FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the indications for a colonoscopy?
Change of bowel habits, blood in your stool, abdominal pain, weight loss, anemia, constipation, diarrhea, family history of colon cancer, personal history of colon polyps, personal history of breast cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other symptoms that may be related to gastrointestinal disturbances.

What are the indications for an upper endoscopy or EGD, (esophagogastroduodenoscopy)?
Anemia, abdominal pain, bloating, belching, loss of appetite, weight loss, heartburn, acid reflux, difficult or painful swallowing, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms that may be related to gastointestinal disturbances.

How do I schedule to have an endoscopy exam?
If your insurance does not require a referral from your primary care physician, you may call any of our doctors' offices and schedule a new patient appointment with one of our gastroenterologists or colorectal surgeons. This appointment will determine if you need an endoscopy exam. If your insurance requires a referral from your primary care physician, see or talk to your doctor prior to making an appointment with our office. Also, check with your insurance company to see if our facility is an acceptable site for your appointment or exam.

What do I need to prepare for a procedure?
If you are having and endoscopy procedure, you will be instructed on how to prep for the exam by your doctor’s office. Please bring your insurance card(s) and an emergency contact person's name and phone number for our records. Also, have a list of your current medications and allergies. Arrange to have someone bring you and drive you home on the day of the exam. We cannot let you drive or take the bus home if you have been medicated during the exam.

How long does the procedure take, and how long will I be in your facility?
An endoscopy takes between 15 and 45 minutes depending on what is found (i.e., multiple polyps that can be removed during the exam). You will be asked to arrive at the endoscopy center half an hour prior to your exam time in order to sign consent forms and post-procedure instructions. A nurse will go over your medical history and place a small intravenous catheter in your vein in order for the physician to administer medication that will make you sleepy during the procedure. You will be monitored in the recovery area for at least 30 minutes after the procedure. The total time in our facility for an endoscopy exam is usually 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Will I be asleep for the procedure?
You may request no medication for the exam; however, you may experience some discomfort or cramping due to air being put into your stomach or intestine. Most patients receive medication so that they can fall asleep shortly after receiving it. Your physician or a Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), under the supervision of an Anesthesiologist, will give you an intravenous medication to make you feel relaxed. Some people fall asleep and do not remember the procedure when they awaken. The physician will put air into your colon (for colonoscopy) or stomach (upper endoscopy) to help visualize the lining. This sometimes causes a cramping or bloated sensation. (Passing this air during and following the exam will relieve any discomfort.)

How will I feel after the procedure?
You may feel back to normal, euphoric, or very sleepy. Most patients report that they go home and take a nap and resume regular activities the next day.

The sedation used during your exam impairs judgment, memory, and equilibrium. We cannot perform this procedure unless we know that you will arrive home safely, so please bring a friend or family member with you:

  • You will not be permitted to drive, operate machinery, make critical decisions, drink alcoholic beverages, or do activities that require coordination or balance for 24 hours.
  • If you had a colonoscopy, you may not have a bowel movement for 1-3 days because of the colonoscopy prep. This is normal. Because air was put into your colon during the procedure, you may experience cramping, bloating and expelling large amounts of air from your rectum. This is normal for the first 24 hours.
  • If you had an Upper Endoscopy (EGD), you may experience a sore throat for 24 to 48 hours. Because air was put into your stomach during the procedure, you may experience some belching.

Except for these restrictions, you may resume your normal diet unless directed otherwise by your physician. Your physician may give you additional instructions at the time of discharge.

Will I talk with the physician after the procedure?
Yes. Your physician will write his/her findings and instructions on the post-procedure instruction sheet, and a nurse will go over all the findings and instructions with you. Your physician will request a follow-up appointment, write you a note, or call you with the results of the exam. (It takes approximately 5 days for your physician to get a report from a pathologist if biopsies or polyps were taken.)