Casco Bay Surgery

Colonoscopy Preparation

Goal of Colon Preparation:

To clean out your large intestine of all solid material. This allows us to do a faster, easier, more thorough examination which lessens the chance of us missing a lesion or you having to repeat the procedure.

Five Days Prior to Examination:

No aspirin or aspirin-containing drugs (such as Alka-Seltzer), blood thinners (such as Coumadin) or iron-containing drugs or vitamins. These can cause you to bleed during or after the procedure or to look like you have been bleeding (and confuse the examination). Continue taking all of your other usual medications unless instructed otherwise.

You will need to purchase these items at the pharmacy:

1.      Four Dulcolax tablets (over-the-counter).

2.     A 238g bottle of Miralax (over-the-counter).

3.      A 64 oz. bottle of Gatorade, any color except red, orange, or purple.

The Day Prior to Examination

After a very light breakfast (eaten before 7:00 a.m.), begin a clear liquid diet. Do not eat or drink milk or milk products, orange juice, alcohol, red Jell-O, red Kool-Aid, or red popsicles, because the red dyes may look as though you are having bleeding when you are not. Follow these instructions the afternoon prior to your procedure:

1.      At 12:00 noon take 4 Dulcolax tablets.

2.      After your first bowel movement or no longer than 6 hours without a bowel movement, mix the 238g bottle of Miralax with 64 oz. of Gatorade, making sure all the Miralax is dissolved.  Drink until the mixture is entirely gone.

3.      Continue drinking clear liquids until bedtime.

The Day of Procedure

1.       Take your daily medications, such as blood pressure and heart medications (except the blood-thinning medications mentioned above), with a sip of water the morning of your procedure. If your procedure is in the afternoon, you may have clear liquids until 4 hours before your appointment.

2.      You will receive intravenous sedation for the procedure, so plan to bring a family member or friend to drive you home afterwards.

Colonoscopy Rescheduling

Due to our waiting list for colonoscopies and the bowel preparation required for the procedure, we strongly request a minimum of 5 days notification when canceling. This will allow us to schedule someone else in your empty time slot.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.