Low fibre vegetarian diet 7 days before colonoscopy/gastroscopy?

Thanks for the update, OP. Good news on the whole. I hope you will be on the mend now.

The sad fact is, there isn't a lot. I understand how dull and frustrating it is - I had to do this, and I normally eat loads of veg and have a high fibre diet, but it isn't for long.

The bowel needs to empty, especially if they're going higher up. It's not the worst test in the world by any means - I'd much rather have that than the house-brick down the throat they laughingly call 'a small camera.' Even so, it's not one you'd really want to repeat unless you had to. Just bear it for a few days. It will be worth it in the long run.

I hope it’s working well so far.

All the best for tomorrow 🤞

fingers crossed all goes well - both the prep and procedure

the tea & toast afterwards are the best meal ever!

Yes I think it was only 3 days for me. That was getting on for two years ago though, maybe they've found that if you follow the low fibre diet for longer, they can get a better look.

I am trying to think what I ate, I don't think it was that bad and some basic fruit and veg was allowed I think. The main thing is to avoid coloured foods and seeds. So no beetroot or granary bread, for example. I had quite a few lemonade lollies.

I just ate bagels, and white bread rolls, pitta breads with broth and noodles with broth.

Good luck OP. When is the procedure?

i have to have them yearly.
Mashed potatoes with loads of cheese & butter
Crumpets
Egg fried rice
Baked spud with cottage cheese (don’t eat the skin)
Jelly
ice cream
Greek yoghurt and honey
crackers and cheese
eggs in any form
good pasta, butter, marmite and Parmesan
rice Krispies
pho / ramen (no veggies)
shortbread and loads of cups of tea
drink the prep ice cold
sourdough bread - any crusty bread (with good butter)
enjoy the GA
plan your fave meal for when you get home

Good luck, OP!

I ate very little in the run up to my colonoscopy. I'd rather've eaten nothing than white bread etc. The advantage of this is there is less to clear out when you take the horrible laxative stuff.

I’m surprised you’re allowed tomatoes!
I’ve had two colonoscopies and my diet is usually very different but it’s an important medical procedure so you need to stick to the protocols. You should be able to have white rice as well.

I know - it's grim

I lived on cheese, white bread and pasta and eggs.

And then the procedure failed as the prep drugs contain artificial sweeteners so most of it came straight back up!

I was advised 2 days for sig and 7 days for full

Mine is 7 days as two years ago despite a bowel prep my colon wasn't clear. It was the second time as I used a different prep, They still want me to use the prep that didn't work and think a 7 day diet will do the trick and it will work this time.

Why is it 7 days: mine was 3 days at most because you will be shitting out the food within 48 hours

Good luck. I am mid way through the 7 day diet. If I see another white slice of bread or egg🙄. It's gotta be done though.

A week is much longer than I was told. I think I had a dull diet for two days. All white food and nothing too bulky. I had chicken, white rice , chicken broth. No fruit or veg for the duration.

Don’t panic about the prep. You just need to prep - lol. I took lots of advice and did the following and it was fine. I bought a lidded glass measuring jug and made up the stuff the night before and stuck it in fridge. I bough fresh lemons, lemonade and straws. Before swallowing the dose I sucked a lemon slice and then sucked dose up through straw. All I could taste was lemon. I had sip of lemonade if I needed to after. I had sudocrem etc next to loo etc. Was fine and I got it all down and was told in theatre that I’d prepped very effectively so colonoscopy easier.

I took the sedation and pain killer on the day and it was absolutely fine. Do bear in mind that women have twistier colons than men so don’t let anyone make you feel bad about opting for the pain relief.

I’ve never had to do this diet for 7 days

They may give you another type of prep too.

I've had to do it for seven days because when I had a previous three day one the results weren't quite perfect. I didn't have to redo that one, but when I had a follow-up one a year later (and subsequently) they've told me I need to do the soft food regime for longer.

So maybe @HeathisWealth's doctor prefers everyone to do that just in case. No skin off their nose after all, and avoids last minute rescheduling or failed colonoscopies. Or maybe this isn't their first time, and three days wasn't enough.

OP,

You still have not answered why 7 days when others here who had the procedure only had 3 days of the low fibre/residue diet?