Can I shower, eat breakfast, or brush my teeth the morning of my colonoscopy? You may not eat anything the morning of your procedure, but you may continue to drink clear liquids up until 2 hours before your procedure. You may shower and brush your teeth.
Yes, you may brush your teeth.
If your procedure is later in the day, you may have water up to 6 hours before your procedure. You should avoid chewing gum. If you become uncomfortable with a dry mouth, you may swish and spit using water or mouth wash.
Do not wear contact lenses, body Do not wear contact lenses, body piercings, makeup, dark nail polish, perfume/cologne, hairspray, or strong scents. You may shower, wear deodorant, and brush your teeth before you arrive. (Do not swallow any water when brushing your teeth.)
The Day of Your Colonoscopy
Be sure to have a bath or shower the morning of the test and wear comfortable clothing. Body piercings and/or jewelry should be removed before the procedure.
Most people stop moving their bowels about 2 – 3 hours after finishing the solution. People are different and some have liquid movements until the time of the procedure. The instrument used during the colonoscopy will suction out any liquid left in the bowel. You will not have an “accident” during the procedure.
Will a colonoscopy prep keep you up all night? You make wake up once or twice to go to the bathroom, but it shouldn't keep you up all night. However, some people are required to wake in the middle of the night to take a second dose of laxatives at least four to six hours before their procedure.
Can I shower, eat breakfast, or brush my teeth the morning of my colonoscopy? You may not eat anything the morning of your procedure, but you may continue to drink clear liquids up until 2 hours before your procedure. You may shower and brush your teeth.
Please wear loose comfortable clothing. You may keep most clothing on for upper endoscopy as well as comfortable shirt and socks for colonoscopy. Women may keep their bra on for the procedure. Please do not wear lotions, oils or perfumes/cologne to the center due to the monitoring devices.
Do not shave your abdomen (stomach) or pubic hair. Shaving before your surgery gives you a higher chance of getting an infection. A person from the health-care team will use clippers to get you ready for surgery if hair needs to be removed.
The day before your procedure you can't eat anything solid. You should only consume clear (see-through) liquids. It is important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of clear liquids, such as sports drinks, clear juice like apple and white grape, and clear broth. Soda is OK, and so are coffee and tea, but without cream.
For procedures that are scheduled to start after noon, it is okay to drink clear liquids (black coffee or tea without milk, water, Seven-Up, ginger ale or apple juice) until 5 hours before the start time of the procedure. You should still not eat any solid food after midnight the night before.
It is not unusual to experience some diarrhoea for a couple of days post procedure until the bowel returns to its normal function.
If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of the procedure, take them with only a sip of water. Take a bath or shower before you come in for your procedure.
The Day of Procedure
Please brush your teeth the morning of procedure, but do not swallow any water. Please bathe or shower before procedure. Wear loose comfortable clothing. If you wear contact lenses, please bring contact supplies and/or wear your glasses.
Alternatively, the doctor may decide to take a brushing of the colon lining to evaluate an area of suspected abnormality. In this case, a small nylon brush is passed through the center of the colonoscope and is rubbed against the colon lining to retrieve a small tissue sample.
If your colonoscopy is in the early morning, you will probably be instructed to take the second half of your prep in the wee hours, say 3 or 4 a.m. — so you'll spend much of the night running to the bathroom. If you don't want to give up a night of sleep, schedule an afternoon colonoscopy, Lee suggests.
If having a colonoscopy, you will be given a patient gown to wear during your procedure. We recommend that wear casual clothing, such as a sweat suit or warm-ups. If you are having an upper endoscopy (esphagogastroduodenoscopy), you will not need to change into a patient gown.
You may need a catheter (fine plastic drain tube) put in your front passage to drain the urine from your bladder until you are able to pass urine comfortably on your own. You may be given an appointment to visit the surgical outpatient department for a check-up about one month or so after you leave hospital.
You may notice Page 5 Division of Gastroenterology some bloating or cramping at the beginning of the prep, but this will usually improve once the bowel movements begin. bowels at least 10-15 times. By the end of your prep, your stool should become a clear, yellow-tinged fluid.
You may brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with a small sip of water, but do not swallow any of it. If you have been told to take medicine the day of surgery, take them with just a small sip of water. Stop smoking for at least twenty-four (24) hours before surgery.
If your last bowel movements were clear enough that you were able to see the bottom of the toilet you should be fine. You must, however, continue to drink ALL of the prep solution. It is ok if you have some flecks of material. The yellow color is a result of the bile that normally colors the feces.
We conducted a study to compare time of day and polyp detection. It turned out that polyps were common, but they became mysteriously less common as the day progressed. Early-morning procedures found more polyps than procedures conducted later in the day. Hour-by-hour, there were fewer and fewer polyps detected.
Studies have indicated that colonoscopies done during the morning hours have actually contributed to more accurate findings due to a number of varying factors. Although it might not be a thrill to wake up earlier than usual, it could just help your overall health.