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Colonoscopy — My tip for drinking Colyte

Posted on October 25, 2010April 26, 2017 by Martha

Today I am having a colonoscopy. For the past week or so I have been reading advice online and talking to co-workers about how to comfortably down 4 liters of the vile tasting Colyte. The tips involved selecting the least offensive flavor packet (lemon-lime according to most) and various techniques for the drinking — refrigerating the Colyte, using a straw, trying not to breathe while drinking, and sipping a tastier drink (tea, juice, soda) before and after each glass. The alternate drink idea was the most common suggestion, but the thought of adding even more liquid to the process seemed particularly unappealing.

Because my procedure is in the afternoon, I am drinking my Colyte in two sessions. Yesterday I drank half of it using variations of all the tips I had read or heard. Apparently I am unable to drink without breathing (especially through a straw), and none of the suggestions worked very well, because I could both smell and taste the gross medicine.

Late last night it occurred to me that I might try my technique for cleaning the grill tops on the stove. Because I can’t handle breathing in oven cleaner, I always hold a dryer sheet to my nose when I’m spraying it. The sheet is easy to breathe through, and eliminates both the oven cleaner smell and fumes, so I thought I would try this while I was drinking the medicine. This morning I was amazed that I couldn’t smell or taste the Colyte, and could easily manage to finish each 8 oz. glass. Here’s my technique:

Add water to the Colyte as directed, refrigerate overnight

Add the flavor packet if you have one, although I don’t think it really matters

Have a dryer sheet ready and some lemon or lime slices

Pour an 8 oz. glass of Colyte

Placing the dryer sheet over your nose, take a big breath through your nose then exhale

Begin drinking the Colyte while slowly breathing in through the dryer sheet — try to do this without exhaling

When you’ve finished the glass (or as much as you can manage to drink in one long breath), keep the dryer sheet in place for a few seconds and put a lemon slice in your mouth before you exhale (this helps with the after-taste).

I did not use a straw because I can drink faster without it. Of course, there may be people who hate the fragrance of dryer sheets, but I can assure you that it is way better than the smell of the Colyte.

36 thoughts on “Colonoscopy — My tip for drinking Colyte”

  1. Allie says:
    October 25, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    Now that has to be the coolest trick I’ve ever heard of. I’ll have my son try that when he has to take yicky meds. Have you read Dave Barry’s Colonoscopy Journal? If not, I’ll email it to you, it’s HYSTERICAL!

    Reply
  2. LoriD says:
    October 25, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    That almost sounds like taking shots of tequila! hahaha No salt huh?

    Reply
  3. Diana says:
    October 25, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    I don’t have to have another one for a few years, but I hope I can remember this tip!

    Reply
  4. Karen Beigh says:
    October 25, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    I had to drink a little bottle or two of something before my test and take a bunch of pills. It is hard to drink whatever is in those little bottles too. I will try to remember your suggestion. The doctor’s office had suggested putting the liquid in with 7-up but that just made it that much more bad tasting stuff I had to get down.

    Reply
  5. Holly says:
    October 27, 2010 at 10:51 am

    Sounds unpleasant! Hope that the test went well.

    Reply
  6. Mary says:
    November 11, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Wow. How did it go? I still haven’t had one, but I need to.

    Reply
  7. Adelia says:
    January 2, 2011 at 6:59 pm

    Thank you so much for this tip! It really works!

    Reply
  8. Ardyth says:
    January 22, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    I have successfully completed the Colinoscopy test thanks to the tips I found here. I failed the first time around ,just using the directions on the bottle. I ended up projectile vomiting after 7 glasses, and could not do any more. They had to reschedule my procedure a month later.
    This time I read every tip I could find and with the help of two tabs of prescribed Domperidone 30 min before starting this is what got me through:
    Get the Colyte very cold
    Use a short wide mouth glass of 8 oz capacity
    Have a glass of apple juice standing by to sip before and swill after
    A drier softener cloth to hold over your nose while chugging the Colyte
    A lemon wedge to clear any residual taste
    Try to keep to four glasses per hour
    Have a warm duvet
    Watch a really good DVD

    Good luck, mind over matter

    Reply
  9. Ashleigh says:
    July 6, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    YOU are a GENIUS! I started drinking my Colyte at 8am and its now 2pm and I am ONLY half way through… I pretty much gave up! I started googling tips, tricks, and advice and stumbled acrossed a few pages bout drinking tea before and after and not breathing and then I found your site! The dryer sheet WORKS! It takes away about 90% taste/smell! You pretty much ROCK! 🙂 Maybe I can finish the rest of this gallon before the day is over! I am taking Colyte to help kill or get rid of Bacteria in my small intestine after antibiotics not working…. So… I really want to finish the gallon as instructed but it was seriously about quitting time!! HAHAHA! BTW I am using a straw and I feel like I am drinking TONS but then I put the glass down and it doesn’t even look like I drank any… I tried doing it without a straw and I was gagging too bad…Ughh..going to be a really long day!) Thanks again for your post!

    Reply
  10. Ashleigh says:
    July 6, 2012 at 12:11 pm

    Drinking Colyte tastes like licking or drinking thick arm pit sweat on a 105+ degree day!

    Reply
  11. Delphi says:
    September 27, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    Your tip for drinking Colyte really helped my mother who is having her colonoscopy tomorrow. Thank you!

    Reply
  12. jmmAZ says:
    December 27, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    I read your comments skeptically mainly because I think dryer sheets are not healthy. BUT I was so dreading trying to swig down so much colyte for the colonoscopy tomorrow, I decided to try it – and have to say: THANKS! I have one more cup to down now (and then 6 more to down at midnight) and I think your method worked well. I don’t know if it’s because it eliminates the odor or just because it’s distracting to try to drink with a dryer sheet in hand. (Also, I mixed the colyte with some lemonade flavored unsweetened Koolaid. And that helped too, I think.

    For a previous colonoscopy (a virtual colonoscopy) I was given a Lo So Prep kit and I found that MUCH easier to take.

    Anyway, thanks!

    Reply
  13. kathi says:
    March 14, 2013 at 7:45 am

    I am so sorry that I found this website with the tip 3 hours after I finish drinking the last of my yuck I will definitely try this in the future thanks.

    Reply
  14. candice says:
    March 26, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    OMG! It tastes like vomit water! I just came across this site after my first 8 oz of colyte – I’m running to grab a dryer sheet now! I’ll let you know.

    Reply
  15. candice says:
    March 26, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    OK, so I had 3 glasses so far, and the fabric softner tip is AWESOME! I also read to have some hot spicy tea, and that helped for the after taste. The other part that I find hard is that I’m getting full on it, and it’s hard to drown it on a full stomach – makes me want to vomit. But “this too shall pass” and with the burning candles, tons of air freshner, I’m going to get through this….

    Reply
  16. Heidi says:
    March 27, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    ohhhh my gosh…this is horrible. I’ve just started drink my first drink…..the dryer sheet does help for sure. I’m using a straw, I chose to go with the pineapple flavor…it doesn’t even make a difference at all. I’m alternating between Colyte and veggie soup broth! I can do it…I can do it!!!! Ugh…..

    Reply
  17. Angie says:
    March 28, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    I have to start drinking my Colyte in 45 minutes. I’m hangry and terrfied of puking it all back up! Procedure is tomorrow morning, & it’s my first one. Hope the dryer sheet helps. :/

    Reply
  18. Uncle Al says:
    April 27, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    The solution to me tasted like very salty Gatorade. Not good, certainly not refreshing, but not nearly as abominable as everyone here talks about. I mowed the lawn (normally I make my son do it) and it was 112 outside, so I worked up quite a thirst before I started drinking this essence of bilge. Not really that big a deal everyone…

    Reply
  19. ConnieCanuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 8:02 am

    My colonoscopy is scheduled for noon tomorrow so have to drink 2 litres tonight and 2 more in the morning. Definitely not looking forward to it and will try the dryer sheet tip for sure.

    Reply
  20. curly says:
    May 17, 2013 at 11:05 am

    after reading this site i was not looking forward to this process however my pharmacist gave me GaviLyte-C which is a generic for colyte it comes with a flavor packet, no smell, light lemon taste, what’s the problem?

    Reply
  21. Annabelle says:
    June 15, 2013 at 8:40 pm

    Martha, YOU’VE AWESOME!! Dryer sheet works great!

    My prep starts with liquid Miralax (only 2T, but they’re horrible) the night before I start pills and clear liquid diet..

    I rinsed my mouth with Listerine, with the hope of temporarily frying my taste buds, held the dryer sheet over my nose, downed the Miralax, quickly rinsed my mouth again, and brushed my teeth. No problem!!

    I wish everyone great testing results and great health!!

    Thanks!

    Annie

    Reply
  22. Karen Sue says:
    June 20, 2013 at 10:02 am

    Thank you so much for this idea…I have to have a colonoscopy in a week and I have really been dreading this Colyte stuff….I’ve hear way too many horor stories. I’ll try this and let you know how I do with it. Thanks again!!!

    Why can’t someone come up with a halfway descent tasting stuff. There’s got to be a better way!!!!

    🙁

    Reply
  23. Laura says:
    July 2, 2013 at 5:42 pm

    Wow. Just got the first glass down and it really works! Thanks!!

    Reply
  24. kellie says:
    September 23, 2013 at 7:34 am

    OMG that was the longest evening of my life, and the fun is not over yet! I tried the fabric softener sheet and the lemon, thank you. If it weren’t for your help I wouldn’t have gotten as much of that nasty liquid down as I did. I’m only 5 feet tall…how in heavens name was I suppossed to ingest that much liquid in the allotted time? I got about 3/4 of it down…hope it’s good enough, because I am NOT doing this again. One tip…I use free and clear fabric sheets…I can see where the scented ones would be a lot more effective. Again thenks for the suggestions.

    Reply
  25. Kris says:
    March 18, 2014 at 12:29 pm

    Thanks so much for the suggestion. This was my 3rd colonoscopy and it really was easier to get that stuff down this time. Very much appreciated!

    Reply
  26. Carl says:
    April 25, 2014 at 4:36 pm

    The dryer sheet trick sounds great. I go for my 1st colonoscopy this coming Wednesday. I plan on trying that for sure, and maybe the Listerine trick and brushing my teeth right away, too. Thanks everybody for the tips.

    Reply
  27. Karen says:
    July 18, 2014 at 11:33 am

    I am going this Wednesday for a colonoscopy, and I will try the lemon wedge/dryer sheet tip. My friend also suggested a Powerade chaser (NOT red) — so I will also give that a whirl. Mind over matter, peeps! get ‘er DONE!

    Reply
  28. rick says:
    August 4, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    if u try starburst candy after its good. we divers use this to get the taste of ocean salt water out of ur mouth and that taste even worse.

    Reply
  29. Martin Wilson says:
    October 24, 2014 at 5:23 pm

    I found that mixing a half dozen single serving Crytal Light pouches (as long as there’s no red) or the equivalent in a store brand like Great Value. (Walmart) these drinks are strong and can almost turn the stuff into something tasty.

    Reply
  30. Robina says:
    July 15, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    I just finished my procedure and was so relieved to read this article. I wish I had read it before my first 2 litres, but it sure helped me finish the last 2 litres. I only used the lemon (and drank with a straw). The lemon was a lifesaver! Thanks so much

    Reply
  31. Deb says:
    July 15, 2018 at 6:35 pm

    Tomorrow is my 3rd (4th?) colonoscopy. The other times I just toughed out drinking that sh*t. To prep for tomorrow I used an unscented dryer sheet because that’s I had. Still, with the lemon, it helped a LOT. 4 more cups tomorrow AM – hello dryer sheet & lemon. I plan to share this tip with fellow sufferers. It still isn’t easy, but it does make it easier.

    Reply
  32. Linda says:
    May 18, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    I literally have tears from laughing so hard, oh but can I relate. Thank you so much, I truly have not laughed this hard in awhile.

    Reply
  33. rc says:
    July 15, 2020 at 8:49 pm

    I just came googling for tips because I have to have a colonoscopy in a couple of weeks. The last one I had 3 years ago made me so sick because of the prep. I was dreading this one. Your dryer sheet trick has been sighing in relief (and those of you that posted it really worked). I can’t say I’m looking forward to trying it but I definitely feel less anxious. THANK YOU!

    Reply
  34. Lois Belluk says:
    March 8, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    Well…. That was a bizarre but effective tip, a much more pleasant way to have the colyte go down. I’ll happily ignore whatever bad stuff I inhaled courtesy of the dryer sheets. I think tomorrow marks my sixth such procedure and I’m grateful for the whole process. Thank you for your creativity and making this part of the process easier.

    Reply
  35. Steve says:
    November 1, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    Well, appreciated the adivce given here. I am so thankful for the information that was presented here. Just finished my Colonoscopy and this is how I got through the Prep. (MAKE SURE THE PREP IS AS COLD AS YOU CAN GET IT(
    1) Sucked on a lemon wedge first.
    2) Drank 8 ounces of ColLyte with a dryer sheet at nose then immediately
    3) Rinsed mouth with Apple Juice then
    4) Sucked on another Lemon Wedge.
    Allowed me to do all 16 glassess without gagging until last one.Thanks again for the tips.

    Reply
    1. Sharon says:
      March 1, 2022 at 2:56 pm

      That sounds awesome, thank you for the important information.

      Reply

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