clear diet - need suggestions

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kkellam1
kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a procedure coming on Tuesday (colonoscopy), so I need to do a clear liquid diet all day tomorrow to prepare. Any suggestions on what I can consume other than chicken broth? If I drink that all day, my sodium will be off the charts. I have given up any sodas, etc. for the last 6 weeks. So I'd hate to start that again. All I drink now is water or unsweetened iced tea (with sweet'n'low).

I guess the good news is that I will essentially have a day of fasting. Unfortunately, I have another fasting day coming at the end of the week for bloodwork. My routine is going to really whacked up this week! :laugh:

I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

Replies

  • mare91467
    mare91467 Posts: 91 Member
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    Yuck. I had that done last year. The procedure alone is fine, but the prep stinks! I hated the 2 day clear diet. I drank a lot of broth. Ate jello. Sherbet. That is about it. If I recall, tea was fine but no cream. Good luck!
  • forestdancers
    forestdancers Posts: 146 Member
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    My mom went with juices instead of all chicken broth. So that might work unless your diabetic.
    Did your Dr give you a list of things to drink? If he/she didn't maybe phone and ask about it.
  • pretentiouskate
    pretentiouskate Posts: 186
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    Make a vegetable based broth for yourself? Boil down whatever you have .... also making chicken broth at home is easy and wont have sodium unless you add it ... just remove the skin from a chicken and boil the chicken. You can use spices or whatever ad then just strain them out using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.
  • rjlam
    rjlam Posts: 149
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    Try low sodium vegetable broths, jello, apple juice, black coffee/tea. Switch them up throughtout the day. Good luck
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
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    Sugar free jello (except for a couple colors they tell you not to eat before the colonoscopy) will work.
  • sherrymo6
    sherrymo6 Posts: 79
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    Rjiam has covered most of the options. Basically it is anything that you can see through. Normally sprite or ginger ale will work but if you gave that up then I guess that is out. Tea is okay. Any jello except red or orange. Creamer in your coffee actually won't mess of your procedure. As you prep, you may not feel like eating alot....

    Good luck with your procedure.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    Thanks! All good ideas...and I appreciate the best wishes. I don't anticipate a problem. This is just one of those "Happy Birthday, you are 50, get a colonoscopy" visits. Birthdays were more fun when we were younger. Get a drivers license, be able to vite, be legal to drink. Now we get a camera inserted in us. :smile:
  • jeneey
    jeneey Posts: 48
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    Jello is ok, but you have to be careful of the colour (I think yellow and green are fine, no red). Clear juices like apple. Broth is ok but it has so much sodium. Tea. Gatorade, Powerade. Fruit slushies with juice (no sherbert because it contains milk). Hope this helps.
  • Nmama
    Nmama Posts: 191 Member
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    I used to work for a GI doc and would give patients their instructions for colonoscopies. They didn't give you a list? This is what we said was ok
    Coffee, sugar but no milk or creamer
    Broth
    Jello
    Apple juice
    Tea again sugar but no milk
    Water (obvious lol)
    alot of my patients ate alot of jello for the full feeling.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    Yes, they gave me the list. I was just hoping that someone would add something to it that sounded better. I know I was reaching for the stars, but it was worth trying. Tea, water and jello are about the only things on there for me other than broth. I don't do sodas, apple juice I guess I could tolerate, I've never had a cup of coffee in my life (yes it's true and I am 50).

    This is going to a really boring day (until the "cleansing" begins, anyway). I am thinking that my whole caloric intake may reach, what, 50 calories for the day?

    I am planning on adding a lot of Crystal Light Lemonade mix to the 4 quarts of stuff that I have to drink. I have heard it's pretty nasty. Maybe some lemonade flavor will help.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    Isn't there a lot of sugar in Gatorade? We don't usually have it around the house, so I can't look at the label. I am probably wrong, but I always thought these drinks wren't all that healthy, especially for us folks trying to reduce calories and sugars. I don't know why I thought that, but it's always been stuck in my head. I know there is the whole athelete thing, but I hardly fall into that category and a toned athelete can probably burn off anything and really wouldn't be worried about consuming a little sugar.

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