Quick poll: who is super excited for their colonoscopy prep and procedure?

Yup, thought so.

Truthfully, I’m not sure why they get such a bad rap. It’s a quick and easy medical procedure that gets you a day off work, plus that ever popular colon cleanse that all the health blogs rave about. And for those with no increased risk, it only has be done once every ten years starting at age 50.

Of course, those who are generally healthy and aren’t increased risk may not be used to having more than a routine doctor visit, in which case the colonoscopy seems rather extensive.

But here’s the thing – a colonoscopy is the only medical procedure that can not only screen for cancer, but also prevent it. I don’t know about you, but I’d gladly be uncomfortable for a day or two if it means preventing a cancer diagnosis somewhere down the line!!

Why Are You Getting a Colonoscopy When You’re Only 34??

A little context… I fall in the category of those with a family history of colon cancer. My grandma passed away from it in her early 50s, and my mom had a precancerous polyp discovered in her mid-40s. Thanks to colonoscopies being the preventative screening that they are, the removal of the precancerous polyp meant my mom could avoid the cancer diagnosis that her mom endured.

Because my mom had a precancerous polyp so young, my sister and I had to start colonoscopies ten years prior to my mom’s age when her polyp was discovered. Hence why I had the privilege of starting down the road the colonoscopies at 34 years old rather than 50.

And it’s a good thing, too, because I also had a precancerous polyp! It’s likely that that polyp would have become cancerous before I turned 50, the age the medical system recommends beginning colonoscopies. So if you gain nothing else from this article, let it be this: you are NOT too young for a cancer diagnosis! If you have a family history or if your body feels “off” in any way, please talk to your doctor!

As a result of my family history, and especially with a polyp being found, I now have to continue having colonoscopies every five years. And if I ever have children, they’d have to start colonoscopies at 24 years old, those lucky buggers!

Alright, on to some lessons learned!

Keep drinking throughout the day to help you feel full

And by this, I mean drink a lot!

One of the biggest concerns I had regarding the prep work was feeling hangry. I get to a point when I’m hungry that I’m not only mean, but I get a headache and feel sick. So y’all better believe when my orders said “no food after midnight” that I was eating at 11:57 p.m.

All the next day I had water, juice, broth, or Vitamin Water beside me and drank like a boss to give my stomach the feeling of being full.

I drank a big ol’ serving of chicken broth for each meal on my prep day. It was warm and savory as if I were having a meal, but just a smidge less, um, solid…

…But stop drinking about an hour before drinking the prep solution

Colonoscopy procedures for us are a family affair – my dad had his one week, my sister the next week, and me the following week. The bonus being I could learn from their experience.

I had Suprep, which requires drinking 16 oz. of prep solution mixed with water, followed by another 32 oz. of water within an hour. Dad’s biggest complaint was that he had drank so much in the time leading up to the prep part that he struggled to get in that 48 oz. in a short period of time. So I took that lesson into my own prep work!

If you stop drinking for about an hour before the prep and water, you’ll help ensure your stomach can handle all the fluid you’re about to imbibe.

Don’t cut back on calories that day

You’re only consuming fluids when you’re doing a colonoscopy prep, as well as the morning of the procedure. Now’s not the time to be counting calories. If you want to drink a whole bottle of white grape juice that day, do it. A whole day of just water, black coffee, and low-calorie broth will probably leave you feeling shaky and weak by the day’s end because of the dip in your blood sugar.

Obviously, if you’re diabetic or have other health concerns, take those into consideration. I’m not experienced enough in that realm to pretend I can offer advice.

But if not, a gallon of juice in one day won’t hurt you. Those are the only calories you’re consuming!

Pro tip: A friend who has had multiple colonoscopies said she gets a pina colada snow cone as part of her prep. It’s fun and tastes good, and being yellow it’s an appropriate color to drink. (Avoid red, blue, and purple drinks as it can cause problems during the procedure!) Sadly, snow cones can be difficult to come by during Ohio’s winters (my friend is in Florida), so I missed out on the pina colada… Next time I’ll plan better.

Don’t drink colonoscopy prep through a straw

I was advised that using a straw could help avoid contact between the prep and my taste buds so it won’t taste so bad. I tried that for part of the prep+water mixture… It didn’t help. At all. I tried drinking quickly through the straw, pushing the straw back towards my throat, all the things. It still tastes… I don’t even know how to describe it. Fruity but weird.

Instead, ditch the straw and chug that stuff like a frat boy. Pretend you’re at a beer drinking competition and just go for it!

If you’re like me, you’ll also want to chug that next 16 oz. of water to help get the taste out of your mouth…

The box of Suprep includes a delightful pamphlet of instructions, a cup with a 16oz. line near the top, and two 6oz. bottles of the much-anticipated Suprep solution. Have a little fun and do an unboxing video like all the famous influencers!

Surprise!!

Colonoscopy prep solution liquifies your poop…

Y’all, I was not prepared for that. I had my entire family to give me feedback and advice, and none of them warned me!! So here I am to warn you.

I honestly thought the prep was just a powerful laxative. I thought everything would come out in soft, but still solid form.

Nope! It’s liquid. Straight up liquid.

And yes I realize that may be graphic for some of you, but no one benefits from me sugar-coating this. Plus it really surprised the crap out of me (har har), so I’m just keepin’ it real.

NEVER trust a fart!

This is a general life lesson, but it especially applies here. When the prep finally started kicking in, I thought I just had to fart to make way for what was to come… I didn’t realize that that “fart” was what was coming…

Spoiler alert, it was more than a fart, and good thing I didn’t trust it or I would’ve needed a shower…

Final Thoughts on Colonoscopy Prep Day

Hopefully this was helpful for you if you have an upcoming colonoscopy procedure, or at least gave you a chuckle!

For any of you who have already had a colonoscopy, feel free to add your tips and tricks in the comments!

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