3 Things To Do When Prepping For Your Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure in which a camera is inserted into your bowels through your rectum. It is designed to find polyps or cancer in your intestines. To have a colonoscopy done, you have to prep for it. The doctor needs to have a clear field to insert the camera and see what the sides of your intestines look like. So, what do you need to do to prep for your colonoscopy? 

Low-Fiber Diet

It would be best to start eating a low-fiber diet a few days before the procedure. If you take a fiber supplement, you should stop taking that and any anti-diarrheal medicine. Some low-fiber foods that you can eat include peanut butter, white rice, and bread made with refined flour. During the entire process, you should avoid eating anything with purple, blue, or red food dyes.

Clear Liquid Diet

You should be on a clear liquid diet the day before your colonoscopy. Your doctor will be able to give you a list of things that they can consider clear liquids. In general, clear liquids include clear broth, gelatin, water, sports drinks, and light-colored juice. Again, ensure that nothing you are ingesting has red, blue, or purple dyes. A clear liquid diet can occasionally make you feel hungry, even if you are eating things like gelatin cups. If you feel like that, hot beef, chicken, or vegetable broth can help your body feel like it is full. Just make sure that nothing you eat is solid food.

Laxative

Your doctor will either prescribe a laxative or tell you a brand to buy at the drugstore. The laxatives you will take are very strong and will clear everything you have eaten out of your body. You may feel like you were purging everything you have ever eaten in your entire life. Generally, you will take the laxative in the afternoon of the day before your procedure, and you may also need to take some the morning of your colonoscopy. You may want to sleep on a bunch of towels in case you have an accident in the night.

Getting a colonoscopy may sound like something you never want to do, but it is the responsible thing to do because it lets you keep track of your health. Prepping for a colonoscopy is essential because it helps the procedure be successful. Contact a local medical clinic, such as Gastro Health, to learn more.