Colonoscopy questions—DH

[nicolewi]

DH is getting his first colonoscopy Friday. I haven’t had one yet.

iThursday night, he has to drink his prep at 7 PM and then again at 2 AM on Friday. Would it be a good idea for me to sleep with one of my kids, so I can get some sleep without him keeping me up all night? Or do I need to stay with him in case he has trouble and passes out or something?

After the procedure, how long do I need to stay home with him? I thought about two hours is recommended? Someone asked if we wanted to meet up in the afternoon and I don’t know if I should say yes or not.

Any other general tips? He’s not great with medical stuff and he’s really dreading this entire experience.

[wanderingback]

We didn’t change sleeping arrangements when my partner has had colonoscopies. I was never worried about him needing any medical help.

I had to go with him in the taxi home afterwards but I didn’t need to stay with him when we got home. Complication rates are extremely rare after a colonoscopy.

[joy]

I took my 1.5 year old and spent the night at a hotel when my husband did the prep.

I gave my husband our four year old and spent the night on our third floor alone when I did the prep.

Separate. You have phones if there’s an emergency.

EDIT: Our home at the time with the 1.5 year old had one bathroom. When it was my turn, we had a bigger home with another bathroom.

[gerberdaisy]

I wouldn't worry about an emergency and would sleep separate just to have a better night sleep.

I'm usually alone all day afterwards (H is at work and kids at school). Never a big deal, just usually want food, a nap, and watch TV.

[mccallister84]

H is in right now. For his prep it was mostly concentrated together. So once it worked he was able to go to bed with minimal issue. He took his at 4 and 10 though so went to bed around midnight maybe? He got up once over night but we slept in the same bed no problem.

I am going to Back to School Night tonight.

[ssmjlm]

Whoever was doing the prep was downstairs for the second bottle. The first one was fine and I was glad to get some sleep before my MOTN alarm. My kid slept through it all.

I would see what the doctor said. Mine recommends someone being home most of the day, but when DH did his, it didn't say anything.

I have UC, so I have to get them annually now.

[nicolewi]

Also… When could he drive? I’m realizing that it might be really helpful if he could drive my son to soccer at 5:30 PM. His procedure is 9:20 AM. I’m thinking that should be fine??

[gerberdaisy]

Sept 11, 2024 8:20:21 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

Also… When could he drive? I’m realizing that it might be really helpful if he could drive my son to soccer at 5:30 PM. His procedure is 9:20 AM. I’m thinking that should be fine??

They say you cannot drive the day of the procedure.  Assuming he has Propofol (which is what I had so is all I know).

[erbear]

I had my first a couple of weeks ago. My DH is a heavy sleeper so he slept in the room with me, but I didn't need him. He could have left me after he drove me home too -- I felt fine. This really is a minor procedure.

[maudefindlay]

DH chose to sleep in our finished basement so he wouldn't wake me up the night he did prep. I had to be at the hospital and stay in the pre/post procedure room the whole time since I was his driver. DH was very loopy afterwards. He went home and showered and then slept. I did feel like I needed to be home due to his loopiness. I wanted to make sure that when he woke up he ate as the doctor said he needed to eat and drink when he got home, but he was so sleepy that took precedence for him. Once he was no longer confused then he was on his own. I wouldn't make plans then as we were at the hospital a few hours and then home a few hours before he was himself again.

[InBetweenDays]

We didn't alter our sleeping arrangement at all when either DH or I had ours. We each got up once to take the second dose and went back to bed. We weren't up numerous times (we were almost completely cleaned out before going to bed).

And I think it would be fine to go out when you get home. He shouldn't be driving a car home, but he will most likely be alert and fine by the time you get home. We stopped at the store on the way home to get food and I walked around the grocery store as normal.

[mccallister84]

Sept 11, 2024 8:20:21 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

Also… When could he drive? I’m realizing that it might be really helpful if he could drive my son to soccer at 5:30 PM. His procedure is 9:20 AM. I’m thinking that should be fine??

They just told us no driving for 24 hours.

[nicolewi]

I realize the driving thing is a moot point anyway because the event I’m thinking of is the day before his colonoscopy, not the day of his colonoscopy! Whoops.

[tacokick]

If you aren’t going to be there after picking him up, I’d make sure there are some easy things to eat without cooking around. Both of us have been pretty groggy after and would not have been in shape to prepare a meal even though we were hungry. We both felt ok right after getting out but really crashed an hour or so later.

[kath16]

My H chose to sleep downstairs when I did mine

I was awake and alert right away, but some people are groggy all day. I did take a nap but mostly bc I could.

[livinitup]

DH and I did our first a year apart. He went first. I didn’t notice most of his prep and didn’t change sleeping arrangements. I mostly noticed because of his complaining about what he couldn’t eat. We have a bedroom/bathroom and I think we just dedicated that bathroom to the prep person for the night before. He’s a light sleeper but didn’t get bothered by me.

I was much more sympathetic when I went through the prep. lol. Not that it was a big deal, it’s just annoying to change eating habits for a few days and then the drink/prep and then fasting. It’s manageable.

We went out for lunch after and I picked the diner for a hearty meal. I didn’t drive until the next day. Recovery was nbd.

[mofongo]

Just had mine last week. H slept in a different room so I wouldn't wake him up, he won't need you once he's back home. H had his a few months ago and we did the same thing.

[frlcb]

We slept in different rooms for both mine and my husband's procedures. We literally went back to normal after we came home and took naps. It was so not a big deal at all.

[Jalapeñomel]

This was just like any other procedure for us. He didn’t do anything special for prep, and I picked him up, and left him at home and went back to work.

[notsopicky]

I slept in our guest room the night before b/c H is a light sleeper, and that room is closer to my bathroom (I use the hall bath, H uses the primary) anyway. He picked me up from the procedure (my friend took me because I had to be there at 6a, we worked in the same school at the time and it was on the way). He works from home so he was there, but I didn't need him to do anything.

I didn't find that the bathroom issues were any big deal, it was the drink that about killed me. I got the first dose down well enough, but I couldn't drink all of the second (I was *this close* to hurling it all up, OMG). I told the GI doc that and she asked me how much I was able to drink. I told her there was about an inch left in the second cup and she said she was proud of me for getting that much down, lol.

Your H shouldn't drive at all the day of the procedure.