GoLYTELY User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• July 23, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I started my surgery prep using GoLYTELY at 1:00 pm, and it started working in about 1 hour - it did not give much warning. I started the second half of the prep at 6:00 pm, still going when I got to the hospital. I also drank with a straw and had a very sore backside. In the past, I have done the 2-day bowel prep with 2 gallons for colonoscopy prep, and this GoLYTELY was much easier."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 19, 2021

For Constipation, Chronic "I have a disease called Hirschsprung's that causes chronic constipation, and every 2 years or so, I have to do a complete clean-out. I've had to do this my whole life, and I've never been able to get rid of the taste. Things that have made it more bearable are drinking it cold and taking sips of Sprite (it is a clear liquid that goes with my condition, and the carbonation and flavor have helped offset the taste). I usually have to take it in large doses, and because of the severity of my condition, it has been taken with large doses of Senokot."

• Pea...
• November 15, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I drank the GoLYTELY as directed. I refrigerated it and added Crystal Light lemon flavoring. All went well, however, since then, I have been having terrible upper stomach pain (right under my diaphragm). It’s especially bad after I eat."

• Awf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 1, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "It works, but is miserable. I added 2 packets of crystal lemonade flavor. That helped me get it down. After the 5th glass, I started coughing, then all of a sudden started throwing up. I wasn't prepared for that-so glad the bathtub was close by. Finished the 1st half at 7 pm the night before the procedure, then had to finish the rest starting at 4:30 am. I feel awful. My recommendations: be prepared to throw up. Put in some flavor. Wear Depends incontinence pants-I would have had to change the sheets at 2 am if I hadn't thought of that. Get a bidet! My bum would have been so sore without the bidet. There has to be a more pleasant way to clean yourself out. This stuff is awful."

• MrX...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "If you are in relatively good health, don't believe all the horror stories. Perhaps the people who had horrendous experiences had other underlying problems. Obviously, the solution doesn't taste great, but it's not horrible if you mix the GoLYTELY lemon packet with the solution. Just make sure it is cold and use a straw. Yes, the time required for colonoscopy GoLYTELY prep is inconvenient and may prevent you from getting much sleep to finish the solution. Life isn't perfect! About halfway through my first of two sessions (one the day before - 2 hrs, and one the day of - 2 hrs), I realized (in my life) I have actually drank a couple of crappy sports drinks that tasted just as bad! Anyway, while you are camping out on the throne, watch videos on your phone, or bring something else to distract. Tedious, but not torture. Tips: I believe getting REALLY hydrated before the prep helped!"

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "I finished all the prep, followed the diet. My procedure was canceled because I was still having particles of stool even though I was running clear within an hour of taking this stuff. It caused a severe headache, and I was starving. My insides gurgled, and I was on the toilet from 5:30 pm to 4 am and still going in the morning. Yes, it was clear and yellow early on, but then I started to get stool particles, and they said I couldn't have any. They told me to do another prep without eating for another 24 hours! Last time, I used Miralax and laxatives with no problems. Not sure why this was suggested to me. I only had two other preps to choose from. So here I am, went through all that torture to still be in pain and don't know what's wrong with me. Don't use this prep."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "GoLYTELY is poison, it destroyed my colon and my life. I'm still suffering horribly three months after taking GoLYTELY before a colonoscopy. Had to go to the emergency room, painkillers prescribed. They still cannot diagnose what happened. Horrible cramping, still unable to exert myself without intense pain. Life has deteriorated to either lying in bed constantly or in bed. Can barely be mobile for more than 30 minutes. DO NOT TAKE, it is poison."

• Pri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2024

For Bowel Preparation "The comments had me TERRIFIED for my first colonoscopy so I prepared for the worst. I added 2 packets of Crystal Light to the jug of GoLYTELY, and it tasted like a slightly bitter lemonade. It was NOT bad at all! I had no cramps, no puking, no negative side effects. It makes you go poop for sure, every 20 mins running to the toilet. My doctor said my colon was very 'clean' and removed two polyps. I no longer have a fear of the dreaded prep drink and will do it again when the time comes."

• Reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 21, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "I started drinking 4 liters of GoLYTELY at 3 pm, for a scheduled colonoscopy at 3:30 the next day. The directions said to drink 8 oz every 10 minutes until the stool was clear. I did the first 2 drinks 10 minutes apart, then 15 min apart, then 20 minutes apart as it made me full and bloated, plus a little nauseous. I asked Google how many cups are in 4 liters, and when I found out that there are 16 cups in 4 liters, I started drinking it again after 10 minutes, until the entire amount was finished. It took me 3.5 hours to do, and I had my first BM about 2.5 hrs after starting. 3 hours after finishing, I’m drinking clear liquids and still having to go to the bathroom. But now it’s mostly light yellow water with flecks of sediment. So I guess I’m ready for the procedure! Too bad it’s only 10:30 pm now and I have to wait until about 6 pm tomorrow to eat!"

• 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."

• mdt...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "I had to go through a 2-day prep, Miralax on the first day and GoLYTELY today. First time using GoLYTELY. I found the taste bearable. I used the flavor pack that came with it and some Gatorade. About an hour into it, it started working really well. Have to drink the rest around midnight."

• Nev...
• April 7, 2025

For Bowel Preparation "I will never do this again. Never. It’s not the worst taste, but you would not choose to drink this. Warm or cold, it’s slightly salty and a little viscous. I just kept chugging and following it with spoons of pineapple jello. I got the plain GoLYTELY and was disallowed from flavoring it. I began at 4 pm and felt nothing for two hours, then BOOM! Ran for the bathroom and stayed there until 10:30 pm! Based on that information, I decided to begin at 4:30 in the morning rather than the 6 am prescribed for the second half. I didn’t get but a single sip when the next explosion came on, courtesy of last night’s drink. Left quite the mess on my floor, and my underwear is soaking in a bin. It’s 7:30 am and I am STILL on the toilet, I finished the last half of the GoLYTELY. Hoping I’ll be able to stop ‘going’ in time to shower and dress. I’m supposed to be there at 10 am (it’s a half-hour drive) for the endoscopy/colonoscopy at 1 pm. Never again."

• Rya...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 12, 2024

For Bowel Preparation "I don't know if the formula has changed drastically over the years or what, but I swear on my life: the lemon flavor of this stuff is actually TASTY, IMHO. I thought it was too good to be true! I read so many horror stories about it being fishy-tasting, metallic, dehydrating... That is just not the case, whatsoever (at least it wasn't for me). The lemon-flavored GoLYTELY solution that I chilled overnight and drank the next day was so easy to keep sipping away at, that I was worried for a bit that there was a mistake and that it was just lemon-flavored water with no prep powder in it at all.... After about six 8oz glasses, the effects began to kick in, and it worked exactly as advertised. I had zero side effects... Magnesium Citrate has got NOTHING on the current GoLYTELY formula -- it's a bit salty, but tasty! Just drink it in moderation, and side effects should be non-existent. All those scary reviews are OUTDATED (as long as you chill it overnight first, it made ALL the difference)."

• 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."

• MBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2025

For Bowel Preparation "After reading terrible reviews of GoLYTELY, I was terrified! I used this prep last night for my first colonoscopy and found it most palatable, cool with no flavoring, but not ice cold. It was more of an unpalatable texture to me than a taste thing (kind of like extra slippery softened water might feel in your mouth). The 5 pm round was finished in a little over an hour, but the 2 am was a bit harder because I left the stuff at room temp, gross, and adding ice to it made it too cold to drink very quickly, making it take the full 2 hours to drink. Overall, it was a fine prep. I think next time I might try Miralax, though. Also worth noting, I expected to feel really crummy after things kicked in, but there was no gas or ill effects for me besides a bloated tummy for a few hours while things funneled through. Everything was well cleansed according to the doctor. It worked well, just a lot to drink, and it's not very tasty. I chased it with some flavored sparkling water, which helped."

• Anonymous
• April 16, 2017

"I suffer from chronic constipation and then severe diarrhea. I had to take the GoLYTELY for a colonoscopy. It was awful! They told me to start taking laxatives on Friday. I had to take 2 on Friday, Saturday, and 2, 2 hours before the prep. So I only had 3 glasses before it happened! Lol! The directions said to stop once the stool was clear. It worked very well, I only had to drink half of it (thank God!) I had severe nausea and close to emesis each time I had to drink that foul drink! I will never do it again, they better get what they need!"

• mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I used some oral analgesic gel to numb the inside of my mouth - didn't taste a thing!"

• 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!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2012

For Bowel Preparation "Cleanout went much better than expected. Taste was better than I feared. If you like to drink water, like I do, it was no big deal. I swallowed 80 oz in half an hour."

• ski...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "This stuff is so gross! I've managed to drink down 1/2 the gallon so far, and no bowel movement. It tastes so hideous I feel like I might puke. Not sure how I can keep drinking this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 22, 2016

For Constipation, Chronic "If you have problems with the taste, I would recommend getting some Gatorade and mixing it with instead of the flavor packet and water. Tastes 10 times better, and the electrolytes help."

• Coo...
• March 15, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "GoLYTELY tip - suck a lemonade ice block between sips. This is good as it gives me more fluid intake, and helps kill the taste of the GoLYTELY."

• Sue...
• November 3, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "It's effective, but it is horrible! Terrible taste and too much to drink. Highly recommend Suprep instead - taste is not bad and only 16 ounces at night and 16 ounces the next morning."

• Kev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "Man, this is disgusting, the flavor is from the depths of hell."

• ton...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "I've had several colonoscopies done. This was the first time I was given GoLYTELY. This was much better tasting than whatever the other G.I. doctor prescribed."