Suprep Bowel Prep Kit and Pain: What Users Say

• JFa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "As a patient, who has to have colonoscopies every 2 years, and as an endoscopy nurse, who assists in hundreds of these every year, I have a very helpful suggestion for drinking the prep. Whatever you choose to drink the prep with (I choose orange Gatorade), pour both over ice and drink through a straw quickly. You don't have to sip it, you can quickly gulp it through the straw, and if you take a break, immediately drink a swig of the Gatorade by itself, swish it around your mouth, and swallow. I have found through both personal and professional experience, this is the best way to avoid the lingering salty/fruity aftertaste, get it down, and keep it down. I experience muscle aches and this is due to the osmotic effect of the prep. Drink as much clear fluid as you can, because the medication will draw fluid from your body to help flush out your bowel as well. The more fluid you drink, the less muscle cramping/pain you will have."

• SGa...
• February 28, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "Mixed with Crystal Light, down in 6 chugs through straw in 15 min. Sipped on room temp cucumber water, sucked on lemon to neutralize sweet taste. Lemon wedge is a great tip. I started shivering, had a blanket ready, got in bed, finished 32 oz of water in 15 min. 30 min later minor discomfort, went to the toilet 10 min later. Stools were almost completely watery. Sipped ginger ale. Had Vaseline, tucks, no wipe just blotting. No nausea or headache. Followed a light diet for 3 days prior, clear liquids including broth on the day of. I read to have some calories to reduce nausea. It seemed to work. I will do it again in 3.5 hours no problem, it’s nothing. The last sips are hard, I will dilute with more lemonade and have it less cold. Have everything ready beforehand. Had water, lemon, hard candy to suck on, Gatorade, ginger ale, straws, etc. Dress comfortably, have devices charged, have a blanket, etc. Take your time in between, relax. It’s doable."

• Eva...
• March 18, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "Listen, if you're reading this, stop doing this to yourself. I'm a 49-year-old male and literally drove myself crazy researching and reading. Here it is in a nutshell. Place the 2 bottles of Suprep in the fridge the night before. Eat a low fiber diet 2 days before and of course your liquid diet the day before. Mix in your chilled water (I used Smart Water) with the 6 oz of Suprep. Use a big straw, not a thin one. Drink as much as you can, use a lemon slice, do it again, use a lemon slice, and I was done with it after the 3rd time. Drank two more 16 oz waters over the next hour (I used Smart Water again). This stuff just liquefies everything. 15 to 30 minutes later, you will have liquid bowel movements. No pain, no bloating, just the full feeling of drinking so much."

• NYW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2013

For Bowel Preparation "Easier to consume the amount required compared to the previous method, which required drinking a huge amount the night before (difficulty doing that one). I agree the taste is not the greatest. I dabbed my finger in hot Chinese mustard and coated my tongue afterward to get rid of the aftertaste. Do whatever works for you. I did not experience chills, excessive bloating, or pain, just a full feeling. It started to work in about 1 hour. I started at 6 PM and was able to go to bed about 10 PM without the need to go again. I repeated the process at about 5:30 AM and left the house at 8:30 for the clinic, with no problems with diarrhea. All in all, it wasn't that difficult or unpleasant. Mental attitude is a big factor."

• nob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "I read these reviews and was very nervous preparing to take this. I can't believe what all the fuss is about - I did not mind the taste at all and easily chugged everything I needed to chug with zero disgust or discomfort. I didn't even have to chill it or drink it from a straw. It was totally a piece of cake. Took at 4:45 p.m. Started working 30 minutes after taking. I had been on pretty much a liquid diet for the 4 days leading up to this -- basic emptying of liquid from bowels - no cramps or gas or pain at all. Stayed near a bathroom to be safe, but never too urgent need to go -- went maybe 6 times in 2 hours. Slept well. Doing 2nd dosage now and do not foresee any problems whatsoever. Again, I did not mind this in the least."

• Rob...
• June 23, 2015

For Bowel Preparation "OK - disclaimer before I start: I have a fairly regular bowel and rarely experience any stomach discomfort! I did a lot of reading on the Internet, so I felt that I was quite prepared for this experience. I stopped eating solid foods 24 hours before the prep deadline, and I only had soup on the morning of prep day. I put the bottles of the mix into the fridge, so when the time came, they were nicely chilled. At 4 pm the day before the procedure, I used cool water to prepare the first cup, which I was able to drink (even though I dislike cherry flavor) quite easily. The 'action' started within 45 minutes, and I did not experience any pain, nausea, or discomfort. I was 'done' by 8 pm. And it was the same the next morning."

• Mer...
• November 9, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "This was my 4th colonoscopy in the past 20 years. The first two involved Golightly as the prep. Effective, but did not like the taste or required volume of water. The last two I used Suprep. The taste was not that unpleasant, and the volume of water was much more reasonable. Took about 45 minutes for it to 'kick in'...effects lasted for about 3 hours. The second prep was at 5 am and was about the same. So much better than Golightly. I had significant diarrhea before starting the prep, so by the time I was done with everything, my bottom was pretty sore. Good advice to use soothing wipes of some type as the last wipe, and just blot vs. hard wipe. Hope this helps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "My experience is the same except, after the initial dose, it took 4 hrs for anything to happen!! Didn't get to bed until after 1:30 AM. It was nonstop. Woke up at 4:15 and had two more BMs. Barely made it to the bathroom. Got the second dose down (it is such an awful taste, I stared at it for about 25 mins mustering up the courage!) This time the effects were immediate. The only issue is that after one hour, I vomited spontaneously, and as one can imagine, with the force of the projection, I was exploding at both ends. It was so humiliating. On top of that, with all the wiping, my bum is so sore I can barely sit now! My procedure is in 2 hours, and I am afraid to drive there. Not sure when the second dose effects will stop. Scared!"

• Poo...
• January 29, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "Had my first colonoscopy today. But before that, I had drank 36 hours of liquids, then was in the toilet for 16 hours of hot molten lava. Two rolls of toilet paper and 42 wet wipes later, I survived it! One thing I can't recommend enough is the Desitin cream or similar. Chilling the prep made a difference. I chugged the solution. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. I did use lemon slices dipped in sugar for the aftertaste. Eight minutes in, I sprinted for round one, which was mostly solid. I waited for another 40 minutes, and then the magic started to happen. As soon as you think you're done, you're wrong. The intermission happened after about 3 hours. Then, up at 4 AM for another go-round at this. Chug again. It was harder this time. Thank goodness for those lemons! By this time, anything that comes out is so painful on my skin I am ready to climb the walls. What comes out this time isn't yellow but brown, which makes me nervous that I did something wrong. But it's normal. It eventually yellowed out again. Power through. Your life may depend on it."

• Ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "I read a review that said this stuff was 'invented by Lucifer,' and it was the most accurate thing ever. This stuff is NASTY. Do not drink it with a straw. You need to chug as much of it as you can, and then suck on a lemon wedge. I wish I had read the reviews prior to choking down the first bottle, but the lemon was a lifesaver for the second bottle. Smells okay, tastes like a super salty/sweet grape drink on crack. Worst thing I've ever had to ingest. As far as the cleaning out process, this stuff is great. I had zero cramps or pain, but that may be because of my vegan diet prior to this procedure. No nausea (except while drinking this), and no vomiting. Bowels emptied, and it eventually was only the drink itself leaving my body."

• GIg...
• April 27, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "The anticipation of the bowel prep was way worse than the actual prep! The meds taste awful-there's not a lot that can be done with that. Even when I mixed it in with a flavoring packet, it still tasted like salty grape medicine. (I highly recommend sucking on a Jolly Rancher in between drinks, it makes it a lot more doable.) I fortunately did not experience any pain, cramping, or nausea. While I could live without the taste of Suprep, it overall made for a very comfortable and effective prep, so I would highly recommend!"

• Bow...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "My gastro doctor prescribed Suprep for chronic constipation issues to clear my bowels before I start another med. In the past, I have taken Golytely and didn’t produce a bowel movement for 4 days. It was a horrible experience as the surgery went on anyways. I was so fearful of taking Suprep because even a stool softener makes me violently ill, but my hat's off to Suprep! This prep actually worked on me, and I didn’t have any pain associated with it other than minor discomfort (I can only assume due to constipation issues). I had all my water down by the time I drank the entire prep, I thought I’d have a hard time with it, but nope. Do try the straw and cold drink, ask for flavor if you can. I didn’t use a straw but will if there is a next time. Stuff tastes like what I imagine battery acid to taste like, but worth it for a nice pain-free bowel cleanse/prep!"

• Sue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "This was easy. But lasted way longer on the second round. Colonoscopy was not clean enough, and I have been doubled over in pain for 7 days. No one thinks this is unusual. So refrigerate. Straw. Mentally prepare that you can do it. Good to find cancer ahead of time."

• Nev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "Could not get past the first dose. Had pains that were as bad as labor pains, and there wasn't a baby to look forward to after. Then eruptions from my body I could not control. Couldn't get to the toilet on time. One of the worst experiences of my life. I am a tiny woman... why do they prescribe the same prep to me that they give a 250 lb. man???"

• Eat...
• January 30, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "I'm 38 and on my second colonoscopy. This one has no cramping or pain. Chill the liquid, chill the water you mix it with, and chase it with lemon-lime Gatorade. And when the taste is too much, just realize nothing is worse than colon cancer wiping out your whole family before they turn 60."

• Ind...
• September 2, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "Definitely gets the job done. Use Vaseline or A&D on your rear! This stuff can really burn. My husband was so sore he couldn't sit, and I had no pain at all. That was the difference. I drank the first dose over 40 minutes, followed by the water-all in by 1.5 hours, as MD said I could take 2.5 hours if needed. I figured drinking the Suprep slowly would likely avoid some of the cramping and bloating and violent responses of which others complained. It seemed to work. It tasted bad, but after all the reviews, I thought it would be worse, and at 55 minutes results came in a controlled fashion, i.e., no great emergency. Second dose was a little harder to drink, but I did. I'm a small female, too. Next time I won't be as nervous."

• woo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2014

For Bowel Preparation "Prep is not all that difficult, although I am a little sore and did get chills for a while. But come on! I drank the prep at noon and at 6 pm with a straw and had it down both times in two minutes. Do not sip it. Get it over with. It has done a good job with getting the job done... much, much better than the high volume of liquid I had to drink last time."

• rac...
• March 26, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "This isn't as bad as what some others have described it to be. The medicine tastes like diluted cough syrup and doesn't taste very awful. You have to drink a lot of water within the next hour, so that made me a bit nauseous. I made sure to take it slow for my second bottle. Each Suprep drink made me stay in the toilet for about 3 hours. So get your movie(s) ready. Use wet toilet sheets and wipe Preparation H / diaper rash cream to keep your butt from getting sore."

• his...
• August 3, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "So it tastes pretty terrible, it's salty and fruity, just terrible. But it worked in under 30 minutes. I didn't have any cramping or pain, just very full, so that's good because I was starving, lol. So it's not bad, not great, but not bad. I would use it again because it was pain-free for me. :) I have issues, I have ulcerative colitis, so I'm sensitive, and I would use it again!"

• Jay...
• February 15, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "This stuff doesn't taste as bad as some people are saying. I read some posts here and was a little cautious, so I split the 16 oz into four 4 oz cups. Drank each of them with a straw, then chased it with yellow Gatorade. I had lemons cut up and on hand just in case, but I didn't need them. Spent about 20 minutes drinking the 16 oz, then I went to sit on the toilet with my 32 oz of yellow Gatorade. I didn't have any nausea or cramps, and it started working within 20-30 minutes after taking it. I'd say I was on the toilet for about 2 hours for each cleanse. My bum was a little sore after the second cleanse, so you might wanna use some cream before and during (I didn't). I did restrict myself to a low-fiber diet the day before the cleanse. No idea if that helped, but it was a cinch. I don't recommend you worry about taking this stuff. I actually found the cleanse to be a pleasant experience. Onward and upward, my friends."

• jew...
• April 23, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "I took the Suprep at 6 and 11 pm Sunday. Had procedure Monday at 7. I was in a lot of pain all over, and when I woke from the procedure I was in worse pain. They sent me home, and I was unable to eat or drink, but no vomiting. The pain got worse by evening, and I was unable to walk. Off to the ER where I was admitted. My lipase level was over 3000, liver functions very bad, WBC very bad, and potassium dangerously low! They had to pump me full of fluids and potassium! Needless to say, Suprep almost killed me! Never again! And never again on colonoscopy! This was my fourth colonoscopy, and never had this happen before! Six days later and still have diarrhea!"

• cal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "Today was my 4th colonoscopy (I have polyps). It was the first time I used Suprep. To prepare for the big day :-), I checked out this site and quickly realized there were many differences of opinion and lots of good tips. I stocked up on chicken broth, green Kool-Aid, lemonade, water, Sprite, lemon drops, lemon slices, and apple juice, which I used throughout the all-liquids day. The real star of the show once I began the actual prep was something I read about on this site: White Cherry Powerade mixed with the chilled prep solution, instead of water. At 6 PM, drank this down fairly easily over 20 minutes. Slept from 11 to 3. Alternated solution with sips of apple juice and water for the second dose. No cramps, pain, or nausea. Cleans you out!"

• nan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "Just drank first 16 ounces - couldn't finish it all - drank first 16 ounces of water - the prep makes me gag and vomit some. Stomach is hurting, and I'm so queasy. There has got to be an easier way to prep - this is my 4th colonoscopy, so I knew what was ahead - can't wait to be sedated and have this be over."

• Cma...
• October 6, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "By far the most painful experience of my life. It felt like a near-death experience. I took Suprep last night after being prescribed it in the hospital. I went to the ER for bad constipation after a recent surgery. Therefore, I was prescribed Suprep to clean my bowels out. I took the first dose at 4:30 pm and then sat in excruciating pain on the toilet until 9:30. For those 5 hours, nothing happened, no bowel movement whatsoever. However, it was the most painful experience I had ever been through, I couldn’t move, I was hot and sweaty, and I was literally crying out loud. At one point, I got on my hands and knees and prayed to God to not let me die. Then, finally, at 9:30-9:45, a big push happened, and I passed a normal hard bowel movement, then it kept flying out like rain. I was happy it worked, but also the pain did not justify the result. I was only 5 days constipated. Never again. This medicine was the worst thing I’d ever been through."

• Flu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "So, as a prep for the infamous colonoscopy, Dr. prescribed this stuff to assure they got the best view tomorrow. The solution is clear and doesn’t smell bad. Tastes like the old Gatorade, with that salty taste. Finished the first dose in one sitting, drank the additional 42 ozs while I went back to TV. Body said it was ready around 50 mins later, and here I sit 15 minutes later to say, so far it’s effective in that it’s flushing the system clean. No cramps, only minor discomfort of needing to do liquid bowel movements every couple of mins. Anyhow, have no fear. While your mileage may vary, overall fairly reasonable considering what it’s supposed to do."