At your pharmacy at least 2 days before your exam:
- One 238 gram bottle of Miralax over the counter.
- Two Dulcolax laxative tablets 5mg over the counter. (Not suppositories)
- One 64 ounce bottle of Gatorade no red or purple. (Diabetics may substitute Pedialyte)
The day before your exam:
- CLEAR LIQUID DIET – It is very important to drink plenty of clear liquids throughout the entire day. Do not eat any solid food.
- Follow the schedule in the table below for your bowel prep. Plan to remain within easy reach of the restroom. You will have many bowel movements throughout the day. They will become very watery. The bowels are clear or clean when there is only pale yellow fluid without flecks of stool.
Noon:
Open your 64-ounce bottle of Gatorade and discard 10 ounces from the bottle. Then empty the 238 gram bottle of Miralax into the bottle of Gatorade. Cap the bottle and shake to dissolve the powder then refrigerate.
3pm to 5pm:
Take 2 Dulcolax tablets with a glass of water.
5pm to 7pm:
Start to drink the Miralax solution. Drink one 8oz. glass every 15 minutes until solution is gone. *If you have mild discomfort or bloating stop drinking for a while or wait longer between drinks.
Midnight:
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight. You may gargle but do not swallow any liquid.
The morning of your test:
- Do not eat or drink anything until your test is completed.
IMPORTANT TIPS
If you are diabetic:
- If you take insulin, contact the prescribing physician for instructions.
- If you take oral medications for diabetes, you should not take them the night before or the morning of the exam. This should be verified with the prescribing physician.
Clear liquid diet list:
- Soft drinks – regular or diet sodas (orange, ginger ale, cola, Sprite, 7-Up, etc). Ginger Ale may help to settle the stomach.
- Sport or power drinks with electrolytes may be helpful. You may wish to dilute to decrease sweetness. (NO red or purple!)
- Strained fruit juices without pulp (apple, white grape, iced tea) NO ORANGE JUICE!
- Water, clear flavored waters or seltzer
- Black tea or coffee – NO milk or non-dairy creamer. You may have any type of sugar or sweetener.
- Fat free chicken or beef broth (prefer low sodium)
- Hard candies (Lifesavers, etc.)
- Plain Jello – NO fruits or toppings
- Popsicles, Italian Ice – NO sherbets or fruit bars
Your body loses significant amounts of fluid during bowel preparation. In order to prevent dehydration, it is important to supplement that fluid loss with clear liquids. Make a conscious effort to drink as much as you can before and during the preparation.
