Preparing for a colonoscopy
Diet,
tips, and instructions for a smooth colonoscopy preparation
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Colon cancer is treatable when detected early Colonoscopy is worth the hassle.
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It can also detect and remove polyps, small growths that can
develop into colon cancer.
What's involved in colonoscopy prep?
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Emptying the contents of the colon is a key requirement for a
successful colonoscopy.
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If the bowel prep isn't up to par, polyps and lesions can be
missed; the colonoscopy may take longer (increasing the risk of complications);
or the whole process may need to be repeated or rescheduled, meaning another
round of bowel prep.
Colonoscopy prep diet
A few days before the colonoscopy procedure — Start eating a
low-fiber diet: no whole grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or raw fruits or
vegetables.
The day before the colonoscopy procedure — Don't eat solid
foods. Instead, consume only clear liquids like clear broth or bouillon, black
coffee or tea, clear juice (apple, white grape), clear soft drinks or sports
drinks, Jell-O, popsicles, etc.
The day of the colonoscopy procedure — As on the previous
day, clear liquid foods only. Don't eat or drink anything two hours before the
procedure.
Bowel prep for colonoscopy
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The afternoon or evening before the colonoscopy, drink a liquid
that will trigger bowel-clearing diarrhea.
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The exact colonoscopy prep instructions depend on the bowel prep
your doctor prefers, the time of your colonoscopy, and any prior experience
you've had with colon preps (if one didn't work before, you'll likely be
prescribed a different one).
Colonoscopy prep tips:
1. Make sure you receive
your colonoscopy prep instructions well before your procedure date, and read
them completely as soon as you get them.
2. Water can get boring, so keep a variety of
clear liquids on hand. On the day before your colonoscopy — when you're restricted to
clear liquids — you can have popsicles, Jell-O, clear broth, coffee or tea
(without milk or creamer), soft drinks, Italian ice, or Gatorade. But take
nothing with red, blue, or purple dye. Drink extra liquids before, during, and
after your bowel prep (usually until a few hours before your procedure), as
well as after your colonoscopy.
3. To make a bad-tasting
liquid prep like magnesium citrate easier to swallow, try one or more of the
following if it doesn't come flavored: add some Crystal Light or Kool-Aid powder (again, not red,
blue, or purple); add some ginger or lime; drink it chilled; drink it through a
straw placed far back on your tongue; hold your nose and drink it as quickly as
possible; quickly suck on a lemon slice after you finish each glass; hold a
lemon or lime under your nose while you drink; suck on a hard candy after each
glass.
4. Wear loose clothing, and
stay near the bathroom. Better yet, once the preparation starts to work, stay in the
bathroom — because when the urge hits, it's hard to hold back. Consider setting
up shop near the toilet with music, your laptop, magazines, or books.
