Before Your Surgery | Bowel Prep

Before your surgery, go to a pharmacy and obtain two bottles of Magnesium Citrate and one Fleet’s enema.  You do not need a prescription and can buy these products in the laxative section of any drugstore.  Put the Magnesium Citrate in the refrigerator.  It tastes better col.

The day before your surgery:

• Eat/drink only thin liquids.  You can have water, Jell-O, clear broth, bouillon, tea, coffee, Ginger ale or other carbonated drinks, apple juice, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, strained orange juice or lemonade, grape juice, popsicles, and hard candy. No solid foods, milk or milk products.
• At about 3pm: drink 1 bottle of Magnesium Citrate.  If you are not passing clear liquid (like water) by 6pm, repeat the process by drinking the second bottle. Before bed, be sure to drink at least 1 more glassful of any of the thin liquids listed above.  You will likely have many bowel movements 30 minutes to 3 hours after drinking the Magnesium Citrate laxative.  Please remain within easy reach of a bathroom.
• Continue taking all prescribed medicines unless otherwise instructed.
• Do NOT eat or drink anything after 12 midnight.  You may be instructed to take medication with a small sip of water only.  Please discuss this at your pre-care appointment or with your physician or nurse prior to the day of surgery.

The day of your surgery:  If you are passing anything other than clear water from your rectum, please

• Use one Fleet’s enema first thing when you get up in the morning so that it will evacuate prior to leaving home for the hospital.