Frequently Asked Questions
Colonoscopy Prep FAQ
This page answers questions that patients might have regarding colonoscopy prep diet and other frequently asked questions.
Low Fiber Diet (Low Residue Diet)
Food Group
CAN eat these foods
CANNOT eat these foods
Milk & Dairy
- Milk, buttermilk, and cream
- Cheese, including cottage cheese
- Yogurt
- Sour cream
- Dairy-free (Almond Milk, Oat Milk)
- Do not put nuts, seeds, mixed fruit with skin, berries, or granola on your dairy foods
Breads & Grains
- Breads/grains made with refined white flour (rolls, muffins, bagels, pasta)
- Gluten-free bread (No grains, nuts, or seeds)
- White rice
- Plain crackers (such as Saltines)
- Low-fiber cereal (puffed rice, corn flakes, cream of wheat)
- Breads/grains made with whole grain (rolls, muffins, bagels, pasta)
- Brown/wild rice
- Whole grain cereal including granola, raisin bran, oatmeal
- Bread/cereal with nuts/seeds
Meats
- Chicken, turkey, and pork
- Fish & seafood
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Steak
- Lamb
- Meat with gristle
Legumes
- None allowed
- Dried peas, beans, lentils
Fruits
- Applesauce
- Ripe cantaloupe and honeydew
- Ripe, peeled apricots and peaches
- Raw fruit with seeds, skin, or membranes (berries, pine apple, apples, oranges, watermelon)
- Raisins or other dried fruit
Vegetables
- Canned or cooked vegetables without skin or peel
- Potatoes without skin
- Corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion
- Cabbage and Brussels sprouts
- Peas and lima beans
- Summer or winter squash
Nuts & Seeds
- Creamy (smooth) peanut and almond butter
- Chunky peanut or almond butter
- Nuts or seeds of any kind
Fats & Oils
- Butter, margarine
- Vegetable, olive, and other oils
- Mayonnaise
- Salad dressing without seeds or nuts
- Salad dressing with seeds or nuts
Soups
- Broth, bouillon, or milk-based strained soups
- Unstrained soups
- Chili
Desserts
- Custard, pudding, sherbet or sorbet
- Jell-O (other than red or purple)
- Anything with red/purple dye
- Cookies, brownies, cake
Other
- Salt, sugar, pepper, yellow mustard
- Honey and syrup
- Jelly (no seeds)
- Lemon juice
- Popcorn, coconut, olives
- Jam and marmalade
- Pickles and relish
- Stone-ground mustard
Milk & Dairy
CAN eat these foods
- Milk, buttermilk, and cream
- Cheese, including cottage cheese
- Yogurt
- Sour cream
- Dairy-free (Almond Milk, Oat Milk)
CANNOT eat these foods
- Do not put nuts, seeds, mixed fruit with skin, berries, or granola on your dairy foods
Breads & Grains
CAN eat these foods
- Breads/grains made with refined white flour (rolls, muffins, bagels, pasta)
- Gluten-free bread (No grains, nuts, or seeds)
- White rice
- Plain crackers (such as Saltines)
- Low-fiber cereal (puffed rice, corn flakes, cream of wheat)
CANNOT eat these foods
- Breads/grains made with whole grain (rolls, muffins, bagels, pasta)
- Brown/wild rice
- Whole grain cereal including granola, raisin bran, oatmeal
- Bread/cereal with nuts/seeds
Meats
CAN eat these foods
- Chicken, turkey, and pork
- Fish & seafood
- Eggs
- Tofu
CANNOT eat these foods
- Breads/grains made with whole grain (rolls, muffins, bagels, pasta)
- Brown/wild rice
- Whole grain cereal including granola, raisin bran, oatmeal
- Bread/cereal with nuts/seeds
Legumes
CAN eat these foods
- None allowed
CANNOT eat these foods
- Dried peas, beans, lentils
Fruits
CAN eat these foods
- Applesauce
- Ripe cantaloupe and honeydew
- Ripe, peeled apricots and peaches
CANNOT eat these foods
- Raw fruit with seeds, skin, or membranes (berries, pine apple, apples, oranges, watermelon)
- Raisins or other dried fruit
Vegetables
CAN eat these foods
- Canned or cooked vegetables without skin or peel
- Potatoes without skin
CANNOT eat these foods
- Corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion
- Cabbage and Brussels sprouts
- Peas and lima beans
- Summer or winter squash
Nuts & Seeds
CAN eat these foods
- Creamy (smooth) peanut and almond butter
CANNOT eat these foods
- Chunky peanut or almond butter
- Nuts or seeds of any kind
Fats & Oils
CAN eat these foods
- Butter, margarine
- Vegetable, olive, and other oils
- Mayonnaise
- Salad dressing without seeds or nuts
CANNOT eat these foods
- Salad dressing with seeds or nuts
Soups
CAN eat these foods
- Broth, bouillon, or milk-based strained soups
CANNOT eat these foods
- Unstrained soups
- Chili
Desserts
CAN eat these foods
- Custard, pudding, sherbet or sorbet
- Jell-O (other than red or purple)
CANNOT eat these foods
- Anything with red/purple dye
- Cookies, brownies, cake
Other
CAN eat these foods
- Salt, sugar, pepper, yellow mustard
- Honey and syrup
- Jelly (no seeds)
- Lemon juice
CANNOT eat these foods
- Popcorn, coconut, olives
- Jam and marmalade
- Pickles and relish
- Stone-ground mustard
Clear Liquid Diet
CAN drink these liquids
CANNOT drink these liquids
Clear Liquids & Limited Light-Color Drinks Only
- Water
- Tea, black coffee
- Flavored water without red/purple dye
- Apple, white grape, white cranberry juice and lemonade without pulp
- Clear chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
- Soft drinks, soda, and other carbonated beverages
- Sports drinks such as Gatorade, Propel, or Powerade without red/purple dye
- Jell-O or gelatin without red/purple dye
- Clear nutritional drinks without red/purple dye
- Alcoholic beverages
- Milk, cream, buttermilk
- Orange, grapefruit, tomato, red cranberry, red grape juice
- Soup other than clear broth
- Cooked cereal
- Any beverage with red or purple dye
Clear Liquids & Limited Light-Color Drinks Only
CAN drink these liquids
- Water
- Tea, black coffee
- Flavored water without red/purple dye
- Apple, white grape, white cranberry juice and lemonade without pulp
- Clear chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
- Soft drinks, soda, and other carbonated beverages
- Sports drinks such as Gatorade, Propel, or Powerade without red/purple dye
- Jell-O or gelatin without red/purple dye
- Clear nutritional drinks without red/purple dye
CANNOT drink these liquids
- Alcoholic beverages
- Milk, cream, buttermilk
- Orange, grapefruit, tomato, red cranberry, red grape juice
- Soup other than clear broth
- Cooked cereal
- Any beverage with red or purple dye
Other FAQs about Your Colonoscopy or Endoscopy
- Blood thinners (see below) need to be held prior to procedure (time varies). We will obtain clearance from your prescribing physician for you to hold your blood thinner and will notify you prior to your procedure.
- Commonly prescribed blood thinners are:
- Rivaroxaban or Xarelto
- Dabigatran or Pradaxa
- Apixaban or Eliquis
- Edoxaban or Savaysa
- Warfarin or Coumadin or Jantoven
- Clopidogrel or Plavix
- Prasugrel or Effient
- Ticagelor or Brillinta
- Aggrenox
- Commonly prescribed blood thinners are:
- Phentermine needs to be held for 14 days prior to procedure.
- Aspirin (81 mg- 325mg) does not need to be held prior to procedure unless specifically directed.
- Iron and supplements containing iron need to be held for 7 days prior to the procedure.
- Most patients can use our Standard Miralax Bowel Preparation. Prescription preparations can be sent to your pharmacy of choice upon request and at the discretion of your provider.
- Our Standard Miralax Bowel Preparation is all available over the counter. We have prep kits available for purchase in our Londonderry office. All materials can also be found in in the digestive health section of your pharmacy.
Plenvu, Suprep, Golytely, and Clenpiq can be sent to your pharmacy at the discretion of your provider. The prescription prep sent is dependent upon your health history and may differ from another patients.
BASC, PMC, CMC, and SCNH do not require COVID tests.
- All facilities set their own schedule for each procedure day. GSGI will schedule you for a specific date, facility, and provider. Facilities will reach out to you with your check-in time for the procedure.
- SCNH, PMC, and CMC all reach out to you the business day prior to procedure with your arrival time. PMC and CMC will contact you via phone call, SCNH will send an automated text message or email at 2:30pm.
- BASC reaches out via phone call (typically afternoon) 3 business days prior to procedure.
- Our providers have you start a low fiber (low residue) diet several days prior to your procedure to begin reducing residue in your colon and make it easier for you to clean out your bowels. This helps to reduce the likelihood of poor bowel preparation, which could result in your colonoscopy being rescheduled.
- Our providers have found that by splitting the consumption of your bowel prep into separate days
There is not a specific prep, we suggest that you start the prep earlier and drink it slower.
No, please follow our prep instructions that we have supplied you with. If you do not have these prep instructions, please reach to us at 603-432-8802 to obtain them.
We find that our patients do best with a split prep so unfortunately if you have an early morning procedure it does require you to walk up earlier in the morning.
To avoid any late fees, please be sure to call our office 7 business days prior to your procedure. Fees for cancelling outside of this time frame are $100 for a single procedure and $200 for a double procedure.
This is a diet that you start the week of your procedure. Please see low fiber diet/low residue diet cheat sheet. If you did not receive this outline, please contact our office.
A clear liquid diet starts a day or two prior to procedure. You are only allowed jell-o, popsicles, strained broth, and liquids that you can see through when you pour them out. Black coffee and tea are considered clear liquid.
You cannot drink alcohol the day prior or the day of your procedure. Alcohol is a blood thinner and can cause bleeding issues during your procedure.
Please call the office so we can update your chart.