Preparing for a Colonoscopy
You’ve got an important appointment coming up — let’s make sure you’re fully prepared!
✅ Check Your Procedure Date
You should have received your colonoscopy date during your office visit or over the phone with one of our medical assistants. If you:
- Have questions about the date,
- Need to reschedule,
- Or haven’t received a date yet,
Please give us a call at 503-874-0574. We’re here to help.
📝 Preparation Instructions
You were provided detailed prep instructions either as a printed handout, sent in the mail or sent through your MyChart health portal. These instructions are tailored to the specific preparation type that you selected or that your provider recommended.
Please read them carefully — proper preparation is essential to ensure a safe and effective colonoscopy.
🏥Here’s what to expect:
- Medication Adjustments:
- One week before:
- Stop taking iron pills, fish oil, vitamin E, aspirin, ibuprofen, or any NSAIDS, Plavix, Coumadin, and any type of blood-thinning medication unless directed to do so by your doctor. If you need pain medicine, you can take Tylenol before the procedure if needed but avoid taking medications directly before or after your prep.
- Stop taking Trulicity, Ozempic and Mounjaro.
- Your doctor will give you instructions on when to stop and start other medications if needed.
- One week before:
- Diet Instructions:
- Two days before
- Avoid eating celery, salad, corn, popcorn, seeded foods, blackberries, and nuts.
- Stop taking fiber supplements: Metamucil, Citrucel, etc.
- Day BEFORE the Procedure:
- When you wake up the day BEFORE your procedure, you will begin a Clear Liquid Diet. This means you are unable to eat solid foods, non-clear liquids, and red or purple liquids. Things you can eat include water, broth, apple or white grape juice, (Non red/purple) sports drinks, clear sodas, and gelatin.
- No coffee, tea, milk, or dairy products.
- Day OF the Procedure:
- Continue Clear Liquid Diet. No Solid Food.
- Take your regular morning medications at least 4 hours before your procedure. Do not take any narcotics or controlled substances, which include some anxiety medications until after your procedure.
- Blood Pressure and Heart Medications: take these medications with a sip of water if you have been instructed to take them.
- Two days before
DO NOT put ANYTHING in your mouth 2 hours before your procedure.
This includes but is not limited to: bowel prep, medication, hard candy, chewing gum and chewing tobacco. No Food. No liquids.
- Bowel Prep:
You’ll be asked to follow a clear liquid diet the day before your procedure and drink a prescribed laxative solution to empty your bowels. We provide special instructions on how to take the bowel prep properly in order to prepare you for the procedure, please follow these instructions. You can download each bowel prep’s specific instructions at the links listed below:
📥Download Your Colonoscopy Bowel Prep Instructions:
Choose the prep type you selected at your office visit or during the fast-track screening process. If you have questions about which prep you selected, please give our office a call to confirm your prep:
Miralax Prep
Suflave Prep
Sutab Prep
Golytely Prep
- Arrange Transportation:
You will receive intravenous (IV) sedation or anesthesia for this procedure so it will be required that you have someone to drive you home afterward.
For additional details and to learn more about colonoscopies, please visit our Colonoscopy Procedure Information page at the link below.
🧪 Additional Pre-Procedure Requirements
Depending on your medical history, you may also need lab work or an EKG before your colonoscopy. If required, please complete these TWO WEEKS before your procedure date.
📞 Questions? We’re Here for You
If anything is unclear or you need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Call us at 503-874-0574. Our team is happy to help.