How to Use ClearFast: Our Different Bottle-Count Recommendations and What They Mean
So you’ve heard all about how ClearFast helps to enhance recovery after surgery, reduce your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting, and make for a less stressful surgery experience overall—but now you’re wondering how to use ClearFast properly to reap its benefits? Not to worry! Today, we’re breaking down the ins-and-outs of our different options for using ClearFast before your surgery. We’ll cover:
- Chilling ClearFast before you drink
- How to follow our “Traditional” Three-Bottle Protocol
- How to follow our “Easy” Two-Bottle Protocol
- How to follow our “Iron-Clad” Four-Bottle Protocol
- How to follow our Four-Bottle Protocol for Colonoscopy Prep
Now, let’s dig in…
Keep in mind that, while we offer some basic guidelines below, you should always follow your doctor’s specific instructions for using our preop drink.
PRO TIP: Start by Chilling It
When it comes to how to use ClearFast, there are a number of different recommendations you can follow, but, no matter your doctor’s specific instructions, we always recommend putting ClearFast in your refrigerator to let it chill first. Chilling our preop drink makes it all that much more tasty and easy to drink. So, as soon as you have your ClearFast in hand, pop it into the fridge to get it nice and cool before it’s time to drink!
The “Traditional” Three-Bottle Protocol
Drinking three bottles of ClearFast prior to your surgery is the traditional method recommended by Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Programs (or ERAS® Programs) in hospitals across the U.S. You’ll typically want to take your first bottle of ClearFast 12 hours before your surgery, your second bottle 7 hours before your surgery, and have your your third bottle finished 2 hours before your surgery. So, if your surgery is at 12 p.m., your schedule for drinking clearfast would be:
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- 1st bottle: 12 a.m. the night prior to surgery
- 2nd bottle: 5 a.m. the day of surgery
- 3rd bottle: Complete by 10 a.m. the day of surgery
- Get your specific three-bottle schedule based on your surgery time here.
The “Easy” Two-Bottle Protocol
Drinking two bottles of ClearFast is a common way to prep for surgery as it can sometimes be a bit easier than the three-bottle protocol. (The two-bottle protocol doesn’t require you wake up in the middle of the night to drink ClearFast, as can be the case with the three-bottle protocol, depending on the time of your procedure.) When it comes to how to use ClearFast for our two-bottle protocol, your schedule will be to drink your first bottle 12 hours prior to your procedure, and to have your second bottle completed two hours prior to your procedure. So, if your surgery is at 12 p.m., your schedule for drinking ClearFast would be:
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- 1st bottle: 12 a.m. the night prior to surgery
- 2nd bottle: Complete by 10 a.m. the day of surgery
- Get your specific two-bottle schedule based on your surgery time here.
The Iron-Clad Four-Bottle Protocol
For those looking for the absolute best way to ensure they’re offsetting the terrible dehydrating effects of surgery and surgery prep, drinking four bottles of ClearFast is the way to go. Our four-bottle protocol ensures for maximum medical-grade hydration before, during, and after your procedure—ultimately leading to less stressful procedures and enhanced recovery after surgery. You’d follow the same procedure as with our three-bottle protocol, but add an additional ClearFast on after you wake from your procedure. So, for a 12 p.m. procedure, you would use ClearFast as follows:
- 1st bottle: 12 a.m. the night prior to surgery
- 2nd bottle: 5 a.m. the day of surgery
- 3rd bottle: Complete by 10 a.m. the day of surgery
- 4th bottle: Drink after surgery
The Four-Bottle Protocol for Colonoscopy Prep:
For those undergoing a colonoscopy, we recommend following our four-bottle protocol (unless your medical provider says otherwise, of course). If your colonoscopy were scheduled for 12 p.m., your schedule would be as follows:
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- 1st bottle: Use it to “chase” that terrible-tasting colonoscopy prep liquid. This will help you wash down your prep liquid.
- 2nd bottle: 12 a.m. the night prior to your colonoscopy
- 3rd bottle: Complete by 10 a.m. the day of your colonoscopy
- 4th bottle: Drink after your colonoscopy
- Get your specific colonoscopy prep schedule based on your surgery time here, or learn more about ClearFast for colonoscopy prep here.
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Overall, drinking ClearFast as part of your surgery prep routine is a sure-fire way to make your surgery less stressful and to get a major leg up on recovery. Head to our Drinking Instructions page for a custom drinking scheduled calculated based upon your exact surgery time. As always, though, talk to your medical provider about ClearFast before your surgery or procedure and be sure follow her specific instructions for how to use ClearFast properly and effectively.
Ready to use ClearFast for your surgery prep? Order your ClearFast Preop Drink here, or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help!