GoLYTELY and Vomiting: What Users Say

• Ano...
• February 26, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I had GoLYTELY split prep (1/2 night before, remaining, morning of). I mixed it with lemonade mix, and it wasn't bad. The evening was fine. I followed the directions, and all went well. I had prepared days in advance with very light foods and lots of fluids. Within 4 hours, all discharge was completely clear. Went to sleep and woke up an hour later with an excruciating headache, vomiting, trembling, and chills. This went on all night. Could not complete the morning prep at all as my stomach lurched when I touched the jug! Still vomiting a bit and headache when I arrived for the procedure. That went fine, but now I am 12 hours post-procedure, still have a slight headache and a very nauseous stomach. How long do the effects of this remain? Time will tell, I suppose. Take a hard pass on this prep, folks! There are much less severe options available."

• MiF...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I had used GoLYTELY as prep for a colonoscopy. I was required to drink 2 liters between 4-6 pm and another 2 liters at midnight. That’s a lot of liquid. I don’t think I could drink that much of something I loved. Needless to say, I couldn’t get through the first two liters and ended up canceling my procedure because my system was not sufficiently flushed. The taste wasn’t an intense or gross taste—at first. But as I kept drinking, it began to taste like salt water. My body naturally decided that drinking two liters of this stuff was too much, and I began vomiting. This was meant to be my second colonoscopy, but my first time using GoLYTELY as the prep. Very disappointed in this stuff and the fact that there are doctors who still use this 4-liter prep approach when, apparently, there are much better and lesser-volume options available."

• Fif...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I've used this prep twice: the first time I drank it as prepared in the container and followed the instructions: drink 3L within 3 hours. After about 2 1/2L, the nausea became too much... it felt like my body was refusing to allow the prep to leave my stomach the right way, and I ended up vomiting what seemed like an entire liter. The next morning, I tried to drink the remaining 1L, but again I started vomiting. The next time, I used lemon for the prep and ginger ale to wash my mouth out, and I decided to extend the 3 hours to 4. That helped in giving the prep a tolerable taste, and I didn't feel rushed to gulp the solution, but regardless, after 1 1/2L, my stomach said 'no more' and I began vomiting copious amounts. The next morning, I managed to drink only 2/3L. The fact is, for some, GoLYTELY is just not a viable option - for whatever reason, the body won't tolerate it. With the nausea and headache the next morning, I felt like I had literally poisoned my body. I know I will NEVER use it again."

• Amz...
• July 9, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "I know many people have trouble with the whole colonoscopy experience, but I really don't know why. To me, it's a very comical experience. Drink a glass every 10 or so minutes, and soon you'll be timing for the bathroom about as frequently. I liked the added note on the GoLYTELY to jiggle your tummy to help remove extra poo. I have to admit, after the whole GoLYTELY experience, I wanted to watch what the whole fuss was about. Watching the scope do its thing was amazing. Now that I have to do it all again, I will not drink quite as fast (I wasted some by projectile vomiting some of it back up ... also comical), but I will dance and jiggle my bowels about to get them as clean as I can. My biggest concern is what flavor to get. Pineapple? NOT."

• Cam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "Caused vomiting with the first half of dosage. On the second half had vomiting with blood, bright red. Was told to stop using it. Had to have an enema just before the colonoscopy. The day after the colonoscopy, my stomach is still nauseated."

• bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "I was in the hospital with what they thought was a bezoar (turned out to be ischemic colitis). I was given this solution to prepare for a colonoscopy and in hopes of passing the bezoar so I didn't have to have surgery. Anyway, I drank it down and got down to only a fourth of it left when I started vomiting. I even blacked out when I tried to go to the bathroom and vomited at the same time. I wasn't able to finish the prep. I had no bowel movements from the first dose. The next day, I had to do it all over again. It wasn't causing me to go poop and drinking it made me nauseous. I ended up having to have an enema to complete the prep. I definitely do not recommend this. Prepping for a colonoscopy is bad enough without the side effects from this prep. I would definitely recommend people do the MiraLAX/Gatorade prep, as it is much easier on your system."

• Tre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 21, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "This is the nastiest tasting medicine they could give me. This is the only product they can give me because the magnesium citrate they normally want you to take was pulled from sales because of some kind of contamination in June 2022. It is now January 2023, and they tell me that the company that produces magnesium citrate, Vi-Jon LLC, was shut down and is no longer made. I refused to take this stuff because the last time I was prescribed it, I couldn't get through 1/4 of this junk, even that much gave me cramps and what felt like dry heaves of the bowels. I can't believe there is no one out there that can make a much better product. I had to clean myself out for surgery by not eating 48 hours before, only clear liquids, another laxative, and an enema. Even all that was better than this GoLYTELY crap. The cramps and pain from this stuff were the worst I've had. I was in the military the first time I took this stuff, so there was no charge for this Rx. But I will never take this again."

• Kat...
• September 20, 2015

For Bowel Preparation "Horrible. Just finished the first half, and I am dreading, literally dreading, the second half. I threw up half of it and feel sicker than a dog with a splitting migraine!"