How to use Forlax before colonoscopy and patient reviews of the drug

The article was prepared by a specialist for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor.

Colonoscopy is one of the methods of instrumental examination of the intestines, which allows timely detection and treatment of many serious pathologies. However, the accuracy of the study depends on how well the person prepared for the procedure. In this case we are talking about cleansing the intestines. If you do not follow the recommendations for cleansing the organ before colonoscopy, then visualization and diagnosis will be seriously hampered. As a result, the doctor may not notice some inflammatory focus or growing tumor, or may not get a complete picture of the disease.

Preparing for a colonoscopy involves cleansing the intestines, following a diet and fasting before the procedure. The correct psychological attitude is of no small importance.

Preparing for a colonoscopy

The better a person prepares for a colonoscopy, the higher the information content of the study will be:

• 10 days before the procedure, you must stop taking iron supplements and activated carbon. It is also necessary to exclude blood thinners, which will avoid the development of bleeding.
• If a patient has an artificial heart valve implanted, then a course of antibacterial drugs is recommended before a colonoscopy. This is necessary to prevent the development of bacterial endocarditis.
• If the doctor allows it, then before the colonoscopy the patient can take an antispasmodic, for example, No-shpu.
• Doctors recommend stopping taking drugs from the NSAID group and drugs to stop diarrhea (Lopedium, Imodium, etc.).
• You definitely need to cleanse your intestines and also stick to your diet. On the eve of the procedure, you must take a laxative (Fortrans, Lavacol, etc.).

Nutrition before colonoscopy

For 2-3 days before the upcoming procedure, the patient must adhere to a slag-free diet. Foods containing fiber should be excluded from the diet, as they can trigger fermentation processes in the intestines.

The diet before colonoscopy involves adherence to the following principles:

• You need to stick to the diet for a short period of time, as it is incomplete and unbalanced in composition.
• Be sure to drink enough water. Food must provide the body with energy, vitamins and microelements.
• From the menu you need to exclude foods that are difficult to digest or can provoke fermentation processes in the intestines. Therefore, fatty and stringy meat, sausage, refractory fats, smoked meats, and marinades are removed from the diet. You should not eat fresh vegetables, mushrooms and herbs. The ban includes cereals, bread made from bran and rye flour, seeds and nuts, milk and dairy products, and alcoholic beverages.
• The diet is based on broths, dietary meats, soups and cereals.
• You need to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.
• Products are steamed or boiled. Frying is prohibited.
• Spicy and salty dishes are removed from the menu.
• They eat food in small portions, but often.
• 24 hours before the procedure, they switch to eating liquid foods. These can be soups, tea with honey, juices diluted with water, yoghurts and kefir.

Foods that can be eaten:

• Poultry, veal, beef, fish and rabbit meat.
• Dairy products.
• Buckwheat and boiled rice.
• Low-fat cheeses and cottage cheese.
• White bread, biscuits.
• Green tea with honey without sugar.
• Juice diluted with water and compote.

You need to exclude the following products from the menu:

• Barley and millet.
• Lettuce leaves, paprika, cabbage, beets and carrots.
• Beans and peas.
• Raspberries and gooseberries.
• Dried fruits and nuts.
• Oranges, apples, tangerines, grapes, apricots, bananas and peaches.
• Rye bread.
• Sweets.
• Carbonated drinks, coffee and milk.

An example of a menu to follow three days before a colonoscopy:

• Breakfast: boiled rice and tea.
• Snack: low-fat kefir.
• Lunch: soup with vegetables and compote.
• Snack: low-fat cheese.
• Dinner: boiled fish, rice and a glass of tea.

An example of a menu to follow 2 days before a colonoscopy:

• Breakfast: low fat cottage cheese.
• Snack: two crackers with tea.
• Lunch: broth with a small piece of meat, steamed cabbage.
• Snack: fermented baked milk.
• Dinner: boiled buckwheat and tea.

The day before the colonoscopy, the last meal should take place no later than 14:00.

How to prepare for a colonoscopy with Forlax?

Colon cleansing is carried out in 3 stages. Their timing depends on what part of the day the diagnosis is scheduled for. One dose for an adult consists of 2 packets of 10 g, dissolved in 500 ml of water. If possible, take the medicine immediately or little by little over an hour. Do the same with the second and third portions of Forlax.

What time should I prepare if the colonoscopy is in the morning?

When the diagnostic procedure is scheduled for the next morning, preparations begin the day before after waking up. The first dose is for breakfast, the second for lunch, the third for dinner.

Examination in the late afternoon

In this case, cleansing the intestines begins with lunch, then before bed and in the morning after waking up at least 4 hours before the start of the colonoscopy.

Rules for nutrition and fluid consumption during the preparation period

It is recommended to adhere to a meager slag-free diet for at least 3 days:

• Lenten varieties of poultry, fish and meat;
• Fermented milk products with a fat content of 2-5%;
• Light soups and broths;
• Boiled vegetables;
• Rusks, stale bread and biscuit-type cookies.

The last meal should be semi-liquid 3-4 hours before the first serving of Forlax. Afterwards, only clear drinks are allowed - compotes, juices without pulp and coloring properties, green and weak black tea, mineral water without gas and water. After using each dose of a laxative, be sure to require as much fluid as possible, which will not only enhance the effect of the drug, but will also avoid dehydration as a result of active bowel movements. However, patients with a tendency to edema, with pathologies of the heart and kidneys need to drink in limited quantities.

Attention! Without following a diet before a colonoscopy, it is unlikely that it will be possible to cleanse the intestines with Forlax, especially for those who suffer from constipation.

How are children prepared with Forlax?

Colonoscopy and an increased dosage of laxatives are resorted to from 8-10 years of age for urgent indications. For cleansing, use 2 sachets of 4 g per 200 ml of water. For such a patient, 1-2 servings per day are used. For colonoscopy in the first half of the day, Forlax is taken in the evening; for afternoon diagnostics, the morning regimen is used.

Cleansing procedures before colonoscopy

A mandatory step in preparing for a colonoscopy is the process of bowel cleansing. It is implemented using an enema or using medications. An enema is given at least 2 times on the eve of the study. Then it is placed 2 more times before the procedure itself.

In one approach, about 1.5 liters of water are introduced into the intestines. To make the cleansing process gentle, you can take a laxative 12 hours before the colonoscopy.

If the patient has rectal fissures or other pathologies of the organ, then he is prohibited from giving an enema. In this case, taking medications aimed at gentle cleansing of the intestines is indicated.

Types of laxatives for colonoscopy

Laxatives are used to cleanse the intestines. They come to the rescue in cases where administering an enema is contraindicated.

Fortrans

This drug is designed specifically for preparing patients before surgery and examination of the digestive system.

Fortrans is an osmotic laxative that is used to treat chronic constipation and preoperative bowel cleansing.

• Ingredients: salts (sodium and potassium), macrogol, soda, additive E 945.
• Pharmacological parameters. The drug is not absorbed into the blood and is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The effect occurs 1-1.5 hours after administration. Taking the next dose reduces this time by half.
• Form and dosage. The drug is produced in the form of a powder, which is in sachets. Before use, 1 packet is dissolved in a liter of water. For every 20 kg of weight you need to take 1 sachet. The entire final volume is divided into 2 equal parts. The first half is drunk in the evening before the upcoming procedure, and the second half in the morning, 4 hours before the examination.
• Contraindications. The drug should not be taken by people with heart failure, persons under the age of majority, or patients with cancer of the digestive system.
• Undesirable manifestations: vomiting.

The drug is produced in France. The cost of packaging is 450 rubles.

Lavacol

This medicine is an analogue of the drug Fortrans. It is produced by the Moscow Pharmaceutical Factory. The price for a package of medicine is 200 rubles.

• Ingredients: macrogol, sodium sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate.
• Pharmacological parameters. The drug has a laxative effect. Macrogol, after entering the intestines, retains water molecules, due to which the contents of the organ are quickly evacuated out. Sodium and potassium salts prevent the development of electrolyte disturbances in the body.
• Form and dosage. The drug is available in powder form; for every 5 kg of weight, take one sachet of the drug, which is diluted in a glass of warm water. If you add a little syrup to the solution, the taste of the drug will significantly improve. Take a glass of solution every 15-30 minutes.
• Contraindications: heart failure, intestinal obstruction, perforation of the gastric or intestinal walls, ulcers and erosion of the stomach or intestines, gastric stenosis, kidney disease.
• Undesirable manifestations: nausea and vomiting, abdominal discomfort.

Moviprep

Moviprep is one of the most well-studied and widespread macrogol-based drugs in the world. It appeared in Russia 2 years ago. Its effectiveness has been confirmed by many clinical studies conducted in Europe, America and Japan. Over the 10 years of its existence on the pharmacological market, Moviprep has earned only positive reviews from specialists.

Compared to similar drugs, Moviprep has the following advantages:

• For high-quality intestinal cleansing, you need to drink 2 times less solution, that is, not 4, but 2 liters.
• The drug does not cause nausea or vomiting. Has a pleasant lemon taste.
• Compound. Sachet A: macrogol, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, aspartame, lemon flavor, acesulfame potassium. Sachet B: ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate.
• Pharmacological parameters. The drug causes moderate diarrhea, which allows you to thoroughly cleanse the intestines.
• Form and dosage. The drug is taken orally. Sachets A and B are dissolved in a small amount of water, after which the volume is adjusted to 1 liter. Thus, you need to prepare another portion of the solution. As a result, you should get 2 liters of finished liquid. It can be drunk at one time (in the morning or evening before the cleansing procedure), or divided into 2 doses (one liter is taken in the evening, and the second part of the drink in the morning). The entire volume of the solution should be drunk within 1-2 hours, divided into equal portions. You should also supplement the liquid volume with juice without pulp, tea or coffee without milk in a volume of 1 liter. Stop drinking water two hours before the colonoscopy.
• Contraindications: gastroparesis, intestinal obstruction, perforation of the walls of the stomach and intestines, phenylketonuria, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, toxic megacolon, age under 18 years, lack of consciousness, hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
• Undesirable manifestations: anaphylaxis, headaches, convulsions, dizziness, increased blood pressure, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, skin itching and rashes, thirst, chills, malaise, changes in blood picture.

The cost of the medicine is 598-688 rubles.

Endofalk

This is a laxative drug whose main active ingredient is macrogol. It is prescribed to cleanse the intestines before an upcoming colonoscopy.

• Ingredients: macrogol, sodium and potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate.
• Pharmacological parameters: the drug has a carminative effect, is not absorbed into the body, and is released unchanged.
• Form and dosage. The drug is in powder form. Before taking it, it must be dissolved in water (1 sachet of powder requires 0.5 liters of water). To cleanse the intestines you need 3.5-4 liters of solution. The entire volume of the drug must be consumed within 4-5 hours.
• Contraindications: dysphagia, gastric stenosis, ulcerative colitis, intestinal obstruction.
• Undesirable manifestations: disturbances in heart function, nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions.

The drug is produced by an Italian pharmacological company. Its cost is 500-600 rubles.

Picoprep

Picoprep is a new drug that is used to cleanse the intestines. Sodium picosulfate, which is part of it, causes the walls of the organ to contract, pushing feces out. Magnesium citrate absorbs water and softens the intestinal contents.

• Ingredients: citric acid, magnesium oxide, sodium picosulfate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium saccharinate dihydrate, orange flavor. This supplement contains ascorbic acid, xanthine gum, dried orange extract and lactose. The drug is available in powder form. The powder itself is white, and the solution prepared from it may have a yellowish tint and an orange smell.
• Pharmacological parameters. This drug belongs to the group of laxative solutions.
• Form and dosage. One sachet of the drug must be dissolved in 150 ml of water. The first portion of the solution is taken before dinner, washed down with 5 glasses of water, 0.25 liters each. The next dose is taken before bedtime with 3 glasses of water.
• Contraindications: dehydration, peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and vascular diseases, pregnancy, colitis, intestinal obstruction, kidney disease, pregnancy, age under 9 years, lactose intolerance, rehabilitation period after surgery.
• Undesirable manifestations: allergic reactions, headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain.

The cost of the medicine is 770 rubles.

Fleet Phospho-Soda

Ingredients: sodium hydrogen phosphate dodecahydrate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, sodium benzoate, glycerol, alcohol, sodium saccharin, lemon and ginger oil, water, citric acid.

Pharmacological parameters. The drug is a laxative; it retains and accumulates water in the intestines, which causes contractions and promotes rapid bowel movements.

Form and dosage:

• Morning appointment. At 7 o'clock in the morning, instead of breakfast, drink a glass of water and the first dose of the drug (45 ml of the drug is diluted in half a glass of water). This solution is washed down with another glass of water. At lunch, instead of eating, drink 3 glasses of water. Instead of dinner, take another glass of water. After dinner, take the next dose of the solution, diluted in half a glass of water. Take the medicine with a glass of cool water. You also need to drink liquid before midnight.
• Evening appointment. At one o'clock in the afternoon you can eat a light meal. At seven in the evening they drink water. After dinner, take the first dose of the drug with a glass of water. During the evening you need to drink 3 more glasses of liquid.
• On the day of the appointment. At seven in the morning they don’t eat, they drink a glass of water. After breakfast, take the next dose of the drug, washing it down with another glass of water.

Contraindications: individual intolerance to the components of the drug, intestinal obstruction, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and violation of the integrity of their walls, renal failure, age under 15 years, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Undesirable manifestations: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, dizziness, headache, allergic rashes, dehydration.

The cost of the drug is 1606-2152 rubles per package

Duphalac

• Ingredients: water and lactulose.
• Pharmacological parameters: enhances intestinal motility, accelerates metabolism. A small amount of the drug is absorbed into the blood.
• Form and dosage. The drug is produced in the form of syrup, which is packaged in bottles of 200 and 500 ml. The dose is determined by the doctor; during treatment it is necessary to follow the prescribed drinking regime.
• Contraindications: diabetes mellitus, appendicitis, lactulose intolerance.
• Undesirable manifestations: flatulence, vomiting, dizziness, increased weakness.

The drug is produced in Holland, its cost is 475 rubles.

What side effects accompany taking Forlax?

The consequences of using laxatives occur in case of overdose:

• Prolonged debilitating diarrhea, to prevent, strictly follow the doctor’s instructions for use;
• Allergies - rash, itching, Quincke's edema. Immediately stop using and take an antihistamine - Zodak, Zyrtec, Diazolin, Suprastin, Tavegil;
• Abdominal pain, rumbling, bloating. It can be alleviated by massage, movement, injection of no-spa, taking Espumisan;
• To avoid nausea, cool the solution and drink in small sips;
• Inflammation of the perianal area. During defecation, you should not wipe yourself with paper; it is better to take wet wipes or wash the anus with warm water, and then lubricate it with a rich cream;
• Fecal incontinence.

Important! Before a colonoscopy, under general anesthesia, you should not drink anything for 6 hours.