Colonoscopy is an examination done as an outpatient in the hospital. Sedation is used for the procedure, so you will not be able to drive yourself home. Please make arrangements to have someone drive you home after the procedure.

Preparation

1. The day before the procedure do not eat any solid food. Drink only clear liquids all day (clear juice, broth, jello, Gatorade, etc.). NOTHING RED.
2. Take Reglan 10 mg as you start the bowel preparation (GoLYTELY, NuLYTLEY or COLYTE).
3. You may start drinking the bowel prep as early as you like, but no later than 12:00 noon (the sooner you start, the sooner you finish). Drink it in the following manner:
   1. Chill the solution in the refrigerator.
   2. Drink one liter per hour for four hours.
   3. You may suck hard candy to change the taste.
   4. You will feel full and bloated, this is normal.
   5. If you become severely nauseated, quit drinking the solution for ½-1 hour and let the nausea subside before resuming.
   6. After finishing the solution, you may continue to drink clear liquids until midnight if desired.
   7. After midnight, do not eat or drink anything. On the morning of your examination, you may take any regular medications with a sip of water (no coffee).
   8. You must arrange for someone to drive you home. You may not drive following the procedure.

After the Procedure

1. You may feel full and bloated when you wake up. This will pass as you expel air that has been put into your colon during the procedure.
2. When you are awake enough, the nurses will let you go home. Unless instructed otherwise, you may eat anything you wish.
3. If you have severe abdominal pain or fever or if you pass more than one tablespoon of blood from your rectum, please call the office.
4. The findings from the examination will be explained to the family member who accompanies you. If you have any questions about the findings, please call me in the afternoon after the medication has worn off completely.
5. If a biopsy is performed, it will take two working days to receive the results. Please wait three days before calling for biopsy results.