# Can you drink cider 4 days before a colonoscopy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373 "2021-02-21T02:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/1 "2021-02-21T02:46:59Z")
I have a colonoscopy on Wednesday. It’s Saturday night. Would I be permitted to drink cider tonight? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/2 "2021-02-21T02:48:56Z")
Define “cider”. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/3 "2021-02-21T03:16:44Z")
What instructions were you given? As I remember my colonoscopy prep instructions, nothing special was needed four days in advance, but it’s been a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/4 "2021-02-21T03:48:44Z")
I was told not to eat anything red for a week before, iirc. And maybe I had to avoid food with fiber. But cider is neither of those. Don’t you have instructions from the doctor? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/5 "2021-02-21T04:08:07Z")
Call your doctor’s office and ask the nurse. I’m guessing it’s okay, but I would hate to be wrong and have you turned away at the starting gate. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/6 "2021-02-23T00:14:45Z")
OP here. I managed not to drink alcohol. If my Covid test is negative, I can have the procedure on Wednesday, so preparation day is tomorrow. Yay. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/7 "2021-02-23T16:47:56Z")
I drank alcohol up to the day before prep day. I was glad to learn 2-3 preps ago that honey is a clear liquid. Stick in the spoon, pull back out, let it drip off about 10 seconds and suck on the spoon for a while. I was told to avoid fiber, nuts, whole corn 3 days in advance. No red dye 2 days in advance. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-drink-cider-4-days-before-a-colonoscopy/933373/8 "2021-02-23T16:57:24Z")
No one told me to avoid alcohol, except for the 24 hour clear-liquid-only fast period, when it might have been limited (or might not have been. I don’t recall.)