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.
Medication Instructions
- 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 1⁄2 your morning insulin dose. Bring the other 1⁄2 with you.
Stop the following medications until after your procedure as directed below
7 days before your procedure
- Iron supplements, Fiber supplements (e.g. Metamucil®, Citrucel®)
- Weekly dosed GLP-1 agonists: Trulicity®(Dulaglutide), Bydureon® BCise®(Exenatide ER), Ozempic®/Wegovy®(Semaglutide), Mounjaro®/Zepbound® (Tirzepatide)
- Adipex-P®/Lomaira® (Phentermine), Qsymia® (Phentermine/Topiramate), Topamax® (Topiramate)
The day before your procedure
- Questran® (cholestyramine), Lomotil®, Imodium® (loperamide), Colestid® (colestipol)
The day of your 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)
Step-by-Step Preparation Instructions
1 Week Prior to Colonoscopy
- Stop eating seeds, nuts, popcorn, tomatoes, corn, berries, granola with dried fruit, raisins
- Purchase the following items:
- 1 box Simethicone or Gas-X® tablets, either 125 mg or 180 mg tablets.
- 1 4-liter bottle of GoLYTELY® or GaviLyte-G™. You will pick this up at your pharmacy. A prescription will be called in.
- Call the office if you are pregnant, have an internal cardiac defibrillator, had a recent cardiac procedure or a new cardiac health concern.
- Review the Medication Instructions above.
Day BEFORE Colonoscopy for ALL
Before 11 am
Eat a light Breakfast from the following list of foods:
- Boiled or poached egg
- Applesauce
- Yogurt (no granola or fruit chunks in it)
- Skinless chicken, turkey or fish
- Cottage cheese
- White bread or toast without butter
- Plain tofu
If adding a flavor packet that comes with the GoLYTELY® or GaviLyte-G™:
- Open the packet and pour the contents into the 4-liter bottle. Add lukewarm water to the gallon mark. Shake or stir the solution until it is mixed, and place in the fridge. It is tolerated better when cold.
For Colonoscopies before 10 am
At 1 pm the day before
- Drink 8-ounces of the GoLYTELY® or GaviLyte-G™ solution every 15-30 minutes until the solution is gone.
- After you are done with the solution, take two Gas-X® or simethicone tablets.
- Continue to drink clear fluids up to 3 hours prior to your procedure. This is important. Hydrate!
- Review Colonoscopy preparation tips to determine if you are ready for your colonoscopy.
For Colonoscopies later than 10 am
At 6 pm the day before
- Drink 8-ounces of the GoLYTELY® or GaviLyte-G™ solution every 15-30 minutes until you have finished half (64 oz.)
- After you are done with the solution, take two Gas-X® or simethicone tablets.
- Continue to drink clear fluids up to 3 hours prior to your procedure. This is important. Hydrate!
- Review Colonoscopy preparation tips to determine if you are ready for your colonoscopy.
Day of the Procedure 4 to 5 hours before your procedure time
- Drink 8-ounces of the GoLYTELY® or GaviLyte-G™ mixture every 15-30 minutes until you have finished the other half (64 oz.) of the solution.
- Take two Gas-X® or simethicone tablets.
Continue to drink clear fluids up to 3 hours prior to your procedure. This is important. Hydrate!
Review Colonoscopy preparation tips to determine if you are ready for your colonoscopy.
Please review the following prior to starting your prep
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 colonoscopy. Without a good prep—your bowel empty and clean—your gastroenterologist will not be able to see your colon clearly. This could lead to missing a polyp or having to reschedule your colonoscopy.
Here are photos that show the difference between a good prep and a bad prep so you can see why it’s essential.
What are the risks of a colonoscopy?
Colonoscopy is a standard medical procedure. Although rare, colonoscopies like all procedures have some risks.
- The instrument may tear the wall of the colon which may require surgery to repair.
- There may be adverse drug reactions or heart/breathing complications.
- Bleeding may occur and is more often a risk when tissue or polyps are removed.
- There may be discomfort during and after the procedure.
