Question:
Is there anything I can ask for in place of go-lytely?

I heard this stuff is so bad. And you have to drink a gallon of it. AND it's salty. I don't like salty stuff - in fact I gag on gargling with salt water. A friend of mine said there was something else I could ask for but she didn't know the name of it. Help!    — Goldilauxx B. (posted on January 6, 2002)

January 6, 2002
When I was in the hospital for complications, my surgeon arranged for me to have an upper GI test. For this, I would have had to take go-lytely, but I was in no condition and there's no way I could have drank a gallon of the stuff! So, he had the nurses give me two pills and a suppository (ew) and they told me that it is exactly like go-lytely--except not in fluid. It seemed to work the same way the go-lytely did...but I had much less to flush out. Not a bad idea to ask your surgeon. Good Luck.
   — Kristin R.

January 6, 2002
Ask you Dr. if you can use one of the fleet prep kits thier are a few of them. My mother and sister both used them and they like it much better then the go lightly. Good luck : )
   — Lori L.

January 6, 2002
Ask your doctor if you can use Fleet Phospho-Soda. It is salty too but at least you only have to drink 2 (1 1/2oz bottles) two hours apart. Good Luck on your surgery!!!
   — toni D.

January 8, 2002
My surgeon told me to use magnesium citrate and only take 8 ounces. I tasted like salty 7-up but I chugged it down and was done with it. I is in the laxative section of the drugstore and very cheap, $1.79. It took about 1.5 hours to take effect.
   — sarah O.

January 8, 2002
How about nothing? I know I'm not the only one whose doctor didn't make them do this. There are 200 other people in my support group that have had WLS and not had to clean themselves out the night before. They've lived to tell the story, as have I. My mother had a completely different surgeon and she didn't have to do it either. Of course, you should probably follow your doctor's instructions but I'm just curious as to why some doctors feel this is necessary when others do not and the surgery seems to be successful either way?
   — PT LawMom

January 10, 2002
My surgeon had us drink I think it was a 12 ounce bottle of Magnesium citrate. It's very inexpensive and has a lemon or cherry flavor that it comes in. I put mine in a drinking glass with lots of ice and added an equal packet to it.. Wasn't bad at all taste like lemon aide. I would definitely check with your doctor first though.
   — mollikins69