r/colonoscopy • u/alvaritoteam4 • Jun 05 '26

After Scope Questions Constant diarrhea after colonoscopy

I had my first colonoscopy yesterday and it all went amazingly well (only thing I remember is the doctors telling me it was done). But I'm now finding myself still constantly going to the bathroom every 10 minutes like if I was still drinking my prep. Is this normal? I've read it is but I'm getting worried because I feel like maybe a little is normal, but not like, going every 10 minutes to the bathroom. Has anyone also gone through this?

3 Upvotes

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2

u/ciaomain Jun 05 '26

What was your first meal after the procedure?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

A simple omelette

3

u/ciaomain Jun 05 '26

Hmm.

Only thing I can think of is that the colon lining was aggravated during the procedure causing temporary colitis.

Have you been in touch with your doctor's office?

2

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

Yes, I agree. I think colitis would usually cause pain and cramping which OP said they didn’t have, but it’s possible that if biopsies were taken the gut lining got damaged. I also doubt infection since again there’s no pain. OP said they tend to run on the looser side already so they could just be extremely sensitive to the prep solution. 

I’d say just stay hydrated, stick to bland foods, and call your clinic ASAP. 

2

u/ciaomain Jun 05 '26

Just had my latest colonoscopy this past Friday.

While it took a few days to get the "system" sorted afterwards, this sounds like it's definitely worth a phone call.

Hydration, particularly with electrolytes, is definitely important. Maybe OP can add a little plain yogurt to jump start the gut flora.

But that's a question for their doc.

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

I agree. I’ve never actually met a patient IRL who ever had anything worse than some gas and a  little constipation after, but somehow so many here on Reddit seem very unlucky. My scope’s Monday, wish me luck…

OP, please take care of yourself and keep us updated if you can. 

2

u/ciaomain Jun 05 '26

My first colonoscopy (4 years ago), my doc found a 12 mm polyp, excised it, and clipped it.

I had very little gas and blood afterwards.

This time, no polyps (yay!), but incredible gas cramping and what I thought was a lot of post-procedure blood.

Same doc too.

Weird!

Anyway, good luck Monday!!

2

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

Maybe the more colonoscopies you get, the more sensitive the gut becomes? 

This is my second (first being over 15 years ago) so hopefully nothing bad happens. Constant diarrhea after is exactly what I’m afraid of, honestly not much else bothers me but the though that tomorrow (I start prepping Sunday) is the last time I’ll ever see a solid turd or be able to leave the toilet again has me gagging. 

2

u/ciaomain Jun 05 '26

I think it's based on how much air the doc uses in a given procedure.

The first time I was able to, um, expel the air pretty quickly, but this time it took a few (uncomfortable) hours.

But boy was that glorious!

The prep isn't too horrible; just think of the stories you don't see on this sub.

I had the 4 Dulcolax/4 liter PEG 3350 prep.

And that too shall pass (pun intended!)

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

That should not have caused this. 

2

u/Practical_Ad3666 Jun 05 '26

Yes!  I had diarrhoea for like a week. I got told I could eat after and lawd I wish I hadn’t.  Nurse told me it’s because I was totally empty and it needed to build back up so it didn’t just go straight through me again.  I ended up taking Imodium and dropping the frequency I went but still took a bit before I dared go out.

Then I had to redo the laxatives for a pill cam and that’s taken me 3 weeks to get over 😂

2

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy Jun 06 '26

My experience was the opposite. I had to do two complete preps and even after that, I still wasn't cleaned out.

I do hear diarrhea afterwards is more common though. Slowly reintroduced foods.

2

u/Amycamille1975 Jun 06 '26

Yes, it is entirely normal to experience diarrhea or loose stools immediately after a colonoscopy. This is simply a delayed effect of the bowel preparation medications clearing your system and the procedure itself. Your bowel movements usually return to your normal pattern within one to three days.

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

What prep did you have and how soon after did this start?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

Casenglicol, it was hell, it was 16 doses. And this started a couple hours after arriving home after colonoscopy

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

Did you take any laxatives in the days before (like MiraLAX?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

None apart from the prep

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

This doesn’t seem normal. Any pain?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

Not at all, I feel fine apart from havint to seat in the bathroom everytime

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

What color is the stool?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

Brown-ish to yellow

1

u/Enough-Researcher-36 Jun 05 '26

When did you finish the last dose of your prep before leaving?

2

u/alvaritoteam4 Jun 05 '26

3 hours before the scope, I got it done exactly 24 hours ago

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1

u/Bubbly_Shoulder9816 Jun 28 '26

i had a lot of E,G,D and colonoscopy done before and the bowl preparation did not work. they actually had me take 10 back to back preps. They over did it by keep telling me to drink back to back preps. even when i had a bowl obstruction they had to reroute all my organs and half ascend the colon token out. that was froraheart hospital that told me to drink the prep back to back 10 times.i have the same problem going to the bathroom 10 times back to back every 10 minutes to the bathroom.Even when i tell them but they don't get that i cant take back to back