Polyethylene glycol 3350 with electrolytes and Nausea: What Users Say

• Sue...
• July 22, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "As with most things online (especially where drugs are concerned), people only tend to post reviews if there are problems. If things go well, they think nothing of it and just move on with their lives. At this moment, I am almost at the end of the prep. I am actually sitting on the throne with my iPad on a chair in front of me. I took twice as long to drink it than instructed - both doses - and experienced no nausea whatsoever. I matched each sip of Plenvu with a sip of flavored, bottled water - non-fizzy. Plus I’ve drunk a lot more water than instructed. A ton more. I feel fine. I’ve used a barrier cream after every movement. Another hour and I hope I will be able to get to bed. The worst part of all this is my back and leg ache from sitting on the toilet for so long! Plan your time carefully. Take longer and drink more - much more. I hope this helps balance the reviews here a little... Good luck!"

• Hak...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "It works, but I really can’t believe this is on the market. I suggest a liquid diet the day before starting this. It helped. I took the first dose about 5:10 pm the day before my procedure. I could not finish it all in the half hour. In about 30 min, it started working, and I was on the toilet about every 5-10 min for the next hour or two. I fell asleep from 9-10 pm, then woke up, went some more, then slept from about midnight to 4:30 am when I had to take the 2nd dose. So...the roughest part...the second dose is so awful. I tried a sip of solution, a sip of Gatorade back and forth, and it didn’t help. I even shoved a slice of lemon in my mouth at one point - nope. I only got half the solution down then quit because my body was telling me to stop. An hour later I threw it all up but it still had me going clear. Side effects I experienced are headaches, chills, nausea, vomiting, dry heaving, diarrhea - but it was gentle. My advice: if your body is telling you to stop drinking, then stop."

• Lun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Ok, I hate this stuff. It gives me nightmares. It's absolutely vile and impossible to finish. The only way I can get it down is chilled through a straw. It's like a military operation - I have a glass, I pour it into, then I have mouthwash straight after each drink to get rid of the taste. I try to get it all down in half an hour - that's between gagging and eventually throwing up. I think in this day and age someone, somewhere could come up with something that doesn't taste so disgusting. It triggers nausea and migraines. Anyone who drinks this deserves a medal."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "Despite the side effects of nausea, vomiting, and taste, I have to keep in mind that it was beneficial for my overall health. I am a 4-time survivor of colon cancer. I would rather spend a few days out of my life enduring this than going through chemotherapy and losing the battle to cancer as my father and grandmother did."

• Suz...
• June 5, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "Never again! This was my second colonoscopy, and the first was not this bad. My insurance copay was $60, so I expected it to be 'new and improved.' The first dose was tolerable but nasty. It started working before I finished drinking it (about 15 minutes). The second dose at 3 am was horrible. I had about 2 oz left, but stubborn me determined to finish even though I was nauseous. Suddenly, I started throwing up violently. I went to the bathroom just as violently and so irritated I couldn’t sit. Awful!! My question is, why is the same dose required for a 300-pound male as a 125-pound female? Definitely felt like overkill, like killing a fly with a hand grenade! No more Plenvu for me!"

• Jon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I was recently prescribed Plenvu for my colonoscopy. I was happy to learn that it was only 2 doses of 16 oz each as compared to the other preps that required you to drink much more prep. After my first sip of Plenvu, my happiness turned into terror at the absolutely horrid taste of this prep. Think thick and VERY salty with a nauseating fake fruit flavor. I could barely choke it down and would have vomited it up if not for the anti-nausea script provided by my GI. Yes, you drink less fluid, but the solution is simply MUCH MORE concentrated than in other preps. Even using a straw to try to avoid my taste buds did little to make it any more palatable. I have had 6 colonoscopies, and this was the worst prep I ever used."

• Ree...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "This Plenvu is by far the worst tasting prep I've ever had. It has a salty, bitter, and thick consistency which makes you want to gag. The nausea I felt was immediate. Adding ice to the container helps a little to alleviate the vile flavor. It's filled with aspartame, which worsens the aftertaste. Surely there has to be a better prep. This is absolutely disgusting."

• lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 21, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "This is the worst experience I have ever had with any kind of medication in my life. Started yesterday at 5 p.m. Mixed with cold water and used a straw to drink. This stuff is extremely salty and overly flavored with artificial fruit flavoring. It is very intense, and there will be an awful salty aftertaste. I instantly felt sick to my stomach. I tried to remain calm and relaxed and sat still. Drank plenty of clear liquid behind it. About 45 minutes after I completed the first dose, I went to the bathroom for the first bowel movement. During that time of having my bowel movement, I became very hot and sweaty. I started feeling awful. I knew I was about to get sick. I wound up throwing up at least half of what I had drunk. Got up at 1:00am to start the second dose. Decided to drink this one even slower to see if that would help me from getting sick again. Took about 45 minutes to drink it all this time. Taste is so horrible. Just awful. I made it through and instantly started feeling very full and very sick."

• Viv...
• March 3, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "1st time, so worried after reading the reviews. Female, 5'6, ~135 lbs. What I did worked well: - Prepped right before drinking (shook for 7-8 min) - Sipped with a straw over 25 min; repeat for H2O. Slightly nauseous (2/10) but started going within 10 min afterward, so got distracted. Within 1 hour, only cloudy liquid and in 2 more hours,"

• jca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "I've just finished part one of a two-part prep. GoLytely was far easier. This took me two hours to choke down. I am nauseated and cold. I just feel sick. I did get a little relief from the suggestion of sucking on lemons after each drink. The taste is repulsive beyond description. I'm scared of the next part when I get up. I will edit this when I'm done if possible. I pray I never have to go through this again. I'm a retired RN and have been in charge of an endoscopy unit. Part 2... so nauseated can't finish all of the second solution. Still drinking water. Woke with a headache and chills. Chills continue. Dizzy. If I can't have this colonoscopy, I don't think I can go through this again. My butt is bleeding. Never been so sick in my life. Never again. Who made this up? Rating 2 because I think I'm cleaned out, but the side effects are horrific."

• rba...
• May 22, 2018

For Bowel Preparation "Did the 2-stage MoviPrep for the first time and it was the easiest and best prep I have done, and I've done four. I have had poor preps in the past, so I decided to reduce fiber intake the week before, which also helped. I chilled the first 32 ounces and started at 1 PM, and drank 8 oz about every 20 minutes. The taste was not that bad, and I chased each dose with an ice popsicle and some water. It was not nearly as bad for me as MiraLax or GoLYTELY, which I could not tolerate. No nausea, no cramping, just some gurgling as the stuff took effect. After the first dose, I was not completely clear, but the second dose (6 PM) did the trick. Colonoscopy itself was a breeze (propofol is your friend, do not settle for IV Demerol), always enjoy the initial feeling of falling off, did not remember a thing, and woke up a little groggy but fine. The doc said the prep was excellent, and no polyps or abnormalities were found. Overall, the best experience for me in now 5 tries. Hope this reassures and helps someone else."

• Sen...
• December 6, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I was apprehensive about taking Plenvu after reading so many negative reviews, but I actually had a decent overall experience. I followed all the prep guidelines from the doctor & utilized the Two-Day Split-Dosing plan. A lot of people reported problems with nausea, so I got a prescription for Zofran from my doctor. Overall, I would not hesitate to use this prep again. It was a huge improvement over the stuff I had used 10 years ago. Less liquid to drink, less time glued to the toilet, and I was able to get some sleep between Dose 1 and 2. There were a few tips I found very helpful: 1. Be sure to use cold refrigerated water. 2. Shake it up really well to make sure all the powder gets dissolved. 3. Drink it with a straw placed at the back of your mouth. 4. The taste was tolerable, but would have been much worse if I had tried to drink it like a regular glass of liquid and let it run over the taste buds in my tongue! Rinse your mouth out with water after each continuous gulp of liquid."

• sta...
• February 16, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "This was my second colonoscopy. For my first, the prep was a Miralax prep, this second one was GoLYTELY. I'm an RN, and the difference between the two was markedly different. The GoLYTELY sat in my stomach for the first couple of hours, then it started to work. Too well. I had a couple of accidents without warning. But I'll say this for it: once you begin, you are determined to finish so you don't have to repeat it. There was no real covering the taste, which I compare to salty plastic. I did not experience any nausea. With the Miralax, my tummy actually felt better for a week or so. Not so with the GoLYTELY, which has left me feeling a little inflamed. I think I also cleared better with the Miralax. When it's time to repeat the procedure, I will decline the GoLYTELY prep in favor of the Miralax if possible. Overall, it isn't the end of the world. But this kind of prep is the reason that many people avoid this life-saving procedure."

• mjb...
• March 3, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "This is my second colonoscopy prep within one week. I prepped the first time by taking Suprep and it was awful. The taste was terrible and made me so nauseous. So when my doctor ordered a second prep, I was so scared, and the fact that I had to drink 4 liters of a prep terrified me. But I am so glad I read the GaviLyte-G advice and tips on this tread because I mixed this prep with Crystal Light, and it is a breeze!!! I wish I would have known this the first time around."

• NGM...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "I had a lot of anxiety about taking this after reading negative experiences and because I have emetophobia. But taking this for a bowel prep was really not that bad at all. I didn't feel nauseous, and there weren't any painful bowel cramps of the kind you might have when you get sick, which were the two things I was most afraid of. It just felt like a normal BM was coming and then... surprise, it was liquid. I created an account to leave this review in the hopes that it helps assuage someone else's anxiety. Also, the first dose didn't taste that bad to me at all, but I'm only giving it an 8 because the second dose tasted bad - seems like they could just make it taste more like the first dose and it would be fine."

• Tiz...
• June 19, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "No one reading this review will be more frightened than I was at having to take MoviPrep - I had to take it yesterday in a state of blind panic, but I survived. I kept to a virtual liquid diet for 36 hours before prep. Poured the prep into 250 ml bottles and chilled. Used a metal straw, alternating 3 gulps of prep and gulps of ginger ale, cutting through the cloying sweetness of the prep, which was like seltzer with a heavy lemon taste. Not nice, but can be swallowed easily if you distract yourself like I did watching TV. It really was drinkable. Only a little bloating, no cramps, a little nausea maybe gulping too quickly. Just felt very cold after sitting on the loo for hours. When the prep started to work, it was gentle, no 'power wash,' just a trickle and the odd whoosh. Managed to get to bed, got up a few times through the night. Morning doses dreaded, but had very little problem. Crucially, it did the job. The worst part, without a doubt, was the worry and fear before the prep."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2013

For Bowel Preparation "This is by far the easiest prep I’ve used. Yes, it smells and tastes awful, but you can overcome that somewhat by mixing ahead and chilling the mixture, using a straw, and chasing with a sip of whatever tastes good to you. Stand and walk a bit while you drink-it helps get things moving and dispels the bloated feeling. The prep started working in 50 minutes both evening and morning, and worked thoroughly. The duration of action was 4 hours after the evening dose, 2 hours after the morning. No nausea, very little cramping, and not much soreness. I was able to have the procedure done and didn't have much trouble getting back to normal. I would use this again when necessary."

• Gla...
• June 19, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "I had this for a same-day prep. Appointment at 2 p.m. The leaflet said to take at 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. As I was planning to drive, I asked if I could take it earlier. Yes. I went for 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. I'm glad I did. The solution isn't pleasant, it's like a concentrated diet drink with salt. But it is drinkable. Rather than panic with your thoughts and say, 'Oh my God, this is awful, I'm going to be sick'...instead calmly sip through a straw. I was told to drink it over an hour. I sipped a bit every 5 minutes. At 5:15, cascades, probably 12 over an hour. Then I slept and woke for the alarm at 7 a.m. The solution made me feel a bit nauseous, so I sipped slowly and left bigger gaps, taking it over 1.5 hours. By 8 a.m., again, cascades. A bottle of water in the loo with me, and I was making sure I drank after each one. I felt wobbly but again kept drinking. Everything finished by 12:00. The main thing is to take it slowly, try and be calm, and drink lots of extra fluids. So good luck with yours."

• lrw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "This was my second colonoscopy, and my first prep, while unpleasant, was not nearly as awful as Plenvu. I don't remember what my previous doctor had me take, but it was nothing like this one!! As others have said, the taste (disgusting combo of salty and sickly sweet), viscosity, and the feeling of bloated fullness and nausea after was bad enough on the first dose. It took me 45 min to force myself to drink the second dose at midnight. No sleep that night!! I was desperately thirsty by the morning, in spite of drinking multiple glasses of water up until 3:30 am, which was when I had to stop before the procedure. After the procedure, I felt sick all day, and by evening felt like I had the flu with chills and body aches and no appetite. My guts were churning for 3 days after the procedure as well. I will never take Plenv again. There are so many better options, including a pill form. It's unbelievable that this 'stuff' is still prescribed by physicians!! Insist on an alternative."

• Ken...
• July 17, 2020

"I found the MoviPrep very difficult to drink, and it took me around 45 minutes to manage even one glass. I initially tried orange cordial to mask the taste but got sick of the sweetness after a while and eventually just added some Sprite to it, which made it a bit easier. It began to work within 30 to 40 minutes of initially starting to consume it. I highly recommend using wet wipes and Vaseline/Sudocrem, as you can become very tender very quickly. Overall, I managed to drink around 90% of the MoviPrep (the last liter was a real struggle, and I did begin to feel very nauseous), but thankfully at my scope this morning, the doctor was very happy with the prep. I have never had a colonoscopy before, but looking back, the actual procedure was a walk in the park compared to how difficult consuming the MoviPrep was. In hindsight, I wish I had given myself more time to drink the prep and started earlier, as I was late going to bed then."

• Ano...
• April 11, 2025

For Bowel Preparation "Had Plenvu for colonoscopy, the last 2 times was given MoviPrep. Firstly, it tastes vile, especially the 2nd dose, but I was pleased that the amount you have to drink is only 500 ml (twice), which is a lot less than other brands. My opinion is make it up first, leave it to chill in the fridge, then sip it slowly over 60 mins, it started to work really quickly once I'd finished it. The 2nd dose is a different story (well, it was for me!) I tried to drink it as I'd done with the first dose but felt sick pretty quickly, kept going but vomited most of it back, I was panicking because I didn't want the procedure to fail, so I left it at least an hour and started again with what I'd got left, approximately half, sipped it extremely slow and with each sip drank a lot of water immediately after. This took ages to get down but it stayed down, it did prolong the loo trips well into the night though (morning appointment). My procedure went well and my bowel was the clearest it's ever been, so it was worth it, just about!"

• mou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Beware! The first dose wasn't too terrible to get down at 5 pm. By 5 am, when I woke to start the second dose, I had a terrible headache that I thought was sinus. It only got worse from there. I started drinking the dose and kept feeling worse: headache, nausea, weakness, cramps. After about 1/4 of the dose, I became violently ill, which only intensified the bad side effects. By 6 am, my husband got my neighbor, a trauma surgeon, to come over and check in on me. She suggested the emergency room. I was happy to go, my symptoms and weakness were scaring me. I'm 65, but I've had several colonoscopies and not gone off the rails like this, and I'm super fit and an avid mountain biker. It took about 4 days before I felt strong and normal. The worst part is, I still have to get a colonoscopy! I won't use Plenvu, but I'm still terrified!"

• Fro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "Tastes pretty awful but managed okay with a straw. It didn’t make me nauseous at all. I had to wait around an hour for the first trip to the toilet (I took the first dose at 5 pm and finished the first liter by 7 pm). The only snag was, although it tells you the trips to the toilet should finish pretty soon after you stop taking the stuff, mine went on all night! For this reason, I only downed one glass of the second liter in the morning and chucked the rest down the sink. Colonoscopy was at 1:30 pm and was done with no problem. Three cheers for our fabulous NHS (I’m in the UK) - it cost me nothing at all. I would definitely use it again. It’s not as scary as some people make out."

• Ano...
• February 10, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "I give this a 3 because it worked, but at what cost? I essentially gave myself a case of stomach flu for 12 hrs. Strangely, I became very cold after each dose, which the nurse told me is very common. I thought I might get a chance to sleep an hour here or there, but absolutely not. I was still hitting the toilet after arriving at the hospital for my appointment (multiple times). The nausea and dehydration were intense, as I was told not to have any more fluids 4 hrs before the appointment. I see plenty of people have described the taste accurately, so I'll simply say that it takes an iron will to keep it down. Everyone else I've talked to has had great luck with the Miralax & Dulcolax combo. Much cheaper, effective, and better tasting. Why use Plenvu at all?"

• Mil...
• May 1, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "Bowel prep: first attempted Pico Prep; vomited 6 hours. Then... Plenvu. Taken at 7 pm. By 7:15, I was off to the toilet. Very quick and very frequent bowel evacuation. But by 10:30, I was in bed. Second dose (2nd dose tastes better) at 4 am. Slight nausea. Bowel evacuations till 7. Slept lightly between, ready to pounce for the toilet (lol). So although very dehydrating, it did the job quickly, which I found better. Doc said my bowel was VERY clean. He removed a flat polyp; for me, a huge relief- increased risk of bowel cancer as Nan, uncle (died), and Mom had bowel cancer (died) at 43. So although my and my siblings' risk is now increased again, Plenvu’s great bowel cleaning and a great doc have saved me from this flat polyp turning. Highly recommend. Remember all bowel prep is ‘shitty;’ it’s not about the prep... it’s about the saving of your life."