Notice
Ongoing construction may impact traffic around University Hospital, American Family Children's Hospital and Waisman Center. Please allow for additional travel time.Read more
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 SUPREP.
1 Week Before Test
Arrange Transportation
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.
Health Changes
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.
Iron, Multivitamins with Iron and Fish Oil
Stop taking these 5 days before your test. (You do not need to contact your doctor first).
Constipation
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.
Blood Thinners and Diabetes Medicines
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 below. 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.
3 Days Before Test
Low Fiber Diet
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
Pick up Bowel Prep
Your bowel prep will be ordered about two weeks before your test. Three days before your test:
Call the pharmacy to tell them you will be picking up your bowel prep.
Pick up your bowel prep. Do not mix the prep until the day before the test.
Buy soft toilet paper.
1 Day Before Test
Diet
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®
Broth
Black coffee, tea, soda
Apple juice
Jell-O®
No creamers, milks or other dairy products
No red or purple liquids or Jell-O
No solid food
No liquids with ‘pulp’
Bowel Prep
Start drinking your prep at the time listed on your Prep Checklist.
Follow the directions listed here. Do not follow the directions on the container.
Stay near a bathroom. You will have loose, then liquid stools. This is normal.
For each dose:
Pour one 6-ounce bottle of SUPREP liquid into the mixing bottle.
Add cool drinking water to the 16-ounce line on the bottle and mix well. Drink all the mixed liquid.
Drink two (2) more 16-ounce bottles of water over the next 1 hour.
Bowel Prep Tip: Add yellow Crystal Light®® lemonade to improve taste.
Nausea
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.
Test Day
Diet
No food
Stay on only clear liquids (no red or purple)
Stop drinking everything, even water, 4 hours before you arrive.
Bowel Prep
Prepare bowel prep dose #2 and start drinking it 6 hours before your arrival time.
Drink two more 16-ounce bottles of water over the next 1 hour. Drink all the mixed liquid.
Finish all liquids 4 hours before you arrive.
As you finish the prep, your stools should be watery clear or yellow, with no solids (flecks of stool are OK). If you are still passing solid or brown stools, please call the procedure center.
Medicines
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.
What to Bring
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
Before the Test
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.
After the Test
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.
Results
If you have biopsies taken or polyps removed, you can expect to get lab results 1-2 weeks later. 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
When to Call
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.
Who to Call
Patient Resources
(If you need help finding a ride to and from your test)
608-821-4144
Digestive Health Center
(608) 890-5010
UW Hospital GI Procedure Clinic
(608) 263-8094
Meriter/Unity Point
(608) 417-6389
Prep Checklist
1 Week Before Test
Call your insurance company.
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 vitamins with iron and fish oil 5 days before
your test
3 Days Before Test
Start a low fiber diet
Call pharmacy to pick up bowel prep
1 Day Before Test
If your
arrival time is before 11:00
am:
At 10 am- stop eating solid food
and begin clear liquid diet.
Take daily medicines (except
those you were told to stop) at
least 1 hour before or 1 hour
after drinking prep
At 4 pm- start drinking dose #1
of your prep .
o
Pour one 6 ounce bottle
of SUPREP liquid into
the mixing bottle.
o
Add cool drinking water
to the 16 ounce line on
the bottle and mix well.
Drink all the mixed
liquid.
Drink two (2) more 16 ounce
bottles of water over the next 1
hour You should be done with
the prep by 6 pm.
If your
arrival time is after 11:00
am:
At 2 pm- stop eating solid food
and begin clear liquid diet
Take daily medicines (except
those you were told to stop) at
least 1 hour before or 1 hour
after drinking prep
At 6 pm- start drinking dose #1
of your prep .
o
Pour one 6 ounce bottle
of SUPREP liquid into
the mixing bottle
o
Add cool drinking water
to the 16 ounce line on
the bottle and mix well.
Drink all the mixed
liquid.
Drink two (2) more 16 ounce
bottles of water over the next 1
hour You should be done with
the prep by 8 pm.
Day of Test
6 hours before arrival prepare bowel prep dose #2:
o Mix 16 ounces of cool water and begin drinking.
o Drink two more 16-ounce bottles of water over the next 1 hour. Drink all the mixed liquid.
Stop all liquids (even water) 4 hours before your 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.