[Kram]

I am having a colonoscopy done in a week. I will need to only consume clear liquids 24 hrs prior to the procedure; gatorade, juices, jello, etc. I am taking the day off prior to the procedure. Am I insane to think about riding that day? I am concerned that I'll really bonk afterward. (I won't be taking the laxatives before the ride-I've had this done before; I may be crazy, but not stoopid!)

 

[MikeBiker]

I am having a colonoscopy done in a week. I will need to only consume clear liquids 24 hrs prior to the procedure; gatorade, juices, jello, etc. I am taking the day off prior to the procedure. Am I insane to think about riding that day? I am concerned that I'll really bonk afterward. (I won't be taking the laxatives before the ride-I've had this done before; I may be crazy, but not stoopid!)

Take it as a rest day. Why take any chances.

 

[bsdc]

You'll be fine. It might not be a day for a particularly long or hard ride, but you'll do fine. I've been on the South Beach diet since January 1. I'm in Phase 2, where a fair amount of good carbs are allowed. This still leaves me with a less than full tank, so I learned to carry gatorade with me on long rides. Of course I had to learn the hard way ... bonking on the way back from a long ride with only water. In your case, your tanks will be almost full and you'll have gatorade as a back up.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Ymmv

How you feel is pretty individual, so it's hard to predict. Lots of people feel like they want to take a week off, while others say "So what?"

 

[Kram]

I'm not worried about how I'll feel afterward. I've had it done before; I'll likely want to eat a house and ride about 200 miles I had a really good sleep while under anestesia. Just not too sure how I'd ride on a basically empty stomach.

 

[bsdc]

I'm not worried about how I'll feel afterward. I've had it done before; I'll likely want to eat a house and ride about 200 miles I had a really good sleep while under anestesia. Just not too sure how I'd ride on a basically empty stomach.

Dude, you should worry more about you're going to feel afterwords ... they're going to pipe your bowels ... and you're worried about bonking?

 

[Kram]

Like I said, I've had this done before.

Assuming that they don't find anything I'll be fine afterwards. If they remove a polyp or so; yes, then I won't feel like riding (or anything else, for that matter).

 

[BaadDawg]

Even though the risk of bleeding is fairly low with no polyp removal why take a chance when all you need is 1 more day off? I sure didn't feel like riding after mine. It was more the time it took for the anesthesia to wear off than anything. If they tell you not to drive for 12 hours after why would you want to ride a bike? BTW good luck with the procedure. I found the prep worse than the procedure, but since you've had it before you know.

 

[RUSA2392]

Prep is worse than the experience

IMHO... Plan a good meal and a good ride for the afternoon of your exam. I find I can't eat enough jello, consomme, etc. to feel good during the prep. As you imply, the laxatives are a real drag......

 

[wilier]

Either way...

My advice to anyone else - take a day off.

If it were me - I'd ride.

 

[Kaboom]

it depends...

As eveeyone said, it varies from person to person, but i have ridden before (and it was only like 20 miles) on a completely empty stomach and bonked before i got past the halfway mark. it is NOT fun to ride back home completely weakened... As others said, just stay and watch a couple of good cycling (or otherwise) DVD's, and the afternoon after the exam pig out and do a 50 mile ride.

 

[Kram]

Day of the exam; I'll rest (before and after).

Day before-I'll ride-easy though. Also, before the laxatives

 

[pedlfoot]

Take the day off....

...you'll have plenty of other days to ride.

 

[benja15]

What's wrong with you?..... mentally

??????

 

[Kram]

I'll assume it's me that you think has something wrong.

benja15, I've been around the block a time or 2. I am old enough to be your dad. I've had this done before. I know what I'm getting into. It's not a big deal. Do you even know what a colonoscopy is?

 

[blownpupil]

don't listen to this idiot

You'll be fine. It might not be a day for a particularly long or hard ride, but you'll do fine. I've been on the South Beach diet since January 1. I'm in Phase 2, where a fair amount of good carbs are allowed. This still leaves me with a less than full tank, so I learned to carry gatorade with me on long rides. Of course I had to learn the hard way ... bonking on the way back from a long ride with only water. In your case, your tanks will be almost full and you'll have gatorade as a back up.

You absolutely should NOT ride while doing a bowel prep!!!!
First of all, the prep will dehydrate you, no matter how much fluid you drink. The prep will also make you need to move your bowels every 10 minutes. A bike is not where you want to be unless you are towing a Port-o-san. In the best of circumstances one can hope they don't develop electrolyte abnormalities during a prep. If you sweat/exercise, all bets are off.

South Beach diets are NOT mechanical bowel preps!!!!!!!!!!

 

[blownpupil]

Bowel Prep and Biking

Dude: The two do not go together.
Don't dehydrate yourself BEFORE a prep...you'll never catch up and can really cause serious electrolyte issues.
Don't ride during or after a prep...obvious reasons (unless you plan on towing a portable commode)
Don't ride AFTER the procedure since you will likely have been given a sedative which can hang out 24 hours in your body even if you feel normal.
Don't ride for at least 24 -36 hours post colonoscopy.

(I am speaking as a surgeon who specializes in GI surgery)

 

[G-dub]

Take a couple of days off!

I am having a colonoscopy done in a week. I will need to only consume clear liquids 24 hrs prior to the procedure; gatorade, juices, jello, etc. I am taking the day off prior to the procedure. Am I insane to think about riding that day? I am concerned that I'll really bonk afterward. (I won't be taking the laxatives before the ride-I've had this done before; I may be crazy, but not stoopid!)

Dont even think about it!
Wait and see how you feel, I've had 3 colonoscopies and one of them i was so out of it I could hardly walk let alone ride. Don't plan on any activity untill you can obtain how you feel, you will need to re-hydrate for days to get your full energy back... Drinking the liquid and the ensueing dierrea is worse than the colonoscopy though, youll be fine a day or so after.
G-dub

 

[Merlin]

I rode the day before mine

and made the MISTAKE of eating a turkey sandwich after the rie. Right as I was fininshing up the sandwich the Md's office called to make sure i was ready for the procedure and then asked if I had eaten anything.."just a turkey sandwich" man were they upset! i had take lots more of the fun stuff to clean me out. Anyway your question is to ride or not...of course not. Make that your rest day.

 

[Kram]

Thank you.

Riding the day of I wasn't considering at all. The day before is what I was considering. I doubt that I'll cause an electrolyte imbalance. It's barely above freezing here and I'll be going REAL EASY and drinking a lot of fluids, esp Gatotrade etc. Thanks for your informed answer. Depending on how I feel I may or may not ride the day after. The last time I had it done (5 yrs ago) I felt great afterwards. We'll see how it goes this time.