Community Forum

hello,
Have any of you ladies used the Miralax cleanse/prep?  What are the instructions and did it work well enough for your scope?  Have any of you tried to cleanse in order to 'start over' per say?
The reason I ask is because I think I may be in the beginning stages of a flare.
I have been taking Pentasa as I need it?  When I have taken it consistently, I get constipated!  I will feel as though I am constipated but will have diareah and bleeding with slime (Mucus? Puss?).  I will have loose stools and sometimes when I have the sudden urge to use the bathroom, a firm stool will shoot (gross, I know, but no better way to describe it) out instead.  Sometimes it is oddly shaped, a loop, zig-zag, side by side.  Sorry, this is sooo gross to talk about!!!  I am worried that I am developing a fistula?  After having this kind of bowel movement, I have diareah again for several times a day.  Then sometimes I will feel constipated and I will have contrived thin stool and diareah.  Haven't gone to my GI since he is all the way in Salt Lake.  And talking about this kind of thing is an obvious turn off to him.  I am thinking maybe if I could just use a gentle prep and start anew with a low residue diet?  Thanks in advance for your feedback.  Thanks for bearing with me inspite of the repulsive details!   

 Reply posted for vaudry.

hey ....it's ok...we're all in the same boat here...nothing too graphic for us!

I am just thankful we have this site to share with others who understand.

As for my GI...I am female and my GI is female so I feel very comfortable talking with her......I visit her every 6 months if I'm doing okay and more often if needed............she is just great.........I don't think however I could be as open with a male GI............

 Reply posted for vaudry.

Oh, and I forgot to mention...I've read that a lot of times what we feel as "constipation" is actually "tenemus" (I think I spelled that right.). If I remember correctly, its a false urge to go caused by the inflammation in the colon, and very common with CD/UC. 

 Reply posted for vaudry.

I welcome your detailed info as it lets me know I'm not alone. I experience everything you described from the mis-shapen pebbles, "shooting" solid BM's, mucus, etc. I am in the middle of being diagnosed, so I'm not being treated yet, but the openness on this site is really helping me not feel alone in the meantime. If we can't be open here, what else do we have?

 Reply posted for vaudry.

Hi vaudry! Just thought I would share a little of my experience since my symptoms are similar to yours.  I was recently diagnosed in August and have been on Pentasa 3000 mg since. I had other complications with anal fissures which my colorectal surgeon actually botoxed "better." (side note- the botox hurt like i cant describe. when I think about it, I still cringe and get teary-eyed.) Things were painful for awhile and if you can avoid anything like fistulas, fissures, hemmrhoids do everything you can. it sucks.

Anyway...I have had two colonoscopies since march and used go lightly for my prep stuff- this did exactly what it was supposed to and worked well. If you having a hard time getting it down, maybe try chilling it or mixing it with some clear liquid as was suggested earlier. I dont remember the exact instructions.I am not too familar with the miralax for prep but for "cleaning myself out," yes.

Just recently my doc prescribed miralax to help me not be constipated and "to clean me out", but that didnt work too well. Since it didnt work she thinks my symptoms might be a side effect from the pentasa so we have brought me down to 2000mg/day. The problem with that is I still have inflammation and by lowering the dose, I will be in more pain. 

Detailed bowel movements as well as other things like mucus, pus, gas and pain give doctors much insight into what is happening with our bodies. If a doctor is not comfortable with that, I would be worried.  My team of doctors is AMAZING. They actually crack jokes and make things fun and lighthearted. I just figured those whose job it is to deal with colorectal cancer, look at peoples rears all day and listen to gi tract problems have to have a sense of humor and lots of compassion. My GI doc lets me email her, maybe finding someone who is willing to do that for you could be another possibility. Hope this helps!

 Reply posted for Lizzies Mom.

Dear Lizzie's mom,
"they talk poop for a living.."  Ha ha I have yet to meet a GI doctor that is comfortable talking about poop.  I find the irony very amusing!  I really like my kids dr.  he is also a Gi specialist for kids.  When I need to talk poop I talk to him.  I don't want to get him into trouble by calling about my health issues though.

 Reply posted for Amidala.

Thanks for the reassurance.  I am going to see my GP tomorrow.  The GI Dr up state sent all the blood tests that he wants done so I can have that done tomorrow too and then I won't have to spend so much time in SL when I go.
I will not go to the local GI dr again.  He seriously mishandled my condition and I don't trust him. 
Thanks for your replies.  I think I may try to do a liquid diet for a few days instead since my pain is worse and I feel way more bloated than before.

 Reply posted for vaudry.

Oh Vaudry, there is no gross subject for UC patients, so be free to be graphic. It is my understanding that firm stool mixed with diahrea is a common thing among UC and Crohn's patients.

I sugest you find a GI that is more "handy", available to you when you need to ask this things. Someone you can tell all this things without the feeling that you are saying something gross.

Low residue diet helps a lot!!!! there are tons of veggies and fruits that you shouldn´t eat raw or that you should peel. And try to lower or stay off dairy products for a while...this helps stop the diahrea. But blood and mucus or pus means flare, so find a GI.

 Reply posted for vaudry.

Maybe find a GI closer and one you can feel comfortable talking with.   This is their line of duty, they talk poop for a living!   

 Reply posted for vaudry.

I don't know if I could help you with the latter dilemma. Pardon my ignorance, but what is a low residue diet?

In any case, I did my last prep with Miralax about two years ago. DON'T DO IT. If I ever have to again, I'll decline my colonoscopy (or delay it anyway). You have to mix it with your favorite beverage. I picked Snapple. Not only was I sick of Snapple by the end, the Miralax bloated me to the point where walking was painful. Then there's a diarrhea explosion. It's like a levee breaking. I'm not kidding. The time before that I did pills, and that produced far less discomfort. I don't remember what I did the first time around; I was seven at the time. All I remember is that I was in pain from the colitis. I digress; the pills were probably the best prep.