Prep Instructions
Find the instructions that match the prep your physician prescribed.
Your physician chooses a bowel prep based on your history and what will work best for you. Use the page that matches the prep you were given. If you are not sure which one you have, call us at 813-600-3709 before you start.
Colonoscopy Preps
- MiraLAX — our default prep, mixed with a sports drink, with bisacodyl tablets
- SUPREP — two 16-oz liquid doses mixed with water
- SUTAB — two doses of 12 tablets each
- SUFLAVE — two flavored liquid doses
- PLENVU — low-volume, two doses
- CLENPIQ — two ready-to-drink bottles
Upper Endoscopy
- EGD, EUS, and ERCP — fasting and medication instructions
Before you start any prep: arrange your ride, read the whole page through once, and buy what you need a few days ahead. Call us with questions before you begin rather than during the prep.
Two Things That Delay Procedures Most Often
- No driver. You must have a responsible adult drive you home and stay onsite. This is the most common reason a procedure gets rescheduled, and it is entirely avoidable.
- Incomplete prep. If the colon is not clear, polyps can be missed and the exam may need to be repeated. Finish the whole prep even if you think you are already clear.
What Counts as a Clear Liquid
Every colonoscopy prep includes a period of clear liquids only. A clear liquid is one you can see through. Water, clear broth, apple or white grape juice, plain tea or coffee with no milk or creamer, clear sports drinks, gelatin, popsicles, and clear soda all count.
Avoid anything red, purple, or blue, because the dye can look like blood during the exam. Also avoid milk and cream, juice with pulp, smoothies, alcohol, and anything with solid pieces in it.
Medications Before Your Procedure
Some medications need to be paused before a procedure, and the timing is not the same for everyone. Tell us well in advance if you take any of the following, and follow the specific instructions your physician gives you — those take precedence over anything on this page.
- Blood thinners — generally held for a period before the procedure, with the exact timing depending on which medication you take
- Aspirin — usually held, except low-dose baby aspirin, which is not stopped
- GLP-1 medications, weight-loss injections, and diet pills — stopped a week before, because they slow stomach emptying and affect the safety of sedation
- Diabetes medications — often adjusted, since you will not be eating normally during the prep
If You Need to Cancel
We ask for at least three business days’ notice to cancel or reschedule a procedure. A cancellation fee applies after that, and it is strictly enforced. Procedure time is reserved specifically for you, and late cancellations mean the slot cannot be offered to another patient who needs it.
Learn More About the Procedure
If you want to understand what actually happens on the day, our colonoscopy and upper endoscopy pages walk through the procedure, the sedation, and recovery. The FAQ covers the questions patients ask most often, and What to Expect describes the day from arrival to discharge.