It is very important that you follow each step and complete all of these instructions or your colonoscopy may have to be repeated.

Watch these videos for helpful tips and suggestions to take the Golytely preparation for your colonoscopy: 



PURCHASE IN ADVANCE

  • Golytely Bowel Prep Kit – Prescription necessary

SEVEN DAYS BEFORE PROCEDURE

  • Stop all fiber supplements ( Benefibre) and medications containing iron, including multivitamins.

DAY BEFORE COLONOSCOPY

Diet Modifications

  • You may have a low fiber breakfast (examples include white bread with butter, white rice, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk, NO raw vegetables or fruits).
  • After the low fiber breakfast, please have a clear liquid diet for the rest of the day. Please avoid all liquids that are red or purple in color. Please avoid all dairy products (like milk, cheese).
  • A clear liquid diet may include:

Soup: Clear broths such as chicken, vegetable, beef consommé. These broths should not have noodles or solid food in them.

Juice: Apple, limeade, white cranberry, white grape

Beverages: Tea (please do not add milk), coffee (please do not add milk), soda, Gatorade (or other sports drinks), water, Vitamin water (or other similar drinks)

Desserts: Jello (no red or purple), Italian ices, popsicles, hard candies

Prep Instructions

  • Mix the Golytely solution anytime on the day before your procedure. Some preps come with flavor packets. If adding flavor, tear open flavor packet and mix with solution. This solution can be refrigerated.
  • At 6 PM, drink one 8oz. glass every 15 minutes until you have consumed half the solution. Place the remainder of the solution in the refrigerator.
  • You may have least 5-10 times bowels movements, although some people do not have multiple bowel movements after this initial dose of preparation. It usually takes about 30-60 minutes after drinking the solution to begin having bowel movements. You may notice some bloating or cramping in your stomach at the beginning of the prep (or right after you drank the preparation solution), but this will usually improve once the bowel movements begin.
  • The time of this dose may be adjusted to suit individual schedules.

DAY OF COLONOSCOPY

  • 6 hours before the test is scheduled, drink the remainder of the Golytely solution by drinking one 8oz. glass every 15 minutes until the solution is over.
  • Bowel movements should resume within 30 minutes to one hour. You will have at least 10-15 bowel movements.
  • By the end of your prep, your stool should become a clear, yellow-tinged fluid. If the stool coming out is not a clear, yellow-tinged fluid, please drink an additional 1-liter of water or another clear fluid at least 3 ½ hours prior to your procedure time.
  • You may continue to drink clear fluids until 3 hours before the test is scheduled, but then nothing by mouth after that.

How do I know if my prep is enough?

The stool should be watery in consistency and should be a clear, yellow-tinged fluid without stool particles. Digestive stomach secretions will continue to “tint” the stool yellow. If you are concerned that there are still stool particles present, you can give yourself one or two saline enema laxatives (these are available in pharmacies without prescription as 4.5 fluid ounce enemas) prior to leaving home for the procedure. If your prep is inadequate, the physician may not be able to visualize the entire colon adequately.

  • Make sure you know the address to the facility where your procedure is done.
  • Please arrive 1 hour before the time of your scheduled procedure to allow time to complete the necessary paperwork.
  • Please bring a photo ID.
  • Please bring a current insurance card, if applicable.
  • If for any reason you need to cancel your procedure, please call your doctor at the number provided to you. You must call at least 48 hours in advance to allow other patients to be scheduled for procedures.