Miralax-Gatorade
If you have diabetes, ask your regular doctor for diet and medication restrictions.
If you take a medication to thin your blood and have not already discussed this with our office, please call us at 612-871-1145.
If you take aspirin, you may continue to do so.
If you are or may be pregnant, please discuss the risks and benefits of this procedure with your doctor.
You must arrange for a ride for the day of your exam. If you fail to arrange transportation with a responsible adult, your procedure will need to be cancelled and rescheduled.
If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call 612-871-1145 as soon as possible.
ADVANCED DIRECTIVES
If you have an Advance Directive, please bring a copy of your Advance Directive with you to your endoscopy appointment. Advance Directives are not honored at MNGI facilities, and in the event of a life-threatening situation, life support measures will be instituted in every instance and our patient will be transported to a higher level of care facility (i.e. , hospital). In the unlikely event that you require an emergency transfer, your Advance Directive should accompany you to that facility.
PREPARATION
To ensure a successful exam, please follow all instructions carefully. Failure to accurately and completely prepare for your exam may result in the need for an additional procedure and both procedures will be billed to your insurance.
Before your exam:
If a health history form is enclosed, please complete the form and bring with you on the day of your appointment.
Purchase the following over-the-counter supplies at your local pharmacy:
- 2 tablets bisacodyl, each containing 5 mg of bisacodyl (Dulcolax® laxative NOT Dulcolax® stool softener)
- 1-8.3 oz. bottle Miralax® powder (238 grams)
- 64 oz. Gatorade® liquid (NOT red; NOT powdered). Regular Gatorade®, Gatorade G2®, Powerade® or PoweradeZero® are acceptable.
- 1-10 oz. bottle Magnesium Citrate (NOT red)\
7 days before your exam:
Discontinue fiber supplements or medications containing iron. This includes multivitamins with iron, Metamucil® and Fibercon®.
3 Days prior to your exam:
Stop eating all high-fiber foods and begin a Low-Fiber Diet. A low fiber diet helps make the cleanout more effective.
Examples of a Low Fiber Diet include:
- White bread, white rice, pasta, potato without skin, plain crackers
- Fish, white meat chicken, eggs, peanut butter without nuts
- Clear beverages (apple juice, white grape juice, Sprite®, sparkling water, Gatorade®)
- Cooked carrots, cooked green beans, cooked spinach
- Milk, plain yogurt, cheese
- Jelly, salt, pepper, sugar
Avoid: Raw fruits or vegetables, whole wheat or high fiber foods, seeds, nuts, popcorn, bran or bulking agents
Additional low fiber diet recommendation can be found at www.mngastro.com/lowfiber
2 days prior to your exam
- Continue Low Fiber Diet.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
- Refrigerate the Gatorade® or Powerade®, if you wish to drink it cold.
- Stop eating solid foods at 11:45 pm.
1 day prior to your exam
Start a Clear Liquid Diet
Examples of a Clear Liquid Diet:
- No red liquids; No coffee; No alcohol; No dairy products
- Water: drink at least 8 glasses of water during the day
- Tea (do not add milk or creamer)
- Clear broth or bouillon
- Gatorade®, Pedialyte® or Powerade® (No red)
- Carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks (Sprite®, 7-Up®, Gingerale)
- Strained fruit juices without pulp (apple, white grape, white cranberry)
- Jell-O®, popsicles, hard candy (No red)
- Mix 1 bottle of Miralax® (8.3 oz) with 64 oz. of Gatorade® in a large pitcher.
- Drink 1 - 8 oz. glass of the Miralax®/Gatorade® solution.
- Continue drinking 1 - 8 oz. glass every 15 minutes thereafter until the mixture is gone.
After 6 pm: Continue clear liquid diet
- Chill the Miralax®/Gatorade® solution in the refrigerator. DO NOT add ice to the solution or your drinking glass.
- Set a timer for every 15 minutes. Drink each 8 - oz. glass of solution quickly to help flush your colon.
- Stay near a toilet! You will have diarrhea.
- Even if you are sitting on the toilet, continue to drink the cleansing solution every 15 minutes.
- Drink all of the solution until it is gone.
- If you feel nauseated or vomit, rinse your mouth with water, take a 15 to 30-minute break and then continue drinking the Miralax®/Gatorade® solution.
- You will be uncomfortable until the stool has flushed from your colon (in about 2-4 hours). You may feel chilled.
- You may suck on a few hard candies (NO red).
- Alcohol-free baby wipes or Vaseline® may help ease skin irritation.
- Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams, hemorrhoid treatments or Tucks may be used if desired.
The day of your exam:
- Continue clear liquid diet. Do not eat solid foods.
- You may take all of your morning medications.
- Drink 10 oz. of Magnesium Citrate.
- Stop drinking clear liquids.
- Allow extra time to travel to your procedure as you may need to stop and use a restroom along the way.
You are ready for the exam, if you followed all instructions and your stool is no longer formed, but clear or yellow liquid. If you are unsure whether your colon is clean, please call our office at 612-871-1145 before you leave for your appointment.
- Bring a list of all of your current medications, including any allergy or over-the-counter medications.
- Bring a photo ID as well as up-to-date insurance information, such as your insurance card and any referral forms that might be required by your insurance company.