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• Ask your doctor if you should take your medicines the morning of the
test. If so, take with sips of water only.
• Before the test, tell the staff:
─ About any medicines you are taking. Include all prescription and over-
the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbs you use.
─ If you have any allergies.
─ About your health history and any surgeries you have had.
─ If you may be pregnant.
The Day Before Your Test
• Do not eat solid food or drink milk products.
• Do not drink red or purple liquids. Drink clear liquids only, such as:
─ Water
─ Clear broth or bouillon
─ Clear fruit juices without pulp such as apple, white grape, and
lemonade
─ Clear drinks such as lemon-lime soda, Kool-aid or sport drinks.
─ Coffee or tea without milk or nondairy creamer
─ Jello or popsicles
• At 12:00 noon, mix the GoLytely powder with water.
─ Add water to the fill mark, 4 liters, on the bottle. Do not add any other
ingredients or flavors.
─ Twist the cap on the bottle. Shake to mix the powder and water.
─ You may chill the solution. This makes it easier to drink. This
medicine does not taste good.
• From 1:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon, do not drink any liquids. Your
stomach needs to be empty 3 to 4 hours before drinking GoLytely.
• At 4:00 in the afternoon, start the bowel clean out. Drink one cup of the
GoLytely, which equals 8 ounces or 240 milliliters, every 10 minutes.
Continue drinking until the bottle is empty. You need to drink all of the
liquid to be ready for the test.