Need a Colonoscopy?

5 Tips for Successful Colonoscopy Procedure Prepping

  Colonoscopy Prepping

Most will agree, the colonoscopy procedure itself is mostly uneventful. This is because you have been given some sedation while it is happening. It is the prep for the colonoscopy that is remarkably awful. This is not a procedure that you want to have to repeat because your prep didn’t clean out your bowels. This article will provide the reader with some tips and tricks that will have your Gastroenterology doctor impressed with “how clean your bowel” was. The cleaner the bowel, the easier it is for the doctor to see your bowel, and the better the results.

5 TIPS for Successful Colonoscopy Procedure Prepping

You are to have a Colonoscopy and have been given diet instructions and a prescription for a bowel prep solution that will clean out your bowel prior to the procedure.  The goal of the bowel prep is to help you rid your body of any waste material currently sitting in your bowel.

In other words, the doctor wants your bowel to be “clean as a whistle.” The bowel prep solution is designed to give you diarrhea. The prep will literally turn your bowel into a river of clear liquid if the prep is done correctly. The instructions will include to change your diet one to three days before you start the bowel prep. These instructions are to make sure your bowel is cleaned out, that your bowel has no waste sitting in it. Also, there should be no dyes from foods you ate that are staining your bowels. Red, blue and purple dyes can appear like blood or other abnormalities in the bowel. If you don’t complete the prep drink, or if you don’t follow the diet the doctor may be forced to stop the procedure, cancel the procedure or worse your doctor may get inaccurate data.

The following TIPS can help to assure that you complete the bowel prep, and your bowel is “clean as a whistle”.

1.  Be gentle to yourself

If you are still working at a job outside of the home, make sure that you request the day you start the bowel prep and the day after your procedure as “days off” from work. You do not want to be at work and start having diarrhea. And the day after you may still have a bit of diarrhea and be tired. Allow you and your bowel a moment to rest. A bit of self-care is important. It may have been an outpatient procedure, but a colonoscopy is pretty taxing on your body so be gentle to yourself.

    

2. Less food 1-3 days prior means less stuff in the bowel, so you get better results

Depending on your doctor you may be asked to begin eating low residue foods 1 to 3 days prior to the bowel prep. Low residue foods mean eating soft easily digestible foods like:

white rice, mashed potatoes, pasta, ramen, chicken and fish.

Refrain from eating nuts, popcorn, greasy foods and raw vegetables. These types of foods are hard for the body to process, and they can literally leave behind undigested bits and pieces in the bowel.

The day before the bowel prep; begin the day by eating a light breakfast like toast, eggs, or oatmeal. Then go to broth and clear liquids for the rest of the day. In other words, if your bowel prep starts on Thursday at 5 p.m. then on Wednesday start this light eating process. Yes, you may be a bit hungry, perhaps even a bit hangry, but this allows your bowel to not have unprocessed food in it and will make the bowel prep work better the next day.

The day of the prep you will be asked to only do clear liquids.

Clear liquids are chicken broth, beef broth, 7UP, Sprite or Ginger Ale

Jell-O lemon or lime flavors (remember no red, purple or blue dyes)

Gatorade, PowerAde, Coconut water

Anything in your mouth needs to be free of red, blue and purple dyes.

3. Time for big girl/boy pants as this will test you!!

You are on a clear liquid diet all day up until you cannot drink anything as directed.

Remember clear liquid diet choices are as follows: chicken broth, beef broth 7UP, Sprite or Ginger Ale

 Jell-O lemon or lime flavors (remember no red, purple or blue dyes)

Gatorade, PowerAde, Coconut water

As a side note, you are an adult so you can make the choice, but you may want to stay away from soda and diet soda. Your argument is “yeah but it isn’t red, blue or purple dye” and you would be correct. Know that soda carbonation can produce gas and belching and this means you get to taste the bowel prep a second time. YUCK!!!!

And now for the prep material. The bowel prep liquid is very salty and slightly bitter tasting for many. This unpleasant taste can be reduced by mixing the solution with apple juice instead of water. You will still be required to drink some amount of water after getting the solution down, but mixing the actual solution with mostly apple juice is game changing.

 Do drink all the solution

 Do drink all the water required

 Do complete both parts of the prep.

Honestly the 2nd round will be a bit more challenging only because you have now tasted the prep. Be strong and push through. Your test results depend on it!

4. You have been drugged so you won’t be allowed to drive after the procedure

You need someone to drive you home after the procedure because you will have had some medications that would impair driving and thought abilities. You won’t be able to Uber or Waymo. You are required to have an actual human being available to drive you safely home and likely stay at the facility that you have the procedure done. If this isn’t an option, make sure you discuss this with the doctor so that they can assist with some accommodations.

5.  Post procedure is the ticket for… “easy does it”

 Make sure you drink plenty of fluids for the remainder of the day. This can include water, coconut water, electrolyte water etc. to rehydrate after the procedure

Foods should be light and easy on the stomach. Examples would be

mashed potatoes, applesauce, toast and pasta.  It is best to stay away from ordering a burger or steak for a couple of days just to let your bowel wake up and realize it is going to work again.

Alcohol should be avoided for 24 hours because you had some sedation medications during the procedure. Alcohol can enhance the sedative side effects like low blood pressure and slowed breathing. Ignoring this post procedure suggestion can have deadly consequences.

Congratulations! You did your colonoscopy. May your test results be good news!

Now if you ever need to do the bowel prep for a colonoscopy again you are now a pro. Also, you are now a resource for a friend or family member who may need a colonoscopy.

References:

Bergam, S., McSwain, J. N., & MyCrohnsandColitisTeam. (2024, January 12). Gatorade for Colonoscopy Prep: Which Colors Can You Have? Mycrohnsandcolitisteam.com; MyCrohnsAndColitisTeam. https://www.mycrohnsandcolitisteam.com/resources/gatorade-for-colonoscopy-prep-which-colors-can-you-have

DeMarco, C. (2023, May 25). Colonoscopy anesthesia: 7 things to know. MD Anderson Cancer Center. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/colonoscopy-anesthesia--7-things-to-know.h00-159618645.html

Myers, D. (2006, August 18). Self-Care and Recovery After a Colonoscopy. Verywell Health; Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-to-do-after-a-colonoscopy-796903

Saltzman, J. R., Cash, B. D., Pasha, S. F., Early, D. S., V. Raman Muthusamy, Khashab, M. A., Chathadi, K. V., & Fanelli, R. D. (2015). Bowel preparation before colonoscopy. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 81(4), 781–794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2014.09.048

Sorathia, A. Z., & Sorathia, S. J. (2021). Low Residue Diet. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557693/

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board