Hi Gordgrc and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to read that you will be having colorectal surgery.

The pre-op drinks are given as part of the treatment before you have surgery. Research has shown that having carbohydrate drinks in this way helps to prepare you.

The drinks reduce the stress on the body caused by surgery, they also reduce muscle loss and improve well-being after. As well as helping to reduce the side effects of fasting before the surgery such as nausea and vomiting which can occur afterwards.

I can appreciate that having to take bowel prep to clear your bowels for surgery on top of this may be overwhelming as this is a lot of fluid to have. It is important to try and drink as much as possible. You do not need to drink in one go you can try taking small sips regularly.

If you are worried it may be helpful to contact the hospital for advice or helpful tips on how to manage this. I don't know if you have been given any numbers to call for advice such as the pre-assessment nurse or nurse specialist(CNS) as they may have some helpful tips for you.

You may find that someone else posts on here who has been through a similar experience that is helpful, or it may be worth posting on the general pages where more people may see the post.

I hope this helps a little, and I wish you all the best for your upcoming surgery.

Take care,

Jemma