Before your Virtual Colonoscopy examination, it is necessary to cleanse the stool from your colon to allow Prevenium physicians review the inner surface of the colon where most colon cancers begin. Most importantly, the value of the Virtual Colonoscopy exam will depend on getting a thoroughly clean colon so please follow these instructions carefully.
The preparation entails both a clear liquid diet the two days before your examination accompanied by a Fleet Phospha-soda laxative preparation the day before your examination. You will need to purchase this from any drugstore, either a 3 ounce bottle of Fleet Phospha-soda or two 1.5 ounce bottles. Please note that Fleet makes many different products so make sure you purchase the phospha-soda laxative and not their enemas or any other product.
Two Days before your Virtual Colonoscopy
- Begin to consume only a clear liquid diet for the 2 days prior to your Virtual Colonoscopy.
- Recommended foods include:
- Beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, water, juices with no pulp (i.e. clear apple juice), and sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade, Powerade, etc.)
- Soups such as bouillon, consommé, fat-free broth
- Sweets and desserts such as gelatin, fruit ice, Popsicles, clear hard candy
- Please do not eat milk and milk products (except for very small amounts in coffee or tea), vegetables, fruits, breads, cereals, grains, meat and meat substitutes, fats and oils. Only the recommended foods listed above should be eaten and all others need to be avoided for optimal results.
- The good news is that you can eat any quantity of the recommended foods you would like so as to make this preparation more tolerable.
- Individuals with diabetes should make sure to consume enough of the recommended foods to maintain adequate blood sugar levels.
- All medicines should be taken on their regular schedules without any change in your regular routine.
The Day Before Your Virtual Colonoscopy
- Continue to consume only a clear liquid diet as above and take all your medications as usual
- In the early afternoon, roughly around 2 to 3PM , please drink the first dose of Fleet Phospho-soda by adding 11/2 oz. Of Fleet Phospho-soda to ½ glass (4oz.) of cool water and drink it all. Please follow this with 6 glasses (8oz. each) of clear liquids within the first hour after drinking the Fleet Phospho-soda.
- In the evening, roughly around 7 to 8PM , please take the second dose of Fleet Phospho-soda by again mixing 11/2oz. of Fleet Phospho-soda with 4oz. of cool water and drink it all. Again, please follow this with 6 glasses (8oz. each) of clear liquids within the hour after drinking the Fleet Phospho-soda.
The Day Of Your Virtual Colonoscopy Examination
- If your examination is before noon please do not drink or eat anything the morning of your examination. If your examination is after noon , then please limit yourself to one glass (8oz.) of clear liquid early in the morning at least four hours before your examination.
- If you are diabetic, please consume enough liquids to maintain a stable blood sugar level while trying to keep the amount to the minimum needed.
- Please take all medications on your regular schedule (with minimal additional liquids if needed).
- Please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. You may be asked to change into special examination shorts or gown by the technologist performing the examination.
During Your Virtual Colonoscopy Procedure
- An experienced technologist will lay you comfortably on the CT scanner padded table and will insert a small soft tube just into the lower rectum in order to puff air gently into the colon. While you may feel some cramping in your stomach, this will last for just the few minutes it takes to perform the examination. The technologist will have you lay on your back and then on your stomach in order to get the needed images for a thorough examination of the entire colon as you pass through a big open ‘donut' in about 25 seconds time.
Immediately After Your Virtual Colonoscopy
- Our staff will be glad to give you some juice and/or a snack to make you comfortable.
- You may return to your normal activities (such as driving home) as no sedation is needed for Prevenium Virtual Colonoscopy.
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