Hi LL, 

I had a scope back in August, I think. The prep wasn’t fun, just because of the taste mostly. I had a sample of a high output bag I got from the ostomy nurse, with a spout instead of a roll up opening. That helped a lot, because it held more and was easy to empty. I still had to empty it quite often. 

The GI did both a colonoscopy of what was left, and also a scope of my stoma. They gave me the twilight anesthesia, so I don’t remember any of it. I had been nervous, but the worst part was the prep, and that was just not eating, and drinking the nasty prep drink. I’m sure you will do great!!

Posted by: @llholiday

Is the prep itself a terrible mess to handle?

What kind of prep did your doctor ask you to do? For me, I took a purgative that essentially gave me high-output for a little while, but nothing that I would consider too difficult to manage. Most preps (with or without a stoma) suggest planning to stay home and near a bathroom during the process. 

I have a big plastic jug that I will fill with water, and it has a powder that is lemon-lime flavor. Concerned about the pouch getting too full and falling off, especially during the night. I am supposed to drink half in the evening  and half very early morning.

LL,

That is exactly what I had.  And I had to do the same thing, half the night before and half the morning of.  My GI told me I could add flavor drops to it, as long as it wasn't red.  So I added grape drops, which made it slightly more palatable.  It tastes sort of salty.  Yech.

It really goes thru you pretty quickly, especially as you go along.  I think if you stop a while before you go to bed, you should be okay.  Especially if you can get your hands on a high-output bag.  You might have to get up a couple times during the night, but for me, it wasn't too bad.  But you definitely want to not wander too far from the restroom the whole time you are doing the prep.

All the best to you!!  Let us know how it goes.  :)

Coloplast makes a really good high output bag if you can fit a large wafer on. The spigot style tap is definitely easiest to empty with such liquid output as it acts like a funnel and diminishes concerns of aim and dispersion.

That prep is probably just a big yummy solution of Epsom salts. Delicious.

Hi LL, just a thought why not use the gelling agents to help thicken the loose output. All the very best 👍

John That is brilliant💩 seems obvious now that You mention it.               

I just got scheduled for an ileoscope, my first since surgery in 1986. No prep except fasting, will be out, but still nervous. 

Valerie,

I have had two scopes in my ileostomy in the last year, with no problems at all.  Since I was doing the colonoscopy at the same time, I had to do the prep.  The second time, I wore a two piece bag, and they were able to take off the bag for the scope and then put it back on afterwards.  I was out too, which I would say is the way to go.  Good luck to you.

Thank you, everybody - I found three little gelling packets in my box of samples, and was able to get some large capacity bags. Now on to the adventure.

You've got this!!!

The gelling experiment - well .... I put two gel packets in the pouch, during my prep, and went to bed. Got up in the middle of the night to empty the enormous spouted high capacity bag and found that the gel had thickened to the consistency of rubber and clogged the bottom of the really full bag as well as the entire spout! Eeek! Picture me panicking in silence so I wouldn’t wake my husband because there was no way I wanted him to run into the bathroom and see me wrestling with a football sized plugged high capacity bag. There I was, wondering if the bag might explode or what - then I massaged the bottom of the bag and the spout which eventually softened the rubbery gel enough to empty the bag. So, it was a good idea in theory but I guess I won’t try it again when I have to have a colonoscopy  a year from now! 

I am totally picturing the silent panic 😂😂 I’m so glad you were able to work it out, both figuratively and literally. 😂

I wonder if next time using just one would be better.🤔

Oops!! Am sorry about that 😃 I meant to use them one at a time. Just think what would have happened if you had took 3. 

Experiences are always the best teacher! Glad things didn't go "south"!

Stella

Haha! Yes, glad I didn’t use all three at once. I could do a commercial about these, give the manufacturer a testimonial that the gel packets really do work!

If you use 3 it’s not called output any more it’s known as concrete 😂

Posted by: @llholiday

I put two gel packets in the pouch, during my prep, and went to bed. Got up in the middle of the night to empty the enormous spouted high capacity bag and found that the gel had thickened to the consistency of rubber and clogged the bottom of the really full bag as well as the entire spout!

My goodness! Well, that was a learning experience, to say the least! 😂😂