Day-of checklist — Coloscopy.com

In short

If you are reading this in the small hours, with the second dose of prep almost done and the appointment a few hours away — most of the work is behind you. The remaining tasks are practical: finish the prep on time, stop drinking when you are told to, dress in something soft and easy to change out of, and bring a small set of documents. Someone reliable needs to be planning to take you home if you are having sedation.

What this page covers

A short, ordered checklist for the morning of your coloscopy, with explanations next to each item so you understand why rather than only what. It assumes you have followed the unit's specific instructions for prep timing and any medication adjustments your prescribing clinician has already given you in writing.

The last hours of prep, and when to stop drinking
What to wear and what to leave at home
The small folder of documents to put by the door
How to handle morning medications you take every day
The ride home, and the people who count as one

The last hours of prep

Your unit will have given you a clear cut-off time for finishing the second half of your bowel preparation, and a separate cut-off for any clear liquids after that. Those two times are the only ones that matter this morning. Most modern units use a split-dose approach, with the second dose finished four to six hours before the appointment, and clear liquids stopped two to three hours before. The exact numbers on your written instructions take precedence over anything on this page.

If your stool has been coming out as pale yellow liquid or clear with flecks for a while, that is the appearance the team is hoping for — see signs prep is working. If you are still passing brown, formed, or muddy stool by the cut-off, do not give up and do not double-dose to catch up. Call the number on your appointment letter; some units would rather move the slot than do a poor-quality test, and others can give specific advice.

If you simply cannot keep the last of the prep down — vomiting, retching, refusing — see if you can't finish prep and call the unit. There are options.

What to wear

Loose, soft, easy on and off. The clothes you arrive in are the clothes you leave in, and you will be sleepy, possibly slightly bloated, and not in the mood for buttons.

A loose top that opens at the front or pulls on easily. The IV will go in the back of your hand or the inside of your forearm and will still be there when you dress to leave; sleeves you can roll up to the elbow are useful.
Dark, soft trousers or a tracksuit with an elastic waist. After the test, gas in the bowel takes time to settle and tight waistbands are uncomfortable. Dark fabric is forgiving if there is any spotting.
Slip-on shoes or trainers you can put on without bending. Bending forward is not painful afterwards but it is awkward.
Glasses, not contact lenses. Contacts are fine in theory but most units prefer them out for sedation, and you will be drowsy enough afterwards that handling lenses is annoying.
Underwear you do not mind staining. The unit will give you a paper undergarment with an opening at the back to wear during the test, but a small amount of leakage is common in the hour before you arrive and the hour after.
A panty liner or light incontinence pad in your underwear. Reasonable insurance.

Leave at home: jewellery beyond a wedding band, watches, hair clips beyond a single soft tie, makeup (especially on the lips and eyelids — pulse oximetry on the finger and oxygen monitoring at the nose work better on a clean face), and nail polish on at least one index finger if your unit has asked for it (some still do, for finger-clip oximetry).

The small folder of documents

Put these by the door the night before, so you are not searching at six in the morning.

Photo ID. Driving licence, passport, or national identity card.
Insurance card or coverage details if you are in a country where the unit needs them at check-in.
Your appointment letter or confirmation with the arrival time and the unit's address and phone number.
A current list of all your medications — names, doses, and how often you take each. Include vitamins, supplements, and anything you buy without prescription. Photograph the bottles if it is faster.
A list of your allergies and any past reactions to anaesthesia. Latex, adhesive, antibiotics, sedation drugs — anything.
The name and phone number of the person collecting you, written somewhere the staff can read it. They will sometimes ring this person directly when you are ready.
Any consent paperwork you were asked to sign in advance, if it has not been completed online.
A small amount of cash or a card for parking and for something light to eat afterwards.

Leave valuables at home where possible. The unit will give you a locker or a bag for what you do bring, but the fewer rings, watches, and devices to track, the better.

Morning medications

This is the part to handle carefully and not improvise. The instructions you were given in writing — by the endoscopy unit and by the clinician who prescribes each of your regular medications — are the ones to follow this morning. If you are uncertain about anything on your list and the unit is open, ring them; if not, ring the on-call number on your appointment letter.

A few categories deserve their own pages because the planning is specific to you and should already have been done with the prescribing clinician days or weeks ago, not in the kitchen at sunrise:

Blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs — warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants, clopidogrel, aspirin, and others. The plan for these is individualised. See blood thinners and antiplatelets and follow the instructions from your prescribing clinician.
Diabetes medications, including insulin. Long fasting and bowel prep change blood glucose substantially. See diabetes and bowel prep and follow the plan you agreed with your diabetes team.
GLP-1 receptor agonists — semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide, and similar. These slow stomach emptying and are now the subject of specific guidance before sedation. See GLP-1 medications and follow the plan from your prescribing clinician.

For most other regular medications — blood pressure pills, thyroid replacement, antidepressants, asthma inhalers — patients are commonly told to take them with a small sip of water on the morning of the procedure, but this is exactly the kind of detail that varies between units and individuals. Your written instructions decide. Do not take any new medication this morning.

Drinking, eating, and the cut-off times

Two times matter: last clear liquid and arrival. Arrival is on your letter. Last clear liquid is usually two to three hours before arrival, but the number on your sheet wins.

Until the cut-off, sip clear liquids at a steady, gentle pace — water, weak black tea, black coffee without milk, clear broth, apple juice, white grape juice, or a clear electrolyte drink. Avoid red, purple, and orange dyes and avoid any liquid with pulp, milk, or cream. After the cut-off, nothing by mouth: no water, no chewing gum, no sweets, no toothpaste swallowed (brushing and spitting is fine).

If you are thirsty in the last hour before you leave the house, that is an unpleasant but expected part of the morning. Rinsing the mouth and spitting is permitted in most units; ask if uncertain.

The ride home and the rest of the day

If you are having any sedation — moderate sedation with midazolam and fentanyl, propofol-based deep sedation, or anything in between — you cannot drive yourself home, take public transport alone, ride a bike, or be in sole charge of children for the rest of the day. This is not a soft suggestion. Most units will postpone the procedure if there is no responsible adult to collect you and stay with you for several hours afterwards. See sedation options for what each level of sedation involves and the first twenty-four hours for what to expect once you are home.

The person collecting you should be reachable by phone, able to come to the unit (not the kerb outside), and prepared to wait — discharge times slip. A taxi or rideshare alone does not meet most units' requirements; a taxi or rideshare with a known adult escort usually does.

If you are having an unsedated coloscopy by choice or by necessity, you may be able to drive yourself home; confirm this with the unit when you arrive, not from this page.

What to ask your clinician

What is the exact cut-off time for finishing my prep, and the cut-off for clear liquids?
Which of my regular medications should I take this morning, and which should I hold? (Bring the list.)
How long should I plan to be at the unit from arrival to discharge?
Where do I park, and is the parking validated? Where exactly is the entrance?
Can my partner or escort wait with me before the procedure, and where will they wait during it?
What is the phone number to ring overnight if something is going wrong with the prep?
If I am too unwell to come in (fever, vomiting, chest pain), how do I let the unit know?

Common worries, briefly addressed

I had a small sip of water by mistake within the cut-off. Do I need to cancel?

Tell the team when you arrive. A small accidental sip of clear water close to the cut-off is rarely a reason to postpone, but the decision is theirs and depends on your sedation plan. Do not hide it.

My period started overnight.

The procedure can usually go ahead. A tampon or menstrual cup is fine; the team may ask you to remove it before the test or leave it in, and they will tell you which. Bring a spare and a pad for afterwards. This is not unusual and not a reason to cancel.

I am still passing brown stool an hour before I am supposed to leave.

Ring the unit. Do not take more prep than you were given. Some units will reschedule, others will start you anyway and decide as the test goes; either is reasonable.

I cannot find anyone to collect me.

Ring the unit before you leave home. Showing up without an escort almost always means the procedure is postponed; ringing ahead opens the possibility of an unsedated coloscopy or a different sedation plan, where appropriate.

I feel anxious to the point of wanting to back out.

Come anyway, and tell the nurse at check-in. Decisions about whether to proceed can be made calmly with the team in the room. See a trauma-informed coloscopy for what units can offer if previous medical experiences make this hard.

Sources

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy — guidance on patient preparation for colonoscopy
American Gastroenterological Association — patient guidance on bowel preparation and the day of the procedure
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy — bowel preparation performance measures
British Society of Gastroenterology — quality standards for colonoscopy
Royal College of Anaesthetists — fasting guidance for sedation and anaesthesia