Please read over these instructions carefully.
Day of your procedure: Be at the Outpatient Endoscopy Unit at:
On the day of your procedure, do not eat or drink. Exception: if you take blood pressure, heart, seizure and/or thyroid medications in the morning, take them with a small sip of water at least two (2) hours before your procedure time.
Please bring the following items with you
- Your insurance cards and driver's license
- Eye glasses if needed for reading
Please leave jewelry and valuables at home; wedding band(s) may be worn. Please wear comfortable clothes — you will be changing into a gown.
Important reminders
You must have an adult companion (family member or friend) to take you home after your procedure. Use of public transportation — Uber, Lyft, taxi, etc. — is not allowed.
Plan on resting after your procedure. Avoid big activities, operating motor vehicles, and do not drink alcohol on the day of the procedure.
If you are diabetic:
- If you use insulin, only use ½ dose of insulin the night before your procedure and no insulin the morning of your procedure. You may resume your normal dose after your procedure.
- If you take pills, do not take them the day before and the morning of your procedure. You may resume your normal dose after your procedure.
- If you take anticoagulants or anti-platelet medications (Coumadin, Warfarin, Plavix, Clopidogrel, Effient, Xarelto, Eliquis, Brilinta, etc.), please contact the physician who prescribes them for clearance and additional instructions.
- Seven (7) days before, stop: ibuprofen, Celebrex, Naproxen, Mobic, meloxicam, Omega 3, fish liver oil, Vitamin E, and garlic tablets.
- Don't stop Aspirin 81 mg for cardiac protection before or after the procedure.
- Stop Phentermine (weight-loss medication) 14 days before.
- Stop semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus), dulaglutide (Trulicity), lixisenatide (Adlyxin), exenatide (Bydureon, Byetta), liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide).
- Reduce fiber intake 3 days before. For example, do not eat nuts, seeds, or popcorn.
Note: if you do not have a follow-up appointment after your procedure, call our office. Remember that results are not given over the phone. No exceptions.
The day before your procedure: clear liquid diet all day
Please do not eat breakfast or any solid food the day before and the morning of your procedure. For example, if your procedure is on Monday, do not eat breakfast or any solid food all day Sunday and Monday morning. You may resume a regular diet as tolerated after your procedure.
Drink at least 8 ounces of clear liquids every hour up until you start the Golytely prep.
- On the morning of the day before, add water to the Golytely container up to the indicated line.
- At 3:00 pm or 6:00 pm, start drinking 8 ounces of Golytely every 15 minutes until all of the contents are finished.
- One hour after finishing the Golytely solution, take 2 tablets of Dulcolax 5 mg (Bisacodyl) — available without a prescription.
Please stay well hydrated before, during and after completing your Golytely prep. However, remember that you must stop all liquid intake 4 hours before your procedure.
Important reminder — do not eat or drink any:
- Any red, blue or purple colored food
- Dairy, fruit juices, sherbets, milkshakes
- Any solid food
Recommended liquids include
- Water
- Gatorade (no red, blue or purple)
- Clear apple or grape juice (no pulp)
- Ginger ale or Sprite (non-alcoholic drinks)
- Black coffee (no dairy products)
- Chicken, beef or vegetable broth or consommé (no solids) — must be clear
- Jello with no solids (no red, blue or purple)
- Coffee with sugar only (no milk or dairy substitutes)
Questions about your prep?
If anything in these instructions is unclear, or your medications aren't covered here, contact our office before you start your prep.