MoviPrep and Pain: What Users Say

• Jim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Advice, advice, advice!!!! Completed first ever MoviPrep for colonoscopy. Things you will find out: it doesn’t taste great. It works, and you can’t wait until it’s over. Things you should know: get soft toilet paper, have disposable wipes, and use Vaseline. Your bum is going to get irritated because of the frequency of movements and wiping. Honestly, the worst part was the pain from my irritated bum (outside of the drinking of the prep). I started at 12 pm and did the second dose at 6 pm. It’s constant bathroom trips, so be ready. But I could honestly say that if I had known to have the things I listed when I started this, it would have been a lot more tolerable. I wish someone would have told me..."

• Mov...
• April 29, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "I have had to have several colonoscopies over the years and have always been given Picolax. I was slightly concerned with the MoviPrep as there was a lot to drink. However, if you pace yourself over, say, an hour, it's fine. Make sure it's cold and maybe suck a Halls menthol sweet with it. It works quickly and much less pain and discomfort than with the Picolax. I had it at 5 pm, went to the toilet a lot up until about 10 pm, then actually had a night's sleep. Next morning the same amount again, toilet for about another 4 hours, then off to the hospital. I seemed to be able to keep more hydrated with this preparation than with the Picolax as I did not feel so rotten and sick. Much more comfortable experience all around."

• Ann...
• May 31, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Drinking my 2nd dose now of MoviPrep. First one was okay, started at 6 pm, from 7 pm - 8 pm bowel movements, mainly dirty water. At 9:30 pm again one visit in the toilet. Then I slept, with a lot of rumbling in my stomach. In the morning, one small watery-dirty movement. Now drinking it again. It's the second time I have a colonoscopy with MoviPrep. My experience says: 1) Don't drink it cold. It may taste better, but I get more cramps and pain when it's cold. I drink it lukewarm and chase every sip with lukewarm green tea. Before each sip, I put a slice of lemon on my tongue and a slice of ginger. 2) Use water to wash your butt, not toilet paper or wet wipes. Wiping makes my butt hurt very much. Wet wipes don't work for me, it still irritates, maybe even more, 'cause wipes give me an allergic reaction. So, I wash it with water each time, and when clean, I put a lot of Vaseline. My first colonoscopy went fine, I was well prepared. I hope today will be the same."

• Gio...
• March 19, 2015

For Bowel Preparation "Just wanted to let everyone know this stuff wasn't bad at all... it didn't even taste horrible. Just had a really strong lemonade taste. No aftertaste. Just make sure to add lemonade Crystal Light and chill before taking. Took first dose of 32 oz at 1 pm... downed it in 10 mins. After, started having bowel movements throughout the day. No pain or bloating, just lots of intestinal rumbling. My second dose, took at 5 am... this one took a little bit longer to drink, maybe about 40 mins since it was so early... taking the 16 oz of water was much harder. But did it! Had a few more movements for about 4 hrs, and was ready! I was so terrified the day I picked up the mix, literally cried thinking it was going to be bad. But it wasn't. Best prep."

• def...
• July 27, 2015

For Bowel Preparation "Preps are not hard to do or scary. Not my first prep. I find just drinking it quickly was the best way, followed by a swig of Gatorade or ginger ale to kill any salty aftertaste. To protect from getting sore from wiping so many times, I use a little hemorrhoid cream down there, and it works great protecting me from all that dry toilet paper. (Just make sure you use the cream BEFORE you get sore down there!) Patting with TP instead of wiping also helps if you would get sore. Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I'm doing MoviPrep for a colonoscopy and drank 80% between 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Really, really struggled to keep it down and keep drinking. At first, it seemed like a nicer Lemsip, but the more you drink, the worse it gets. It's very salty and artificially sweet (which I hate). It's 9 p.m. and just starting the second liter. So far, a lot of pain and rumbles but no bowel movements."

• Nut...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I had to use this before my colonoscopy, and after hearing about it and reading, I had really worked myself up, but I didn’t need to, it was no problem at all. I took the first MoviPrep dose at 5 pm and started on the loo at 6. I just sat there for 90 mins, there isn’t much point in getting off the toilet! I was in bed by 8:45, all done. I woke up at 5:30 and started the 2nd dose, it began working at 7:15 am and was done by 9:15 am. I had no stomach cramps or pains, and I wasn’t sick. I made it up a few hours beforehand and chilled it. It does get harder to drink the longer you take, and it took me about 75 mins to drink the full litre. By the end of the first dose, it was just yellow clear water coming out, so I wasn’t even sure I needed the second dose, but I took it anyway. I do suffer from IBS-D, so I’m not sure if that’s why it was easier for me."

• Che...
• April 21, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "After 2 days on a low-fiber diet, on the 3rd day I mixed this with a small amount of orange squash in the afternoon and kept it in the fridge to chill. I began to drink it at 5 pm through a straw, the taste is okay. Around 7:20 pm, after drinking water, it began to work and boy, what a result. It felt like a flush of water coming out the other end. This lasted until 10:30 pm and I went to bed at 11 pm, no problems, slept all night. I had the colonoscopy with gas and air, at times it did hurt, but keep puffing the gas and air and in no time it was over. Bowel normal, thankfully. You will not be allowed to eat after 9 am the day before the morning procedure, but drink Lucozade, it fills you up so you don't feel hungry. MoviPrep fills you up too, it was quite a struggle to keep drinking it all."

• Mov...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2013

For Bowel Preparation "Pros: Cleans out colon well without pain, cramping. Cons: Cost, taste. Best colonoscopy prep I've ever taken. The taste isn't great, but then what prep is? Follow the tips others have posted, and drinking the MoviPrep will be easier. I'd use this again."

• Mon...
• May 20, 2016

For Bowel Preparation "Medicine is disgusting, though it definitely works. Be prepared to stay at home very close to the toilet. It worked for me within 40 minutes. Have sudocrem to hand, as your derrière will get sore and very red and tender. Good luck if you need to take this medication. My sympathy is with you. God bless."

• lep...
• February 20, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "1900 hrs. First dose. (Could taste better! But found it easier to get down the colder it was.) 40 mins later, blast off. Then every 30 mins or so, back on the loo. 12:45 am next morning, chanced going to bed for a few hrs. Big mistake! 02:30 am rush to loo and afterwards, hand wash bed linen - I recommend putting some towel in your bed!! ): Stayed up after that as had to take second dose at 4:00 am. All in all, I must have visited the loo about 10 or 12 times (stayed on it from 4:15 am to 6:00 am). At the hospital 08:00 am and had the procedure. Did not want any pain relief as did not want to have to wait until the next day to drive (although they did put a needle in the back of my hand just in case), but was pretty much pain free. Hope this helps those about to take the plunge (:"

• trn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "I had read a lot of negative reviews about MoviPrep and was terrified of the stuff. In reality, it was straightforward to use, fairly palatable (better than soluble aspirin), and the results were not as unpleasant as my chronic IBS symptoms. I recommend mixing the solution with a cordial (ginger worked well) and drinking through a straw. Do not take large mouthfuls of it. The first dose might take between 3-4 hours to take effect. Don't worry - it will! Just make sure you take the sedation for your procedure. I did not, and it was incredibly painful. Curiously, for a few weeks after the MoviPrep and colonoscopy, I experienced no IBS symptoms - it has been 6 weeks now, and they've returned, unfortunately."

• Gah...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Okay... Taste: not great. A bit like a syrupy/metallic taste. Just drink it very quickly and you’ll be okay. I drank mine within about 10 minutes. Makes you feel slightly nauseous drinking it that quickly, but it’s much better than messing around and drinking it slowly. Bowel movements started about 20 minutes after drinking. You basically just pass liquids. I probably went to the toilet 5 or 6 times during 1 and a half hours after finishing the drink. Didn’t need to run to the toilet, or sit in the bathroom for the duration. You can feel that you need to go and you can go at your leisure. The second dose seemed to work quicker, within probably 5 minutes of finishing the drink. Again, over a 1.5 hour spell, I probably went around 6 times - passing liquids only. Use wet wipes, whack some cream on, and you’ll be okay. You get sore towards the end, but it has to be done."

• Por...
• January 27, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Went for a colonoscopy yesterday! After taking the MoviPrep the day before, I took it exactly as stated, and I thought it tasted okay, lemon. It cleared me out completely, I even took the dogs out later, but I drank it very quickly. I had sedation for my op, but the pain was bad due to air being blown up, had banding done, no cramps or stomach ache. I definitely recommend sedation, and the bonus is my flat tummy now. Gonna change my diet a bit now. I'm 71."

• Sop...
• December 6, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "This stuff is great! It wasn't so much the taste that was bad, more the salty consistency! I drank mine with a straw over 7 hours, and that seemed to do the trick! I started pooping after exactly an hour and didn't stop until 11 pm (I started at 2 pm). I was nice and cleared out, and they said I had a 'good colonoscopy.' The only problem I have now is that it's the next day, and food is going straight through me still, mixed with bright yellow bile, and it's so painful! This stuff has more or less left me incontinent the day after! Just hoping the diarrhea stops soon because 2 days of pooping out pure watery movements is more than enough for me!"

• Jac...
• January 24, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Awful taste, had to make a conscious effort to keep it down. Worked a little too well, took first liter and within 1 hour was only passing liquid. When it came to the second liter, it started working within 5 minutes, passed only liquid. Could not leave the throne for a good 2 hours with both liters, started bleeding from back passage after second liter due to the prolonged violent cleanings, very painful. Hope I never see any more of this stuff."

• Wit...
• April 8, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Had colonoscopy 10 days ago, 2 liters of MoviPrep didn’t work. It had a nice strong lemony flavor, took the first liter between 1 pm & 2 pm, plus a liter of water. No bowel movement, felt nauseous, headache, body hurt, dizziness, and couldn’t relax. Second between 5 pm & 6:30 pm with a liter of water. I was bloated, regurgitating, pain. No bowel movement by 11 pm, all fours position alleviated some pain. Hot herbal tea & 1/2 hour of meditation on the loo, slowly it began to happen. Not explosive or often, but up all night with wet wind. Procedure was at 1:40 pm & not cleared out enough. Second colonoscopy on Saturday, I have three liters of MoviPrep. Had low-fiber diet all week. I normally take laxatives nightly, which take a lot longer than it says on the box! My history is chronic slow transition & rectocele. Hopefully, this time it works."

• Wit...
• April 8, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Had colonoscopy 10 days ago, 2 liters of MoviPrep didn’t work. It had a nice strong lemony flavor, took the first liter between 1 pm & 2 pm, plus a liter of water. No bowel movement, felt nauseous, headache, body hurt, dizziness, and couldn’t relax. Second between 5 pm & 6:30 pm with a liter of water. I was bloated, regurgitating, pain. No bowel movement by 11 pm, all fours position alleviated some pain. Hot herbal tea & 1/2 hour of meditation on the loo, slowly it began to happen. Not explosive or often, but up all night with wet wind. Procedure was at 1:40 pm & not cleared out enough. Second colonoscopy on Saturday, I have three liters of MoviPrep. Had low-fiber diet all week. I normally take laxatives nightly, which take a lot longer than it says on the box! My history is chronic slow transition & rectocele. Hopefully, this time it works."

• Amy...
• July 10, 2017

For Bowel Preparation "The taste is vile, even mixing it with squash did not help that. It took effect straight away, though, but I only managed a pint and a half before I was gagging non-stop. However, this could be because I did not drink the required amount of water between doses. Either way, they said it cleared me out enough for them to see, so it was not an issue. Kind of hoping the effects will stop soon, though, as I have been so many times yesterday and today, and I am still in a lot of pain with it."