Medication Queries

Important Medical Information

If you:

  • Have moderate-severe kidney impairment
  • Use insulin for diabetes
  • Take blood thinners (Warfarin, Clopidogrel {Plavix, Isocover}, Pradax)
  • Have frequent symptoms from heart or lung disease
  • Live alone at home

Then the standard preparation and procedures may need to be modified. Please discuss these issues with your referring Doctor or contact GI Health. We may occasionally recommend a consultation before the procedure.

What to do with Medications:

  • Aspirin: Continue use through to the day of procedure.
  • Diabetes pills: Do not take on morning of procedure. A lower dose may be needed in the evening before. Please discuss with your usual Doctor. Ask for an early morning colonoscopy time.
  • Insulin: Usually reduce any evening dose by half. Do not take any insulin on the morning of procedure. Please discuss with your referring Doctor. Ask for an early morning colonoscopy time.
  • Iron tablets: Please stop these seven days before procedure.
  • Heart and blood pressure pills: Continue use and take them with a small amount of water early in the morning of procedure day unless otherwise advised by your usual Doctor/Specialist.
  • Warfarin, Clopidogrel (Plavix, Isocover, DuoCover, CoPlavix), Xarelto, any other blood thinners like Pradaxa: May need to be stopped before your procedure. This should be co-ordinated with the usual supervising Doctor. GI Health cannot fully advise you over the phone what to do with these important medications. If you have a cardiac stent or artificial heart valve then do not stop medications without your cardiologist approval.

Following any procedure with anaesthetic, you cannot drive until the next day. We strongly recommend you have a responsible person to escort you home and keep an eye on you in the hours after your hospital discharge. You cannot walk home unescorted.