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Your Colon Health

Preparing for Your Colonoscopy

Preparation: The Same Day

If your colonoscopy is scheduled late in the day, your doctor may have you begin bowel cleansing early that same day. Bowel cleansing should take approximately four to six hours.

Preparation: The Day Before

In the morning:

If your healthcare professional has prescribed Colyte® with flavor packs or TriLyte® with flavor packs, choose one of the flavor packs and add it to the four-liter bottle. Shake well to adequately mix the flavor pack with powder.

  • Add water up to the fill line.
  • Shake well until the powder has dissolved.
  • Add nothing else to the solution.
  • Refrigerate until ready to drink.
  • If you are taking other medications, ask your doctor if you need to adjust your dosing schedule.
  • Eat a normal breakfast.

At midday:

  • At around noon, have a light lunch.
  • Do not eat any solid food two to four hours before starting to drink the solution.

In the evening:

  • Begin drinking the solution between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Drink an eight-ounce glass of the solution every 10 minutes. It is recommended that you drink the whole glass rapidly, rather than sip small amounts.
  • Keep drinking the solution until the bottle is empty or bowel movement is clear.
  • Bowel movements should begin approximately one hour after the first glass of the solution. They will continue for several hours after you finish drinking the last glass.
  • Feelings of bloating, abdominal fullness, and nausea are common after the first few glasses of the solution. This is temporary and should subside once bowel movements begin.
  • Do not eat any solid food. You may drink water or other clear liquids recommended by your physician.

Preparation: The Day of the Colonoscopy

  • Do not eat any solid foods before the procedure.
  • If you are thirsty, drink a small amount (eight ounces or less) of water prior to the examination.
  • If you have any questions, talk to your doctor.

Reminders

  • Follow the instructions your doctor gives you exactly.
  • Both Colyte with flavor packs and TriLyte with flavor packs offer you a choice of five flavors. Choose the flavor that will make it most pleasant for you to complete the preparation.
  • Add nothing else to the solution—no ice, no flavoring, no sweetener—NOTHING AT ALL.
  • Tell your doctor if you are taking other medications. You may need to adjust your dosing schedule.
  • Do not consume any solid foods two to four hours before you begin your preparation.
  • Bowel movements should begin about an hour after you drink the first glass. They will continue for several hours after you finish the last glass. By that time, the stool should be liquid and clear.
  • Feelings of bloating, abdominal fullness, and nausea are common. These feelings are temporary and will subside when you begin to have bowel movements.

Tips

  • Chill it! Put the solution in the refrigerator until you are ready to start drinking it.
  • Try chilling the glass too.
  • Drink the whole glass quickly. Don’t sip small amounts.
  • Rinse your mouth with cool water between glasses.
  • Drink the solution with a straw.
  • Place some light reading material in the bathroom.
  • Make sure you use a soft toilet tissue or premoistened bathroom wipes to prevent soreness.
  • If your doctor says you can have clear liquids after you have completed your preparation, some options are: water, ice chips, diet beverage mixes, diet gelatin, broth, bouillon, plain tea (either regular or herbal), diet popsicles and diet soda. Avoid all RED liquids.

An important note: Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions. If they are different from the instructions on this web site, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Whenever you have questions or concerns, your doctor is your best source of information.

To read answers to frequently asked questions about the colonoscopy procedure, click here.


Important Patient Information
Colyte with flavor packs (PDF)
TriLyte with flavor packs (PDF)

Complete Prescribing Information
Colyte with flavor packs (PDF)
TriLyte with flavor packs (PDF)

As with all polyethylene glycol (PEG) lavages, nausea, abdominal fullness, and bloating are the most common adverse reactions, occurring in up to 50% of patients. Oral medication administered within 1 hour of the start of administration of Colyte with flavor packs or TriLyte with flavor packs may be flushed from the gastrointestinal tract and not absorbed.

Ask your healthcare professional whether Colyte with flavor packs or TriLyte with flavor packs is right for you.

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Follow the instructions your doctor gives you exactly.

Do not consume any solid foods two to four hours before you begin your preparation.

Avoid drinking any RED liquids.

Feelings of bloating, abdominal fullness, and nausea are common. These feelings are temporary and will subside when you begin to have bowel movements.