Picolax – Standard Bowel Preparation for Morning Appointment

This information is for a morning appointment.

You will need to follow a five day ‘low residue diet’.  A list of ‘allowed foods’ can be found below. Please use this list for all your meals before colonoscopy. 

You will also be required to consume ‘clear fluids’ only. A list of can be found below.

Please note: We encourage you to drink ‘extra clear fluids’ during this period to reduce the risk of you becoming unwell due to dehydration. 

The day before procedure 

Breakfast – Small quantity of low fibre foods from the ‘foods allowed’ list. Black tea or coffee. You may have sugar or sugar substitutes. Drink plenty of water or cordial. 

Mid-morning – Black tea or coffee. You may have sugar or sugar substitutes. 

Lunch (no later than 12 midday) – Small quantity of low fibre foods from the ‘foods allowed’ list. No solid food after this meal. 

First sachet of Picolax at 1pm.  

Instructions on making your Picolax

Mix contents of one sachet of Sodium Picosulphate (Picolax) with approximately 150ml of cold water. Stir for two to three minutes and then drink the solution. If the solution becomes hot, then allow it to cool before drinking. 

Drink plenty of clear fluids (one glass of water every hour you are awake). 

Have supper between 7pm and 9pm No solid food. You may have clear soup, Bovril and Oxo made into drinks and you may eat clear (not red/purple) jellies for dessert. 

Second sachet of Picolax at 8pm. 

Make up the second sachet of Picolax with 250mls water and continue drinking plenty of clear fluids (one glass of water every hour you are awake). 

Day of procedure 

Please drink clear fluids only from this point onwards until two hours prior to your colonoscopy. 

Low residue / low fibre foods you are allowed

• White meat, skinless chicken, grilled or poached fish 
• White bread, rice, pasta, boiled or mashed potatoes 
• Cheese, eggs, tofu, butter/margarine 
• Ice cream, custard 
• Shredless marmalade or jam 
• Clear soups/meat extract drinks e.g. Bovril. 

High fibre foods which should be avoided

• Red meat, sausages, pies 
• Wholemeal pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread 
• Vegetables, fruit or salad 
• Potato skins or chips 
• Cakes, biscuits, puddings containing fruit or nuts, yoghurts 
• Nuts, seeds and pulses including baked beans.                                 

Please note: nuts and seeds should be avoided as they can block up the procedure equipment which could lead to your procedure being abandoned.      

Clear fluids

• Water 
• Diluted cordials – not Blackcurrant 
• Herbal teas 
• Black tea, black coffee 
• Clear soups/meat extracts drinks eg. Bovril 
• Clear fruit juice (without pulp) 
• Fizzy drinks including Lucozade but not Cola/Blackcurrant flavoured /coloured. 

Hints and tips 

• You may drink the preparation through a straw – it may be more palatable
• You may add a light-coloured cordial to it to alter the flavour if desired. 

Contact numbers

Endoscopy Advice Line 01305 253152 

About this leaflet

Author: Suzie Batten, Clinical Endoscopist 
Written: May 2025  
Approved: May 2025 
Review date: May 2028
Edition: 3 

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk