How to Prep for a Colonoscopy as Painlessly as Possible

While few people consider it fun to prepare for a colonoscopy, there are ways to make it more bearable — and the screening test more successful — even before you begin chugging the prep.

Many doctors may require you to follow a strict clear liquid diet only for one full day before you begin your actual prep, but some say you should start making changes a few days before that in order to take away the stress of a less-than-ideal prep and get the best colon clean-out possible, says Christine Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

• Keep stress levels in check. “The four or five days before your colonoscopy aren’t the time to be stressed or to endure a 12-hour flight,” says Dr. Lee. “You want to make sure your intestines have a good flow and that you’re going to the bathroom every day.”
• Get constipation under control early. “At least a week before, you should consider taking some form of laxative,” Lee says. “Taking a capful of an over-the-counter laxative like MiraLax will help that bowel prep day become easier for you, because the more backed up you are, the more miserable your experience is going to be when you go through the actual bowel prep.”
• Skip the multivitamin. “We urge people to stop taking anything with supplemental iron in it,” says David Greenwald, MD, the director of clinical gastroenterology and endoscopy at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “That’s because iron turns the insides of the intestines dark green or black and makes it difficult for us to see inside.”
• Downsize meals and fiber during the lead-up. Low-fiber foods liquefy and clear out of your system more easily than large, high fiber meals. (Focus on soups, pasta, rice, and proteins like eggs, chicken, or tofu.)

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• Nuts
• Seeds
• Red meat
• Fried food
• Corn
• Peas
• Tomatoes
• Raw vegetables
• Whole grains
• Foods with certain colored dyes
• Alcohol

Here are some items to consider for your pre-colonoscopy grocery list:

Clear Beverages Apple juice, Gatorade, coconut water, ginger ale, white grape juice, and lemon-lime sodas are all great go-tos to sip throughout the day, as long as all the juices are pulp-free, Lee says. “Coffee and tea are also okay provided you don’t add milk or cream,” she says.

Savory Broth “This includes vegetable, chicken, or beef,” Lee says. “We especially suggest this for its protein content.” For a flavorful broth, strain wonton soup and sip only the broth.

Clear Candy This includes clear hard candies and even clear gummy bears, says Dr. Greenwald. “Again, avoid anything red or purple because it can look like blood in the colon [during the test],” he says.

Gelatin “While gelatin isn’t technically a liquid, Jell-O is great psychologically because it feels like you’re chewing on something,” Lee says. “It also stays in your intestines longer and makes you feel a little full, but make sure to avoid red or purple Jell-O,” she cautions.

Popsicles “Anything that melts will work,” Greenwald says. “So popsicles and lemon ices are great choices — again avoid any with artificial red or purple coloring.” One pro tip: Make ice cubes out of clear apple juice. “Slowly melt the ice cube in your mouth,” says Cherry Dumaual, 72, who had her first colonoscopy at age 45. “It really helps.”

In the best of all worlds, you'll wake up after your procedure to the good news that not only is your colon polyp-free, but that you also did an A-plus cleanup.

• Preparing for a colonoscopy might not be fun, but small adjustments can make the process more bearable.
• Start eating low-fiber foods a few days before and stock up on clear liquids like broths and popsicles for an easier preparation process.
• In the days leading up to the colonoscopy, stop eating high fiber foods, as well as foods with skin or seeds.
• Consider sipping the colon cleanse liquid with a straw or drinking it cold to help it go down more smoothly.