Preparing for your colonoscopy with polyethylene glycol 3350 with electrolytes | veterans affairs

THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR COLONOSCOPY * AT 4 P.M. stop drinking clear liquids and do NOT put anything in your mouth. * AT 6 P.M. take the first dose of GoLytely. Add room temperature drinking

water to the fill line near the top of the container and shake it well to dissolve. * For flavor, you may add 2 or 3 tablespoons of lemon-flavored Crystal Light mix to the bottle. * To drink

it cold, mix it early in the afternoon (but not before 12 pm) and put it in the refrigerator. * Every 10 minutes drink approximately 8 ounces until you have ½ of the bottle left. Save this

half to drink the next morning. * After you drink the first ½ bottle, you may drink any clear liquids you'd like until midnight. * GoLytely is a laxative. It empties your colon, so the

doctor will be able to see its walls and spot any abnormal growths (polyps). It will give you diarrhea! This is normal. * After midnight DON’T drink anything except what we instruct you to

further in these instructions! TIP: You may want to buy flushable baby wipes and Vaseline to use during your prep. THE DAY OF YOUR COLONOSCOPY * Do not eat any solid food today, and drink

clear liquids only as instructed below! * Approximately FIVE HOURS BEFORE you leave your home for your appointment, finish the remaining ½ bottle of GoLytely as you did the night before,

drinking about 8 ounces every 10 minutes until it's gone. DO NOT DRINK OR EAT ANYTHING ELSE until after your colonoscopy. * Take any morning medications you need at least FOUR HOURS

BEFORE your colonoscopy, with a few sips of water to swallow any pills, tablets or capsules. * During the FOUR HOURS BEFORE your colonoscopy, for your own safety, there should be NOTHING IN

YOUR MOUTH, not even chewing gum. * If you have ANYTHING in those four hours, even WATER, your colonoscopy will be delayed or canceled. * Your stool should be clear and yellow, with no solid

particles in it. * Come to your appointment 60 minutes beforehand! The GI Lab is on the 3rd floor of building D, Mount Harvard. Take elevator number 1 to the 3rd floor, and our waiting room

will be on the east side of the building. DO YOU HAVE DIABETES? OR TAKE ANY WEIGHT LOSS/DIET MEDICATION? TAKE SPECIAL CARE WHILE ONLY DRINKING CLEAR LIQUIDS! * Monitor your blood sugar

every 4 hours during your prep time before your colonoscopy. * If you have an insulin pump: Maintain pump as usual and bring all pump equipment and supplies as well as continuous glucose

monitor on the day of the procedure. ORAL DIABETIC MEDICATIONS: Please hold all oral diabetic agents the morning of the procedure. METFORMIN: Hold the night before and the day of the

procedure. GSLT2I: (Canagliflozin,Dapagliflozin,Empagliflozin): hold 3 days prior to the procedure. GLP1R: agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy): Hold oral dose the morning of surgery. Hold weekly

injections 1 week(7 days) prior to the procedure. INSULIN: Hold all short acting insulin when on the liquid diet (1- or 2-day colon prep). Decrease the long-acting Insulin 50% the days you

are doing the prep/liquid diet. Take 50% of the normal long-acting dose of insulin on the day of the procedure IF YOU TAKE A MORNING DOSE. Do Not Take short acting insulin on the days of

prepping/liquid diet or day of the procedure. Taking any of the following GLP-1 medications for DIABETES, WEIGHT LOSS, OR ANY OTHER REASON? If taking once daily, stop taking 2 days before

procedure. If taking once weekly, stop at least 7 days before procedure: Dulaglutide, Exenatide, Liraglutide, Lixisenatide, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide. Stop taking Phentermine 7 days before

procedure. Please consult your PCP or Endocrinologist if you think your diabetic or weight loss adjustment may be an issue for you. WHY IS FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS SO IMPORTANT? GOOD PREP:

POLYPS ARE EASIER TO SEE