Procedure Preparation

It’s important to follow the preparation instructions before your gastroenterology (GI) procedure so that we can diagnose your condition more effectively—and help you get the treatments you need to feel better.

To make an appointment to address a GI condition, call 216-778-5381.

Upper Endoscopy

  • Your stomach must be empty.
  • Before the test, you should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
  • If your procedure is in the afternoon, you may drink a small amount (6 ounces) of a clear liquid up to six hours before the test.

Contact Your Primary Care Provider

  • Regarding any changes or what medication should be taken on the test day.
  • If you are taking any blood thinner medications, such as Coumadin, Heparin, Ticlid or Plavix. These may or may not be stopped before your test.
  • About diabetic medications for the day before and day of the test.
  • Please check your blood sugar before arriving for the test.

Important Notes

  • Please bring in your insurance card, your medications or a list of current medications.
  • Please do not wear or bring jewelry.
  • Do not wear a heavy fragrance or nail polish.
  • You must have a responsible adult accompany you home from the endoscopy unit because of the medication given. If you have an afternoon appointment, we expect your responsible adult to remain in the waiting room during your procedure. Your procedure will be rescheduled if you are not accompanied by a responsible adult.
  • A responsible adult should remain with you for the next 24 hours. If using MetroHealth transportation, a cab or public transportation, you must still have a responsible adult with you and remain with you for the next 24 hours.

Colonoscopy (Colyte split preparation)

  • Your doctor will give you a prescription for a medication called Colyte, GoLYTELY or NuLYTELY. This will be used to cleanse your bowels. Do not follow the instructions on the Colyte bottle.

Contact Your Primary Care Provider

  • Regarding any changes or what medication should be taken on the test day.
  • If you are taking any blood thinner medications, such as Coumadin, Heparin, Ticlid or Plavix. These may or may not be stopped before your test.
  • About any medicine changes.
  • About diabetic medications for the day before and day of the test, if you have diabetes, and please check your blood sugar before arriving for the test.

Seven days before the test, stop taking iron pills.

Three days before the test, stop eating corn, dried beans, tomatoes, nuts or seeds.

The day before the test:

  • Start a clear-liquid diet. Drink plenty of clear liquids—liquids you can see through—on this day. Examples include:
    • Clear broth (chicken, beef, turkey, vegetable)
    • Cranberry juice
    • Water or flavored waters
    • Sprite, 7UP, ginger ale
    • Coffee/tea with sugar or honey
    • White grape juice
    • Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Jell-O (no red or blue)
    • Apple juice
    • Popsicles (no red or blue)
  • No solid foods or milk products are allowed.
  • Diabetic patients: If you had a colonoscopy before and were told your bowel prep was not good, please begin the clear-liquid diet two days before colonoscopy.

The morning before the test:

  • Prepare the Colyte in the morning.
  • Add water to the fill line. It may be refrigerated.
  • You may only add Crystal Light's lemonade flavor to the solution.
  • Do not add ice or pour it over ice when drinking.

Your prep instructions will depend on the time of your procedure:

  • Appointments between 8 a.m. and noon:

    • Starting at 4 p.m. the evening before the test:
      • Drink one 8-ounce glass of Colyte every 10 to 15 minutes.
      • Drink only half of the bottle of Colyte.
      • Finish this portion within two hours. Do not pour it over ice. Do not drink anything else with the Colyte.
      • At 9 p.m., drink the rest of the Colyte. Finish it within two hours.
  • Appointments after noon:

    • At 9 p.m. the evening before the test:

      • Drink one 8-ounce glass of Colyte every 10 to 15 minutes.
      • Drink only half of the bottle of Colyte.
      • Finish this portion within two hours. Do not it pour over ice. Do not drink anything else with the Colyte.
      • At 6 a.m. the day of your procedure, drink the rest of the Colyte. Finish it within two hours.

About Drinking Colyte

  • If you become full or nauseated while drinking Colyte, you may wait until this feeling subsides and then continue drinking.
  • Your bowels should begin to move in the first hour.
  • Your bowel movements should run clear like water.
  • You may have clear liquids (other than Colyte) up to three hours before the test. 

Important Notes

  • Please bring in your insurance card, your medications or a list of current medications.
  • Please do not wear or bring jewelry.
  • Do not wear a heavy fragrance or nail polish.  

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) 

  • Your stomach must be empty.
  • Before the test, you should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight, except a small amount (6 ounces) of clear liquids up to three hours before the test.
  • Consult with your doctor regarding any changes in your medications on the day of the test.
  • Please inform your doctor if you have an allergy to fish or x-ray dye.
  • Because of the medication given, you must have a responsible adult drive you home.
  • If you plan on using the Metrovan, bus or cab, you must still have a responsible adult with you for safety.

Liver Biopsy

  • Your doctor will ask you to have blood drawn prior to this test.
  • Your doctor will tell you about any change in your medications for the day of the test.
  • You should have a light breakfast at 6 a.m. the morning of your test, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.
  • Because of the medication given, you must have a responsible adult drive you home.
  • If you plan on using the Metrovan, bus or cab, you must still have a responsible adult with you for safety.
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