Well, I really was supposed to do it last year, but life got in the way and my intentions came to nought. So in the new year I decided to make it happen. I wanted it to happen while Kirsten was here before Easter, but this was not possible as they only do the procedures on Tuesdays and that did not fit our travel plans. So I am doing it tomorrow. I am doing this with the same surgeon, Associate Professor Denis W. King, as before and at the same hospital. When I went last week to his offices, it turned out he had moved from St George Private to Hurstville Private. This change has not been shown on their web site. I was told I would be at the hospital in the afternoon, but then a somewhat frantic call from the nurse in the last half hour stated that I needed to be there at 7 AM in the morning.
I think this time I have a different package of chemicals to take. It is called Picoprep. I have to say it is much more ghastly than the stuff before and unlike last time, I am feeling famished. I have a list of clear fluids I am allowed to take. I think I will go down later and purchase some lemonade. Unexpectedly black tea and coffee are on the list of approved clear fluids. I find this bemusing.
Picoprep contains the following ingredients:
- Sodium picosulfate Orally administered sodium picosulfate is generally used for thorough evacuation of the bowel, usually for patients who are preparing to undergo a colonoscopy. It works very quickly, so access to a toilet at all times is recommended. It starts off by making bowel movements looser and more frequent, but within an hour or so of taking it the patient should experience diarrhea. The most common side effects of picosulfate are abdominal cramps and diarrhea. The use of sodium picosulfate has also been associated with certain electrolyte disturbances, such as hyponatremia and hypokalemia[2]. Patients are often required to drink large amounts of clear fluids to restablish the electrolyte balance as well as rehydrate[3].
- Magnesium oxide In medicine, magnesium oxide is used for relief of heartburn and sour stomach, as an antacid, magnesium supplement, and as a short-term laxative. It is also used to improve symptoms of indigestion. Side effects of magnesium oxide may include nausea and cramping.[5] In quantities sufficient to obtain a laxative effect, side effects of long-term use include enteroliths resulting in bowel obstruction.[6]
- Citric acid is a weak organic acid. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic, or sour, taste to foods and soft drinks. Inbiochemistry, the conjugate base of citric acid, citrate, is important as an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, and therefore occurs in the metabolism of virtually all living things. It can also be used as an environmentally benign cleaning agent. It can cause severe irritation to the skin and possible minor skin burns.
- Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand nameNutraSweet; since 2009 it also has been sold under the brand name AminoSweet. It was first synthesized in 1965 and the patent expired in 1992