So, you’re going for a colonoscopy…don’t worry. It’s not as bad as you might think! A lot of people say that the preparation is worse than the procedure, so let’s look at how we can make it as smooth a ride as possible.

Two days before the colonoscopy

Reduce the amount of fibre in your diet and adopt a low residue/low fibre diet. Cut out fruit and vegetables and eat plain foods such as chicken without a sauce, white rice, white bread, and clear soups. This makes the preparation much easier on your body. Also eat lightly, try not to eat too much, have small portions and drink lots of water. You may feel quite hungry, but, this will certainly reduce the amount of toilet trips when you take your preparation agent.

Preparation day – On the day before the colonoscopy

I prefer to book a morning appointment for my colonoscopy and not eat anything on the day before my colonoscopy. However, if you have booked a later afternoon or evening appointment, your doctor should give you a schedule for when to take your preparation agent and stop eating and stick to a clear liquid diet.

NOTE: You MUST tell the colonoscopy team or your doctor before doing the preparation if you are diabetic.

When I had my colonoscopy, my doctor gave me Citrafleet to use. It was in two sachets each of which were to be mixed in one glass of water. The Citrafleet tasted like lemon and was definitely fine to drink without too much trouble.

Some doctors give their patients different preparation agents, these can come in large bottles, sachets and some are difficult to drink. Tips for making these drinks more palatable include: keeping it cool, using a straw, adding a flavour or chasing it with a clear drink you enjoy.

REMEMBER: Avoid eating or drinking anything that is red, pink or purple in colour. This can stain the lining of the bowel and can affect the results of the colonoscopy.

Prep day kit!

• prep agent
• drinks – I had green tea, water, iced tea, Sprite
• Vaseline
• baby wipes
• A show or set of movies that you know well and love to watch.
• Someone to hang out with
• hobby (crochet, reading, etc)
• paint your nails, do a face mask, do your hair, etc.

The urge to go can be sudden and come from nowhere…be ready to spring up and run to the bathroom! Be careful of cables, yarn, being in a position or chair you find it difficult to get out of. Make sure your route to the bathroom remains clear. And that other family members or friends if possible can use a different bathroom if you’ve got your stuff set up in the most convenient one.

Ouch it burns!

Like with any time we get diarrhea, it can burn. So, to solve this, be proactive. Before you go for the first time, apply Vaseline or Sudocrem thickly. This will act as somewhat of a barrier and will protect your skin. Then after going to the bathroom, avoid wiping multiple times with toilet paper. If you suspect it is messy, consider using a bidet or using water to clean your bottom. Alternatively, I would recommend using baby wipes for sensitive skin. These can help you clean up without too much repeated wiping and are gentle on the skin. (the more you wipe over the same area, the more likely it is to become sore). When you’re clean, apply a new thick layer of Vaseline or Sudocrem ready to protect you the next time. This helped me so much!

NOTE: We love the environment so please don’t flush your baby wipes away. Of course it would be better not to use them at all, but it’s better to dispose of them in a bin rather than flushing them down the toilet where they can block drains or enter our waterways.

How do I know whether I’m empty and ready for the procedure?

In theory, by the end of the preparation, your bowel movements should be totally liquid, pretty much see-through and possibly yellow in colour.
If you are still passing loose stool with pieces in it or thick and not at all see-through, you should contact your doctor or a member of staff at the place where the colonoscopy is taking place.
Some places will do an enema if the bowel requires a little cleaning, but others would rather reschedule the colonoscopy and prescribe a different preparation agent.

Good luck for the procedure!

If you have any more questions about preparing for a colonoscopy, please ask them in the comments below and I’ll try to answer them or even add additional information to the blog post. How did your colonoscopy prep go and do you have any helpful tips?