Posted 9/21/2009 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
Regarding your meds, you should call up your doctor's office. They may ask that you take the next day's dose the night before - that's what I was instructed to do the night before my colonoscopy. With upper GI exams, they sometimes allow you to consume a small amount of water to take medications, but as you said, you may not want to do that on an empty stomach. If your procedure is early in the morning, they may just ask you to wait until after the procedure to take the meds.
Do your diet guidelines outline how many grams of fiber you should be consuming each day (e.g., less than 15 grams)? You're not going to be able to remove all fiber from your diet, but it's pretty easy to cut out big offenders. Check the oatmeal box to see how much fiber is in a serving. If your doctor wants you to cut down on fiber intake, it's probably a good idea to stop eating oatmeal. Thinning it out does not decrease the total fiber you're consuming, and I imagine your doctor wants you to restrict fiber intake because you're having a hard time digesting it. There are low fiber cereals (2 grams or less fiber per serving), as well as other options like white toast, eggs, etc. I'm on a low fiber diet right now as well, and it's driving me crazy because when I'm in remission I only eat whole grains, lots of raw veggies, salads, etc., and now I can't eat any of that. But I certainly notice a difference in abdominal pain now that I've cut out these foods.