The day of your colonoscopy

Medicines

Do not take:

• laxatives (medicines used to help you poo)
• medicines containing iron, loperamide (used to treat diarrhoea) or codeine (used to treat pain, a cough or diarrhoea)

You should continue to take all of your other medicines as normal, unless the doctor or endoscopy nurse have told you otherwise.

Food and drink

Drink plenty of clear fluid. You can drink up to 3 hours before your colonoscopy.

Do not eat anything.

Bowel preparation

It's important to take your bowel preparation solution at the right time. This depends on if you have your colonoscopy in the morning or the afternoon.

• If your colonoscopy is in the morning, take your bowel preparation solution at 6am.
• If your colonoscopy is in the afternoon, take your bowel preparation solution at 10am.

Instructions if you have a morning appointment

Sodium picosulphate (Picolax or CitraFleet) sachets

At 6am, take the second sachet of sodium picosulphate. Prepare it in the same way as before.

Klean-Prep

At 6am, dissolve the fourth sachet of Klean-Prep and drink it as before.

Moviprep

At 6am, dissolve the second sachets of A and B Moviprep and drink them over 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Instructions if you have an afternoon appointment

Sodium picosulphate (Picolax or CitraFleet) sachets

At 10am, take the second sachet of sodium picosulphate. Prepare it in the same way as before.

Klean-Prep

At 10am, dissolve the fourth sachet of Klean-Prep and drink it as before.

Moviprep

At 10am, dissolve the second sachets of A and B Moviprep and drink them over 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Going to hospital

Please leave valuable items at home. Do not bring them with you to the endoscopy unit.

You may want to bring a dressing gown, slippers and something to read.