Pre and Post-procedural Care

Your colon must be cleared of stools before a colonoscopy is done, in order to ensure that the surgeon will be able to get a clear view of the entire length of your colon. As such, patients will be given very potent laxatives to clear their colon.

This is often described as perhaps the most uncomfortable and inconvenient part of the whole process – not even the colonoscopy itself! Yet, patients must persist in following the pre-colonoscopy instructions properly, because if the bowels are not cleared, residual stool in the colon may obstruct the doctor’s view and the colonoscopy may have to be repeated another day.

In most cases, if the procedure is to be held in the morning, you will be asked to take the laxatives and empty your bowels the night before. If the procedure is to be held in the afternoon, you will be asked to take the laxatives and empty your bowels in the morning of the procedure.

You are encouraged to drink as much fluid as possible when in the midst of purging your bowels. However, do not take high fibre food such as fruit and vegetables two days before the scheduled colonoscopy. Some other food restrictions may include: no solid food, stringy food, food with seeds, etc.