Polyethylene Glycol (Miralax) for Colonoscopy

So I’ve been having bad digestive issues for months and was hoping it would get better on its own. But it hasn’t. I have an appointment with a gastro doc this next Friday. I won’t be shocked if he wants me to get a Colonoscopy. I’m nearly 47, so my regular doctor has been bringing up getting one lately.

I know I can have the actual scope part done with no sedation, so I’m not as worried about the that. (Well I do hav anxiety about it, but I won’t risk taking a sedative unless it’s an emergency). Apparently most of the rest of the world outside the US does these without sedation as a standard. There are a few videos of the procedure on YouTube where the patient has no sedation. No idea why it’s the default in the US. 

My main concern is the bowel prep. The vast majority of bowel prep solutions now use a (PEG) formulation. There are a bunch of different Brando names that all use this same drug. (Miralax, GoLytley, etc.)

I had a setback in February due to either a shot of LDN (low dose Naltrexone) due to Imodium induced constipation, or the Lactulose laxative I took a few days later. So now that I’ve been in a brutal setback for almost six months after feeling pretty much totally healed for two and a half years, I’m very scared that this might make me worse and I’ll loose the six months healing progress.

Has anyone taken this laxative bowel prep and had a problem? The search field on this forum when searching for “Colonoscopy” is turning up any results. Thanks for any input or help!

Hey Siggy..

I do pretty well with PEG, its my main “go to”, But I do find (in my case) that I have to add something more stimulating to move the softened bolus through.. -otherwise I can get terribly impacted as the “concrete” sets..

I guess it will depend on how responsive you are and your particular GI issues..

One Issue I am finding (more recently,  ie. bad SX), is its messing up my hydration/urology beyond the expected dehydration... -Could be a number of things, you know the deal..

I havnt had much success with imaging preps (Pico Prep, -Mag based, from memory), and had to “pre prep for the prep, so to speak..

I had NO issues with NON-Sedation myself...

***

My issues are mainly a lack of, and spasticity of peristalsis, inc. contracted internal sphincters (OIBS-Upper)..

***

Odd about the search function, but it is a bit temperamental, as you probs know.. Anyways there have been numerous threads about scoping, and my understanding is that they generally go well (from a discontinuation perspective)..

All the best..

There have been a few threads about colonscopy recently but mostly related to sedation I think, not the prep.  Here's one

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=243907.msg3111535#msg3111535

I had a colonoscopy a couple of months ago.  I didn't use Miralax - I used magnesium citrate.  After the procedure my withdrawal symptoms revved up (not horribly) but things settled down after a few days. I think it would be impossible to parse out what exactly caused my symptoms to rev up.  My theory is that it was the whole experience - the weird diet beforehand, the night before prep (very unpleasant and tiring), the sedation (in my case, propofol) and being in a medical setting during the pandemic.  I think all of it rocked my CNS which then scrambled to find equilibrium again.  But, the important thing is, it wasn't a significant "setback" - it was a blip.  (I've had colonoscopies when I wasn't going through withdrawal and they were no picnic either.)

I hope yours goes smoothly,

Brighterday

Thanks fir the feedback, both of you! I was looking at a variety of different alternative colon prep options came across the Mag Citrate one. So that might be an option. I’ve done salt laxatives before, but I’m not sure if they do as thorough clean out as much as an OTC prep.

I had a colonoscopy way back in 1999 when I was in my early 20’s. This was way before I ever had a Benzo. So I had the sedation and don’t remember any of it. The clean out prep was the worst part.

I’ve had IBS-D for decades, so not much problem getting anything moving down there.

Siggy, I used mag citrate for the "cleanout". No problem. I asked for propofol, and had no problem with it either. I opted for the sedation of propofol because this was during my taper and I was weird about everything. I was a mess when I got to the hospital -- the awful diet ahead of time, the nasty prep . . . I welcomed the sedation. I'm a wimp.  :'(

Just my 2 1/2 cents' worth.

Katz

Siggy, I used mag citrate for the "cleanout". No problem. I asked for propofol, and had no problem with it either. I opted for the sedation of propofol because this was during my taper and I was weird about everything. I was a mess when I got to the hospital -- the awful diet ahead of time, the nasty prep . . . I welcomed the sedation. I'm a wimp.  :'(

 

Just my 2 1/2 cents' worth.

 

Katz

Thanks for letting me know you also used Mag Citrate. It would be easier if I could be sedated, but I’m more anxious about making my setback worse. I think proposal, whole not a Benzo, does work on GABA.

Mag cit is OTC.

This is from the FAQ section on this site. http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-information/frequently-asked-questions/#medical-procedure

Q.    I have to have a medical procedure during which my doctor says I will be sedated. Does this mean I have to go through withdrawal again?

A.    You should not worry that a single dose of a benzodiazepine will cause the reemergence of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is the result of changes in brain receptors which happen over time and with regular use. These changes in receptors will not occur with only a single dose of a benzodiazepine.

I just checked.. -The one that didnt work so great for ME with severe C was a PEG.. fwiw..

-Cheers..

Mag cit is OTC.

 

This is from the FAQ section on this site. http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-information/frequently-asked-questions/#medical-procedure

 

Q.    I have to have a medical procedure during which my doctor says I will be sedated. Does this mean I have to go through withdrawal again?

A.    You should not worry that a single dose of a benzodiazepine will cause the reemergence of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is the result of changes in brain receptors which happen over time and with regular use. These changes in receptors will not occur with only a single dose of a benzodiazepine.

Thanks, I think I’m pretty sensitive though as I’ve already had a few setbacks. So I’m really paranoid now of anything causing more issues.

I just checked.. -The one that didnt work so great for ME with severe C was a PEG.. fwiw..

-Cheers..

Ah thanks for letting me know. I have issues with D, so I shouldn’t have as much issue clearing myself out. 

geez...I'm due for this procedure in the next year..already decided on the propofol for sedation ( I woke up once during this procedure and it was unpleasant...).

But shoot...I forgot about the mag citrate... I'm so sensitive I don't dare do the magnesium..aka bc mag affects gaba...

So then am i right to assume miralax would be a safer way to go? Miralax shouldn't affect gaba right?

8 years ago they found pre-cancerous polyps. stupid colon cancer is in the family so I'm glad they caught it. Most preventable cancer if caught early so thats good! 5 years ago I had routine follow up and my colon was free of any polyps:) I want 12 months of benzo healing before I step foot in the clinic. Thats just e bc I', so tired of medical environments right now.

geez...I'm due for this procedure in the next year..already decided on the propofol for sedation ( I woke up once during this procedure and it was unpleasant...).

 

But shoot...I forgot about the mag citrate... I'm so sensitive I don't dare do the magnesium..aka bc mag affects gaba...

So then am i right to assume miralax would be a safer way to go? Miralax shouldn't affect gaba right?

 

8 years ago they found pre-cancerous polyps. stupid colon cancer is in the family so I'm glad they caught it. Most preventable cancer if caught early so thats good! 5 years ago I had routine follow up and my colon was free of any polyps:) I want 12 months of benzo healing before I step foot in the clinic. Thats just e bc I', so tired of medical environments right now.

I’m not sure about the Miralax. The stuff my GI doctor uses is called Suprep. Which has three different ingredients, one of which is Magnesium Sulphate. If you have problems with Magnesium, you can ask for something else. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) doesn’t have any Magnesium in it.

I was going to try and have them procedure without sedation, but the doctor really recommended against it. So I am worried about the propofol. A lot of people here have said it didn’t cause them any issues.

Sorry to hear you had precancerous polyps, but at least they found them early. My grandmother dies from colon cancer when my mom was around 7 years old.

I don’t blame you about avoiding medical environments. I don’t have much choice because I have a pain in my lower left abdomen for the last three months.

No its definitely best to get looked at..let us know how things go!

Thanks, I will. He has me set to do the colonoscopy and also a Barium CT scan.

So the CT went fine. They said it looked normal. No issues with the Barium stuff I had to drink and no problem with the contrast dye.

The worst part of the Colonoscopy was the prep. They prescribed me something called Suprep. It was a split dose. Took the first dose at 5:30pm and then again at 4:00am. I was terrified the Proppofol would cause me problems, but so far I’ve been ok. It was in Thursday morning and it’s now Sunday night.

They found one polyp that was benign, but precancerous.. so I’m glad I went ahead and took care of it. Told me to come back in five years.

Glad things went well for you, Siggy. A few less things to worry about, right? My colonoscopy is due next year, aargh. If it weren't for the fact that I worry about polyps, I'd do Cologard . . . or a virtual colonoscopy. but I'll probably drink the wretched prep liquid and just . . . go for it.

Best,

Katz

So the CT went fine. They said it looked normal. No issues with the Barium stuff I had to drink and no problem with the contrast dye.

 

The worst part of the Colonoscopy was the prep. They prescribed me something called Suprep. It was a split dose. Took the first dose at 5:30pm and then again at 4:00am. I was terrified the Proppofol would cause me problems, but so far I’ve been ok. It was in Thursday morning and it’s now Sunday night.

 

They found one polyp that was benign, but precancerous.. so I’m glad I went ahead and took care of it. Told me to come back in five years.

So glad it went well! 

Thanks for the reply everyone!

The bowel prep and not wring aren’t fun, but not the worst thing ever. You’ll do fine I think oregonkatz. You still have some time before you have yours.

Really crazy and sad that Chadwick Boseman passed away the day after my procedure.