Pre-Operative Bowel Prep

To prepare your bowel for surgery, follow these steps closely.  

 Call the office if you experience any of the following during your bowel prep:  

  • Steady stomach pain  

  • Light-headed or dizzy  

  • No bowel movements  

  • Cannot drink the prep 

 At least 2 days before your surgery 

 You will need to buy these supplies (all are available over-the-counter) 

  • Bisacodyl Laxative - 5 mg tablets  

  • MiraLAX® - 238 gm. or 8.3 oz. bottle  

  • Gatorade® or Powerade® Sport drink - 1-64 oz bottle or 2-32 oz. bottles  

  • Fleets® Phosphate Enema - 1 bottle  

  • Ensure Active Clear® – (2)4 pack or 8 bottles (10 oz.)  

 

Pick up Antibiotics- Neomycin and Metronidazole (we will order to your selected pharmacy)  

 Day before Surgery  

 Drink only clear liquids all day. Nothing solid by mouth. Examples of clear liquids are:  

  • Water  

  • Jell-O®-homemade only  

  • Popsicles-no fruit fiber  

  • Sparkling water or soda  

  • Broth or bouillon  

  • Crystal Light®  

  • Juice-no pulp (apple okay, no orange)  

  • Hard candy  

  • Coffee or tea, no creamer – sugar is OK  

  • Gatorade® or other clear sports drink  

  • No alcohol or dairy products  

  • Ensure Active Clear® (protein drink)  

 

Do not take any of your regular pills for 1 hour before or after drinking the MiraLAX®, they will not be absorbed.  

Timeline: 

9am or earlier:
Take 4 bisacodyl tablets with water. Do not chew or crush. Do not take within 1 hour of taking an antacid or other morning pills.  

10am or earlier:
Mix MiraLAX® with 64 oz. of Gatorade®/Powerade®. Shake well until the powder dissolves. Refrigerate. 

12 noon: Start to drink the MiraLAX® mixture. Drink one glass every 10-15 minutes. Drink it quickly, rather than sipping small amounts. Finish this mixture within 2 hours. This will give you rapid bowel movements and diarrhea, so stay near toilet facilities. Your stool should become clear to light yellow liquid without sediment by the end of the day. 

2:00 pm: Take 1000 mg Neomycin and 500mg metronidazole

6:00 pm: Take 1000 mg Neomycin and 500mg metronidazole

10:00 pm: Take 1000 mg Neomycin and 500mg metronidazole 

You can drink the 3 bottles of Ensure Clear several hours before and with the antibiotics.  

You should keep drinking clear liquids until bedtime. Save the 4th bottle of Ensure Clear to drink the morning of surgery.  

 Morning of Surgery  

Take approved medicines.  

Drink the 4th bottle of Ensure Clear® (10 oz.), 3 hours prior to the surgery.  

Give yourself a Fleets® enema (through rectum) at least one hour before you leave for the hospital.