Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Hea...
• November 26, 2015

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "Had an endoscopy (w/biopsy) and colonoscopy (double adventure) yesterday. Not my first time having procedures but first trial with Prepopik. Much easier than expected. Started 1st pack around 5 pm & drank more than the 5 8 oz clear liquids (rotated between chicken broth and Gatorade to balance off the sweet/salt cravings plus have extra electrolytes to avoid dehydration). The meds kicked in about an hr later and continued till around 10 pm. Second dose at 1 am. Had plenty to drink again. Doc recommended I take Gas-X (1 tablet after drinking the med). No cramping! Slept from 3-6 am. Had a mild headache (thought caffeine withdrawal or being hungry). My procedure was at 9 am. Headache/nauseous till procedure but recovered fine! Would recommend meds."

• EMC...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2023

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "Followed doctor’s instructions for 3 days before and 1 day before. I even ate light from 5 days before. Took the first dose at 5 pm. Had a big movement around 7:30. Normal shape and consistency. Went to bed. Woke up at 2 am with severe uncontrollable diarrhea and headache. Took the second dose at 5 am. It is now 9 am and nausea, headache, and watery diarrhea continue. My procedure is at 1 pm. I am counting the minutes until this is over. The taste was okay, although I would have preferred orange or banana flavor. My last colonoscopy was 7 years ago, and I do remember having to gag down a large amount of a different laxative, so this was better in that respect."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 30, 2015

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "As a colon cancer patient, I have had colonoscopies every 6 months for years. As an old pro, I must say that I have NEVER experienced anything remotely as totally ineffective as this supposed preparation. As a result, I must reschedule for after the first of the year and pay my full medical deductible immediately, rather than no cost because the deductible is already met for this year. My husband will be docked pay for taking off to drive me. I will have to take another week off blood thinner. And I feel nauseated, bloated, and angry. Shame on Prepopik for taking good folks' money with false claims!"

• JPF...
• May 21, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I told my doctor I wanted the same thing he prescribed for me during my last colonoscopy six years ago. He said I could still use that, which was MiraLAX, but he recommended Clenpiq. When I went to get it from the pharmacy, I was told it was $169. I’m on Medicare, and I have supplemental insurance as well, but I was still going to have to pay that much. I almost decided to get the MiraLAX. However, since the prep time for the Clenpiq is less than for the MiraLAX, I decided to get the Clenpiq. However, after I purchased it, I went online and started reading the reviews. I was terrified. I’ve never had an issue with the prep previously, but some of the reviews for Clenpiq were way too frightening. I’m a 66-year-old man, and I only weigh 135 pounds, so I was concerned that there might be cramping and nausea, which I never had previously. I almost decided to get the MiraLAX anyway. However, I ended up taking the Clenpiq and had no issues whatsoever. I’m glad I stuck with it."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "The taste of Clenpiq isn’t bad at first but gets worse with each sip/gulp. For me, it helped to chew a piece of mint gum and sip sweet tea, chill the prep, drink it with a straw, and take breaks in between several big gulps of the prep. I also drank about double the amount of clear liquids recommended. I would take about 15-20 minutes to finish each bottle. I never threw up (thankfully) and never had any cramping. I felt pretty bloated and a little nauseous and kept belching the prep. The trips to the bathroom started within 30-45 minutes after finishing the prep and were pretty regular for about 1.5-2 hours after each dose, subsided quite a bit for several hours, then started again. On the prep day, after the first couple of hours, I only went a few times until about midnight then had a couple of rushed trips but was able to sleep without any accidents. I was fully cleaned out for my procedure and gratefully, only had to make 1 stop on the 45-minute drive to the surgery center."

• Fed...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "7/13/2022, my wife is having her colonoscopy tomorrow, and she is literally about to pass out from taking this stuff. It was $85 of hell she is experiencing. 1. The taste is terrible. 2. She is cramping and getting chills. 3. Her stomach is in knots. I had mine done 2 years ago, and my doctor prescribed for me 3 tablets of Dulcolax. Then take Miralax at 6 pm to start. This Clenpiq is awful and expensive just to get sick and crap."

• Lor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I was absolutely terrified and a wreck with worry for 2 weeks before the colonoscopy. It was all for nothing. Clenpiq is amazing. I didn't think the taste was bad at all. I followed the directions to the letter and had NO nausea, cramps, or vomiting. It was gentle and barely fazed me. Several trips to the bathroom, not super urgent, flushed me out completely. The first bottle took 90 minutes to 'kick in,' and the second bottle took about an hour. Colonoscopy itself went great, hospital staff was super nice, I have no recollection of it -- came out of anesthesia feeling good. The worst part of the entire thing was the liquid diet the day before -- I was starving and weak but got through it. I know everyone's different, but for me, Clenpiq was truly a miracle drug, and I will definitely use it without hesitation if I have to do this again. Insurance partially paid, and my cost was $50. So worth it!"

• JRW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 23, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I was prescribed this med for a routine colonoscopy. For 2 days prior to prep day, I ate a light, low-residue diet. Then, on prep day, nothing but clear liquids. When it came time to take Clenpiq at around 4 pm, I was surprised at how NOT terrible it was. I alternated swigs of it with sips of orange Pedialyte, and it went down just fine. Flavor-wise, it’s hard to describe. But, basically, it’s super sweet at first, with a salty aftertaste. It started working about 20 mins later, which was surprisingly fast, but it was very gentle. No cramping or explosive BMs, etc. I also had no nausea or headache. I was in and out of the bathroom until about 10 pm, and then I fell asleep. Woke up at 4 am and repeated the process. By 6 am, I was producing clear, pale yellow stools, and was good to go. My doc said my colon was totally clear. I can highly recommend Clenpiq as a bowel prep and will happily use it again when I go back in 7 years!"

• sno...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Beware... this prep made me very nauseous. Drank the first bottle at 3 p.m., followed with 5 cups of water. By 8 p.m., I was dry heaving heavily, and this continued throughout the night. I could not stomach the 2nd bottle at 3 a.m. the following morning. Even water was making me gag at this point. The only good thing I can say about Clenpiq is that the first bottle I drank the afternoon before cleaned me out enough for my doctor to perform my colonoscopy anyway."

• sno...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Beware... this prep made me very nauseous. Drank the first bottle at 3 p.m., followed with 5 cups of water. By 8 p.m., I was dry heaving heavily, and this continued throughout the night. I could not stomach the 2nd bottle at 3 a.m. the following morning. Even water was making me gag at this point. The only good thing I can say about Clenpiq is that the first bottle I drank the afternoon before cleaned me out enough for my doctor to perform my colonoscopy anyway."

• jca...
• December 8, 2017

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I have had many colonoscopies, and this was the worst prep I ever used. None are pleasant, but for me, this is the worst. Took the first packet at 2:00 pm. It took an hour to start working and produced several loose bowel movements and lots of cramping and nausea. Took the second dose 6 hours later at 8:00 pm. Had a loose b.m. within 15 minutes and then nothing until four hours later after lots of cramping and bloating. I have consumed way more liquid than the instructions say to, and it is now 3:00 AM and I am still not clean. My scope is scheduled for 11 AM, and my experience tells me there is no way I will be clean by then. I STRONGLY ADVISE you to not use this."

• mcq...
• September 25, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "Horrible experience! This was the recommended prep for a colonoscopy. Took it as directed, including the lighter diet three days before. Taste was tolerable-that is the only positive I can give. This was so toxic to my bowels, I was still going as they were getting ready to take me in for the procedure. I have had trouble with stomach, cramping, nausea, and have been on Bentyl (for IBS, which I NEVER had prior to this colonoscopy). I am still having issues and it is 2 1/2 months since I had it done. Insist on a different prep."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "The taste of Clenpiq is putrid, sort of sweet and acidic - hard to describe. It has a terrible lingering aftertaste. I had to drink it with a straw and take sips of Gatorade in between. The bottles are small, though. Took the first dose at 5:00 pm, and it didn't kick in until about 6:30 pm. It wasn't a super urgent need to use the bathroom but more like a stomach ache that I could feel coming on gradually. I did experience some chills with the first dose, but was done by 8:30. I did have to get out of bed at about 1:30 for another bathroom trip. I was able to sleep until 5:30 am when my second dose was due. I did have a terrible headache and some nausea following the second dose. Also, it still continues to work 5 hours after my procedure."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I am a 29-year-old female who had to use Clenpiq. The first bottle was just fine, I had started my liquid diet an extra day early, and I drank it just fine. It started working about 45 minutes after drinking it. I went about 15 times and drank the fluid in between, like my doctor recommended. My doctor also recommended that I drink my second bottle at 8 pm. After this bottle, I felt terribly sick: nauseated, a TERRIBLE headache, stomach cramping, and I was up all night trying not to vomit. Overall, the doctor said I was very clean and things were easy to see, but I would probably only drink one bottle or do something different the next time. The terrible headache followed me home after my procedure and kept me up the night after. It was relieved by nothing, and I'm pretty sure I had hypermagnesemia. I am only 140 lbs too, I think the generic dosage coming in two bottles was a little much for my body weight. But anyway, it did its job."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2015

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "The stuff is nuclear. I hated it, but it cleaned me out big time. Second dose gave me a huge headache, nausea, dry heaves, dizziness, sweats, chills, and fear. I was totally cleaned out. Third colonoscopy, but first and last time on this."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "Within an hour of drinking that nasty stuff (worst taste of any prep I've ever drank), I puked my guts out. Was sick all night. Had to start the second bottle at 4 a.m. I took the first drink and puked again, then every drink after. I had to reschedule my colonoscopy because I never went poop due to puking it all up! Would never use this product again!!!"

• Rob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I think this was the best prep. Although I was super annoyed at the price, it has been the best experience, and I have regular colonoscopies. The best ideas were in the previous reviews - use a straw and have a Lifesaver or Jolly Rancher to combat the severely salty flavor, and don’t stop drinking until halfway through, then suck on a Jolly Rancher until the bad taste is gone and go again until it’s done. I used 8-ounce water bottles and drank one every 15 minutes and had no cramps, no nausea, and no passing out. I have had the worst time with preps before this one and truly thought I would die in the past, but this was by far the best."

• Deb...
• January 14, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "This was my first colonoscopy prep, and I found it to be a relatively painless experience. I ate normally (healthy) up until the day before, then switched to a clear liquid diet. Frankly, I didn’t read the instructions until 2 days before, so I didn’t know to eat low fiber, etc., in the days leading up to the prep. Anyway, the taste is very sweet but easy to chug, then chase with Gatorade. I took the first dose at about 5 pm, it started working by 7 pm, and I was mostly done within the hour. No cramping, nausea, or pain. Second dose at 4 am, which worked within 30 minutes and basically just did the “cleaning.” It was over quickly and just as painless. I stay pretty well hydrated in general and also am very regular, so that may have contributed to the ease of my experience. I’d suggest keeping some wet wipes and Vaseline nearby to help with the inevitable irritation. No issues at all after the procedure."

• Ash...
• November 5, 2020

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "I chose a prescription for Clenpiq vs. Miralax/Gatorade, and I wish I had not. I did not mind the sweet/salty taste much for the first bottle. Started at 6 pm, drank about 48 fl oz of water within a few hours, and had one bowel motion (BM) at about 10:30 pm. Then it got bad! I woke up at 4 am to take the second bottle, and my whole body was extremely fatigued, and my joints seemed achy and head foggy. I had nausea, stalled on the second bottle, and suddenly vomited at about 4:30-5 am, which severely burned my throat. I could not go back to sleep and tried getting the second bottle down at 6:30 am but threw it up within 5-10 minutes. I wish I had gone with the non-RX Miralax/Gatorade prep!"

• Syn...
• August 21, 2017

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "Second routine colonoscopy - first one phospho soda prep - not available anymore - terrible but clean bowel. This time on Prepopik - terrible - fainted twice - nausea - and 1/4 not cleaned out - recommended repeat in one year I don't think so - Stuff tasted okay."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "The flavor reminded me of the glucose test they give when you are pregnant. The smell alone made me feel nauseous, and the sensation got worse while drinking it. It worked within 30 minutes of drinking it, and it kinda felt like I just ate something that didn't sit right. It honestly was awful every minute of it, and I feel sorry that anyone even has to do this. It definitely does what it is supposed to do, though."

• BcO...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2022

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "1st colonoscopy and was terrified of the prep, but it was pleasant. I'll break down my review by taste, dose 1, and dose 2. Taste: Loved it. I don't understand the bad reviews about taste or why people need a straw or to sip on a lemon. I did not need those. The cranberry taste was great! My suggestion for your 1st time: Test it out by first taking a sip without the straw or lemon. Also, some people refrigerate it to make it taste better. It cannot be refrigerated. It tastes fine warm, a little salty taste, but 90% sweet. Dose 1: This was harder for me of the 2 doses. I finished the bottle within 30 mins, started pooping 15 min later, and then pooped for 4 hours. I got nauseous, threw up, had a headache, and had bad sweats, but that's not Clenpiq's fault. Those are normal side effects of any prep. Don't blame Clenpiq. Dose 2: Started at 6 AM. Bottle done by 6:30. Clear liquids done by 8:30 AM. No side effects! Really pleasant. Result: My diarrhea was yellow as expected. The colonoscopy went well."

• Maz...
• September 9, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "This was my second prep and was way better than the first prep I did drinking the magnesium citrate. My first prep was hours of nausea, diarrhea, bleeding, and stomach pain. I was terrified to try the Clenpiq for fear of going through all that again. But this time was so much better (if you can call a colon prep better) than the first time. The taste left a bit to be desired, but what else can you expect? No nausea, bleeding, or stomach pain. If you must have any kind of colon prep, this is the one that I would highly recommend."

• Anonymous
• October 31, 2021

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "This was my second routine colonoscopy and my first using Clenpiq. (The first time I had to drink a total of three bottles of magnesium citrate.) I have a strong gag reflex and was so worked up and anxious about the prep, even days before. The bottles were surprisingly small and I had a much better experience with Clenpiq than I did with the magnesium citrate. Since nausea can be a side effect, my nurse practitioner prescribed Zofran (just in case), and I took one a half hour before the prep — just the thought of swallowing the drink was making me nauseous. I did chill it for an hour or so beforehand and cut a lemon — sucked the lemon, took a swig, sucked a lemon, took a swig. Repeat. I paced myself and within 45 minutes I finished the bottle. Thank goodness for lemons! The prep worked quickly and I drank the second bottle at 4:00 a.m. to finish before my 10:00 a.m. appointment. Used the lemons again, easy & DONE! Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. The procedure was a breeze."

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

Citric acid/magnesium oxide/sodium picosulfate for Bowel Preparation "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."