Portland Gastroenterology Center

161 Marginal Way • Portland, Maine 04101 • 207-773-7964

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Prep

If you have any questions, please call 207-773-7964.

Download these Prep Instructions for Printing

About Your Appointment

A responsible adult will need to drive you home. Taxis, Ubers, buses, medical ride services, or walking are not options unless a responsible adult accompanies you. You will not be able to drive for the rest of the day.

Plan on being at our facility for about 1 1⁄2 hours from arrival to departure (although this may vary depending on the day/procedure/location – ex. approx. 2.5 hrs for MMC)

For appointments with a scheduled arrival time of 4:00 pm or later, have your ride plan to be at the facility no later than 5:30 pm.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please call at least 3 business days prior to your procedure to reschedule. We reserve the right to charge a penalty fee for patients who “no show” or cancel without adequate notice.

  • Aside from the medications below, we recommend you take all home medications as usual with a small amount of water, at least 3 hours before your arrival time.
  • If you take blood thinners (Plavix®, warfarin, Eliquis®, Xarelto®, etc.) and haven’t been given directions to stop them by our office or your prescribing physician’s office, please call us to clarify. It is ok to continue your Aspirin.
  • Take ½ your morning insulin dose. Bring the other ½ with you.

Stop the following medications until after your procedure as directed below:

  • 7 DAYS BEFORE
    • Iron supplements
    • Fiber supplements (e.g. Metamucil®, Citrucel®)
    • Weekly-dosed GLP-1 agonists
      • Trulicity® (Dulagultide)
      • Bydureon®
      • BCise® (Exenatide ER)
      • Ozempic® / Wegovy® (Semaglutide)
      • Mounjaro® / Zepbound® (Tirzepatide)
    • Adipex-P® / Lomaira® (Phentermine)
    • Qsymia® (Phentermine/Topiramate)

 

  • THE DAY BEFORE
    • Questran® (cholestyramine)
    • Lomotil®
    • Imodium® (loperamide)
    • Colestid® (colestipol)

 

  • DAY OF PROCEDURE
    • Daily-dosed GLP-1 agonists
      • Saxenda® / Victoza® (Liraglutide)
      • Byetta® (Exenatide IR)
      • Rybelsus® (Semaglutide)
      • Adlyxin® (Lixisenatide)
    • Morning dose of oral diabetic medication (bring it with you)

NOTHING BY MOUTH 3 HOURS BEFORE YOUR PROCEDURE

Examples of clear liquids

  • Popsicles, EXCEPT for red, purple, or blue
  • Coconut water (NOT coconut milk)
  • Gatorade®
  • Kool-Aid®
  • Strained fruit juice (apple or white grape)
  • Jell-O®
  • Coffee and tea (without dairy products/creamer)
  • Soft drinks

 

Tips

If you start to feel nauseous while prepping, try:

  • Pause drinking the prep until the feeling improves, then resume
  • Decrease the amount you drink at a time
  • Take more time between drinks
  • Refrigerate the prep mixture
  • Use a straw

Prep goal: your stool should be clear and yellow. This chart will help you judge your progress!

Your prep is one of the most important parts of your procedure. Without a good prep—your bowel is empty and clear—your gastroenterologist will not be able to see your colon clearly. This could lead to missing a polyp or having to reschedule your procedure.

What are the risks of a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy?

Flexible sigmoidoscopies are standard medical procedures. Although rare, and like will all procedures, flexible sigmoidoscopies have some risks:

  1. The instrument may tear the wall of the colon which may require surgery to repair.
  2. There may be adverse drug reactions or heart/breathing complications.
  3. Bleeding may occur and is more often a risk when tissue or polyps are removed.
  4. There may be discomfort during and after the procedure.

Do you have questions? Contact our office at 207-773-7964.
Office is open 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday

1 Week Prior to Ileoscopy

  • Stop eating seeds, nuts, popcorn, tomatoes, corn, berries, granola with dried fruit, and raisins
  • Purchase the following items:
    • Vaseline® petroleum jelly
    • Two 4.5-ounce bottles of Fleet Saline Enema®
    • One 10-ounce bottle of liquid magnesium citrate (if you have kidney problems, do NOT purchase the magnesium citrate for your prep)
  • Call the office if you are pregnant, have an internal cardiac defibrillator, have had a recent cardiac procedure, or have a new cardiac health concern

The Day Before Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

  • Before 12:30pm
    • Eat you regular diet
  • At 12:30pm
    • Do not eat solid foods until your procedure is completed
    • Drink clear liquids while you prep up until 3 hours before your procedure. It is important to stay hydrated.
  • At 5:00pm
    • Drink the bottle of liquid magnesium citrate (do NOT do this if you have kidney problems)
  • At 8:00pm
    • Administer one 4.5-ounce bottle of Fleet Saline Enema®, following the instructions below

The Day of Your Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

  • 3 to 4 hours prior to your scheduled procedure
    • Administer the second 4.5-ounce bottle of Fleet Saline Enema®, following the instructions below
    • NOTHING BY MOUTH 3 HOURS BEFORE YOUR PROCEDURE

Enema Administration Instructions

  1. Apply Vaseline petroleum jelly to the area around your anus. This prevents irritation.
  2. Lie on your left side with your right knee bent in toward your chest.
  3. Take the protective cap off the enema bottle. Insert the tip into your rectum.
  4. Squeeze the bottle until it is empty.
  5. Remove the tip from your rectum. Keep lying on your left side. Hold the liquid in your rectum until you feel the urge to move your bowels. This usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. Go to the bathroom to let the liquid out of your rectum into the toilet.