COLONOSCOPY PREPARATION
Colonoscopy examination requires a bowel prep prior to the procedure. It’s very important to have a clean colon, without retained stool, to ensure the best examination results. By the end of your bowel prep your stool should be liquid, either clear or yellow in color. If your stool remains brown at the end of your prep there will be decreased visualization of your colon, and chances are that your exam will need to be rescheduled.
Read and follow the instructions below or download a PDF copy.
5-7 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR COLONOSCOPY
Check your preferred pharmacy for the bowel preparation we sent in for you.
If you have not received a message that your prescription is ready for pick-up, call our office immediately.
Purchase anti-gas tablets and Dulcolax.
Examples include Gas-X or generic simethicone.
Make arrangements for a responsible adult driver to accompany you on the day of your procedure and drive you home.
If your driver cannot be confirmed when you arrive, we will NOT be able to provide sedation, and your procedure may need to be rescheduled. Taxi or Uber transportation will NOT be accepted for safety reasons.
Avoid raw vegetables, lettuce, nuts, and red liquids.
Stop taking iron, including multi-vitamins containing iron.
Do not eat foods containing small seeds or corn.
THE DAY PRIOR TO YOUR COLONOSCOPY
TIP: We recommend adding reminders or alarms on your cell phone to keep on track throughout your bowel preparation.
Clear liquid diet all day!
Examples of clear liquids include water, chicken broth, apple or white grape juice, sport drinks, popsicles, Jell-O, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Please avoid red liquids.
Stay hydrated! Very Important!
Drink 1 liter of water (or more) before starting your bowel preparation.
Confirm your responsible adult driver for procedure day.
We prefer your driver stay in the area during the procedure and be available at time of discharge to hear all instructions (expected duration from check-in is 2-3 hours).
4:00PM – Take 2 Dulcolax laxative tablets.
5:00PM – Begin prescribed bowel preparation.
See detailed instructions (listed below) of your prescribed prep formula if provided instructions differ from those on your bottle, use the Ohio Gastro instructions.
9:00PM – Take 2 anti-gas tablets.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Continue to drink clear liquids all evening until bed.
Helpful Hints
- Use hard candies to suck on during your bowel preparation.
- Use a straw when consuming your bowel preparation.
- If you become nauseated or feel chilled during your bowel preparation, stop the prep for at least 30 minutes before resuming.
- Your stool should be liquid, either clear or yellow in color, after completing your bowel preparation.
- Remember, millions of Americans undergo colonoscopy every year. YOU CAN DO THIS!
DAY OF YOUR COLONOSCOPY
3-4 hours before procedure time.
Take 2 anti-gas tablets.
4 hours before your arrival time.
Start the second half of your bowel prep formula.
2 hours before your arrival time.
Take your regularly scheduled medications with only sips of water.
Continue to hydrate until 2 hours before your arrival time and then STOP!
Remember, your arrival time is 1 hour before your procedure time.
Do NOT:
- Take fiber supplements (Metamucil, Benefiber, Fibersure, etc.)
- Take antacids (Maalox, Pepto Bismol, Mylanta, etc.)
- Use creamer in your coffee.
- Take any pain medications or use marijuana.
- Chew gum, hard candy, or lozenges (less than 2 hours from your scheduled procedure).
2 hours before your arrival time: absolutely NOTHING by mouth!
Your procedure WILL BE DELAYED OR CANCELLED if you eat or drink anything during this time (this includes drinking water).
1 hour before your procedure time: ARRIVE.
Do not forget your insurance card and photo ID. Leave valuables at home.
Do not wear any jewelry, watches or contact lenses. They will need to be removed.
We ask that you avoid traveling out of town for 2 days after your colonoscopy.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PATIENTS TO WHICH THE FOLLOWING APPLIES
Heart Defibrillators or Central Venous Access Device:
Please call our office immediately to inform the staff if you have a heart defibrillator or central venous access device. If so, your procedure will need to be scheduled in a hospital setting.
Blood Thinners (examples include Coumadin, Plavix, Eliquis, Xarelto, etc.):
We do NOT routinely stop these medications before colonoscopy examination. In most cases, removal of small polyps and biopsies can be safely done while taking blood thinners. Your colonoscopy examination may need to be repeated if a large polyp is found while taking blood thinners.
Diabetes
Please call your primary care doctor to inform them that you are having a colonoscopy examination and ask for instructions if your diabetic medication doses need to be adjusted during your colonoscopy examination preparation and procedure day. Remember to check your blood sugars frequently throughout the day before your colonoscopy procedure and on the day of your colonoscopy procedure.
QUESTIONS?
Call our office during regular business hours (8:00am to 4:30pm) at 614-754-5500.
BOWEL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS BY SPECIFIC PRODUCT
Please find your specific bowel preparation product from the list below and follow the specific instructions for that product starting the day before your colonoscopy procedure.
Golytely, Nulytely, Trilyte, GaviLyte, or any other 4 liter prep:
- Mix the prep solution with water per product or pharmacy instructions.
- Place in refrigerator.
- 5:00PM, drink 1 8oz glass every 15 minutes and stop once you have finished half of the bottle (about 2 liters).
- Place remainder of prep in refrigerator to complete the next morning.
- 4 hours before your arrival time, drink 1 8oz glass every 15 minutes until the prep is completed. If you have an early morning procedure, you will need to get up in the middle of the night to complete the required bowel prep.
- Remember, you will need to complete the bowel prep 2 hours before your arrival time.
Moviprep:
- Mix the prep solution with water per product or pharmacy instructions.
- Place in refrigerator.
- The Moviprep container is divided by 4 marks.
- 5:00PM, drink the prep solution down to the next mark every 15 minutes until the full 1-liter container is complete.
- Next morning, mix the second half of the prep solution with water per product or pharmacy instructions.
- 4 hours before your arrival time, drink the prep solution down to the next mark every 15 minutes until the full 1-liter container is complete.
- Remember, you will need to complete the bowel prep 2 hours before your arrival time.
Suprep:
- Mix the prep solution with water per product or pharmacy instructions.
- Place in refrigerator.
- 5:00PM, drink the entire 16oz container of prep solution.
- Over the next 1 hour, drink 2 more full 16oz glasses of water.
- Next morning, mix the second half of the prep solution with water per product or pharmacy instructions.
- 4 hours before your arrival time, drink the second 16oz container of prep solution.
- Over the next 1 hour, drink 2 more full 16oz glasses of water.
- Remember, you will need to complete the bowel prep and water 2 hours before your arrival time.
Clenpiq:
This prep must be approved by your procedure physician.
If you have Congestive Heart Failure or kidney disease, you should not take this prep. Please contact us for an alternative prep.
Hydration is very important with this prep!
- Do not refrigerate or freeze this prep.
- This prep is ready to drink – do not dilute.
- Between 5:00PM – 9:00PM, drink all of 1 of the 2 bottles of Clenpiq.
- Follow with 5 or more 8oz cups of clear liquids. Finish additional liquids over the next 5 hours.
- Next morning/5 hours before arrival time, drink entire second bottle of Clenpiq.
- Follow with 4 or more 8oz cups of clear liquids.
- Remember, you will need to complete all clear liquids 2 hours before your arrival time.
Sutab:
This pre must be approved by your procedure physician.
Hydration is very important with this prep!
- 5:00PM, open 1 bottle of 12 tablets.
- Fill the provided cup with water to the 16oz fill line.
- Swallow each tablet with a sip of water. Finish the remaining water over the next 15 – 20 minutes.
- 1 hour after the last tablet is ingested, drink the second 16oz container of water.
- 30 minutes after finishing the second container of water, drink a third 16oz container of water.
- If you begin to feel nauseated, slow down the rate of drinking the additional water until symptoms diminish.
- 5 hours before arrival time, open second bottle of 12 tablets.
- Fill the provided cup with water to the 16oz fill line.
- Swallow each tablet with a sip of water. Finish remaining water over the next 15 – 20 minutes.
- 1 hour after the last tablet is ingested, drink the second 16oz container of water.
- 30 minutes after finishing the second container of water, drink a third 16oz container of water.
- Remember, you will need to complete the bowel prep 2 hours before your arrival time.