Important Announcements

Nondiscrimination Policy Update

Boston Medical Center Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), religion, culture, physical or mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression. BMCHS provides free aids and services to people with disabilities and free language services to people whose primary language is not English.

To read our full Nondiscrimination Statement, click here.

Preparation Instructions for Afternoon Colonoscopy

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Download these instructions as a PDF

The Day You Schedule Your Appointment

  • Plan time off of work for the day of your colonoscopy.
  • You MUST have an escort to come into the hospital and take you home after the colonoscopy so start making these arrangements.

7 Days Before Your Appointment

  • Fill prescription for the laxative. If you don’t have it call patient navigator 617-414-2600
  • Stop taking Iron pills. Multi-vitamins can be continued.
  • If you are taking Coumadin/Warfarin or any other type of blood thinner please call your primary care doctor/Coumadin Clinic today for instructions on stopping the medication before your procedure.

2 Days Before Your Appointment

  • Please ignore all other bowel preparation instructions from any other sources including
  • pharmacist, medicine package inserts, friends/relative and the internet.)
  • Drink at least 8 glasses of water today.
  • STOP eating high fiber foods such as vegetables and beans until after your colonoscopy.
  • You can eat all other types of foods today.

The Day Before Your Appointment

  • You may have a light breakfast in the morning, then FOLLOW A STRICT CLEAR LIQUID DIET for the rest of the day. Examples of clear liquids are: water, apple juice, broth( NOT SOUP WITH THINGS IN IT) Jell-O, tea/coffee without milk/cream, sodas, sports drinks, and popsicles, but nothing red colored.
  • 6 PM Place mixed laxative solution inside of the fridge to cool (no ice cubes)
  • Plan time off of work for the day of your colonoscopy.
  • The Day of Your Appointment
  • 6 hours before your appointment time, start to drink the entire laxative solution – 1 cup every
  • 10-15 minutes. You must finish it at least 2 hours before the colonoscopy (finishing it 3 to 5 hours before is best).
  • If you have diabetes: Take half the dose of your insulin on the day of procedure and skip diabetes pill(s) unless directed otherwise. You should check your blood sugar level in the morning.
  • Take all of your other regular medications at least 2 hours prior to your test.
  • You may have clear liquids up until 2 hours before the colonoscopy, then stop all oral intake. NO SOLIDS until after the colonoscopy is done.
  • Stop taking Iron pills. Multi-vitamins can be continued.

If you can not keep this appointment please call 617-414-2600.