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While you are unlikely to find anyone who really enjoys colonoscopies, they never have to be bad experiences. If you disliked the colonoscopy preparation beverage you had to drink before your last one and that has left you delaying or skipping these important cancer and bowel disease screening producedures, you'll be happy to know there is more than one way to clear your bowels for a colonoscopy procedure. Ask your doctor about the following alternative colonoscopy preparation protocols and see if he or she thinks one may be better for you. 

1. PREPOPIK Low-Volume Solution

If the reason you disliked the traditional colon preparation was due to just having to drink so much of it, often two full quarts, then a low-volume alternative may be better for you. The PREPOPIK low-volume colonoscopy prep protocol only involves drinking five ounces (that's barely over a half cup!) of solution the night before the procedure, and another five ounces the morning of it. 

The only small caveat is that you do have to follow each dose with plenty of water or clear liquid; you must drink a total of 40 ounces the evening after your first dose and 24 ounces after your morning dose. However, you can choose any clear beverage that you enjoy and sip on it throughout the evening and morning. 

This protocol is unfortunately not currently recommended if you are pregnant or have kidney problems. 

2. Rectal-Pulsed Irrigation

If you have ever had a colonic and didn't mind it or liked it, then this may be a good colonoscopy prep protocol for you. It is also a good option if you often have a queasy stomach in the morning or have to work in the morning on the day of your colonoscopy and can't run back and forth to the bathroom all day. 

With the rectal-pulsed irrigation colonoscopy prep protocol, most doctors do recommend that you drink 10 ounces of a magnesium citrate beverage the evening before your colonoscopy. That is just a little over a full cup, and standard magnesium citrate prep typically involves drinking 4 full liters, so the amount you need to drink is greatly reduced. Then, just before your colonoscopy, a doctor or nurse will perform rectal-pulsed irrigation, which the formal term for a colonic. 

That means you don't have to drink anything special the day of your colonoscopy at all. The colonic will clean out any remaining fecal matter, so your doctor can get a clear view of your bowel and intestines during your colonoscopy. This preparation protocol is also not recommended if you have kidney problems or congestive heart failure. 

For more information, talk to a professional like Lincoln Surgical Group PC.