I did one years ago and the prep was awful. DH just did one a few months ago, and the prep work was completely different and not so unbearable. I am due, so this is a good reminder.

OMG!! I had to have a Colonoscopy for a surgery i needed a few years ago. It was AWFUL.

It started out with the pharmacist looking me in the eye and saying "Im so sorry" when I picked up the gigantic plastic jug.

Hint. Don't already be constipated when you start the prep. I was. It was HELL. I mixed that powder with the water as directed and had it cold in the fridge. Then started to drink a glass every half hour as directed. The first glass...not so bad. By the fourth glass, It was like drinking cold liquid hell. By the third hour I was vomiting. I kept drinking it though. I wanted a clean colon dammit!! I was afraid that I puked too much of it up and It wouldn't work. Well I was right. I kept drinking but wasn't pooping. Remember, I was already pretty constipated. I looked 9 months pregnant when I went to bed. Nothing was happening. So I drank laxative tea. That worked. And worked. Still, I wasn't super confident that they would go ahead with the procedure.

I had a friend drive me to the hospital the next morning. (You can't drive yourself. You can't even take a cab). So I get there and I feel like hell warmed over. The nurses were so sweet and kind. One of them warned me that its more painful for women and if I feel any pain just tell the doctor to give me more medication. I'm thinking "Nah....I'll be F.I.N.E.".

Time for the procedure, I'm on meds that make me super relaxed. I got THIS man. I'm Awesome!. I'm on my side, camera goes in. So far so good. About 5 minutes into it, it starts to hurt. Like really hurt. Suddenly I hear screaming and realize its me that screaming. I'm screaming and trying to fight the nurse off of me (she's holding me in place). I'm a tiny woman, but I was like the friggen sedated Hulk. I was gripping her wrists and trying to push her the hell off of me. The last thing I remember is the doctor telling her to give me more meds.

Next thing I know, its over and I'm on the bed and they're wheeling me back to the little curtained room where it all began. While they we're wheeling me back, I start singing, very loudly, "Here She Comes..Missss America".

They call me friend in to walk me out, and I remember nothing about the ride home.

So....yeah.....good luck with your colonoscopy.

Prep was...well...crappy...literally. Di not wander from the facilities.

You have been warned.

You need a good doctor to order the correct prep. My doctor looked at my records and said I did not need to be drinking gallons to prep so he prescribed some other stuff. I haven't done it yet so can't comment.

I've had at least 3 colonoscopies so I've BTDT. You need to be right next to a toilet for a day - but you should not have to drink a gallon of crap.

I had to postpone my recent one as the pipes froze in my condo which left me without a flushable toilet for 3 days. One CANNOT do a colonoscopy prep without a functioning toilet.

I'm doing mine in late March. Not really dreading it. Plus at my age this will most likely be my last one.

But PLEASE do not put this off. I've seen too many people die of colon cancer. Most gastro doctors say that no one dies of colon cancer - but many people die of STUPIDITY because they refuse to have a colonoscopy. Colon cancer is almost always preventable.

I sympathise with you. I've had two, 5 years apart. I had to start early cause my mom had colon cancer. General anesthesia both times. It's the only way to go. I never had the big jug, just fleets phosphosoda the first time (it's off the market now). It's a tiny bottle but it totally made me gag and the second bottle didn't stay down so I'm running to CVS at 2 am for another one. Good riddance to that. Second time around it was mag citrate, just a couple 10 oz or so bottles, and they went from a 2 day prep to 1 day. So it wasn't too bad.

Anyone out there who hasn't done it yet, don't put it off. My mom's was caught early and it was completely eradicated when they took out the polyp. And when you schedule, get an early am appointment. It sucks to be sitting around for half a day hungry and thirsty and dehydrated. (Don't ask me how I know.)

Slightly OT - my late father was always concerned about "not going". So many old people become obsessed with constipation. He more than once had horrible uncontrolled bowel movements that required my sister or I to clean up the crap (literally). Yet he was always concerned that there was "stuff" backed up.

During my first colonoscopy I realized that what I was taking for prep was what my father was taking to cure his imaginary problems. I went BALLISTIC. He was taking stuff to make him have uncontrollable bowel movements - which resulted in many carpet cleanings.

I loved my father and I am sorry that he is now gone - but OMG that was just not acceptable.

Well maybe no one dies of colon cancer but if it’s not caught early it will methastized and eventually will kill you

I was 24 or 25 my first go around with that. My solution was two giant bottles of this clear but sickening smelling fluid that I was to mix with GIANT glasses of water (or clear Gatorade) and down in less than two hours. One the night before after having no food all day then one REALLY early in the morning. I failed the second only getting half down before I got sick.

What did they find out. I had elastic polips (spelling?) And information of the stomach bit no diagnoses. This was after having my gal bladder removed the year before when it turned rouge and tried to kill me.

Fun times.

I'm probably posting way to late to be of any help. There are several different formulas of prep - some only require you drink 2 quarts. Try it in Gatorade, that sometimes helps. I could never keep all the prep down, usually threw up at least an 1/8 of it, and always ended up "clean" enough.

The best piece of advice I have is to get some A and D ointment, or some other baby rash cure, and use it before you start going. It will really help your bottom.

For most people the procedure itself isn't that bad, they usually sedate enough you don't feel it and have very little memory. I got to the point where I had to have them in the hospital as they couldn't get me sedated enough in a stand-alone center to keep it from hurting.

I have much experience in this area because I am a colon cancer survivor. If you are at risk for any reason - don't put it off as it can save your life.

Can confer. It is something I don't wish ever to have to do again. I had them go in both ends. Talk about Major Buttsore! It turned out there was nothing seriously wrong: I had IBS and Lactose intolerance. Hope it goes well though. Hang in there, it will soon be over.

I did a prep that you had to mix with "x amount" of water.... I cheated the system a bit and mixed with less water then drank the missing water plain. It was easier to gulp down a smaller amount of the vile stuff and let the water and that mix in my stomach..lol.

I feel for you though. As for the procedure itself... it was a snap. It's the prep that is so tough.

Colon cancer runs in DH family so he's checked every five years. His mother refused to get checked and she died of it, totally preventable.

One trick DH and I learned is drink the stuff with a straw, bypass your mouth! DH said it made a huge difference. And he ate the proscribed diet for two days before. He ended up not having to drink the whole thing.

I have mine in two years...

Oh I feel for you! I had to do TWO in one week. One on Monday for colonoscopy on Tuesday and then again on Wednesday for surgery to remove 18" of my bowel on Thursday. I was 48. I was so dehydrated they couldn't find any veins to put in my IV's.