Meal ideas for colonoscopy preparation

[Redruby2020]

Just that really, have to have a low fibre diet for a couple of days beforehand, it says on the sheet white bread, fish I think, most likely white pasta/rice etc. Just wondering what others did. Going to find the day I need to cut off and fast from until the next day, hard as I have binge eating disorder. But needs must I guess.

Tinned fruit, well some types were on my list of 'allowed' food. Nothing with a strong colour so tinned pears were fine, but not rhubarb.

Fresh fruit - melon without seeds and bananas.

No raw veg and any cooked veg had to be peeled.

I don't eat cereal but I think most are allowed as log as they don't have seeds / dried fruit.

Cheese and yoghurt are OK as long as they have no berries, seeds or nuts.

I have to do this for a week before my colonoscopy and I practically beg the nurses for granary bread sandwiches afterwards.

You can also have beef or chicken consome and yellow jelly babies / jelly pots when you’re actually taking the prep. They count as clear fluids

Yeah I think what is on the sheet is just to give you ideas. But basically low fibre foods beforehand, I have to do that today/tomorrow and Saturday until 1pm then fast. Then start the drink prep later on that day x2 🤦‍♀️
I will just be so glad to get this over and done with. As was waiting since last June for referral to be picked up.

Yes that’s right, once you are fasting and taking the prep drink you can drink certain fluids. On the day of the procedure I then have to stop drinking two hours before. Just be glad to get it done.

Omg my mum ate a whole block of raw red jelly when she was meant to be fasting for colonoscopy?! She said jelly was allowed?! I didn't think that was what they meant...🤔

It all went fine though.

I had rice Krispies for breakfast.
White bread, plain chicken, boiled potatoes, rice. It was dreadful. If I was doing it again I would try to really starve myself in the preceding few days and take laxatives. Just to reduce the amount in my system.

I had mine last week. Was dreading the prep but was ok just dull. The "white food" day i had crumpets and butter then a boiled egg for lunch then grilled chicken (marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil) with.jasmine rice with butter and soy. Lots of black.tea, water and roses lime cordial. Fast day more tea and lime and bovril for lunch and dinner. Picked ll the green and yellow ones out of a box of Randoms. 1st prep.at 7 started working at 8.30. It was powerful but not like if youhave a tummy bug. Then more tea and squash and last prep. It is oddly satisfying though to feel.so ...clean inside. Hope everything is ok.

My advice sheet said no milk on the whitefood and fast day.

My DH just had beef or chicken broth and I made some jelly.

You can have jelly they just say in a list I saw online not to have blackcurrant ones etc, because it can stain the bowel and cause confusion.

Seems like many get told different things, and different instructions for the days leading up to it. Your dinner sounds lovely that you had, trying to think of a couple of ideas for later/tomorrow.
Yes I’m okay thankyou, been waiting to be seen for quite a while now, was having a few symptoms, thinking there is some inflammation, including the fact that one of the tests I had done, the Calprotectin, if I have spelt it correctly, came back raised, but not dangerously so. But GP referred me which is good.

I don't think they meant eat a raw block of it undiluted though!

I had rice crispies for breakfast, sandwich at lunch time and then just meat and potato at tea. I think you can have really well cooked carrots.

I agree that each consultant will have a different regime and things they prefer you don't eat. I briefly worked on a surgical ward many years ago, plus helped my nan and mum prep multiple times.

-In general though if you eat jelly, make sure its not red/orange/purple
-One consultant asked patients to strain consume soup if they were the type with little bits of green parsley flakes in them
-Ice lollies are another thing you can have, but go for plain lemonade or something without any colour
-The prep drink can be slightly more tolerable if kept cold in the fridge and drunk with a straw
-Ensure you have no shoes/slippers on when you start the prep. You want clothes that easy to allow access to the loo and you don't want to trip if you need to run!
-The biggest cause for needing a repeat scope, is due to poor bowel prep. People not completing the regime, eating the wrong things and not allowing it ALL to clear. You should be passing clear water out your bottom by the end.

Wishing you the best of luck x

I had eggs on white toast and cheese sandwiches in white bread. Not very exciting but it stopped me from flaking out!

There are definitely different prep regimes depending on where you’re having the procedure. While it’s not the nicest, I’ve decided that doing it properly first time is far preferable to getting sent away for poor prep

I’ve had several now, and find it easiest to stick to clear soup and plain white bread or crackers, copious amounts of herbal tea with sugar, lemon squash, and clear sugar sweets if I need sugar boost, for a couple of days before.
On the bowel prep days, just need drinking time + 1/2 hour ish for each dose to work through me, and an hour on and off the loo, and I find the rest of the day is manageable.

For me, the extra sugar is enough to get me through a couple of days of eating so light, and the pay off of a quick bowel prep is worth it, as there is so little to clear

And the first sandwich afterwards and the cup of tea, in recovery room, is completely worth waiting for.

And for the prep liquid itself, ice cold bordering on slushy, with a straw, and a large chaser of sugared lemonade after each sip. Whilst muttering what my DC said - “imagine it’s a cocktail you just paid €€€ for” ;)

I drank mine super cold, as much as I could down in one then a shot of ginger ale afterwards.
For prep days I ate gnocchi with chicken breast, or lemon curd white bread sandwiches

Just eat what is on thesheet and no more, otherwise they won't do the procedure. There is no menu ideas, it's just plain white stodge.

I roasted a chicken and had it in sandwiches, with rice / pasta and cheddar.
Keep it as light as possible. I have had to repeat before due to poor prep despite following to the letter so I now do it longer than specified and wouldn't dare push it at all.
Good luck

I had white bread, cheese, white rice and fish/chicken, mashed potato, scrambled eggs. You need to stick to whatever it says on the sheet.

I actually cut out all nuts and seeds for the week beforehand because on my first one my prep wasn’t as good even though I’d stuck to the protocol. and I wanted them to see everything. It worked and I’d do it like that again.

on the fast day I drank black coffee, diluted apple juice and water. Elderflower cordial is also good.

Definitely keep the made-up prep in the fridge and drink it through a straw.

No lol i don’t think so.

Well they said sip it slowly over one hour, with at least, a certain amount of clear fluid. Then I have to leave it a couple of hours and take the next lot, I think it’s different depending on which prep drink you are given.

Buttered crumpets for breakfast, boiled egg on baguette for lunch and a chicken portion with mash/the inside of a jacket, and repeat.
i had the “mango” flavoured laxative beginning with P. I had it cold from the fridge through a straw and followed it with ginger beer and water .

I followed advice on this thread, it was v useful.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5066458-colonoscopy-diet-and-prep-help?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Sipping it slowly is more wise. If you try and chug it down (or even just drink too fast) you increase the risk of vomiting it all back up and not being able to go ahead with the procedure. Especially if you try and chug the second dose when your body has wised up to what it is! If you vomit it back up you will have to go through it all a second time so I just don't think it's worth the risk.

My advice would be to drink it slowly, in small sips alternated with cool water or another clear fluid (but not your favourite flavour as you might hate it afterwards and nothing red/blue that could look like blood during the test). A clean napkin to remove the residue from your lips in between sips can also make it feel less grim. If you start feeling sick take a break and walk around a little bit before continuing. Especially as you get further into the prep and you might be bloated or starting to recoil from the taste - it really is the slower the better otherwise you get more and more likely to bring it up again.

It may also be better to start drinking it slightly earlier and drink it over a slightly longer time period than to fail to drink all of it. Different trusts recommend different time periods so as long as you're within the range and not taking it a day early or something it's fine.

Psychologically, decanting it into half-full small cups can be helpful because then every time you empty a cup it feels like a victory and a step closer to completion. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by a massive glass or jug of undesirable liquid that barely seems to be reducing in volume.

You just kind of have to accept that it's not very pleasant and your task is to get yourself through it and take a victory lap, rather than trying to find a way to magically stop it being unpleasant/make it pleasant. Not possible!