You should not eat or drink within six hours of your procedure. This usually means not eating anything after midnight the day before your procedure. You may be able to consume clear liquids in the morning if you have an afternoon procedure. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on when to stop eating.

For a Colonoscopy:

You will be given instructions in advance that will outline what you should and should not do in preparation for colonoscopy. Be sure to read and follow these instructions.

You will need to do a bowel preparation which is very critical to getting a good exam. Your doctor should give you instructions on the bowel prep which need to be followed carefully. There are general bowel preparation instructions available on this web site (bowel preparation) but you should follow your physician's instructions.

The most common method of bowel preparation used by Alaska Digestive Center physicians is a Phos-pho Soda preparation. Your doctor, however, may use Go-Lytely preparation.