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


PURCHASE IN ADVANCE

  • Magnesium Citrate Solution—Please purchase 2 bottles. Each bottle is 10 ounces---No prescription is required


SEVEN DAYS BEFORE COLONOSCOPY

  • Stop all fiber supplements and medications containing iron, including multivitamins
  • You may have to stop certain medications. Talk with your prescribing physician and let them know you are getting a colonoscopy.


DAY BEFORE COLONOSCOPY


Diet Modifications

  • DO NOT eat any solid food starting today.
  • Please have a clear liquid diet for the rest of the day. Please avoid all liquids that are red or purple. Please avoid all dairy products.
  • 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

  • At 6 PM on the day prior to the colonoscopy, take 1 bottle of magnesium citrate along with 32 ounces of clear fluids (the equivalent of 4 glasses of clear fluids, each 8 ounces)
  • The 32 ounces of clear fluids should be consumed at a pace of approximately 8 ounces every 15 minutes
  • Expect to move your bowels at least 5-10 times, 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 tablets to begin having bowel movements. You may notice some bloating or cramping at the beginning of the preparation, 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 prior to the procedure time, take the second bottle of magnesium citrate, again with 32 ounces of a clear fluid (the equivalent of 4 glasses of clear fluids, each 8 ounces)
  • The 32 ounces of clear fluids should be consumed at a pace of approximately 8 ounces every 15 minutes
  • Bowel movements should resume within 30 minutes to one hour. Expect to move your bowels at least 10-15 times.
  • 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-litre of water or another clear fluid approximately 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 adequate?

The stool should be watery in consistency and should be a clear, yellow-tinged fluid without stool particles. Digestive secretions will continue to “tint” the stool yellow. If you are concerned that there are still stool particles present, you can self-administer 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 where your colonoscopy will be performed.
  • Please arrive 1 hour in advance of your scheduled procedure time 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.