When can I drink water before colonoscopy? Hydration confusion solved! Find out exactly when to drink & stop drinking water for a successful colonoscopy prep.
Preparing for a colonoscopy involves multiple crucial steps that must be circumspectly followed to clear the colon and keep it empty for an accurate and successful examination. These steps involve dietary adjustments, including the low-fiber diet, the clear liquid diet, and drinking the bowel preparation mixture.
Certain foods and drinks are prohibited when preparing for a colonoscopy, while others—particularly water—are strongly encouraged. Aside from permissibility, timing is also important to consider when eating or drinking before a colonoscopy. Hence, clear questions and answers regarding when can I drink water before colonoscopy are vital.
Guidelines For Knowing When Can I Drink Water Before Colonoscopy
Hydration and Colonoscopy Prep: The Importance of Water
Proper hydration during colonoscopy preparation cannot be overemphasized. Water is a vital part of life and diet. It detoxifies, aids digestion, and helps the body function properly. By aiding digestion and flushing out the digestive system, water helps to cleanse the colon before a colonoscopy. Additionally, drinking lots of water helps to mitigate the dehydrating effect of the laxatives you will be given before the procedure.
Does Drinking Extra Water Help Colonoscopy Prep?
Yes, drinking extra water helps with colonoscopy prep. It is recommended that you drink six to eight glasses of water on a regular day. However, when preparing for a colonoscopy, especially on a clear liquid diet, this number increases to as high as one glass of water (or clear fluid) for every hour that you are awake. The increased water intake helps you stay refreshed, hydrated, and energetic. It also reduces abdominal discomfort and improves the overall colonoscopy prep experience.
When Can I Drink Water Before Colonoscopy?
The first significant phase of colonoscopy prep is the low-fiber diet phase. During this phase, you can drink water as usual; no drastic changes are made to your water-drinking routine. However, you should not drink less than six glasses of water daily on a low-fiber diet.
After the low-fiber diet comes the clear liquid diet, which involves the consumption of only clear liquid and gelatinous foods. The clear liquid diet is arguably the phase of your colonoscopy prep where you’ll drink the most water. You can drink as much as one glass of water every hour you are awake. Fortunately, you do not have to subject yourself to the monotony of drinking only water; you can spice it up by drinking other fluids like clear juice, clear soda, black coffee, and so on.
The last preparatory step before a colonoscopy is drinking laxatives (commonly known as bowel preparation). Your doctor may prepare this or instruct you on how to prepare it yourself. It helps you purge any remnants or residue in your colon after the clear liquid diet. The laxative-induced diarrhea causes you to lose water from your body; hence, you must drink lots of water to compensate.
When Should You Stop Drinking Water Before Colonoscopy?
The exact cut-off time for drinking water before a colonoscopy depends on your doctor’s instructions. Generally, you are expected to stop drinking water about three to four hours before your colonoscopy. This restriction helps to reduce the risk of aspiration, which can occur if stomach contents are regurgitated and inhaled into the lungs during sedation.
For morning procedures, you may be instructed to stop drinking water at midnight the night before. For afternoon procedures, you may be allowed to drink water until the early morning hours. There may be some exceptions and possible considerations. For example, diabetic patients prone to dehydration may be allowed to have little sips of water in the few hours leading up to the colonoscopy.
Conclusion
Hydration is a critical part of colonoscopy preparation. Drinking water helps cleanse the colon and keep you refreshed. To optimize the preparation process, it is important to understand when and how much water you can drink and when to stop drinking water. Ultimately, strictly adhering to your doctor’s instructions is the safest choice.
