Northside Endoscopy

PREPARATION FOR COLONOSCOPY

YOU MUST HAVE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT WITH YOU TO DRIVE YOU HOME AND STAY WITH
YOU FOR 12 HOURS
If you are taking Asasantin, Eliquis, Iscover ,Persantin, Plavix, Pradaxa, Warfarin / Marevan, or Xarelto
please discuss with your GP ceasing or not, one week prior to procedure
If you are a diabetic or taking any of the above please make sure the receptionist and doctor is
aware of this.
Please bring the following:
ﾷ Your medicare card, pension card
ﾷ Your current medication or a list of what you are taking and any relevant x-rays from the previous three
months.
ﾷ Your referral letter (if not already given to doctor).

DISREGARD THE INSTRUCTIONS PRINTED ON THE PACKET AND STRICTLY FOLLOW THOSE BELOW
If you have been advised by the Nurse or Doctor to take Epsom Salts prior to the procedure. See
instructions in the "results and Hints".
ONE WEEK PRIOR TEST: Stop taking iron tablets. Continue all other medications.
3 DAYS BEFORE EXAMINATION: STOP TAKING ANY FIBRE SUPPLIMENTS (ie Metamucil, Psyllium or
Benefiber) and COMMENCE A LOW FIBRE DIET

Choose Avoid
CHOOSE - Breads and cereals AVOID
Plain white bread/ Plain cakes/biscuits Wholemeal, brown Brown rice
toast Plain pancakes/ and rye breads Brown pasta
Plain muffins pikelets /crumpets Multigrain bread and Unprocessed bran
Plain bread rolls White rice Muffins Rolled oats/porridge
Plain croissants White pasta Wholegrain cereals eg Muesli
Pita bread Couscous Bran, Weetbix, Vitabrits Brown crumpets
Refined cereals: Cakes and biscuits Muffins with fruit
Cornflakes, Rice Bubbles Containing nuts, dried Wholemeal flour and
Fruit Oatmeal
CHOOSE - Vegetables and fruit – remove skin and AVOID all other fruit and vegetables, including
seeds from all fruit and vegetables on this list salad vegetables and onion.
Potato, pumpkin Peeled peach or pear
Marrow/ squash/ choko Rock/watermelon
Avocado Canned/cooked: pear,
Mushroom peach, apple, apricot
Ripe banana, pawpaw
CHOOSE - Meat and other protein foods AVOID
Beef Pork Baked beans Rissoles
Veal Lamb Casseroles Stir fry meals
Poultry and eggs Fish and shell fish Lentils Nuts and seeds
Legumes Pizza
CHOOSE – Dairy food AVOID
Milk, custard, ice cream Vanilla/plain yoghurt Dairy products with fruit and seeds
Cheese- plain/cottage Cream/sour cream
Rice pudding Condensed milk
Evaporated milk Butter/margarine
Powdered milk
CHOOSE – Other food AVOID
Boiled lollies, clear jelly (not red) , sugar, chocolate, Jams with skins and seeds, peanut butter, dried fruit
honey, jellied strained jams, vegemite and nuts, marmalade

Drink 2 litres of fluid each day to avoid dehydration

Revision 13
18 April 2017
COLONOSCOPY

THE DAY PRIOR TO YOUR EXAMINATION

Make up your kit in the morning – refrigerate if desired

1. Magnesium Citrate – Add the contents of the sachet to half a glass of hot water. When fizzing
stops fill the glass with tap water.
2. Glycoprep – Mix the powder with three litres of water and stir until dissolved .

No dairy products to be consumed – no milk in tea or coffee.

You may have a low fibre breakfast and lunch. NO FURTHER SOLID FOOD

Drink plenty of clear fluid during the day (ONLY: water, clear, pulp free juice, black tea or coffee).

4pm Take the 3 Bisacodyl tablets with a glass of water.

5pm Drink Magnesium Citrate mixture followed by a glass of water
6pm Commence drinking 2 litres of the Glycoprep. Drink 1 glass every 15 minutes.

DAY OF PROCEDURE

No alcohol to be consumed and stop smoking 12 hours before your procedure

No solid food to be consumed before examination – continue clear fluids

At least 4 hours before your appointment time - commence drinking the remaining Glycoprep – 1
glass every 15 minutes. Continue drinking 1 glass of water every hour until 2 hours before procedure
time.

Heart and blood pressure tablets should be taken as usual at least 2 hours prior to examination.
Other medications can be taken after the examination.

STOP ALL FLUID INTAKE 2 HOURS BEFORE APPOINTMENT TIME

RESULTS AND HINTS

ﾷ Your bowel motion should be clear (and look like urine)and be free from particles
ﾷ Drink the solution quickly though a straw.
ﾷ Strained lime juice (not cordial)may be added to prep if desired - 45ml per litre. Available Coles/W.
ﾷ Apply protective cream (Lanolin/ Pawpaw ointment) to anal area to reduce excoriation.
ﾷ If you feel nauseated while taking prep – have a half hour break. Have a hot drink and walk around.
ﾷ If you feel bloated – walk around, suck a peppermint/drink peppermint tea
ﾷ If you become ill and have severe pain – seek medical advice from your GP or the nearest Emergency
Medical Centre
ﾷ EPSOM SALTS: If you have been asked by the doctor or nurse to take Epsom Salts prior to your
examination - the instructions are: Take 1-2 teaspoons per day for 5-7 days prior to the colonoscopy
preparation. Dissolve in 1/3rd glass of warm water to drink, then drink 2 extra glasses of water.

IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS UNDERSTANDING THESE INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE PHONE:

1300 733 801 to speak with a nurse.
PATIENT INFORMATION
COLONOSCOPY

What is Colonoscopy?
Colonoscopy is a procedure used to examine or inspect the inside surface of the large bowel,
which also allows a variety of therapeutic procedures to be carried out through the
instrument. Such procedures may include the taking of tissue samples (biopsies) and removal
of polyps (benign wart like growths).

How are you prepared?

Prior to the examination you will be provided with a kit containing full instructions. If you have
serious heart or chest problems or drug allergies, special precautions need to be taken to
reduce any risk. You should therefore inform the doctor of any serious conditions of this nature.
You should cease taking Iron tablets one week before test and if you are taking Warfarin or
Plavix please discuss this with your doctor. For a few days prior to the procedure you will need
to follow a low residue diet. The night before the examination you will need to take laxatives
and further preparation, usually a quantity of salty tasting solution which completely flushes
out the colon. You will be given sedation before the procedure begins and usually you will not
remember anything about the examination.

What we do
The colonoscope is a long highly flexible tube about the thickness of your index finger. It is
inserted through the rectum and allows inspection of the whole of the large bowel.
Occasionally narrowing of the bowel or other diseases may prevent the instrument being
inserted through the full length of the colon. As colon cancer arises from pre-existing polyps
(benign tumours), it is advisable that if any polyps are found, they be removed at the time of
examination. Most polyps can be burnt off by placing a wire snare around the base and
applying an electric current.
Afterwards
You will be given time to recover from your procedure in an observed recovery area, during
which time you will given a drink with biscuits.
The doctor will:
* Talk with you and discuss any findings
Give you a hand written report regarding your
procedure and any follow up instructions
* Send a detailed report to your doctor

The sedation you will be given is very effective in reducing any discomfort and although you
will be awake relatively quickly afterwards, the effects of the sedation will remain in your
system for up to 12 hours. For this reason you will be unable to drive until the next day after the
procedure. You must have someone with you to drive you home and stay with you for 12
hours after discharge.

You will be in the facility for approximately 2 hours.

 COLONOSCOPY Risks and complications: For inspection of the bowel alone, complications of
colonoscopy are very uncommon. Most surveys report complications of 1:1000 examinations or less.

Complications which can occur include an intolerance of the bowel preparation solution or reaction to
the sedative used. Perforation (making a hole in bowel) or major bleeding from the bowel is extremely
rare, but if it occurs may require surgery.

When operations, such as removal of polyps, are carried out at the time of procedure, there is a slightly
higher risk of perforation or bleeding from the site where the polyp was removed.

Complications of sedation are uncommon and are usually avoided by administering oxygen during the
procedure and monitoring pulse and oxygen levels in the blood.

A number of rare side-effects can occur with any endoscope procedure. If you wish to have full details
of such complications explained to you please discuss this with the doctor prior to the examination.

Because of the risk of cancer, it is recommended that all polyps found be removed at the time of
colonoscopy. Due to sedation, it will not be possible to discuss the removal at the time, therefore if you
have any queries regarding polyp removal please discuss this prior to the procedure. In the unlikely
event of haemorrhage occurring, blood transfusion may be necessary.

It is important to realize that no test is perfect and small lesions, and rarely even cancers, can be missed
during colonoscopy. (The rate of missed cancer is 0.6 - 2/1000 patient years) For this reason, follow up
colonoscopy is recommended and if there is a change in your symptoms, these should be discussed
with your doctor even if you have previously had a colonoscopy.

For the colonoscopy to be performed a consent form is required to be signed by you

on the day of the procedure.