquid, discolored yellow by liver bile, after about three 8-ounce glasses. (Chilling the Halflytely does a lot to mediate the taste.) So the enemas got most of the residue, but not all of it. And it is vitally important that the colon be as clean as possible.

When I appeared for the event itself the next morning. I asked the people in charge to waive the sedation in hopes i could drive myself home. This was agreed to, with the firm understanding that I would agree to waive any further control over the process at the first serious discomfort.

As it turned out, I felt very little, except for one or two cramps when the "scope" was eased around the major bends in the colon. The two assistants helped out with gentle pressure from the outside, and it was quite a sight to see that trip (starting with a view of my "anal orifice" from the outside, and ending with one of my appendix from the inside.

Which makes for a pretty unusual "bar bet".

I don't understand why hospitals don't offer or suggest doing colonics for people being preped for colonoscopies, barium enemas, or surgery. It would be so much easier on the system than all that nasty stuff they make you drink that ends up causing you to shit and puke your brains out. All hospitals could hire an in house, full time colon therapist, who could discreetly prep patients right before their procedure. And once word got out of how gentle and effective a colonic is, people would view it as the preferred choice for bowel prep instead of harsh chemical laxatives. I saw a video on Youtube of a local news segment where a gastroenterologist is strongly in favor of the use of colonics for diagnostic procedures. When I had to go for a BE the other year I got a colonic, and lied to the X-Ray team about taking the laxatives. They never knew the difference.

Anyway, it's a great suggestion, but alas, the medical community is anti-colonic and pro-pharmaceutical. What a fucking shame!

Its not about the hospital but what the Insurance company will and will not pay for. For many years people came in for "tests" which included lab work, upper and lower GI series maybe a procto and who knows what else. You got enemas and laxatives the night before and enemas the morning of. Someone figured out you could do the laxative prep at home and use your own bathroom and sleep in your own bed. Saved lots of money. Now you can do the same thing, get a longer more reliable tube up the lower end and have someone drive you to and from the procedure. Once again no hospital bed cost.

I do not know who pays for the colonic, but the Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn. uses colonics as prep for cloudscape. The clip they offer states that people perfer it and more people will do the tests if they are not subjected to the chemicals (basically salt water). How much can it be I would gladly pay out of my pocket to avoid the day before under current protocols.

Course

I don't like the preparations and anesthesia either. I would consider a colonoscopy if colonics used in place of the other stuff.

During my last one I did not use the anesthesia. It was painless,

probably because I had an excellent Doctor. Next year we are going to have a conversation about the Danbury Hospital protcols.

Course

I'm all for out patient colonics. I hate drinking any foul tasting fluids, having to wait to empty and still not know if it was done correctly.

I can also fantasize having a lovely young nurse embarrassing me as she has her way with my back end.

If anything, insurance companies need a good enema.

All you get is crap from them.

I actually had one before an emergency colonoscopy while I was in the hospital. It was a portable unit and used an inflatable nozzle and they rolled the machine right up beside the bed. The machine pulses and it feels very weird in a good way. The nurse just sat in a chair as the machine was completely automatic. Took about 30 minutes (BTW colonoscopy found no problems).

See at http://www.piemed.com/

There is a hospital that offers it I think its in Baltimore Ive seen the story on the net they show a clip of a guy getting a colonic in the morning and right after that he was scheduled for a colonoscopy.

Never happen, it makes too much sense.

gdfru

I agree completely. A colonic is thorough, pleasant, and very healthy as it cleans the colon completely. Think of what that crap they want you to drink does to your stomach-it's no wonder so many people refuse a colonoscopy or barium enema with the prep they are asking for. I think the screening tests are important, but there's no way I'm going to drink that stuff.

In Hong Kong we do give a series of enemas in hospitals.

I just started giving myself enemas, and now I am wondering, if a series of enemas can lead to total colon cleanse, or if this is only possible with a professional Colon Hydrotherapy.

Today I gave myself a series of enemas, starting with 2 qt, then 3 qt, another two with 2 qt, and finally one with 4 qt (all with saline water), but nevertheless after the last large enema the exiting water is still not clear and features a lot of tiny pieces of feces.

Is my colon just that contaminated, are five enemas not enough, or is it not possible at all to get a total cleanse with enemas?

How many enemas with what quantities do you need for a total cleanse?

I am already considering a professional CHT, because my colon may be polluted with old and hard feces particles, which just can not be softened and expelled with normal enemas.