For Cleveland Clinic Patients: IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS, YOUR COLONOSCOPY WILL BE CANCELED.
Key instructions
- Your bowel must be empty so that your doctor can clearly view your colon. Follow all of the instructions in this handout EXACTLY as they are written.
- DO NOT eat any solid food the ENTIRE day before your colonoscopy. Drink only clear liquids.
Buy your bowel preparation at least five days before your colonoscopy. Purchase:
- Four Dulcolax® laxative tablets containing 5mg of bisacodyl each (NOT Dulcolax stool softener).
- One 8.3-ounce bottle of MiraLAX® (238 grams) or generic equivalent.
- Two 32-ounce bottles of Gatorade®. (NOT RED).
- People with diabetes should use Gatorade G2®. (NOT RED).
Transportation on the day of your exam
A responsible person MUST BE PRESENT with you at check-in before your colonoscopy and MUST REMAIN in the endoscopy area until you are discharged. You are not allowed to drive, take a taxi or bus, or leave the Endoscopy Center alone. If you do not have a responsible driver (family member or friend) with you to take you home, your exam cannot be done with sedation and will be canceled.
Please bring a list of all of your current medications, including any over-the-counter medications, with you.
Medications
If you take insulin, medications for diabetes or blood thinners, you must call the doctor who orders those medications for instructions on altering the dosage before your colonoscopy. Blood thinners include Coumadin® (warfarin); Plavix®(clopidogrel); Ticlid® (ticlopidine hydrochloride); Agrylin® (anagrelide); Xarelto® (rivaroxaban); Pradaxa® (dabigatran); Eliquis® (apixaban); and Effient® (Prasugrel).
All other medications, including aspirin, should be taken the day of the exam with a sip of water.
Five days before your colonoscopy
- Do NOT take medicines that stop diarrhea, such as loperamide (Imodium®) or bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate®, Pepto-Bismol®).
- Do NOT take fiber supplements, such as Metamucil®, Citrucel®, or Perdiem®.
- Do NOT take products that contain iron, such as multivitamins (the label lists what is in the products).
- Do NOT take Vitamin E.
Three days before your colonoscopy
- Do NOT eat high-fiber foods, such as popcorn, beans, seeds (flax, sunflower, quinoa), multigrain bread, nuts, salad/vegetables, or fresh and dried fruit.
One day before your colonoscopy
- Only drink clear liquids the ENTIRE DAY before your colonoscopy. Do NOT eat any solid foods. Drink at least 8 ounces of clear liquids every hour after waking up. The chart shows what you can and cannot drink.
Clear Liquids
(No Red Liquids)DO NOT DRINKGatorade®, Pedialyte® or Powerade®AlcoholClear broth or bouillonMilk or non-dairy creamerCoffee or tea (no milk or non-dairy creamer)Noodles or vegetables in soupCarbonated and non-carbonated soft drinksJuice with pulpKool-Aid® or other fruit-flavored drinksLiquid you cannot see throughStrained fruit juices (no pulp)Jell-O®, Popsicles®, hard candyWater
The bowel preparation solution will be consumed in two parts.
Mix 1/2 of MiraLAX bottle (119 grams) in each 32-ounce Gatorade bottle until dissolved. Keep cool in the refrigerator. DO NOT ADD ICE.
Part 1
At 5:00 PM on the evening before your colonoscopy, take four Dulcolax tablets. At 6:00 PM on the evening before your colonoscopy:
- Drink 32 ounces of the mixed solution by drinking an 8-ounce glass of bowel preparation every 15 minutes for a total of four glasses.
- Fifteen minutes later, drink an 8-ounce glass of of clear liquid every 15 minutes for a total of two glasses.
- You may continue to drink clear liquids till midnight.
Part 2
Four and a half hours before your colonoscopy:
- Take the other 32-ounce bottle of mixed solution and drink an 8-ounce glass of bowel prep every 15 minutes for a total of four glasses.
- Fifteen minutes later, drink an 8-ounce glass of clear liquids every 15 minutes for a total of two glasses.
- You may continue to drink clear liquids up to three hours before your exam.