Is eating light days before the bowel prep better?

My surgery is on Monday and my bowel prep is scheduled to start at 1pm on sunday. I was told to eat a light breakfast and lunch on sunday and then start, but I didn't know if it would be better to start eating lighter today (friday) or saturday. I didn't know if that would make the bowel prep easier. I was going to go out to dinner with my dh tonight so I wanted to know ahead of time, thank you in advance for any information.

I'd think since you were told to eat the "light" breakfast and lunch before the prep begins that your dinner out with your DH would not be effected by the prep. Go and enjoy your dinner. You will have plenty of time to eat "light" when you follow the doctor's instructions. That is why they earn the big bucks--- so Friday's night dinner should be anything you want to eat. Get your favorite and enjoy every bite of it.

Good luck to you. I'll be in the same boat one week later.

Downyocean

For my surgery, I was told that there would be no bowel prep. but instead I'm to be on a liquid diet starting on Saturday night. I'm assuming that this is in lieu of a bowel prep. (I can have any clear liquids I want in the amounts I want, so long as I stop all at midnight the night before my surgery.)
With a bowel prep there is the risk of becoming dehydrated as well as electrolyte imbalance, so I was relived to find out that I wouldn't be running back and forth to the potty for the weekend.
From prior surgeries experience I've learned, A bowel prep goes much easier if you concentrate of keeping yourself hydrated before and during, and follow your doctors instructions carefully.
I keep gatorade on hand, as well as lots of bottled water.

You should be ok to go ahead and have your nice dinner with your hubby tonight. Go, Enjoy!! You deserve it!! :-)
((HUG)) Good luck, and healthy vibes are coming your way!!!

Paula

I agree with the others, enjoy a nice dinner tonight!

I didn't necessarily eat "light" as in volume of food, but I did eat "easy to pass" things starting about two days before the bowel prep. I didn't eat popcorn, no big steaks, things like that that might hurt coming out in a hurry, HA HA HA HA!

I ate soup, grilled cheese, applesauce, and other things like that. My prep went quick and painless.

Good luck!

My doctor instructed me to get well hydrated (drink a lot of water) for the few days before and eat only clear food the day of the bowel prep, and nothing after midnight. There were no other food restrictions before that day.

Thanks for the responses, so I am going to have a great steak dinner tonight, and then start eating a little lighter tomorrow so by sunday my bowel prep will be easier, thank you again.

Erica-Good luck on Sunday-but for Friday-eat up! My doc didn't require a bowel prep but had me eat light for 2 days prior to the day before surgery and then just liquids on the night before and stopping everything at midnight!

I am now 10 weeks out from surgery and this was the best thing I've done for me - wish I could have convinced the docs I had before that it wasn't in my head!

My prayers and good wishes are coming to you and the other princesses to be for safe surgeries and relaxing recoveries-remember to follow the doc's instructions and don't overdo anything, sleep, eat light, and drink lots of fluids. Take small walks around your house and rest alot! There is plenty of time later to eat a big steak (I finally got mine about 3 weeks post surgery).

Take care-
Selena
TAH 10/26/07 3 fibroids and alien shaped organs!
"Everybody out of the pool please!"

The one thing I wouldn't eat is beef of any kind. It is very difficult to digest. I didn't eat any beef for 4 days before my bowl prep, it did make it easier. If you have to do the Magnesium Sulfate, the one thing nobody told me till after surgery is get some DESITIN, and use it in between the times you are getting rid of the stuff (pooping) excuse me but believe me you will need it and if you don't listen to anything else, please use that!!!!