Suflave Colonoscopy Prep: A Gentle and Effective Solution

Suflave is special laxative for adults getting ready for a colonoscopy.¹ It’s made up of several things like polyethylene glycol 3350 and others. You mix Suflave with a little water to use it. This makes it easy and gentle for cleaning the colon before a medical check.¹ Doctors found that people like Suflave more because it tastes better. So, they are more likely to use it as needed.¹ The FDA agreed that Suflave is good for this on June 15, 2023.

Key Takeaways

• Suflave is an osmotic prescription laxative indicated for colon cleansing before colonoscopy.
• It contains a combination of polyethylene glycol 3350, sodium sulfate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, and sodium chloride.
• Suflave’s improved palatability has been shown to enhance patient compliance in clinical trials.
• Suflave was approved by the FDA on June 15, 2023.
• The most common adverse reactions to Suflave include nausea, abdominal distension, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache.

What is Suflave?

Suflave is a medication with the generic name polyethylene glycol 3350, sodium sulfate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, and sodium chloride. People say it like “soo-FLAVE”.¹ It’s an osmotic laxative. This means it helps by drawing water into the bowel. It does this to make the stools softer and easier to move.¹

Overview of Suflave’s Function

Suflave changes the amount of water in the bowel by drawing more into it. This makes stools softer and easier to pass. It’s a method used before a colonoscopy to clean the colon well.¹

Advantages of Suflave

Unlike some other bowel prep products, Suflave is easier for patients to take. Traditional bowel prep can mean drinking a lot of bad-tasting liquid. This can put people off, but Suflave tastes like a lemon-lime sports drink.¹ Studies have found that this flavor helps people stick to their prep plan better. This means more patients are likely to follow through.¹

Indications for Suflave

Suflave is used to clean the colon ahead of a colonoscopy in adults.¹ It’s key for a good colonoscopy to have a clean colon, and Suflave helps solve this need.

Clearing the Colon Before Colonoscopy

To get ready for a colonoscopy, thorough bowel prep is a must.¹ If the colon isn’t clean enough, problems like hard-to-see parts or missed signs of cancer can happen. Proper cleaning helps the doctor see well and give the right diagnosis.

Importance of Adequate Bowel Preparation

Having a well-prepped bowel is very important for the colonoscopy to work well.¹ It helps avoid unclear results and the need to do the colonoscopy again. This ensures a good check of the whole colon for a proper diagnosis.

Dosage and Administration

Suflave is given in two parts over two days.² The first part is taken the night before the colonoscopy. The second part is taken the next morning, 5 to 8 hours before the procedure. It should not be taken less than 4 hours after the first part.² Doing it this way cleans the colon better than taking it all at once.

Reconstituting and Consuming Suflave

To mix Suflave, empty one flavor packet into a bottle. Fill it up with lukewarm water as directed on the bottle.² Then, put the cap on and shake gently until the powder is all mixed. For a better taste, put it in the fridge for an hour before drinking.²

Patients need to drink the whole bottle every 15 minutes.

Dietary Restrictions

Before the colonoscopy, those taking Suflave should only eat and drink clear liquids. They can do this the day before and until 2 hours before the procedure.² Also, eat a meal with few leftovers the morning before you start Suflave.² Don’t eat solids, dairy, and certain drinks while getting ready.

Contraindications and Precautions

Suflave isn’t for those with stomach blockage, a hole in the intestines, or certain severe gut conditions. This includes toxic colitis, toxic megacolon, and issues with food not moving through the stomach. If you’re allergic to any Suflave ingredients, stay away.³ Using Suflave with these health issues could make things worse.

Conditions that Contraindicate Suflave Use

Do not take Suflave if you have stomach blockage or severe gut problems. This also applies if you can’t digest food well or if you’re allergic to Suflave’s parts.³ Using Suflave with these problems could be really risky.

Warnings and Precautions for Specific Patient Groups

Using Suflave may upset your body’s balance of fluids and salts. This could lead to heart rhythm problems and seizures.³ If you’ve had seizures before or have kidney issues, be careful. Also, if you take drugs that affect the kidneys, use Suflave cautiously.³ People with gut diseases might get sores inside their gut. If you’re likely to breathe in food or liquid, you need extra watching.³ And some people may need more check-ups while taking Suflave.

suflave colonoscopy prep

Preparing for the Procedure

Patients getting ready for a colonoscopy must find a ride. It’s not safe for them to drive after.⁴ An adult over 18 should be with them. This person will help and sign papers when they leave. If questions come up, they should call their doctor.

Day-by-Day Instructions

The first Suflave dose is in the evening. The next one is in the morning, 5 to 8 hours before their check-in time, and at least 4 hours after the first.⁴ They need to drink the solution quickly but over 15-minute breaks. Then, they drink a lot of water.

Monitoring for Side Effects

During the Suflave prep, patients need to watch for feeling sick, throwing up, or stomach pain.¹ If this happens, they should slow down drinking and have more water. Staying hydrated is very important.

Potential Side Effects

The most common side effects with Suflave are feeling sick, bloating, throwing up, tummy pain, and headaches.⁵ If taking Suflave, watch out for these signs. It’s important to notice them early.

Serious Side Effects and When to Seek Medical Attention

Suflave might cause some really bad side effects. These can mess up fluids and minerals in your body, leading to heart problems, seizures, and trouble with your kidneys.⁶ If you feel dizzy, have bad belly pain, see blood when you use the bathroom, or don’t pee as much, get help fast. Also, if you can’t breathe well, are swelling, or develop a big rash, these are signs you need to see a doctor quickly.

Drug Interactions

It’s important for patients to tell their doctor about all the medicines they use. This includes both prescribed and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbs.⁷ Some drugs, like ones for heart and mental health problems, can mix badly with Suflave. This mix can make you more likely to have issues with your body’s fluids and minerals.⁷

Medications that Affect Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

If you’re taking Suflave, take your other medicines at different times. For about 6 hours after a Suflave dose, don’t take these drugs. And before starting Suflave, wait at least 2 hours from your last dose of the other medicine. The medicines that can have a hard time getting absorbed well alongside Suflave include chlorpromazine, digoxin, and more.⁷

Timing of Other Oral Medications

It’s best to separate your Suflave doses and other meds by a few hours. Take your medicines at least 2 hours before you use Suflave. Then, wait at least 6 hours after your Suflave dose to take them again. This way, Suflave won’t mess with how these other medicines work in your body. The drugs affected include chlorpromazine, digoxin, and iron.⁷

Storage and Handling

Store unopened Suflave packets at room temperature, between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).¹ After mixing, keep the solution in the fridge at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Use it within a day.⁸ Don’t freeze the mixed solution.

Storage Conditions for Unopened and Reconstituted Solutions

Keep unopened Suflave at room temperature, between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). This helps with suflave storage and shelf life.¹ Once you mix the powder with water, keep the solution cold. Store it between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C) and it must be used within 24 hours.⁸ Remember, never freeze the mixed Suflave to keep it working well.

Patient Preparation and Post-Procedure Care

Before a colonoscopy, patients must make sure someone will drive them home.⁹ They need a companion over 18 to go with them. This person must stay and sign papers. If they don’t have someone with them, the procedure might not happen.⁹

Post-Procedure Monitoring and Instructions

After the colonoscopy, patients can’t drive or go back to work the same day.⁹ They should do as their health team says, like watching what they eat and not doing too much activity. They should also know how they’ll hear about their test results.⁹

Importance of Proper Bowel Preparation

Proper bowel colon cleansing is vital for a successful colonoscopy. If the cleaning isn’t good, the doctor might not see well. This could mean more tests, and maybe missing a serious problem like cancer.¹ Good cleaning lets the doctor check everything clearly and give a correct diagnosis.¹ To get the best results, patients need to follow all instructions for the Suflave preparation.¹⁰

A study compared colon cleansing products for colonoscopy in adults and found Suflave works well.¹ This study was written about in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in 2023.¹ It outlined the effectiveness of Suflave, and there are more details at Braintree Laboratories, Inc.¹

In another study, 90% of the 500 people who tried Suflave had good results.¹⁰ They used a special measure to see if the cleaning was successful.¹⁰ This study showed Suflave was at least as good as another product, SUPREP Kit. It proved its value in helping get a clear view inside the colon.¹⁰

Some people feel sick after using Suflave, with issues like nausea and stomach swelling.¹¹⁰ But when compared to other products, the study found that Suflave was both effective and easy on the stomach.¹⁰

Conclusion

Suflave is a gentle and effective¹¹ prescription laxative. It’s used to cleanse the colon before a colonoscopy. This laxative stands out due to its better taste and how it’s taken in two doses, making it easier for patients. It is key for a great colonoscopy that the colon is very clean. Suflave is a reliable choice for this important phase of the screening. When patients carefully follow the Suflave preparation steps, they can expect better results from their colonoscopy.

The FDA has given its nod to Suflave for use in adult colonoscopy prep. Studies have proven its effectiveness.¹¹ It successfully cleaned the bowels of 94% of those who used it. Most people who used Suflave said it tasted okay to really good, with 87% finding it easy to take.¹¹ A solid 80% said they’d choose Suflave again for their next colonoscopy.¹¹

Suflave is a game-changer for colorectal cancer screening.¹² In the US, only 72% of people get screened, leaving 28% untested. Many avoid colonoscopies due to the bowel prep process.¹² Suflave promises a better way to go through colonoscopy and might increase the number of people who have regular checks. This step is a big deal for preventing serious illness.

Source Links

1. https://www.suflave.com/HowtoPrep
2. https://www.drugs.com/dosage/suflave.html
3. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/215344s000lbl.pdf
4. https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/mckay-dee-gastroenterology-clinic/procedure-prep-instructions/suflave-colonoscopy-prep-instructions/
5. https://www.drugs.com/suflave.html
6. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-187055/suflave-oral/details
7. https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/polyethylene-glycol-3350-with-electrolytes,suflave.html
8. https://www.swangastro.com/storage/app/media/SUFLAVE.pdf
9. https://www.corvallisclinic.com/colonoscopy-preparation-instructions-suflave-gastroenterology/
10. https://www.suflave.com/
11. https://www.healio.com/news/gastroenterology/20230626/fda-approves-suflave-sebelas-lowvolume-lemonlime-flavored-colonoscopy-prep
12. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-approves-sebela-pharmaceuticals-suflave-a-new-colonoscopy-preparation-that-tastes-similar-to-a-sports-drink-301858251.html