VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY PREPARATION

AT LEAST TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE EXAMINATION:
PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. OBTAIN TWO 1 _ FL. OZ. BOTTLES OF FLEET PHOSPHO-SODA (GINGER-LEMON OR UNFLAVORED) AT ANY PHARMACY, THIS IS AVAILABLE OVER-THE-COUNTER WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION (COST APPROX. $6.OO)

ONE DAY BEFORE THE EXAM:
YOU MAY HAVE A CLEAR LIQUID BREAKFAST. CLEAR LIQUIDS CONSIST OF: WATER, TEA, COFFEE, STRAINED FRUIT JUICE (NO MILK PLEASE) DO NOT EAT ANY SOLID FOOD THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1 PM EAT A CLEAR LIQUID LUNCH. THIS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE BROTH, JELLO, OR POPSICLES.

BETWEEN 2 PM AND 5 PM DRINK THE FIRST BOTTLE OF FLEET PHOSPHO-SODA MIXED IN A HALF GLASS OF WATER. THIS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY DRINKING AN ADDITIONAL 3 OR 4 GLASSES OF PLAIN WATER. FIVE HRS AFTER DRINKING THE FIRST FLEET PHOSPHO-SODA, DRINK THE SECOND BOTTLE OF FLEET PHOSPHO-SODA MIXED IN A HALF GLASS OF WATER. THIS SOLUTION WILL CAUSE YOU TO HAVE REPEATED LOOSE STOOLS (DIARRHEA)WHICH IS THE EXPECTED RESULT. IT TYPICALLY WORKS WITHIN 30 MIN. BUT MAY TAKE AS LONG AS 3 HRS TO HAVE AN EFFECT. DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING, YOU MAY DRINK CLEAR LIQUIDS IF DESIRED BUT DO NOT EAT SOLID FOODS UNTIL THE PROCEDURE IS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING DAY.

DO NOT EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED FLEET DOSAGE AS SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS CAN OCCUR.

THE MORNING OF THE EXAM:
YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR REGULAR MEDICATIONS WITH WATER, UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY YOUR PHYSICIAN. IF YOU HAVE AN AFTERNOON PROCEDURE, YOU MAY HAVE CLEAR LIQUIDS UNTIL 10 AM. IF YOU ARE DIABETIC, TAKE_ YOUR USUAL DOSE OF INSULIN ON THE MORNING OF THE PROCEDURE. IF YOU TAKE A PILL FOR DIABETES, YOU MAY SKIP IT ON THE MORNING OF THE PROCEDURE UNLESS INSTRUCTED OTHERWISE. IFYOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR MEDICATIONS PLEASE CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.

Back to Virtual Colonoscopy page