Plenvu and Bad Taste: What Users Say

• Lou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2024

For Bowel Preparation "Having used plenty of other bowel preps for previous colonoscopies, I have to say this is by far the best. First of all, let’s get the negatives out of the way-the taste of the FIRST solution is bad-imagine bitter onion, but it’s completely manageable over the hour. Onto the positives, it works quick. You will start going very quickly, and as other reviews/sites mention, you will go for about 1-2 hours. The second drink is far easier to get down. I was dreading this after the first, but it was much, much easier. Again, started immediately, and again, 1-2 hours of movement before completely clear. Previous preps, I’ve been sitting for 8+ hours before running clear. The best plus of this medicine is the little amount, 2x500ml, to drink. The hospital staff said Plenvu is one of the best for clearing out, and I would completely agree with this. Honestly, you only see the bad reviews, but I thought I would take the time to reassure people this by far is better than the gallons and gallons."

• Tra...
• January 16, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "As someone who gags easily, I researched about this product. I was so happy to read that the amount I had to drink was very small, but... The first dose of 16 ounces was tolerable with a little bit of gagging. Just took a sip of ginger ale in between doses. The second mixture (dose) combining the two packets of powder taken at midnight was the most difficult thing I have ever had to swallow. I was not able to drink it without gagging and only able to drink about 8 ounces, at the most, and at that time my fecal was clear liquid so I threw the rest down the drain. I did not ask the doctor how clean my colon was, but the procedure went well. If we can send a man to the moon, we should be able to get a better tasting prep, especially the second dose, for colonoscopies. There is no reason to have to drink this horrible combination of powder with fluid. I hope in five years, when I have my next one, there is something better on the market!"

• DW ...
• February 24, 2020

For Bowel Preparation "Plenvu presented no problems, other than the taste. Bud Light would be better. I had a subsequent midday appointment, so took the first dose at 6 PM in the evening. Pretty well cleaned me out within 2 hours, so went to sleep for the night with no accidents. Took the final dose at 6 AM, and that completely cleared me out within 30 minutes. The consultant was impressed with the clarity of my entire colon. Good result. As I say, for me, the only thing was the mango extra sweet taste. I’ll try the straw next time."

• Ala...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Dose 1 - quite salty but not too bad. Drank slowly over 30 minutes, doing small sips, per instructions, followed by 500 ml water. Both with room temperature water. After drinking at 6:30, it took about an hour or so to start and lasted for 4 hours. Dose 2 - taken at 4 am, not as bad as the taste from the first one. Again, drank slowly over 30 minutes, followed by a further 500 ml water. Started working within 15 minutes, worked its magic for over 3 hours - after which you pass a yellow fluid. Still have some minor liquid bowel movements in the evening, but nothing too serious. Just stay somewhere comfortable and nearby a toilet for the rest of the day. Was expecting the sky to fall in from the reviews read on here, but it honestly isn’t that bad. Doctor rated cleanliness as excellent, so it certainly does what it says on the box."

• New...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2019

For Bowel Preparation "First colonoscopy... all I had to go on was a one-page instruction/informational flyer with instructions for two-day split prep. No one called from the facility to give me instructions (after calling 3 times and being told that 'they would get to me'). So, I read some reviews and decided not to wait 12 hours as the instructions stated. Glad I did, as I was able to sleep for three hours before leaving for the procedure. The prep does taste vile. No argument there! But it was very effective, and considering the small amount, I would use it again."

• Dog...
• July 18, 2024

For Bowel Preparation "This is my first colonoscopy and hopefully my last. Plenvu is vile, had real bad problems getting it down, and keeping it down never tasted anything like this. I took dose 1 at 18:00 as instructed, within an hour I was on the toilet, had to drink dose 2 sitting on the toilet, and didn't come out until midnight. I will never take this again, and if I ever need another colonoscopy and Plenvu is all they will give me, then I'm afraid I will take my chances and go without the colonoscopy! NEVER AGAIN!"

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "Absolutely horrible taste, effective drug. Only positive is that it tastes so badly, you almost have to have a second beverage to sip between gulps just to clear your mouth. Bonus that you’re getting more than enough fluids to prevent dehydration!"

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2024

For Bowel Preparation "I took Plenvu for a colonoscopy prep. The 1st dose was the night prior. The taste was as if they found the nastiest, most vile sulfur smell and turned it into a taste. It was VERY difficult to finish the 16 oz, but I did. And that taste will be forever lodged into my tastebuds. I began emptying after 45 minutes and continued for about 2.5 hours. I had eaten a mild, non-meat diet for a few days, mostly protein shakes and fruit or bread, so it wasn't too bad. TIP: Use the white diaper cream before you need it. BEFORE YOU NEED IT, PEOPLE. If you wait till your bum is red and burned from the molten lava bursting out of your bum, it's too late. Even bidet water feels like fire. I slept till 3 a.m. and had another round, then slept till 5:30. (My appointment was 12:45 p.m.) The second dose, I mixed with Gatorade. Not bad at all. The runs to the potty started right away. By now, it was yellow, then clear. But here's the thing. It never stopped. I continued squirting water till 3 p.m. THAT DAY!!! You HAVE to"

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 1, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "Just got my colonoscopy done today! I took the Plenvu prep. Yesterday, I took dose 1, mango flavor, and I’m going to be honest, the flavor wasn’t great. It tasted like a salty mango. Was it tolerable? Yes. Chase it with a drink, I chased it with 3 different drinks to switch it up. I finished it, and the bowel movements started literally immediately. It was pretty rough for the first 2ish hours, then after it slowed down a bit. I was able to get sleep just fine. I wasn’t nauseous at that point, I felt great, actually, besides the explosions going on in the bathroom. The second dose is where it started to really suck. That next morning, at 7:45 AM, I started dose 2, it was fruit punch flavor, and I already hate fruit punch with a passion. So, it made me a little nauseous, it was a salty fruit punch with a weird aftertaste. I was totally cleaned out by the time for my procedure at 12:45! I didn’t throw up at all, barely felt nauseous, which was important to me since I have a serious fear of puking."

• ImJ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "My first colonoscopy, so this was new to me. Was supposed to start the first dose at 5 PM. I started it at 4:30. This is for the first dose. The powder smells okay, so I was thinking the taste wouldn’t be bad. But yeah, the taste is terrible. It’s like a really bad orange Gatorade. Tried to chug it. Got halfway and I needed a straw. I just took sips of water in between. Stomach started rumbling about 15 minutes after finishing it. I went about 45 minutes afterward. I sat on the toilet just in case, and I’m glad I did. So I can understand how some other situations happen."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Ok, so as far as what it’s supposed to ‘do’ for colonoscopy prep - it was highly effective and thorough. HOWEVER, I wanted to gag because it tasted SO awful - why do drug companies feel the urge to try to cover a nasty salt taste with artificial sweeteners? PUKE!!! It was all I could do not to throw up - it took nearly an hour to get each prep solution down. If I could speak to the R&D teams, I’d implore them to just go WITH the salty nature of this stuff and make it a savory flavor, like chicken broth or something ... that way your body isn’t freaking out at the conflicting salt and sweet combination AND you’re not having to consume dreaded aspartame, which, by the way, I religiously avoid at all costs normally."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "So far, my experience has been fine. I started eating light a few days in advance, and 2 nights before my procedure, I drank magnesium citrate, which helped get things started. I started dose 1 of Plenvu at 3:30 PM the day before my procedure. It’s as salty as it is sweet, and it’s not pleasant. It’s rather viscous, and I gagged a little by the last gulp. It was only 16 oz, so it was doable. My stools were already loose due to the mag citrate, so that helped. No cramping. My stools are already clear after dose 1, honestly. I think the key is to prep for the prep, if that makes sense. Yes, the solution tastes nasty, and I’m starving. Worst part is how expensive it is :("

• eri...
• October 8, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "This is my second time in 5 months using this product. In the last 6 years, I have had at least 1 colonoscopy a year due to having colon cancer. Prior to using this, I was prescribed Gavilyte. I was never able to finish that one. Plenvu, I finished, but still tastes disgusting. It is a lot less drinking. It works for days after I finish it. I took my first dose at 1:30 the day before and then 8 that night."

• Ske...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "Liquid diet all day today. Started my first prep drink at 5 PM. This drink is vile!!! It tastes like the sweat of awful armpits. The fake fruity flavoring they put in it is no consolation. I already dread my second dose of prep tomorrow. This is my 4th colonoscopy to date, and if there are more in my future, I will have to refuse a doctor who gives me Plenvu. Worst bowel prep ever!! Seriously, why can’t this stuff be improved on?!!?"

• Lee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2021

For Bowel Preparation "First off, Plenvu is expensive. Other brands may also be expensive. I attempted to have a colonoscopy a few weeks ago, but my colon wasn’t clean enough, so I had to do it again! This time I didn’t eat anything for the two days prior to my colonoscopy. I’m writing this between doses, and as it did a few weeks ago, it did the same this time. I may have something wrong with my intestines because it took 7 hours from drinking the prep until my last BM. I had to go about every 30 to 45 minutes. I read that other reviewers didn’t have this problem, so it might just be me. I’m taking the second dose 6 hours before I have to leave, so that I will be through this time before arriving for the colonoscopy. I agree with others, the taste is really awful. Another thing is that it makes me feel cold. I have on extra clothes and still cold this time as last time. Other than the above, it’s about the same as I experienced 10 years ago."