bowel preparation
"My colonoscopy was booked in for late afternoon on a Thursday. The hospital said to stop eating anything from 1pm on the Wednesday and recommended (giving some detail) a non fibre diet from Tuesday evening until Wednesday noon - avoiding dark drinks and jelly (like blackcurrant flavour). Avoid red meat, sausages and pies; fruit, vegetables and salad; potato skins or fries, wholemeal or brown bread; nuts, pulses, baked beans; wholemeal pasta, brown rice; puddings containing fruit or nuts; cakes and biscuits, yoghurts. Preferred are white skinless meat like chicken, grilled or poached fish, cheese, eggs; white bread, pasta, rice; boiled or mashed potatoes, water, fizzy drinks, fruit squash (not blackcurrant), clear soups, tea or coffee, shredless marmalade or jam, ice cream, custard, clear jelly, butter, margarine. 



The hospital also instructed me to start taking Moviprep, one packet (A + B) at 7pm Wednesday evening; and then another packet (A+B) starting from 6am Thursday. On each occasion I was told to drink the mixture at 250ml a time over 1 to 2 hours. On each occasion I was also to take 500ml of clear water AND to take some sugary drinks to maintain blood sugar levels – non-diet carbonated drinks i.e. Coca Cola, Lucozade, or ginger ale, any other clear sugary fluids such as clear apple juice (but NOT other fruit juices); water alone not being sufficient. A spoonful of honey is suggested if sugary drinks are not liked.



On Wednesday evening I mixed the two Moviprep packets (A + B) with 1 litre of water in a large jug. It tasted mildly of lemon but, because of warnings about taste, I downed each 250ml in seconds (rather than sip it) so as not to have to agonise over the taste. Starting at 7am the fourth dose was finished at 8pm. The drug started having an effect at about 7.45pm and thereafter it was a matter of getting to the lavatory frequently and quickly for about 3 to 4 hours. I went to bed at midnight but had to get up again at 2am and two more occasions up to 4am; though not in so much of a hurry. I took the 500ml of water after the final dose and about 250ml of Lucozade after that.  I was also told to use, what we in the UK, call vaseline to prevent soreness of skin on the buttocks. This I did not do but regretted it. Just before midnight I was so sore that I did apply some vaseline ready for Thursday morning and it paid dividends. 



On Thursday morning I went through the same procedure again applying the vaseline again before starting. This time the emissions were yellow and eventually pretty clear. Also the emissions pretty much (though not entirely) finished by 8am, much quicker than the night before. I can only assume there was nothing left to eject. All in all it was not a pleasant chore but a fair price to pay to get the job done."