Gastroenterology Department

1 day prior to examination

• Food and drink can be consumed throughout the day without restrictions.
• In case of signs of slow emptying of the gastrointestinal tube or repeated gastroscopy due to an empty stomach, only liquids can be given in the morning (light soup at noon or broth, tea, coffee, mineral water, fruit juices).

On the day of the examination

• Arrive for the examination hungry - do not drink at least 6 hours before the examination, do not eat from midnight before the examination. Do not take a morning dose of blood thinners.
• Do not smoke on the day of the examination.
• The examination may also include the administration of drugs with a numbing effect. In these cases, you cannot drive or engage in any activity requiring increased attention until the next day after the examination. If sedation is administered, this is followed by a stay in the adolescent room for a minimum of 60 minutes. An escort is required to go home with pick up at our office.

• Arrive for the examination hungry - do not drink at least 6 hours before the examination, do not eat from midnight before the examination. Do not take a morning dose of blood thinners.
• Do not smoke on the day of the examination.
• The examination usually includes the administration of drugs with a numbing effect. Subsequently, you cannot drive a motor vehicle or perform any activity requiring increased attention until the next day. The examination is followed by a stay in a teenage room for at least 60 minutes. To go home, an escort is required with pick-up at our office.

Special preparation and dietary measures according to the schedule - can be consulted by phone or in person at our reception, you can drink fluids on the day of the examination.
We prefer the preparation by the so-called "split" method - taking part of the laxative on the day of the examination.

Any patient over 50 years of age (if they have not had a colonoscopy before) or a patient with a positive finding on a test for hidden bleeding in the stool can have a primary screening colonoscopy. If a large colonic polyp is found and it is decided to remove it during the examination, in some cases a subsequent hospital stay is necessary to observe the condition after the polypectomy (1-3 days depending on the course and extent of the procedure).

Preparation for colonoscopy - split method (e.g. Fortrans)

Thorough cleansing of the intestine is a prerequisite for a successful and safe colonoscopy. If the intestine is not perfectly clean, the examination is more lengthy, uncomfortable for the patient and the doctor may even miss incipient tumour changes in the mucosa. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the examination again at a different time.

Please pay special attention to the preparation and follow the instructions.

5 days prior to the examination

• do not eat vegetables and fruit with skins, pips or seeds (e.g. kiwi, strawberries, grapes, melons, tomatoes, etc.)
• cut out wholegrain bread and poppy seeds (the seeds can block the working channel of the endoscope)
• stop taking medicines containing iron, such as Ferronat, Sorbifer durules, Aktiferrin, etc. (they colour the bowel contents black and make the mucosa difficult to see)
• do not skip your medication for high blood pressure

1 day prior to examination

• Do not eat! Instead of breakfast and lunch, take only fluids (tea, coffee, mineral water, fruit juices without solid particles, clear broth)
• Avoid fizzy drinks; milk and juice are not suitable.
• In the late afternoon (from approx. 4 – 5 p.m.), start the bowel cleansing itself, using the special Fortrans solution, which you will obtain from a pharmacy (on prescription) – the pack contains 4 sachets.
• Prepare the solution by dissolving each sachet in 1 litre of water. Drink each litre of the solution over the course of 1 hour. Do spread the intake over the full 60 minutes (drinking it quickly can cause nausea and vomiting).
• Drink 2-3 litres of the solution over 3 consecutive hours. However, if you feel nauseous after the 2nd or 3rd dose, take a 30-60 minute break and then continue until you reach a total dose of 2-3 litres.
• The taste of the preparation can be improved with syrup or by drinking a small amount of a pleasant-tasting liquid (juice) at the same time; alternatively, the dissolved solution can be chilled well and an artificial lemon flavouring added to it.
• Once your bowels have been emptied, you must not eat or smoke. To quench your thirst and prevent dehydration, you may only drink clear fluids, up to a total of 1000 ml.

On the day of the examination

• Drink the last 1-2 litres of the solution in the morning, but no later than 3 hours before your examination appointment (get up earlier if necessary). In total, you need to drink 4 litres of solution or fluids as part of the preparation for the examination.
• Come to the endoscopy unit at the scheduled time.
• We recommend that all patients bring a companion and, if possible, arrange transport home.
• Sedatives are usually administered intravenously during the examination, so please bear in mind that on the day of the examination you will not be able to drive a motor vehicle or perform work requiring full attention.
• If you take any medication, bring a list of your medicines with you so that you can inform the doctor about your long-term treatment. Do not skip your regular treatment (in particular, do not skip medicines for heart disease, respiratory disease or high blood pressure). If you are being treated for diabetes, consult your attending doctor about how to adjust your treatment with regard to antidiabetic drugs and insulin. If you take Warfarin or a similar medicine affecting blood clotting (e.g. Pradaxa, Xarelto, Eliquis), you must consult your general practitioner, cardiologist or internist. If possible, Warfarin or similar medicines are discontinued 5 – 7 days before the examination (for Warfarin, blood clotting is then checked 1-2 days before the examination by a laboratory INR test).
• You may drink clear fluids.

After the examination

• The examination may also include the administration of sedatives. In such cases, you must not drive motor vehicles or perform activities requiring increased attention until the following day. If sedatives are given, you will then stay in the recovery room for at least 60 minutes. To go home, you must be accompanied by someone who collects you from our department.
• Before you are discharged home, you will be given a report for the referring doctor. You will be able to eat and drink unless procedures such as polyp removal, treatment of bleeding, etc. have been performed. In that case, you will be advised about your diet and about limiting physical exertion over the following days. Removal of larger polyps sometimes requires a short hospital stay.

If you cannot attend the examination on the scheduled date, call our reception as soon as possible to agree on how to proceed (+420 567 157 195).