can i have milk and eggs when preparing for a colonoscopy special diet?

[sunglasses]

Have a leaflet telling me which foods to eat and which to avoid 2 days before my colonoscopy on Monday. There is no mention of milk or eggs in either list but cheese, butter, fats and oils are in the 'avoid' list whilst fruit flavoured yogurt is on the 'accepted ' list. Anyone know about milk or eggs? Also fizzy drinks are on the accepted list but wondered wether lemonade and lucozade could be consumed the day before as part of the liquids only diet? Its not clear on the leaflet. Will ring hospital tomorrow to clarify but just in case I don't manage to speak to anyone does anyone know? Just worried about feeling a bit light headed etc if just drinking water and bovril from midday on Sunday until I go in on Monday morning. Is it right also you can have jelly as long as it isn't red coloured as part of the liquids only diet/ Much conflicting advice when I have googled so very confused. Please put me straight. Thanks

Hi sunglasses. Had mine done this morning feeling very tired and sore !!!! I was only given instructions for the day before. So pico lax at 8am followed by White bread toast and tea. Boiled egg and toast for lunch. No more solid food or dairy after 1pm 2nd pico lax at 2pm. Then herbal teas and jelly/bovril drink in evening. My procedure was 9.30 am today.

Hope that helps and good luck!

changemylife-Good you have it all over and done with- was it ok? I think all hospitals must be different. I can have breakfast the day before, liquid lunch then pico lax at 2.oopm, liquids, liquids, liquid dinner, half a sachet of pico lax at 6pm then the other half on the morning of the procedure which is scheduled for 10.00am. So you could have egg before the liquid diet kicks in and jelly as part of the liquid. What was the prep like? bearable or horrible?

Sadly I have had many, and the main bit of advice that stuck with me was if you cant see through it dont drink it!! Good luck

Good advice! So no milk then. How about lemonade or lucozade? Do bubbles matter? Any other advice?

Bubbles are fine :) as long as not coke or dandelion and burdock type drinks.

only other advice is relax and also I did not expect the amount of wind post procedure, I think if the NHS harnessed the power from the post procedure ward they would be rich!!!

oh no- I am getting a taxi home with DH who has promised to take full responsibility for all windy antics! Must remember to roll down the windows

Cant believe I am joking about this. Am actually pretty nervous!

All clear liquids will be fine. Examples are bovril, clear consommés (strained), jelly, lemonade. At my department patients are allowed jelly babies. Where I work patients are allowed to drink right up to the time of their appointment and often bring a lucozade with them if they feel light headed. I have heard of other places that make you stop drinking several hours before.

The reason for the diet and liquids is to get a clear bowel so the full surface can be seen (otherwise it is just coated in poo). Drinking plenty of fluids is the key to flushing out the system. The best I have seen lately was a lady who set a kitchen timer and had a glass of water every 30 minutes.

Thanks callow. I think I will be fine if I can have the lucozade to keep my energy levels up. Will try and keep the fluid levels to a maximum, thanks for the advice. I think I am supposed to have fluids right up until the appointment so will keep them coming.... in one end and out the other

callow- re the bland diet prior to the liquid diet- can you eat low fibre cereal? rice krispies/ cornflakes with milk? butter on toast? etc. Understand the low fibre thing but not sure about avoiding dairy etc 2 days before , Is that advisable?

Each endoscopy department has different protocols.

We allow low fibre cereals. Butter on white toast is fine also.

I can't really see the reason to exclude dairy.

As long as the majority of your diet is low residue and you drink plenty of water you will be fine.