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Table of Contents
Poop During Prep
Successful Prep Tips
What to Eat in the Days Leading Up to the Procedure
Your Diet the Day Before the Procedure
Staying Hydrated
If You’re Still Pooping
Preparing for a colonoscopy involves a lot of poop. The amount of time the colonoscopy prep process will take varies, but passing clear or yellowish fluid free of fecal matter is a sign that your bowel prep is complete. The colonoscopy prep poop color chart can help you understand if your prep is successful and you are ready for your colonoscopy.
It is expected that you will poop several times during yourcolonoscopy prep, and your poop will change colors from brown to eventually clear or light yellow. This process involves loose stools and diarrhea for 12 to 16 hours after beginning your bowel prep.
Bowel prep is considered inadequate in about 25% of colonoscopies.So, following your healthcare provider’s instructions is essential to ensure you are ready on the day of your procedure.
What Should Poop Look Like During Colonoscopy Prep?
The effects of bowel prep medication can begin as soon as 30 minutes to an hour after your first dose and can last up to 16 hours. However, most people do not continue to experiencediarrheaafter they go to bed the night before the test.
Some people are required to wake in the middle of the night to take a second dose of laxatives at least four to six hours before their procedure. It depends on the type of bowel prep medications you use and your scheduled procedure time.
Generally, unless you have an underlying health condition, your stool will begin as a brown color with its normal consistency (solid or semi-solid for most individuals) and gradually lighten and soften. As you continue the prep and liquid diet, your stool will become semi-solid or very soft, watery or diarrhea-like, and finally transition to a yellow or clear liquid.
Once your poop resembles a nearly clear liquid or appears urine-like in color, your colon is likely adequately emptied for yourcolonoscopy.
If you vomit during your colonoscopy prep, your stools are not liquid, or your stools still have an orange or brown color despite completing all of your prep, be sure to inform your medical provider. They may recommend you take additional colonoscopy prep to clean out your colon further.
Split-Dose Bowel PrepThe best method for bowel prep is a split-dose regimen, according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. That means the first part of your prep solution is done the night before your appointment and you take the second dose on the day of your colonoscopy.Other prep products like Miralax will work to clear your bowels on different timelines.
Split-Dose Bowel Prep
The best method for bowel prep is a split-dose regimen, according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. That means the first part of your prep solution is done the night before your appointment and you take the second dose on the day of your colonoscopy.Other prep products like Miralax will work to clear your bowels on different timelines.
Why You Need to Finish the Entire Prep Process
Your stools may look clear before you complete your entire prep, but it’s essential to finish all the prep steps anyway. You could still have stool higher in your colon that will come out later.
Completing all your prep steps offers you the best chance of having a clear colon for your colonoscopy (and not having to repeat or reschedule the test).
Tips for a Successful Colonoscopy Prep
Before your bowel prep begins, there are a few things you can do to ensure that it is complete in time for your procedure. In addition to following your healthcare provider’s instructions to the letter, you need tostay hydratedand choose the foods you eat wisely.
Consider these low-residue foods:
Avoid eating:
Your healthcare provider will advise you to consume aclear liquid dietduring the day before your colonoscopy. Choose liquids such as:
The instructions from your healthcare provider will include what liquids they consider ok to drink before your colonoscopy.
Staying hydrated is crucial. Your body needs enough water to function properly, and dehydration can cause many of the negative events related to a colonoscopy. To avoidnausea and vomitingwhen taking your bowel prep medication, chill it first and drink it through a straw. Throwing up the medication may result in an incomplete prep.
Dehydration can easily happen with bowel prep products containing sodium phosphate.
To combat this, drink a lot, but only clear fluids. In particular, avoid anything containing purple, orange, or red dye. These dyes can look like blood and may interfere with the results of your colonoscopy.
Why Is It Taking So Long for My Colonoscopy Prep to Work?A number of variables are at work with your colonoscopy prep time. Factors that affect how long bowel prep takes and if it’s successful can include:The type of prep solutions and medicationsAge and overall health (certain conditions, likeobesity, can contribute to complications)Side effects from bowel prep (for example, dehydration or diabetic difficulties)A history of not completing effective bowel prep in the past
Why Is It Taking So Long for My Colonoscopy Prep to Work?
A number of variables are at work with your colonoscopy prep time. Factors that affect how long bowel prep takes and if it’s successful can include:The type of prep solutions and medicationsAge and overall health (certain conditions, likeobesity, can contribute to complications)Side effects from bowel prep (for example, dehydration or diabetic difficulties)A history of not completing effective bowel prep in the past
A number of variables are at work with your colonoscopy prep time. Factors that affect how long bowel prep takes and if it’s successful can include:
What To Do if You’re Still Passing Stool
If you haven’t finished your prep or your bowel movements aren’t clear or almost clear liquid on the morning of your colonoscopy, contact your healthcare provider’s office. Waiting (or not telling them) may mean they discover stool is still present once you are already sedated and the procedure has begun.
You may be asked to try an additionalover-the-counter enemaor other product, such as liquidmagnesium citrate. If these strategies don’t work, contact your healthcare provider again. You may need to reschedule the exam since they won’t be able to visualize your colon if stool is still present.
Sometimes, a colonoscopy will proceed after a failed attempt with additional same-day prep.A study of 60 people found that 80% were able to complete a successful colonoscopy in the afternoon after taking additional laxatives to resolve the issue.
You may need to reschedule a colonoscopy exam because your gastroenterologist can’t adequately visualize your colon if stool is still present. Deciding to cancel your procedure is not an easy decision for a healthcare provider to make, but it is necessary if your colon is not completely clean. An appropriately cleaned out colon helps to ensure accurate results.
Summary
Before you get a colonoscopy, it’s essential that you follow the bowel prep directions given to you so that you know when the prep is done. Your stools should be clear, yellowish liquid near the end of the prep.
But don’t stop there: Make sure to complete all the steps in the directions provided. Closely following your instructions will help ensure the colonoscopy effectively screens you for various health conditions.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shahini E, Sinagra E, Vitello A, Ranaldo R, Contaldo A, Facciorusso A,et al.Factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in hard-to-prepare patients: Evidence from the literature.World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 21;29(11):1685-1707. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i11.1685.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding bowel preparation.American College of Surgeons.Colonoscopy prep: MiraLAX.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care.How to Prepare for Your Colonoscopy using SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit.Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Colorectal Surgery.Akgul G, Ozgur Yeniova A, Ozsoy Z, Yenidogan E, Kefeli A, Dasıran MF,et al.Effect and Tolerability of Same-Day Repeat Colonoscopy.J Invest Surg. 2020 Jun;33(5):459-465. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2018.1513611.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shahini E, Sinagra E, Vitello A, Ranaldo R, Contaldo A, Facciorusso A,et al.Factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in hard-to-prepare patients: Evidence from the literature.World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 21;29(11):1685-1707. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i11.1685.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding bowel preparation.American College of Surgeons.Colonoscopy prep: MiraLAX.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care.How to Prepare for Your Colonoscopy using SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit.Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Colorectal Surgery.Akgul G, Ozgur Yeniova A, Ozsoy Z, Yenidogan E, Kefeli A, Dasıran MF,et al.Effect and Tolerability of Same-Day Repeat Colonoscopy.J Invest Surg. 2020 Jun;33(5):459-465. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2018.1513611.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shahini E, Sinagra E, Vitello A, Ranaldo R, Contaldo A, Facciorusso A,et al.Factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in hard-to-prepare patients: Evidence from the literature.World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 21;29(11):1685-1707. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i11.1685.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding bowel preparation.American College of Surgeons.Colonoscopy prep: MiraLAX.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care.How to Prepare for Your Colonoscopy using SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit.Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Colorectal Surgery.Akgul G, Ozgur Yeniova A, Ozsoy Z, Yenidogan E, Kefeli A, Dasıran MF,et al.Effect and Tolerability of Same-Day Repeat Colonoscopy.J Invest Surg. 2020 Jun;33(5):459-465. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2018.1513611.
Shahini E, Sinagra E, Vitello A, Ranaldo R, Contaldo A, Facciorusso A,et al.Factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in hard-to-prepare patients: Evidence from the literature.World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 21;29(11):1685-1707. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i11.1685.
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding bowel preparation.
American College of Surgeons.Colonoscopy prep: MiraLAX.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care.How to Prepare for Your Colonoscopy using SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Colorectal Surgery.
Akgul G, Ozgur Yeniova A, Ozsoy Z, Yenidogan E, Kefeli A, Dasıran MF,et al.Effect and Tolerability of Same-Day Repeat Colonoscopy.J Invest Surg. 2020 Jun;33(5):459-465. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2018.1513611.
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