How to Make Your Colonoscopy Prep Suck Less
It doesn't have to be as awful as you're expecting.
Earlier this year, my GI doctor uttered a phrase I was dreading: “Let’s get you scheduled for a colonoscopy this year.”
My most recent endoscopy and bloodwork showed that my celiac disease was under control. However, I was struggling with constipation and low iron levels, so she wanted to look into what else could be causing these symptoms.
Given rates of colon cancer among young people are growing, she understandably didn’t want to take any chances. (While the recommended age to get your first routine colonoscopy is 45, I’m 37.)
Plus, I had already met my insurance deductible for the year from the endoscopy, so this would be fully covered. So, I scheduled a colonoscopy for a few months out and proceeded to spend a whole lot of time freaking out about it.
ICYMI, a colonoscopy is a procedure during which a doctor examines the inside of your large intestine, which includes your colon. You must clear out your large intestine as much as possible by drinking a laxative solution so your doctor can adequately see what’s going on in there.
I had heard so many people talk about how awful the bowel prep was that it truly took all of my willpower not to cancel my appointment. I ended up going through with it at the end of August, and cue the unpopular opinion: I actually didn’t think it was that bad.
Sure, the prep wasn’t exactly fun, but if you’re someone who has gut issues already, then spending the night on the toilet isn’t really that big of a deal, IMO. That said, there are definitely a few things you can do to make your colonoscopy prep go smoother (pun intended).
Here’s what I tried—and what worked for me.
Disclaimer: The following information is meant for educational purposes only and isn’t intended as medical advice.
Table of contents:
Find the right colonoscopy prep for you
Switch up your eating habits a few days before
Be strategic on the clear liquid diet
Prepare to entertain yourself
Pamper your derrière
Try not to stress about it
Find the right colonoscopy prep for you
I heard so many horror stories about the liquid prep you have to consume before a colonoscopy that I was seriously dreading it. What I learned during my research, though, is that there are a few different options—and some may be easier for you to tolerate than others.
My doctor happened to prescribe me what’s known as a “low volume prep.” This involves drinking a smaller amount of liquid than other common prep solutions. (The brand I was prescribed was ClenPiq.)
I found some posts online that recommended drinking ClenPiq through a large straw to lessen the taste and then chasing it with a can of ginger ale. While the solution certainly didn’t taste good, it wasn’t as disgusting as I thought it would be.
What’s more, only having to drink two small bottles (each followed by a handful of cups of liquid spread out over many hours) made the experience a lot less daunting than having to chug a giant gallon of prep solution.
Switch up your eating habits a few days before
While fiber is key for a healthy gut, it’s pretty much the last thing you want to eat ahead of your colonoscopy. As recommended by Kaiser Permanente, starting on a low-fiber diet (aka a low-residue diet) three to five days before your colonoscopy is a good idea.
Why? Well, sticking to a low-fiber diet leading up to your procedure will help curb the amount of undigested food that has to move through your large intestine. This will make it easier to clear out your colon and will also make things more comfortable for you.
Examples of gluten-free low-fiber foods include low-fat cheeses and low-fat ice cream, eggs, tofu, well-cooked chicken, white rice, gluten-free white bread, and bananas.
It certainly wasn’t the most exciting, but I basically lived on the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and gluten-free toast) diet for the three days before my colonoscopy.
The week before my procedure, I was on vacation with my family in Lancaster, PA, and stocked up on this gluten-free white bread for this exact purpose.
Everyone is different and should follow their doctor’s specific instructions, but I had no issues completing the prep when I followed the low-fiber diet.
Be strategic on the clear liquid diet
The day before your colonoscopy, you need to be on a clear liquid diet. I was worried that I’d be hangry (or possibly even faint from not eating), but this wasn’t the case.
For starters, I made sure to include bone broth as one of my clear liquids, which I actually found to be quite filling. As WebMD explains, bone broth contains about 10 grams of protein per serving, which can help make you feel fuller longer.
While on the clear liquid diet, you can also “snack” on clear popsicles and Jell-O (you just have to avoid anything orange, red, or purple since these could be mistaken for blood).
I loaded my freezer with lemon and lime ices and made a batch of lemon Jell-O ahead of time. When I started to feel hungry late at night while doing the prep, I would have a popsicle or a cup of Jell-O to trick my mind into thinking I was eating.
Prepare to entertain yourself
Before starting your prep, you’ll want to do another kind of prep so you’ll be ready to go. Sign off work and put your OOO on. Load your laptop up with TV shows and movies (my entertainment of choice was Real Housewives reruns), make sure it’s fully charged, and leave it in the bathroom for easy access.
Have a book handy so you can catch up on reading (I was able to finish this novel). I have a NY Times Games subscription, so I did some easy crossword puzzles on my phone. I even bought an extra-long charging cable I could use in the bathroom.
I also ended up doing some online shopping from the bowl to make myself feel better—I deserved a gift after what I was putting my body through, right? Specifically, I placed a Sephora order for these eye shadow sticks, tinted lip balm, frizz-fighting spray, styling cream, and hairspray. This gave me something to look forward to.
Pamper your derrière
Trust me, you—and your butt—will thank me for this tip. You’ll be making lots of bathroom trips throughout the night, and all that wiping can irritate this sensitive area.
This was by far the worst part of the prep for me—by the end of the night, it felt like I was burning down there. (I have hemorrhoids, which likely made things worse.)
What I found helpful in easing this was using unscented baby wipes, applying diaper cream in between bathroom visits, and taking warm baths as needed. (The irritation was completely gone after my procedure, BTW.)
Try not to stress about it
I know, this is easier said than done—and I definitely did stress a ton before my colonoscopy. But now after having gone through it, I can tell you, the experience really wasn’t that scary.
I survived a day without eating solid food, the prep solution didn’t make me nauseous, and I definitely didn’t need to waste my money on a box of adult diapers. (YMMV, but multiple people had me convinced I wouldn’t be able to make it to the bathroom in time, which wasn’t the case for me at all.)
Sure, I didn’t enjoy my evening, but I consider the discomfort to be a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things. I’m glad I went through with the colonoscopy, and I now have peace of mind knowing exactly what’s going on with my health.
Luckily, my results came back normal (minus the aforementioned hemorrhoids) so I don’t have to do this again until I’m 45! And now that I know what to expect, I won’t hesitate to schedule my next colonoscopy then.
Sources:
Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio. Types of Colonoscopy Prep Methods. https://www.gastroconsa.com/types-of-colonoscopy-prep-methods/
Cleveland Clinic. Colonoscopy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4949-colonoscopy
UChicago Medicine. Colonoscopy Prep: Instructions, Types and Expectations. https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/cancer/types-treatments/colorectal-cancer/screening-diagnosis/colonoscopy
Kaiser Permanente. Low-fiber diet for colonoscopy preparation. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/washington/get-care/additional-services/gastroenterology/colon-diet-low-fiber
Beth Israel Lahey Health Lahey Hospital & Medical Center. Low-Fiber Diet for Colonoscopy. https://www.lahey.org/news-stories/all-news-stories/stories/2019/04/low-fiber-diet-for-colonoscopy
Virginia Gastroenterology. How to Prepare for Your Colonoscopy. https://virginiagastro.com/how-to-prepare-for-your-colonoscopy/
WebMD. Bone Broth: What It Does to Your Body. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bone-broth
Los Angeles Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates. Can I Get a Colonoscopy With Hemorrhoids? https://lacolon.com/article/can-get-colonoscopy-with-hemorrhoids
Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio. 6 Best Colonoscopy Prep Tips. https://www.gastroconsa.com/6-best-colonoscopy-prep-tips/
Have you had a colonoscopy? Let me know your best tips for surviving the prep in the comments!
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