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Bowel preparation before colonoscopy – preferably with Pleinvue
Thorough bowel cleansing is crucial for me to be able to assess the lining well and detect small changes. The effort of preparation is worthwhile: stool residue can restrict the view and make a repeat examination necessary.
For thorough bowel preparation I prefer Pleinvue. The following information explains the preparation; you will receive the specific times and fasting instructions to match your appointment.
Before the preparation: what I need to know
Please tell me about relevant pre-existing conditions and your medication. In the case of heart or kidney disease, swallowing problems or delayed gastric emptying, the choice of preparation must be checked particularly carefully. If bowel obstruction is suspected, you must not start bowel cleansing on your own. Please also inform us of any allergies and known metabolic disorders. Read the full package leaflet.
Diet before colonoscopy
Three days before the examination you should cut down on foods rich in grains and fibre. These include, for example, wholegrain products, seeds, and fruit and vegetables with skins. On the day before, a diet of clear soups and juices without pulp is recommended. Well-cooked pasta, white bread or white rice can also be eaten up to the agreed time of the last solid meal. Once bowel cleansing has started, only clear fluids are allowed.
Stick to the choices and timings in your schedule. If you suffer from constipation or have had inadequate cleansing in the past, please let us know in good time so that the preparation can be adjusted if necessary.
Preparing and drinking Pleinvue correctly
Pleinvue consists of two different doses. Dose 1 is made up to 500 ml with water. For Dose 2, sachets A and B are made up together to 500 ml. With each dose, you also drink at least 500 ml of clear fluid. Each solution and the additional fluid are drunk within 60 minutes, in accordance with the current package leaflet. Suitable fluids include water, clear soup or tea without milk. Please avoid red and purple drinks.
When Dose 1 and Dose 2 are taken is set out in your personal schedule. If both doses are taken on the same day, the current Austrian package leaflet states that Dose 2 should be started no earlier than two hours after Dose 1. Do not follow older, differing schedules from the internet. Additional fluid does not replace either of the two doses.
Why timing matters
With a split preparation, one part is taken the evening before and the other on the day of the examination. For afternoon examinations, preparation on the same day may be an option. It is therefore not enough to drink the solution at some point on the day before.
As all my examinations are performed under sedation, bowel cleansing and the time you stop drinking must also match the anaesthesia requirements. You will receive specific times for this. A shorter fasting interval of your own choosing is not permitted.
What happens during cleansing?
You will have frequent, increasingly liquid bowel movements. Stay close to a toilet and keep this time free of other appointments. By the end, there should ideally be no solid matter visible. The amount passed alone is not a reliable indication of whether the preparation as a whole was sufficient.
What should I do about my medication?
The preparation can affect the absorption of tablets. Therefore, discuss all regularly taken medication in advance, especially blood thinners and diabetes medication. There is no general rule for stopping medication that applies to all patients and all planned polyp removals. Any changes are made according to individual medical instructions.
Does the preparation also apply to a gastroscopy?
No bowel cleansing is needed for a gastroscopy on its own. The agreed fasting rules apply here. For a combined gastroscopy and colonoscopy, the bowel preparation is coordinated with the requirements for both examinations.