jskash

I have a colonoscopy scheduled in a couple of weeks. Has anyone gone out for a ride the day the prep takes place? I can see the pros and cons. The pros, at least I would get a ride in for the day before the fun of the prep starts. The cons, not having any solid food for the day might be harder because of the calories burned during the ride. Thoughts?

zandoval 

Hope everything comes out alright!

FBOATSB 

All you can eat Jello! FTW!

himespau 

Short ride? Probably no big deal. Monster ride? Maybe an issue. Do gels count as breaking the fast? I can't remember. I did a hard ride the day after the colonoscopy without much issue. But, other than that, some embarrassing things I said to the nurse as I came out of my anesthesia, and the hell of the prep, my memories of the whole ordeal are pretty foggy (and it was just a year ago).

DiabloScott

I don't remember... but if I were thinking of this, I'd try it today and see how hungry you get. I don't think the "medicine" makes you hungrier, so if you can not eat after your ride until halfway through tomorrow, you should be OK. Go through the whole schedule like it's the real thing, and if you can't do it today, you won't want to do it in a couple weeks either.

79pmooney

My biggest concern would be staying good and hydrated for the best possible exam outcome. Other than that, maybe do a ride with a bail out option in case you feel bad.

Iride01 

I probably wouldn't do the longest and hardest ride of my life before starting the prep.

If you are just going for whatever your typical <90 minute medium effort ride is then no issue. I've been there and done that.

No anesthesia either. That way I can watch live what the doctor is seeing inside me. Even the doctor chuckled last time when he came across a watermelon seed.

jskash

Thank for the reply. My typical ride is 2 hours, but I could cut it down to 90 minutes. Mind you, I don't ride very fast. 12 mph on a good day on my Specialized Sirrus 6.

Kaiser does not have an option to not get anesthesia. I actually would like to see what the doctor is seeing.

FBOATSB 

I've had three so far, and about due for another. The Doc has always given me 8 1/2 X 11 print outs of screen shots from a video of any pertinent images. I've had polyps snipped in the first one, if I recall correctly. There should be a video?
All of my radiology over the years goes on cloud servers for all the Docs to share as well.

BobbyG

I've got my ten year follow up scope coming up. I got severely dehydrated the first time I prepped and had to bail and do it again a week later. That went better.

Why risk any negative consequences and ditch the pre-prep ride.

I got the photos from my first colonoscopy around the same time I got photos from a sewer-line inspection. While it was obvious which was which, they were still disturbingly similar.

jskash

Thank you for this post. I will ask the doctor if he can share the images with me.

Iride01 

If a two hour ride is your typical ride, then my <90 minute isn't really a magic number. It's just what my typical ride is during the week. Though if your typical ride is only one ride per week, then maybe it would be a good idea to cut back the time some.

Is this your first colonoscopy? The only really bad part is drinking the prep stuff. And if you do anesthesia, then the annoying recovery time. Without anesthesia, I can walk out as soon as they pull the scope out of me and drive myself home. When awake the procedure itself is only a tad uncomfortable from the air or CO2 they inflate your intestine with. Using CO2 is a little controversial among the GI doctors here, but since the body is made to rid itself of CO2 as fast a possible it's gone from your gut almost as soon as they pull the scope. Unlike when they use air and you have to stay in recovery until you pass that gas in one huge fart.

tyrion

Don't ride after you start drinking the Liquid Draino (laxative). You need to be close to a toilet.

IIRC my instructions were to start drinking the Draino 24hrs prior to the procedure (it's about a gallon of stuff you have to get down).

jskash

Fortunately, I asked for and received another treatment besides the gallon of ick. It's called Suprep. I still have to drink the same amount of fluid throughout the day before the procedure, but only have to drink one bottle of the Surprep the evening before, and one the next morning.

Speedskater

In the past I have gone inline skating in the park the day before prep. 2 years later, I went ice speedskating practice the evening before prep. No problems.

rumrunn6

whatever do do before, may I suggest your companion bring you somewhere nice for breakfast or lunch afterwards? Wifey & I have a pact do do this for each other. the 1st 2 for she & I were early, so it was breakfast. her last one, last week, was later, so it was lunch afterwards. she knew a cafe she liked & it had a shady outdoor patio. lovely

best of luck!

MNBikeCommuter

I had a half century round trip commute at the time of my colonoscopy. I loaded the pannier with Gatorade and Mountain Dew for the day--enough sugar calories to power the biking plus no chance of dehydrating. The riding went just fine. Of more concern was that I needed to take a laxative pill at work that was supposed to kick in in about four hours. The commute home was two, and I was sure counting on the accuracy of that four hours... At home, the fun really began with a bottle of Mirilax in half a gallon of Gatorade to get the show really moving...

I'm working from home these days so next year's won't have all that pre-prep excitement.

indyfabz

Yes. Ask for a photo or two. You’ll likely be on your side looking away from the monitor and thus would not be able to watch. And I don’t think you want to be awake while that thing is snaking through your colon.

'02 nrs 

Jello also has a chocolate pudding flavor,very filling & did not effect the exam last December.highly recommend trying.

himespau 

Posting about chocolate pudding in a colonoscopy thread takes my mind to juvenile places.

Chubby715

I had my 3rd colonoscopy back in June. I did my normal ride (90 mins) the day before starting prep. No issues whatsoever with remaining hydrated during the 24 prepping period. I drank mostly Gatorade and white cranberry juice, as well as black coffee (8 oz) before the procedure and felt fine throughout.

DiabloScott

I didn't get any photos, but the anesthesiologist said sometimes they start to wake you up a little early and I might feel the snake on the way out, which shouldn't be painful but sometimes people freak out.

I don't remember anything until I was in the farting room.

indyfabz

Likely got Propofol. Good stuff. I used to occasionally hang out at happy with anesthesiology resident. He explained that it works fast, wears off fast and has relatively few side effects, like nausea, for most people. The downside is that it has a smaller therapeutic dose window. That, he said, is what made the actions of the doctor who O.D.ed Michael Jackson that much worse.

I have had it for my spinal injections, two colonoscopies and a heart procedure where they shock your heart back into a normal rhythm. Only twice do I remember feeling drowsy before going under. The first time I had it was for a spinal injection. I was wondering if the doc had given me enough because I felt wide awake. The next thing I knew I woke up in the recovery chair. No memory of falling out whatsoever.

gringomojado

Depends?

gm

Joe F

I mountain bike and do an Intermittent Fasting 18:6 lifestyle. I typically ride in the mornings while in a fasted state. I rode as normal the morning of the prep day before my procedure last week. 90min or so in a HIIT like riding pattern. I stayed well hydrated the rest of the day and drank more than I normally would, adding in some electrolytes (Smart Water). The only side effect I had was that I usually eat my daily main meal at around 2PM and was pretty hungry by late afternoon. I started my prep at 4PM with the second round at 8PM. I was "empty" by 9PM'ish and other than still feeling hungry, had a great night's sleep. I had my procedure the following day. I was put under with Propofol. All I remember is being wheeled into the procedure room and then later waking up back in recovery. I took it easy that day, eating a light meal a few hours after I got home. I did fly around the house a bit expelling some residual air. I rode again the next morning with no issues and no decrease in performance. Good for another 7 years!