Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation User Reviews (Page 5)

• mar...
• July 27, 2022

"This was my second colonoscopy. My first one I had no problems at all. This time I took Clenpiq, and it has been a terrible experience. Other than the fact that it did cleanse me out, there is nothing else positive about this product. I took the first bottle at 3:30 PM. The taste is absolutely putrid and lingers. But that is not the worst part of it. It started working about 2 hours after the first dose, I also started having chills. Another couple of hours later, I was having very watery bowels, then nothing for an hour or so, so I went to bed. I woke up twice in the middle of the night in a puddle of watery poop. Had to change and shower. After the second shower, I passed out. Thank goodness my husband was there. I felt terrible, lightheaded, nauseous, heart racing. As directed, I took the second dose at 9 am. For hours after the colonoscopy, bad cramps. Had loose stools for 2 days and still feel 'off' over a week later. This stuff was toxic to my body. NEVER AGAIN!!!"

• Ral...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2023

"The prep was administered as directed. The cleanse was inadequate. I had to have two enemas prior to the procedure because I did not feel as though I was adequately prepped. Even so, the capable doctor was unable to get an adequate read, and I have been instructed to return in one year. Choose an alternate prep kit so you do not miss a day of work and burden the medical community with a failed procedure. No one wants this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 17, 2019

"Tasted fine, but failed to provide sufficient colon cleaning. Despite following the preparation guidelines fully, starting two hours early and drinking more than double the amount of water recommended, the Boston Bowel Prep Score was 1 out of 9."

• Rem...
• August 29, 2018

"If you're reading this, chances are your doctor prescribed Clenpiq. I recently had a colonoscopy, and the doctor had me use the Clenpiq. It's not cheap, and insurance doesn't seem to cover it. I believe the price is roughly $150, and they gave it to me for $50. Hated it, but I trusted my doctor. On prep day, I had black coffee and then water for breakfast. For lunch, green 'yuck' jello. Then back to water and Diet 7Up. At 3 pm, I slowly drank the first bottle. Nothing happened. After about two hours, 'thar she blows!!' As an aside, have a tablet or laptop ready to watch movies or shows or whatever your choice. Back to the fun. I continued this pace the rest of the night. I got maybe a couple of hours of sleep. Then, four hours before the procedure, I drank bottle two. More bathroom time, but not nearly that much. I was done and had the procedure. The doctor said I was totally clean, which is good because if you're not, you'll have to do it again. So a big thumbs up to Clenpiq. It worked for me."

• Jen...
• December 11, 2018

"This was my first bowel prep, and it was way easier than I expected! I took Zofran before each dose, which definitely helped. I had about 20 minutes of nausea each dose, but after that, it was easy! I was totally clear and had an uneventful procedure."

• Mee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 1, 2018

"I was prescribed Clenpiq for my first ever colonoscopy prep. I drank the first dose around 5 pm, and it started to kick in within an hour. It was super sweet and did not taste great. I felt nauseous for about 30 minutes after drinking each dose, but that went away. There was no warning when it kicked in. I think another reviewer used the phrase 'turned on the water works,' which is an accurate description of my experience. I spent at least an hour straight in the bathroom. It took about 3 to 4 hours for things to ease enough where I felt I could try to sleep. I took the 2nd dose around 3:15 am. It took less time to kick in, and I did have a slight urge this time. I went intermittently until it was time to leave my house at 7:45 am, but made it without any accidents on the drive there. I did have to go once after arriving, but it wasn't much. Overall, I felt Clenpiq did what it was supposed to with minimal side effects for me. I had a successful prep and colonoscopy."

• Swe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2017

"I had a colonoscopy today and used Prepopik for bowel preparation. For my last colonoscopy several years ago, I had used magnesium citrate and found the Prepopik so much easier to take, and my doctor said I had a nice, clean colon afterward. The way I took it, I didn't taste it, and it went down very easily. This is what I did: before drinking the Prepopik, I had a small amount of ginger ale. I prepared the Prepopik with very cold water, and after stirring it as directed, I added a few ice cubes. Using a straw and holding my nose, I sucked that baby right down in several big gulps, and following a recommendation I saw on the internet, I immediately sucked on a lemon! Sounds weird, but it worked!! I seriously didn't taste the stuff!"

• Whi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2025

"Four days before my colonoscopy, I ate only non-fibrous foods. The day before, I switched to a clear liquid diet. At 9 PM, I took my first dose of Clenpiq. Two to three hours later, I experienced a violent, explosive evacuation, barely making it to the toilet. The pain was excruciating, and I felt delirious, nauseous, and on the verge of calling emergency services—though I couldn’t reach my phone. Eventually, the pain and symptoms subsided. At 3 AM, I hesitantly took the second dose, fearing another traumatic reaction. I drank the 2nd dose followed by 32 oz clear liquids, including broth, water, and green tea. Surprisingly, there was no severe reaction—just a steady flushing of water. No vomiting, no delirium, no extreme discomfort. I felt fine afterwards, but not sure if this was the best way to clean the GI for the colonoscopy."

• Ame...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2019

"Not bad at all. The taste is okay. I would really recommend using a straw and washing your mouth out after drinking because it does have a lingering taste. I drank the required clear liquid for both parts within an hour of drinking the prep, and it started working 30 minutes later. What comes out is pretty much water. I had no rush to go to the bathroom and was able to sleep through the night between preps."

• Ann...
• September 14, 2018

"First, I will confirm that I followed all my doctor's instructions precisely. After the first dose of Clenpiq at 5 pm, I had a terrible headache. Forty minutes after taking the second dose at 10 pm, the nausea and vomiting started. From 10:40 pm to 3:36 pm, I was sitting on the toilet throwing up in the trash can. I was mostly, but not completely, cleaned out. The doctor wrote on the report that the colonoscopy was difficult because there was 'retained stool.' That was no surprise since I'm sure I puked up most of the second dose."

• Lex...
• August 4, 2019

"This is my 3rd colonoscopy due to my diagnosis of ulcerative proctitis. I have used a different prep for all 3. I did not enjoy the other preps either, but the temporary discomfort is not hard to rationalize through. The process and method are just means to an end. I chose the split-dose method, just to ensure that there would be plenty of time to make sure I was completely clean. Took the first dose at 3:45 pm and the second at 9:00 pm. Long story short, I had a miserable night NOT pooping and had to make multiple calls to the GI's office and multiple trips to the pharmacy to get additional laxatives. So by 11:00 am the next day, after having used the entire prep per manufacturer's instructions, a gallon of water, 2 Dulcolax suppositories, and 1 1/2 bottles of Mag Citrate, I was 'clean enough' to perform the procedure. Ridiculous. Never again."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2017

"I was given this prep since my first try was rescheduled due to an adverse reaction to Golytely colon prep. At first, I wasn't sure it was working. I was told by my GI to start at 2 pm with the first packet in 5 oz of liquid and the second packet at 7 pm. I heard bowel sounds at 8 pm, but nothing moving. I did have to use an enema per Dr. orders, however, I did have the prep start working within a few minutes after, and as I write this... well, let's just say it's 11:30 pm and I am still awake using the restroom. No cramping, no nausea, no headaches. It is very gentle. I am a 39-year-old female and have a history of colitis with severe constipation."

• Hap...
• June 18, 2019

"Couldn’t be happier with this preparation!!! Prepped using the split-dose method. Used a soft diet the day before the prep that included white bread toast and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, and 32 ounces of Gatorade. The day of prep, drank tons of water, the small bottle of prep (about the equivalent of approximately three or four shot glasses). Followed by a second small bottle next morning together with 3 cups of water. The syrup tastes very sweet but found that when warm chicken broth was taken between sips, the broth was amazing for treating the aftertaste. Will definitely use again in the future!"

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2018

"48 yr old female doing prep because of diverticulitis. Clenpiq did its job. Liquid diet all day then took the first bottle of Clenpiq at 4 pm. Not fun to drink, but I’ve had to drink bottles of barium for other tests before, so this was nothing compared to that. I dry heaved after drinking the first half of the bottle, but then took deep breaths and finished it OK. Started to work within an hour. The second bottle was harder to get down. I drank that at 9 pm. This time, the diarrhea was much worse, it would hit so fast I barely made it to the bathroom in time, and it was only 10 feet away. Slept off and on, basically on the toilet every hour until 4:30 am. Woke at 7, went again but less urgency. Sipping water now. My appointment is at 11 am. Have a bad headache and feel anxious, but I attribute this to being a bit dehydrated. Overall, even though the medicine is gross, once you get it down, it works. I’m sure all will go well with my procedure today as I am really cleaned out."

• rd4...
• April 28, 2019

"I was extremely bloated with cramps for 1 week after using Clenpiq for my colonoscopy prep. It took 3 hours before it worked, then continued for 8 hours. Then I had to take the 2nd bottle. It did work, but I felt bad for days."

• MDS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2022

"Probably the worst drug experience I have ever had. Name the symptom on the list, I had it: headache, bloating, ear pain, severe nausea, belching, cramping, dizzy. It took 5.5 hours with the first dose to make my first run to the bathroom, and I was living on plain pasta and soups for the last 3 days. I have IBS-C, and my regular drug Trulance does a better clean out with a tsp of olive oil. Total nightmare. I luckily had Dulcolax in the house to be able to take 3 of those to add to the mix. Added that from reading here and took the second dose right after I started going, for fear I would not be done. I am determined to make this work even if I have to take more Dulcolax. Horrible drug. How can anyone prescribe something with a 50% success rate? Last time I took some salty grape thing, ice cold with ice and a cold water chaser, and it worked fast, and I was done with both doses by 11 pm. I have a 6:30 am arrival tomorrow and likely will have no sleep tonight."

• Mem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 23, 2019

"Clenpiq was decent as a bowel prep. The solution I got was flavored with cranberry flavor. It was sweet and salty, but I got it down easily. Compared to GoLytely, there were slightly fewer movements (although still a LOT), but towards the end, it started feeling hot and acidic. I didn't have that with GoLytely. Make sure to have baby wipes handy. However, it seemed to clean me out very well, probably better than GoLytely. I didn't have any noticeable adverse side effects. Although, the prep continued to work AFTER the procedure."

• AGa...
• March 31, 2019

"This Clenpiq prep is amazing. This was my 5th attempt at a colonoscopy. This is the only prep I’ve been able to keep down. The taste is horrible, but that’s to be expected. I just held my nose, drank a sip of the prep, and then a sip of water. The best tip I can give you is to drink room temperature water or clear liquids. You will have little to no cramping at all with room temperature liquids."

• Fir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2019

"I have heard nightmare stories of prepping for a colonoscopy from family members. I was very hesitant. First of all, I don’t drink much water to begin with. I started the day before prep with a liquid diet. The next day, I started my prep after more liquids during the day. The taste was sweet. Taking the advice of reviews, I used a straw. I drank water right after, that was harder than drinking the prep for me. I switched to Sprite, as it was easier for me to drink. I had my first bowel movement within 20 minutes. I went every 10-15 minutes for about an hour, but didn’t have to run to the bathroom. I didn’t spend long in the bathroom when I did go. Trips to the bathroom were further apart in time. I took the second dose, and it was very much the same as the first. I never felt the rush to get into the bathroom, it wasn’t “violent” episodes as people had described. By the time I had to go to the hospital, about 35 minutes away, I was basically done."

• Tin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2016

"Now I have a history of colitis, so this is about my 10th one or more. It was nice that you only had to drink 5 oz of the liquid at one time, followed by 5 more 8 oz glasses of liquid. The taste was more citric with a hint of orange. Much better than the lemon-lime stuff that I have had to drink in the past. Plus, it did not make me nauseous (which is a plus in my book). It did take about 2 hours for me to have my first BM after drinking the Prepopik, and then only 2 more until I had to take the second dose. Then proceeded to go every 45 min to an hour until I went to bed. Didn't wake up during the night to go, only when I woke up an hour prior to my procedure. This is not a fun experience in general, but overall one of the easiest preps I have had."

• Fir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2017

"After viewing videos of previous 'preps' that required hours and hours of drinking huge amounts of solutions, I was happy to read that Prepopik only required two relatively small doses. I have to say at first I was worried because it didn't kick in until 3 hours passed. But then, it worked well and cleaned me out well. I followed dietary restrictions to a 'T' and drank plenty of fluids. The 'bowel cleansing' process isn't fun - lots of time on the toilet. But, once this product started, it worked well. I did the same day dose: first at 4 pm, second at 9:30. The unpleasantness is really just staying up most of the night using the bathroom, but my early AM colonoscopy went without a hitch. My only critique is that it would 'kick in' sooner."

• She...
• October 12, 2019

"It was the easiest prep I have tried. I used a straw to drink the first bottle as well as the second. I started at 1:00 and the second bottle at 6:00. Slept through the night with no disturbances. Doc said I was totally cleaned out. I drank 50 ounces of liquids. Jello as well. Keep drinking white apple, white cranberry, and lemon jello."

• goo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2019

"I am a high-risk patient as colon cancer runs in my family. I am required to have a colonoscopy every 5 years. I've been doing this for the past 30 years, so I've had plenty of experience with the previous preparation method involving prescribed medication (a little bit in a ridiculous 1-gallon jug) and Gatorade, which I cannot stand the smell of, let alone try to swallow. The entire routine was extremely harsh, making me raw and having to apply ointments to gain relief. This prep was amazingly simple to follow and extremely gentle. Night and day. I highly recommend it. The only downside? I had an early appointment for my colonoscopy, so I had to do the two-step prep the day before. The final round was at 10 pm, so sleeping wasn't my reality that night."

• col...
• March 17, 2017

"I followed the directions my Dr. gave me - 1 packet at 5 with 5 8 oz glasses of clear liquid to drink in 2 hours after that. Started going within an hour. Took the 2nd packet at 10:00 and have been in the bathroom a lot. No doubt I will be totally clear by the AM. This is great. I had a $40 coupon for the product from the Dr., so the cost wasn't bad at all. Will use the product again the next time."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2020

"Tastes like sweet and salty chalk, but I didn't mind. I am on the 2nd bottle now. Tons of water and clear Pedialyte, so I have zero dehydration, no headaches or anything, no cramps, no nausea. Worried a bit because I only have a small amount of bowel movements that were just liquid, and now nothing. That's it? Did it work? I go in for the colonoscopy in about 3 hours. I am up all night feeling like I gotta go, but then don't. So we will see."