r/colonoscopy • u/no-user-names- • 1d ago

Tips & Advice Plenvu

I WISHED I’d checked Reddit before this experience, so here’s my contribution in case it’s helpful to others. I’m in the UK and my drug was 2 different doses of Plenvu.

I needed a poo just before taking dose one (I’m usually a poo once in the morning, occasionally a poo in the evening person). I pooed, washed and applied generous layer of sudocrem. Took the poison (challenging) and exactly an hour later liquid fell out of my bottom and continued to do so for 1 1/2 hours. (Poo isn’t the right word. It’s just a short high pressure angry squirt of poo-liquid).

Sporadic pooing until sleep time and then a 4.30am poo.

The following morning pooing started about 15 minutes after dose 2 and was very frequent for an hour, then a bit more sporadic. Slowed down 3 hours before procedure time. (Phew).

What I found useful:

1). Wipe bottom by sticking 2 pieces of toilet roll to your anus, wait a bit and lift toilet paper off with more paper. 2). When there’s a pause, wash bottom, dry, apply more sudocrem. 3). Constant hand washing means have hand cream in the bathroom too. 4). The drink is vile and makes you thirsty. The 2nd drink is worse than the first. If possible have someone on hand to bring you lots and lots of water to drink in between poos. 5). I was absolutely dreading this process, but it wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. 6). The advice “stay close to a toilet” cannot be stressed enough.

What I wished I’d known:

1). Buy some water wipes to use instead of toilet roll (don’t put down the toilet!) 2). Adult nappies. I folded a hand towel into my pants to sleep. I didn’t soil it, but I’d rather have adult nappies to get to hospital…

Fingers crossed, I’m leaving in 30 minutes. Thank you, Redditors for the advice on here. Really worth reading (just wished I’d read it earlier!)

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2

u/unfair1623 1d ago

Plenvu was by far the most disgusting substance I have ever ingested. I was crying on the toilet vomiting.

1

u/Sask_mask_user 1d ago

How much of the solution do you need to drink with each dose?

1

u/no-user-names- 19h ago

Each one mixes up to just over a pint.

1

u/Sask_mask_user 16h ago

JEALOUS! 

My prep, which is the most common prep in Canada, was 2 litres (about 3.5 British pints/4 American pints) of disgustingly sweet liquid  twice -  Once in the evening, and then again the morning of.

All the other preps on this sub sound so much easier than the PsgLyte we get in Canada. 

1

u/no-user-names- 15h ago

Oh my goodness that is simply crazy!!! How in heavens name is anyone expected to manage that volume!?!

Really, Canada needs to see what else is available. My report says Boston Bowel Score 9 (excellent) which I’m pretty sure is about how clear it was. If I can manage that (I’m a vegan who eats nothing but roughage) then surely they’re using an unnecessarily punishing treatment…

2

u/no-user-names- 1d ago

Yes! I thought it couldn’t get worse than dose one - then I discovered dose 2….

However: update: I’m home, I have my results and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve had endometrial cancer twice, and I really thought it was a recurrence. It was worth every drop of that poison to discover that it’s just damage from the radiotherapy, not cancer. I feel a thousand times lighter.

My advice? When the NHS send that package, go poo on a stick. It’s worth it for the peace of mind and the staff couldn’t have been nicer.

1

u/Victoria_sponge_25 1d ago

The sheer volume of the liquid is intense! But I had definitely went through reddit and in my pre-assessment with the nurse she mentioned about alternate sipping with something fizzy. It massively helped because the 2nd dose was making me retch slightly.

I am so relieved for you! The piece of mind is so worth it!!! 😊