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Read this entire document at least 1 week before your test. For a printable version of your bowel prep instructions and checklist click on download & print. Let’s review how to get ready for your colonoscopy using MiraLAX®. We’ve provided a Prep Checklist on the last page to help you plan your prep.
Due to the sedation medicines, you must have a responsible adult drive you home. It is recommended that you are observed for at least 6 hours after discharge.
Please tell us about any major health changes, illnesses, or recent hospital stays you have had since you scheduled your test. If at any time you have symptoms of illness (cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, fever, body aches, chills), please call the procedure center to reschedule your test. You should not have this test while ill.
You must call the doctor who prescribes this medicine to see if you need to stop or adjust your medicine before your test. That doctor will tell you how to safely do this.
The UW Digestive Health Center suggests talking to your doctor using the table listed. That doctor should give you the final advice on stopping these medicines.
Ask your doctor about your bleeding risk with this test. If your doctor feels your bleeding risk is low, they will likely have you follow the schedule below to stop your blood thinning medicines. If your doctor feels your bleeding risk is high, they may have you follow a different timeline.
The list below has common blood thinning medicines. It does not include all blood thinning medicines.
If your doctor tells you not to stop your medicine, please call the Digestive Health Center at 608-890-5010, as this may affect your procedure.
Stop taking these 5 days before your test. (You do not need to contact your doctor first).
You may need extra prep if you are often constipated or if you have had problems prepping before. Please call to talk about this in more detail.
Stop the following foods and medicines. These foods may slow your digestion, and your colon may not be clean enough for your test:
Corn, popcorn, seeds or nuts. Uncooked vegetables, beans and lentils, potato skins.
Fruits with skins or seeds.
Whole grain breads, granola or high fiber cereals.
Fiber supplements (like Metamucil®, Citrucel®, or Benefiber®).
Anti-diarrhea medicines (like Kaopectate®, Lomotil®, Pepto-Bismol® and Imodium® or loperamide).
Bowel Prep
Tip: For a list of safe foods visit:
https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/381
4 Bisacodyl (5mg) laxative tablets
MiraLAX® (2 of the 8.3 oz bottles).
Four 28-32oz bottles of Gatorade® or Powerade. ®
Magnesium citrate 10oz / 296 ml bottle.
Begin clear liquid diet. Be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of clear “see-through” liquids. Clear liquids include:
Water, clear sports drinks like Gatorade (no red or purple) ®
Broth
Black coffee, tea, soda
Apple juice
Jell-O (no red or purple) ®
No creamers, milk or other dairy products
No solid food
No liquids with ‘pulp’
Take your daily medicines today, except those you were told to stop. Take your medicines at least one hour before or one hour after drinking your prep.
Mix half of MiraLAX® powder in 28- 32 ounces of Gatorade® or Powerade®. Mix to dissolve.
Okay to keep it chilled.
Drink 1 cup every 10 – 20 minutes.
Expect liquid stools to begin in 1-2 hours.
Okay to drink clear liquids after MiraLAX prep.
You may have cramping, bloating and/or nausea. If you have a lot of nausea or vomiting, slow down or stop for 30 minutes, then start again.
No food
Stay on only clear liquids (no red or purple).
Stop drinking everything, even water, 4 hours before you arrive.
Five hours before arrival: drink the remaining bottle of the MiraLAX solution (28-32 oz. bottle).
As you finish the prep, your stools should be watery clear or yellow, with no solids (flecks of stool are OK). You should finish the entire bowel prep solution, no matter the stool consistency.
If you are still passing solid or brown stools, please call the procedure center.
If you need to take medicine during the 4 hours before your test, drink no more than 1/2 cup of water (4 ounces). Follow your provider’s directions for your diabetes or blood thinning medicines.
CPAP or BiPAP and any inhalers that you use.
Eyeglass or contact lens case, denture cup.
Ostomy supplies.
Wear comfortable clothing.
Phone number for your driver.
Do not bring:
Jewelry
Money
Other valuables
When you arrive, you can choose if your driver waits in the waiting room or in your private room where they will hear private health information.
The doctor will talk with you, answer questions, and ask you to sign a consent form.
A nurse will review your health history, take your vital signs and attach a heart monitor.
A nurse will place an IV and give you medicines to help you relax and keep you comfortable.
Your visit will take about 2-3 hours.
Your doctor will review the results and give you a report. We strongly suggest that you have your driver in the room with you to hear the results.
You may feel tired when you leave.
Spend the day resting at home. You cannot drive or return to work. You can return to your normal routine the next day.
It may take up to a week for your bowel habits to return to your normal.
If you stopped blood thinning medicine before your test, ask when it can be restarted.
If you have biopsies taken or polyps removed, you can expect to get lab results in 1-2 weeks. Your results will be sent to your MyChart account. If you don’t have a MyChart account, someone will call you with results or results will be mailed to you.
Bowel Prep Tip: To learn more about colon polyps visit: https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/7917
If you are still passing solid stools or your bowels have not started to empty by the morning of your test.
You have severe cramps.
You feel dizzy or lightheaded.
You have constant pain, rectal bleeding and/or a fever.
Patient Resources
(They can help figure out if your insurance will cover transportation.)
608-821-4144
Digestive Health Center
(608) 890-5010
UW Hospital GI Procedure Clinic
(608) 263-8094
Meriter/Unity Point
(608) 417-6389
Call your insurance company to discuss procedure coverage.
Find
safe transportation for the day of your test
Talk to your primary doctor about your diabetes
and/or blood
thinning medicines
Call if you are constipated, had trouble prepping in the past or if
you’ve had any major health changes since you scheduled your test.
Stop iron supplements and vitamins with iron
and fish oils 5 days
before your test
Start a low fiber diet
Pick up your bowel prep supplies.
If your arrival time is
before 11:00
am:
10:00 am
- start clear liquids.
Take your daily medicines
except those you were told to
stop.
4
:00 pm- Take 4 bisacodyl
tablets Drink 1 bottle ( 10 oz./ 296
ml) of magnesium citrate
6:00
pm- Start prep. Drink 1
bottle of MiraLAX solution ( 28-
32 oz. bottle).
Keep drinking clear fluids to
stay hydrated.
If your arrival time is
after 11:00
am:
3:00
pm- Start clear liquids
Take your daily medicines
except those you were told to
stop.
6:00
pm- Take 4 bisacodyl
tablets Drink 1 bottle (10oz/296
ml) of magnesium citrate.
8:00
pm- Start prep. Drink 1
bottle of MiraLAX solution ( 28
32 oz bottle).
Keep drinking clear fluids to
stay hydrated.
5
hours before arrival mix the second half of the MiraLAX ®
powder into the other 28- 32 oz bottle of Gatorade ® or Powerade ®
Start drinking the prep.
Keep drinking other liquids to stay hydrated.
Stop all liquids (even water)
4 hours before arrival.
If you need to take medicine during the 4 hours before your
arrival ,
drink no more than 1/2 cup of water (4 ounces).
Call if you are still passing solid or brown stools
or your bowels have
not started to empty.