Video Transcript
Your five-day guide for your colonoscopy using a four-litre bowel preparation [09:07]
In this video, you'll learn how to prepare for your colonoscopy, step-by-step, in the 5 days before your appointment.
It’s important to follow the instructions carefully.
This video has a detailed handout at myhealth.alberta.ca/colonoscopy.
We recommend that you refer to it as you prepare for your test.
To get ready for your colonoscopy, you’ll need to clean out your bowel.
The bowel is also called the large intestine or colon. “Bowel prep” is the process of drinking a strong laxative to empty and clean out the bowel.
If your bowel isn't completely clean, growths called “polyps” or other areas of concern might be missed.
Your test might need to be cancelled and rebooked for a later time if your colon is not clean enough.
This would mean you would have to do the bowel prep process again.
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, let the clinic know as soon as possible so that your test can be rescheduled.
Certain medicines may need to be adjusted or stopped before your colonoscopy.
If you start taking any new medicine once your test is booked that the clinic doesn’t know about, let them know right away.
Some medicines can make the test unsafe to be done.
If you need advice about adjusting any of your medicines, talk to your regular healthcare provider.
Let’s look at the 5-day plan to prepare for your test.
You may find it helpful to plan each day on a calendar, so you don’t miss important steps.
[5 days before your colonoscopy]
At least 5 days before your test, go to the pharmacy to buy the 4-litre bottle of bowel prep recommended for you.
There are different brands of 4-litre bowel prep laxatives, such as Colyte or PegLyte.
Be sure to use the bowel prep laxative that your healthcare provider recommended for you, even if it’s different from this video.
You won’t need a prescription, but you’ll have to ask the pharmacist because it’s often kept behind the counter.
You may want to call ahead to see if the pharmacy has it in stock. If not, they may have to order it in.
If you’re taking iron or fibre supplements such as Metamucil or Benefibre, stop taking them 5 days before your test.
They make the bowel more difficult for your doctor to see.
Iron can stain the inside lining of the bowel, and fibre can stick to it.
[4 days before your colonoscopy]
Four days before your test, it’s time to start eating low-fibre foods only.
Low-fibre foods are easy to digest and will make your bowel easier to clean out.
Some examples of low fibre foods that you can eat are listed in the handout.
You’ll keep eating low fibre foods until the day before your colonoscopy.
During this time, stop eating high-fibre foods like whole grain bread, pasta, cereal or porridge, nuts, corn, popcorn, beans, lentils, quinoa, seeds, dried fruit, and raw fruits and vegetables.
[The day before your colonoscopy]
In the morning on the day before your test, mix the 4-litre bowel prep solution by adding water to the fill-line on the bottle.
Put the cap on and shake until all the powder has dissolved.
Put it in the fridge if you wish.
Some people find it easier to drink cold.
Before 10 o’clock in the morning, you can eat a light low fibre breakfast, such as plain white bread, clear juice, and coffee or tea with no milk or milk substitutes.
After breakfast, don’t eat any solid foods until after your test.
For the rest of the day, only drink clear fluids.
Clear fluids are liquids that you can see through when they’re in a glass cup.
It’s important to drink different kinds of clear fluids - not just water.
Sports drinks and clear broths will help to replace electrolytes when you’re not eating.
Electrolytes are minerals that your body needs.
Do not have any red, purple, or blue coloured fluids.
These colours make it harder for your doctor to see the bowel properly.
Also, do not drink meal replacements like Boost or Ensure, or any milk products or milk substitutes.
Here are some examples of clear fluids that are OK for you to drink.
You’ll also find this list in the handout we talked about earlier.
To stay hydrated, drink plenty of clear fluids while you’re awake and avoid any alcohol.
Dehydration can make you feel weak or dizzy.
If you’re diabetic, it’s important to check your blood sugars regularly while you are only drinking clear fluids.
If you take regular medicine by mouth you may need to adjust the timing.
Medicines taken within 2 hours of drinking the bowel prep laxative may not be fully absorbed into your body and may not work as well.
If you need advice on when to take your medicines, talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
[The evening before your colonoscopy]
At 8 p.m. the evening before your test, drink the first 2 litres, or half the bottle, of the bowel prep laxative within a 2-hour period.
This means you’ll drink 1 glass of bowel prep every 15 minutes.
Shake the bottle before pouring each glass to make sure it stays well mixed.
Remember to also drink plenty of clear fluids so you don’t get dehydrated once the bowel prep starts working.
Drinking large amounts of fluids can be uncomfortable for some people, but it’s very important to keep drinking the bowel prep laxative.
If you feel chilled after drinking a lot of cold fluid, don’t stop.
You might want to drink something warm, like tea or broth, after each glass of bowel prep.
More tips on how to make the bowel prep easier to drink can be found in the handout.
Make sure you’re near a toilet when you start to drink the bowel prep.
Within 1 to 4 hours, you can expect to start having a lot of diarrhea.
You'll get a feeling of urgency and need to use the bathroom many times for several hours.
Although it’s rare, it is possible to have an allergic reaction to the bowel prep.
For health advice any time day or night, call Health Link at 811, and for any emergency, call 911.
[The day of your colonoscopy]
On the day of your colonoscopy, don't eat anything until after your test is done.
Starting 5 hours before your appointment time, drink the last two litres of the bowel prep within a 2-hour period.
Just as you did the night before, drink one glass every 15 minutes until the bottle is finished.
This might mean you need to wake up very early.
Some people may find this difficult, but it’s important to follow the correct timing to make sure your bowel is well cleaned out.
Make sure you finish drinking the bowel prep laxative at least 2 hours before you have to leave.
If you have a long way to travel for your appointment, be sure you have enough time to finish your bowel prep.
By the time you're finished drinking the bowel prep, your stool should be a yellowish clear fluid.
Even if it starts to look clear after drinking only part of the bowel prep laxative, don’t stop.
It’s important to make sure you drink all 4 litres.
From the time you wake up until 2 hours before your appointment, keep drinking clear fluids to stay hydrated.
You can have the same clear fluids as the day before, except no coffee or tea.
Don’t drink anything in the 2 hours before you arrive at the clinic.
If you have to take any medicine during this time, it’s OK to take it with a sip of water.
For more information visit ahs.ca/colonoscopy.
