Endo Month, Day No. 5: Advice for surviving the dreaded Bowel Prep

If you’ve had surgery for your endometriosis (and you should have, if only to diagnose endo), you’ve had to endure one of the greatest indignities Endo Gals face: the bowel prep. A solid day of fasting but for broth and drinking a cask of rancid, not-remotely-pineapple-flavored salt water prep, or gulping down a two-week supply of fiber laxative and taking lax pills. A full day of sitting on the toilet that, if nothing else, helps you lose some weight in the worst possible way and carves some serious time for bathroom reading into your schedule.

We’ve had a few newbies in the Endo Sucks! group on Facebook asking for tips on how to survive the bowel prep, including one on Sunday whose doctor inexplicably did not provide her a list of suggested foods and drinks for the BP Day. I sent her a link to How to Survive a Bowel Prep by the Center for Endometriosis Care and gave some advice from my three personal experiences, but I’m wondering if there’s anything I’m missing.

My advice:
* For food & drink: Chicken broth, beef broth, popsicles, lots of hydration (including flavored water, but no bubbly water post-op). Nothing red. Jell-O (???)
* Additional info: Don’t eat heavy the night before; make your bathroom comfy and clean ’cause you’re going to be there a long while; reading material is a must; gentle wipes (and you know why — a lesson I still hadn’t learned by my third operation); comfy clothing.

I’m stumped beyond that. It’s kinda old hat for me by now so I don’t really remember what my docs told me I could and could not have, but I can’t believe they never gave her an informational sheet. Please contribute any suggestions in the comments section, or add it to the Endo Sucks! group discussion! Amy’s surgery is Tuesday.

Day 15: No control over birth control

Well, things were going really well until today.

I started Microgestin Fe 1/20 (brand name: Loestrin) on Wednesday and made it five whole days without nausea, bleeding, vomiting, or any real side effects (big yay). On Saturday, I did have a lot of moodiness despite working out, as well as a headache when I woke up today, but I can have “down periods” like every other person, plus that is a (usually) temporary side effect of birth control, so I am barely counting that in my side effects column. Plus, I’ve already noticed a decrease in appetite, which is always a plus in my opinion since the pendulum usually swings the other way.

And then, all of a sudden … Blah Time.