Colonoscopy (Anton's)
Diet
What you can eat changes three times. Here's the full picture.
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Metformin and most diabetes meds can restart once you're eating. Blood thinners: resume per your doctor's specific instructions (usually same evening or next day). Iron and supplements: restart the next day.
7–4 days before
Eat Normally
No diet changes yet. Use this time to shop for clear liquids and prep supplies.
3 days before
Start Low-Residue Diet
Eat soft, low-fiber foods. Avoid anything that leaves residue in your colon.
Ok to eat
- White bread, white rice, pasta
- Eggs (any style)
- Chicken, fish, turkey, tofu
- Bananas, applesauce, canned fruit
- Well-cooked carrots, green beans
- Peeled potatoes
- Smooth peanut butter, yogurt
Don’t eat
- Nuts, seeds, popcorn
- Raw vegetables, salads, corn
- Beans, lentils
- Berries, dried fruit
- Whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal
- Tough/fatty meat, bacon
- Granola, high-fiber cereal
3 days before
Clear Liquids Only — No Solid Food
If you can see through it, you can probably have it.
Clear liquids
- Water (unlimited)
- Apple juice, white grape juice Gatorade - yellow/green/clear Clear broth
- Black coffee or tea (no milk)
- Jell-O (yellow/green)
- Sprite, ginger ale
- Hard candy, honey
Not clear
- Nuts, seeds, popcorn
- Raw vegetables, salads, corn
- Beans, lentils
- Berries, dried fruit
- Whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal
- Tough/fatty meat, bacon
- Granola, high-fiber cereal
Procedure day
Stop All Liquids 2–4 Hours Before
Nothing by mouth — including water — starting 2–4 hours before your procedure. Exception: essential morning meds with a tiny sip of water.
After Procedure
Light Food → Normal by Dinner
Start with crackers, toast, soup, bananas. Most patients return to a normal diet by dinner. Drink plenty of fluids to rehydrate.
Medications
Everything about your medications in one place. Find yours, note the date.
7 days before
Stop these supplements + Weekly GLP-1 Medications
- Iron supplements — Darkens stool and coats colon wall, hiding polyps
- Fiber supplements (Metamucil, Benefiber, Citrucel) — Creates residue that is hard to clear
- Fish oil, Vitamin E — Creates residue that is hard to clear
- Ozempic, Mounjaro, Trulicity (weekly GLP-1s) — Slows gastric emptying → aspiration risk under
5 days before
Stop Blood Thinners (With Doctor Approval)
- Aspirin 81 mg - Continue
Safe for all colonoscopies - Warfarin (Coumadin) - 5 days before
INR check; may need bridging therapy - Eliquis (apixaban) - 48 hours before
No bridging needed - Xarelto (rivaroxaban) — 48 hours before
No bridging needed - Pradaxa (dabigatran) - 48-72 hours 72h
if reduced kidney function - Plavix (clopidogrel) - 5-7 days before
Do NOT stop if recent stent - Effient (prasugrel) - 7 days before
Consult cardiologist - Brilinta (ticagrelor) — 5 days before
Consult cardiologist
3 days before
Stop these NSAIDs + SGLT2 Inhibitors
- Ibuprofen (Advil), Naproxen (Aleve) — Increases bleeding risk. Tylenol is OK.
- Jardiance, Farxiga, Invokana (SGLT2 inhibitors) — Risk of euglycemic DKA during fasting + dehydration
- Victoza, Adlyxin (daily GLP-1s) — Slows gastric emptying — hold 1 day before
1 day before
Hold or Reduce Diabetes Medications
Start 5–6 hours before your arrival time. Finish at least 2 hours before.
- Metformin — Hold starting day before. Lactic acidosis risk with dehydration.
- Glipizide / Glyburide — Hold day before + day of. High hypoglycemia risk while fasting.
- Long-acting insulin (Lantus, Levemir, Tresiba) — Take 50% of usual dose night before and morning of.
- Mealtime insulin (Humalog, NovoLog) —- Skip entirely while fasting.
- DPP-4 inhibitors (Januvia, Tradjenta) — Generally safe to continue.
Procedure morning
Take These With a Tiny Sip of Water
Blood pressure meds, heart meds, thyroid medication, seizure medications, antidepressants, asthma inhalers. Do NOT take diabetes medications.
After procedure
Resume Most Medications
Metformin and most diabetes meds can restart once you're eating. Blood thinners: resume per your doctor's specific instructions (usually same evening or next day). Iron and supplements: restart the next day.
Your Prep Solution
Two doses — one the evening before, one early morning of. Here's exactly how.
7 days before
Buy Your Supplies
- Your prescribed bowel prep solution
- Gatorade — yellow, green, or clear only (no red/purple/ orange)
- Clear broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- Jell-O, apple juice, hard candy (no red/purple)
- Straw (helps with drinking prep)
- Baby wipes or flushable wipes
- Vaseline or AtD ointment
- Lemon wedges (optional — cuts prep taste)
1 day before — 5:00-6:00 PM
Evening Dose (First Half)
SUPREP — Evening Dose
- Pour one 6-oz bottle into mixing container. Add water to the 16-oz line.
- Drink all 16 oz.
- Then drink two additional 16-oz glasses of water over the next hour.
- Chill it — Cold prep tastes much better. Refrigerate 2+ hours.
- Use a straw — Placed toward back of mouth — bypasses most taste buds.
- Suck on lemon — Between glasses. Hard candy works too.
- Nauseous? — Slow pace to every 20 min. Take a 30-min break. Ask doctor about Zofran.
Can't finish?
Drink as much as you can. Don't cancel — call your doctor. Partial compliance is better than none.
Procedure day — after both doses
Is your prep ready?
Start 5-6 hours before your arrival time. Finish at least 2 hours before.
- Dark/Solid — Not Ready
- Cloudy - Almost
- Light Yellow — Ready
- Clear — Perfect
If still cloudy, keep drinking clear liquids. Don't cancel — call your doctor.
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