Your appointment letter will state that you need to allow between 2- 4 hours for your visit to the Endoscopy department. The appointment time is measured from the time you register at Endoscopy reception to your departure from the department. It includes pre procedure checks, the time you spend waiting for the examination, the time the actual examination takes, the time you need to recover from it and the time taken getting yourself ready to go home.
The actual time spent on an examination will vary between patients and examinations. In general, an examination of the stomach gastroscopy will take minutes and one of the colon colonoscopy minutes. You don't need to bring anything specific with you no change of clothing etc.
You might like to bring the instructions sent to you with your appointment details. The instructions sent to you with your appointment details will clearly explain what you will need to do to prepare for the endoscopy. Information about specific procedures can be found in patient information leaflets.
Patient information leaflets. Whether you need to bring someone with you as an escort depends on whether you will have a sedative for the endoscopy. If you have a sedative, it is important that you have someone to help you home afterwards, including being driven home. You will be advised of whether you need to have a sedative in your appointment letter. For some examinations, you can opt not to have a sedative and, therefore, do not need to bring an escort with you see below. The gut lining does not have nerves that give sharp pains but they can sense movement, stretching or pressure.
If no sedative is used, some endoscopies can be uncomfortable but not painful. For examinations of the pancreas and gall bladder ERCP , it is accepted practice for people to be offered a sedative, and most people decide to have one. For examinations of the colon colonoscopy , it is accepted practice to offer a sedative, and most people decide to have one but some prefer not to.
