We couldn’t see a name. Dark blue hull. Looked like maybe a British nautical flag (red with Union Jack in the upper left corner). Two staircases leading down to sea-level platform. The angle of the sun made it impossible to get better pics but this thing was huge!
I have had the GREAT privilege (/s) of trying out two different types of prep: Clenpiq for my first colonoscopy, and Sutab for the second (which I just had done this morning). I thought I would write down my personal experience/comparison so I can refer back to it when I have to go back in five years from now. Oh, and to help any of you who might be trying to choose between the two options for your own prep.
Low residue diet: Per doctor’s orders, both times I followed a low-residue/fiber diet for several days before prep day. This time around, with my procedure slated for a Friday, I started the low residue diet on Monday. I don’t know if that counts as 4 days before or 5, but Mother’s Day was the day before and I wanted to eat our Mother’s Day dinner, so I did and I’m not sorry! I probably ate more protein this time around than 5 years ago, and I did have bacon a couple of times before realizing maybe I should have avoided that.
Prep day “pre-game”: Per doctor’s orders, both times I took 3 Dulcolax pills in the morning to get things going. I don’t recall how long they took to work the first time, but this time it was a full 6 hours before much happened, and then I progressed pretty quickly to some lovely diarrhea. Ah, such fun.
Prep day “liquid diet”: Both times, I had black tea with honey, and for food I had orange jello, lime popsicles, and broth/stock. Five years ago I stuck to my homemade chicken stock when I wanted something not-sweet. This time around, I started with my homemade stock, then switched to College Inn chicken bone broth in the afternoon. My doctor’s instructions do not say whether bone broth is allowed or forbidden, and various other prep sheets I found online are split between allowed vs. forbidden. People on this sub who drank bone broth on “liquid diet” day have reported their prep was just fine, so I decided I’d give it a try. That said, I was a bit concerned at how not-clear the bone broth was, so after 2 mugs of it I switched back to my homemade stock, which is much, much clearer than the bone broth.
Clenpiq (5 years ago): Five years ago I shared a LONG post with my full Clenpiq experience. Thinking back on it, I would say that for me, it was no more difficult than Sutab. I was a TINY bit queasy due to having to drink a lot of water, but that happens with all of the preps. I held my nose when I drank it and then immediately chased it with something else, so I don’t even know what it tastes like. I really didn’t have to run to the bathroom all that much, and the doctor rated my prep quality as good. FWIW, unrelated to the prep, they found a polyp (pre-cancerous) and recommended I come back in 5 years.
Sutab (yesterday): This time around I thought I would try Sutab. I have no issue taking pills, even really big ones, and this just seem easier. My husband had used Sutab a couple of years ago with no issues.
Anti-Nausea Med: The doctor prescribed Zofran for me to take 30-60 minutes before each round of the Sutab tablets, and I took it because I really didn’t want bad nausea. Happy to say it worked, but it did give me a headache and I felt generally unwell. I was kind of surprised, because I typically don’t experience side-effects from medication. I did not have anti-nausea meds with the Clenpiq.
Swallowing the Pills: I had no issue taking the Sutab pills. It recommends taking them one at a time, spaced 1-2 minutes apart. I spaced them 1 minute apart and had no issue with it. I used the full 16 oz of water to take the pills. I then had to drink another 16 oz an hour later, and then I was \*supposed\* to drink another 16 oz again 30 minutes after the 2nd cup of water, but I missed that in the instructions. I \*did\* have about 8 oz of chicken stock, though.
Clean-out Experience: The Sutab was definitely more intense than the Clenpiq. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I’m a pretty small person (5’2”, 120 lbs), and perhaps the dose was just more than I needed? I was in the bathroom WAY more than I had been with the Clenpiq (if memory serves). It started working quickly — within an hour of taking the pills. And I kept having to run to the loo for about 3 hours after finishing the last pill, plus one or two “last hurrahs” after that, including an hour after I went to bed, when I woke up to discover that not only did I need to get to the toilet quickly, in fact my butt had leaked a bit (ewwwwww) and I had to change into clean unders & sleep pants. I don’t even want to admit that this happened because it’s so gross, but this is something that did not happen with the Clenpiq so I want to make sure to document this as one of the differences! My last “output” was clear, pale yellow with a little bit of whitish “fluff” that sank to the bottom of the bowl. Same as I had with the Clenpiq.
Prep Quality: This time around, the doctor said I was clean enough for the exam but there was some remaining fecal matter in there. I cannot imagine HOW there was ANYTHING in there, considering the liquid that was flushing through me. When I mentioned this to my husband, he said the doc had mentioned the same to him. I wonder if Sutab is just more prone to this than Clenpiq, though I don’t know why that would be the case.
FINAL IMPRESSIONS: I will probably choose to use the Clenpiq next time around (in 2031, which seems like an impossibly futuristic date). Why? Mostly because (a) I don’t have to take the anti-nausea med that makes me feel yucky; (b) the taste and amount of liquid were not problematic; (c) it didn’t make my butt leak while I was sleeping; and (d) the prep quality was better. YMMV
I am always happy to answer any questions folks might have, even years later, so if you want to ask me anything, please do! Good luck to you all.
PS: Tips for conquering your fear: Knowledge is power! Use the tips people share on this sub and set yourself for success. Control what you can (your food/liquid choices, your prep choice, being on time to your appointment). And most of all remember: The staff at the procedure location/office are just having a regular day at work. They do this procedure all day every day. None of them are worried about a THING. And this is evidence that a colonoscopy is NOT a “big deal” procedure. It’s very, boringly routine. Your job is just to prep well, get there on time, and then … snooze! The doctors and nurses are well-trained professionals and will take care of you. I promise!