General Pre-examination Precautions
Certain medical conditions, medications, recent procedures or surgeries within the past year (including childbirth), current symptoms, blood pressure, or ECG results on the day of the exam may make some tests impossible to perform.
If you have cirrhosis, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, brain disease, kidney disease, infectious diseases, recent abdominal surgeries (within the past year), or any other chronic illness, you must inform the staff when making the appointment.
The day before the examination, do not drink colored beverages such as red or purple-colored drinks, or carbonated drinks.
It is important to take the bowel preparation solution (Readyfree) at the prescribed time to ensure proper bowel cleansing.
If your bowels are not properly cleansed, you may need to undergo a re-examination.
(this may incur additional costs and a re-exam on the same day may not be possible)
Precautions for Colonoscopy
Proper bowel cleansing to expose the surface of the colon mucosa is essential and very important for the test.
If the bowel is not sufficiently cleansed and the stool is not removed, it may be difficult to obtain a clear view, and an accurate examination may not be possible.
In such cases, you may be required to undergo a re-examination, which will incur additional costs.
(Adequate bowel preparation is crucial for an accurate examination. If the stool is not removed and the surface of the colon mucosa cannot be seen, or the field of view is unclear, you may have to undergo a re-examination, which may incur additional costs.)
If you have a flight scheduled within two weeks, polypectomy (polyp removal) may be restricted, but biopsies can be performed.
In cases of lesions that pose a risk of bleeding or perforation due to the size of the polyps, polypectomy may need to be done at a specialized hospital.
If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, take your blood pressure medication after consuming the bowel cleansing solution on the day of the test with a small amount of water.
If you are a diabetic patient who takes diabetes medication or insulin injections, do not take your medication or insulin on the day of the exam.
If you are taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications, please inform the staff when making the appointment.
For patients with constipation, you can purchase constipation medication (Dulcolax, Maekwin, etc.) from a pharmacy and take it in addition to the bowel cleansing solution.
(Take 2 Maekwin pills before starting the bowel cleansing solution.)
Elderly patients should come with a guardian on the day of the examination.
Sedation (conscious) colonoscopy is not available for patients aged 75 or older.
7 Days Before the Examination
If you are taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications, consult with your physician about discontinuing the medication.
If you continue to take these medications, biopsies or polyp removal may not be possible.
3 Days Before the Examination
Avoid eating fruits with seeds (e.g., kiwi, melon, oriental melon, grapes, watermelon, strawberries), seaweed (e.g., laver, seaweed), grains(e.g., brown rice, black rice, black beans, sesame), nuts (e.g., peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds), or kimchi. Instead, eat plain foods.
Recommended foods: White rice, tofu, potatoes, eggs, clear soups (e.g., radish soup), fish, bread, udon, seedless juice.
Meal Plan the Day Before the Examination
<Morning Colonoscopy Appointment>
Breakfast: Light regular meal
Lunch: Light porridge or white rice porridge without side dishes (Morning Sunshine, soy milk allowed)
Dinner: Fasting (water allowed)
<Afternoon Colonoscopy Appointment>
Breakfast: Light regular meal
Lunch: Light regular meal
Dinner: Light porridge or white rice porridge without side dishes (Morning Sunshine, soy milk allowed)
Medication Discontinuation Guidelines
Aspirin, anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin, Xarelto, Pradaxa, Eliquis), and antiplatelet medications:
For vascular conditions such as myocardial infarction or stroke, stopping these medications without medical advice can be dangerous.
Consult with your physician and discontinue these medications about one week before the exam.
If you have respiratory diseases, cirrhosis, brain diseases, kidney or heart diseases, bleeding disorders, allergies to medications, recent surgeries, or infectious diseases, you must consult with your doctor beforehand.
You must take the full dose of the colonoscopy preparation solution for the exam to proceed.