Long story short, I'd been having symptoms which were all common for ibs, ibd or worse. I was due a colonoscopy but told the hospital didn't offer the painkiller so I asked for a ct scan instead which I had on Tuesday afternoon. I was given picolax prep as I may be allergic to something in gastrografin.

So sunday I followed the advised low residue diet, which involved bread, chicken, pasta and low fat cheese spread. I was dreading the prep and not being able to eat. I think I was lucky with the prep as I didn't think it was that bad, i took my first sachet 8am monday, ended up on the toilet for 1/2 mins every hour ish, that calmed down around midday. I took the second sachet at around half 2, again 1/2 mins on the toilet leaving the toilet water looking like kfc gravey. That seemed to calm down by 6pm, then decided to pipe up again at 3 in the morning. The last watery stool was about 8 am the next day. The worst bit of prep was not eating, I went through 4 jellies over the monday and following tuesday pre prep, had some water, apple juice, tea and lucozade to drink.

I arrived at the hospital tuesday just after lunchtime, the whole thing from when I arrived to when i was done was less than half hour. For me, the tube and air being blown in was very painful, but it was all over quite quickly. The nurses were very friendly, and managed to put up with my language. It wasn't much consolation but I was told apparently I had one of the cleanest bowels they'd seen.

Now I'm waiting on results, and to be honest dreading if I have to have a colonoscopy to find out more.