How to prepare for your Colonoscopy or Flexible Sigmoidoscopy – Moviprep

This leaflet tells you how to prepare for your colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy examination – Moviprep preparation.

To have a successful examination of your bowel and to avoid you having to come back again, your bowel must be empty and clean. You must follow the instructions set out in this leaflet and take the Moviprep preparation correctly.

If these instructions are not followed your examination may have to be cancelled or repeated.

Before taking Moviprep

Please read the back of the Moviprep packet and contact nursing staff in the Endoscopy Unit for further advice if you answer “Yes” to any of the following questions:

• Are you allergic to any of the ingredients listed on the packet?
• Are you taking Clopidogrel?
• Are you taking Rivaroxaban?
• Are you taking Apixaban?
• Are you taking Dabigatran?
• Are you taking any other medication to thin your blood?
• Are you pregnant or breast feeding?
• Are you a diabetic on insulin or tablets?

If you are taking aspirin, you can continue to take this.

7 days before your appointment

Stop taking any iron tablets. Iron makes everything inside your bowel black, making it difficult for your endoscopist (a doctor or nurse trained to do endoscopies) to see anything.

4 days before your appointment

Stop taking any drugs that may cause you to become constipated. For example, Lomotil, Loperamide or Codeine Phosphate, but continue to take all other usual medications.

2 days before your appointment

If you are taking Fybogel or any other fibre products stop taking them now. The fibre content of these products will work against the special diet you are about to take.

The day before your appointment

Dietary advice for a morning appointment

For your breakfast, you may eat and drink the following:

• eggs, white bread, toast, butter or margarine, croissants, shredless marmalade or jam.

• black tea or coffee water, fizzy drinks, fruit squash but not blackcurrant, as this stains the bowel.

Have your breakfast at 09.00am then do not eat anything else.

You may drink only clear fluids until after your procedure.

At 5:00pm make up your first litre of Moviprep and drink over 1 – 2 hours. Allow at least 2 hours for the Moviprep to start to work.

Between 08.00pm and 09:00pm make up the second litre of Moviprep and drink this over 1 – 2 hours. Allow 2 hours for the Moviprep to work.

Dietary advice for an afternoon appointment

For your lunch, at 01:00pm on the day before your appointment, you may eat and drink from the following:

• Eggs, white bread, toast, butter or margarine, croissants, shredless marmalade or jam.

• Black tea or coffee water, fizzy drinks, fruit squash but not blackcurrant, as this stains the bowel.

Have your lunch at 01:00pm then do not eat again until after your appointment .You may drink only clear fluids until after your procedure.

At 07:00pm make up the first litre of Moviprep and drink over 1 – 2 hours. Allow at least 2 hours for the Moviprep to start to work.

At 06:00am on the morning of your appointment make up the second litre of Moviprep and drink this over 1 – 2 hours.

How to prepare the Moviprep mixture

Each box of Moviprep contains two sealed plastic bags each plastic bag contain one Sachet A and one Sachet B.

• Pour Sachet A and Sachet B into a jug and add 1 litre of water (not chilled) stir until dissolved solution is clear or slightly hazy.

• Once the Moviprep has been made up it can be chilled.

• The Moviprep should be taken as directed above depending on your appointment time.

• The Moviprep should be taken as directed above depending on your appointment time.
• Drink one glassful (250ml) of Moviprep every 15 – 30 minutes (over 2 hours) until you have drunk it all.

• Once you start the Moviprep you should drink an extra 500ml on top of what you would normally drink of clear liquid which may include water, clear soup, tea or coffee without milk, fruit juice without pulp, soft drinks.

• Continue to drink clear fluids to keep yourself hydrated until 2 hours before your procedure then stop drinking.

• Moviprep may be easier to drink through a straw. It can be chilled once it has been made up and taste more pleasant by adding fruit squash but not blackcurrant.

Make sure you are within easy reach of the toilet once you have taken the Moviprep.

Be prepared to have your bowels opened several times during the late afternoon and early evening. It will be like having diarrhoea (very loose watery bowel motions (poo)).

Common effects of Moviprep are:

• nausea (feeling sick)
• vomiting (being sick)
• bloating
• abdominal pain
• anal irritation (itchy opening to your back passage)
• disturbed sleep.

It is normal to suffer from any of the symptoms above. However, if any of these symptoms become severe you should telephone the unit where your examination will take place or contact the GP Out of Hours Service (see contact numbers).

Diarrhoea and severe vomiting may cause your body to become dehydrated.

Symptoms of dehydration are:

• dizziness
• headache
• confusion.

If you develop any of these symptoms you must contact your GP or the Accident and Emergency Department (see contact numbers).

Prescribed tablets or medicine (if due) must not be taken within 1 hour of taking Moviprep. If taken before this your medication may be flushed out of your body by the effect of the Moviprep.

If you develop a rash, your body becomes itchy or you have any redness or swelling in any part of your body you must attend the Accident and Emergency Department (see contact numbers) as you may be allergic to the Moviprep.

Before your examination you must:

• not smoke
• tie back long hair for comfort
• remove any nail varnish
• remove any make-up
• remove all jewellery except your wedding ring
• wear loose-fitting clothing.

Please do not bring any valuables with you.

If you are not sure about how to prepare for your colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy, please contact your Endoscopy Unit for advice.

Contact numbers

If you need further advice, or have any problems, please contact the unit where you are to have your examination.

University Hospital of North Tees

Endoscopy Unit

Telephone: 01642 624387

Monday – Friday 08:00am – 07:00pm

Emergency Department

Telephone: 01642 382799

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

University Hospital of Hartlepool

Rutherford Morrison Unit

Telephone: 01429 522356

Monday – Friday, 08:00am – 06:30pm

If you have any worries or concerns you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours. Outside surgery hours you should contact your GP’s surgery for the Out of Hours Service number.

Further information is available from:

NHS Choices

Telephone: 111 (when it is less urgent than 999)

Calls to this number are free from a landline and mobile phones

or via the website at www.nhs.uk

Comments, concerns, compliments or complaints

Patient Experience Team (PET)

We are continually trying to improve the services we provide. We want to know what we’re doing well or if there’s anything which we can improve, that’s why the Patient Experience Team (PET) is here to help. Our Patient Experience Team is here to try to resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. The office is based on the ground floor at the University Hospital of North Tees if you wish to discuss concerns in person. If you would like to contact or request a copy of our PET leaflet, please contact:

Telephone: 01642 624719

Freephone: 0800 092 0084

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm

Email: [email protected]

Out of hours

Out of hours if you wish to speak to a senior member of Trust staff, please contact the hospital switchboard who will bleep the appropriate person.

Telephone: 01642 617617

Data protection and use of patient information

The Trust has developed Data Protection policies in accordance with Data Protection Legislation (UK General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. All of our staff respect these policies and confidentiality is adhered to at all times. If you require further information on how we process your information please see our Privacy Notices.

Telephone: 01642 383551

Email: [email protected]

Leaflet feedback

This leaflet has been produced in partnership with patients and carers. All patient leaflets are regularly reviewed, and any suggestions you have as to how it may be improved are extremely valuable. Please write to the Clinical Governance team, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of North Tees, TS19 8PE or:

Email: [email protected]