Preparing for your Colonoscopy: MIRALAX

Preparing for your Colonoscopy: MIRALAX

Please contact our office with any questions: (603) 314-6900

Colonoscopy Preparation Instructions

1 Week Before Your Colonoscopy 

Transportation

  • Confirm a responsible adult is available to drive you home after your procedure. Taxis or rideshares are not allowed unless accompanies by a responsible adult.
  • If you do not have a responsible adult to drive you home, your procedure will be cancelled.

Medications

  • Stop all iron supplements 7 days before your procedure.
  • Review your specific appointment instructions if you take blood thinning medications, for example: Eliquis, Plavix, Effient, Xarelto, Brilinta, or Coumadin.
  • Review your specific appointment instructions if you take diabetes medications
  • Review your appointment instructions if you take weight-loss medications, for example: Trulicity, Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda, Rybelsus, Zepbound, semaglutide, or phentermine.
  • Callm(603) 314-6900 if you have medication questions.  

Purchase Your Prep Supplies

  • One 238-gram bottle of MiraLAX
  • One 119-gram bottle of MiraLAX
  • Two 5 mg Dulcolax (bisacodyl) tablets
  • Optional: Three 32-ounce bottles of Gatorade or Powerade (NO red, purple, or orange)  

 

3 Days Before Your Colonoscopy

  • Avoid high-fiber foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, raw fruits, and raw vegetables.

  • Stop fiber supplements such as Metamucil

 

The Day Before Your Colonoscopy

Diet

  • Do NOT eat any solid food all day.
  • Drink clear liquids ONLY (any liquid you can see through).   
  • NO red, purple, or orange drinks.

At 1:00 PM

  • Take 2 Dulcolax tablets with 8 ounces of water.  

At 5:00 PM

  • Mix 238 grams of MiraLAX with 64 ounces of water, Gatorade, or Powerade (NO red, purple, or orange).
  • Drink 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes until all the solution is gone.  

During the Prep

  • Continue drinking the entire prep solution.
  • If nausea occurs, stop for 30 minutes and restart drinking more slowly.
  • Bowel movements usually start within 2 hours of starting to drink the liquid but may take longer.
  • You may feel bloated, nauseated, or have stomach cramping while drinking the solution. This is temporary and will improve once you start having bowel movements.

 

The Day Of Your Colonoscopy

4 Hours Before Your Procedure

  • Mix 119 grams of MiraLAX with 32 ounces of water, Gatorade, or Powerade (NO red, purple, or orange).
  • Drink 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes until finished.

3 Hours Before Your Procedure

  • Take your regular daily medications as usual unless you have been instructed to stop or modify how you take them.
  • Medications should be taken with only a small sip of water.

After Taking Medications 3 Hours Before Your Procedure

  • STOP all liquids. Nothing should be taken by mouth at this point!
  • Do NOT chew gum or mints.
  • Anything by mouth will result in procedure cancellation for your safety.

Stool Check

  • Stool is clear or see-through like yellow water.
  • If stool is NOT clear, call your endoscopy center immediately.

Before Leaving Home

  • Bring photo identification and insurance card.
  • Confirm transportation home.
  • Keep your phone available in case the clinical care team needs to reach you.

Timeframe

Task
1 Week Before Stop iron; review medication instructions; purchase supplies
3 Days Before Low-fiber diet; stop fiber supplements
Day Before at 1 p.m. Take 2 Dulcolax tablets
Day Before at 5 p.m. Start first Miralax prep
4 Hours Before Procedure Start second Miralax prep
3 Hours Before Procedure Take medications with small sip of water
After Medications Nothing by mouth
Before Procedure Stool should be clear

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Water
  • Black coffee or tea
  • Clear juice without pulp (apple, white grape)
  • Clear soda (sprite, ginger ale)
  • Clear soup broth (NO solid food pieces)
  • Gatorade/Powerade (NO red, orange, purple)
  • Popsicles, Jello, Italian Ice (NO red, orange, purple)

  • Driving after anesthesia is not allowed. 
  • If you do not have a ride home with an adult, your procedure will be cancelled.
  • Taxis, ride shares or public transportation are NOT allowed unless you are accompanied by a responsible adult. 
  • The nurse will notify your ride when you should be picked up.

  • Typically, 1-3 hours, but sometimes longer.  Your ride will be notified if your procedure takes longer than expected.

Additional Information

You will receive automated calls at 6 and 4 weeks prior to your procedure date to remind you of your appointment.

You may receive a call from a nurse a few days before your procedure to review your health history and answer any questions you may have.

Should you need to postpone your appointment, we ask for a week’s notice so that we have time to offer the appointment time to another patient.

If you develop a fever, rash, cough, flu, or Covid-19 symptoms in the days leading up to your procedure, please notify our office immediately as it may affect your scheduled appointment.

Please be aware that you may be contacted by the procedural department the day of your appointment to adjust your arrival time.

Insurance Coverage

Please know your insurance guidelines and check your insurance benefits. If your insurance requires a PCP authorization (insurance referral), please be sure our office has received this prior to your procedure to prevent any unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses for you. Also, not all insurance policies cover screening colonoscopies. For instance, if you are under 45 years old and/or have PPO insurance, this procedure may not be covered. Every insurance is different; please contact customer service for your insurance plan to check your benefit coverage.

Contact Us

For more information regarding preparation for your Colonoscopy, please call Elliot Gastroenterology at 603-314-6900 with any questions or concerns.

Call: 603-314-6900