Colonoscopy: Liquid Diet Issues
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Having a colonoscopy is a vital part of your preventative healthcare program. You need to consider having a colonoscopy when you reach age 50 and every ten years after that. A colonoscopy is somewhat of an invasive procedure in that a camera connected to a long flexible tube is inserted into the rectum and runs through the colon until the ileum is reached. It takes about an hour or two to do a good colonoscopy.
Liquid diet is essential for having a good colonoscopy. You need to follow a special colonoscopy liquid diet before the procedure so no stool blocks the vision of any polyps or cancerous areas within the colon. Doctors have different liquid diets they have their patients follow but all of them are designed to improve visibility and make the test as accurate as possible.
Colonoscopy Preparation
Your doctor will give you written instructions as to what you should do to prepare for colonoscopy. The entire process is known as a bowel preparation. You must first empty the colon of all solids you’ve eaten in the recent past. It starts with a clear liquid diet that you take for one to three day before the procedure. You should have no foods or beverages that contain a red or purple die.
Some liquids to consider include:
- strained fruit juice (apple juice, pineapple juice)
- fat-free bouillon or broth (which can be purchased at the store in small cubes and mixed with hot water)
- water
- gelatin (Jell-O)
- Gatorade or PowerAde (or any clear sports drink)
- tea without cream
- plain coffee
If you can't see through it, it is not clear enough to qualify as a clear liquid.
Even though you've been doing the colonoscopy liquid diet for one or more days, you'll still need to clear out the lower colon. The doctor may prescribe a laxative on the day before the colonoscopy or you may have to give yourself an enema before the colonoscopy, usually on the day of the colonoscopy. The doctor will decide what kind of enema you'll get.
What Not To Do
As part of your colonoscopy liquid diet, there are medications your doctor may not want you to take. These include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, certain diabetic medications, vitamins with iron and blood thinners. Give your doctor a list of your medications and they will tell you which ones you can take and which ones you cannot take.
A colonoscopy liquid diet will not make you gain weight and you will feel hungry on this diet, no matter how much you drink. One thing you can do to help yourself feel as though you are eating something solid is to eat Jell-O that is not red or purple in color. This can mean a lemon or orange Jell-O or even a green colored one. Make it a few days in advance so you have it ready to eat along with your clear liquids. You can even drink colas and Sprite for a change of pace. Don’t worry about any weight loss you may have for the few days you are eating a colonoscopy liquid diet. You will gain the weight back after the procedure.
In most cases, you can eat a regular diet after the colonoscopy. The only time you won't be able to eat anything after the colonoscopy is if cancer is found and the doctor wants to remove it immediately. Usually, though, you will have some time to understand your diagnosis before having to go ahead and have any further surgery beyond the basic colonoscopy. The vast majority of colonoscopies are normal so you can begin to eat a normal diet again.
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