Patient resources
Preparing for your visit
What to bring to a consultation, how to prepare for an endoscopy or colonoscopy, and what to expect afterwards.
On this page
01 · Before your consultation
Make the most of your appointment
A clear history and your earlier reports mean fewer repeated tests and a quicker answer. No fasting is needed for a consultation.
What to bring
- Previous prescriptions and hospital discharge summaries
- Blood test reports, in date order if you can
- Ultrasound, CT and MRI reports, with the films or CD where you have them
- Earlier endoscopy, colonoscopy and biopsy reports
- A list of every medicine you take (see below)
How to prepare
- Note when the symptoms started, how often they come and what makes them better or worse
- Mention any weight loss, change in appetite or change in bowel habit
- Note any allergies, especially to medicines
- Write down the questions you want answered
- Bring a family member along if that helps you
Your medication list
- Write down the name, dose and timing of every medicine, including vitamins, supplements, and ayurvedic or homeopathic remedies
- Mark clearly any blood thinners, such as aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, apixaban or rivaroxaban
- Mark diabetes medicines and insulin, and any iron tablets
- Do not stop any medicine on your own before a visit or a procedure. You will be told exactly what to continue and what to pause
02 · Before an endoscopy
Upper GI endoscopy: what to expect
A thin, flexible tube with a camera is passed through the mouth to examine the food pipe, the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. A diagnostic endoscopy usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, though you should plan to spend a few hours at the hospital.
Fasting
Your stomach needs to be empty so that it can be seen clearly and safely. Usually this means nothing to eat for at least 6 hours beforehand, and only sips of water until about 2 hours before. Follow the exact timing you are given.
Your medicines
Tell the team when the procedure is booked if you take blood thinners, diabetes medicines or insulin, or if you have heart, lung or kidney disease, or could be pregnant. You will be told which medicines to continue.
On the day
Wear comfortable clothes and leave jewellery at home. Bring your reports and medication list. Dentures and spectacles are removed before the procedure.
During the test
Your throat is numbed with a spray, and a sedative may be given to help you relax. You lie on your left side with a small mouth guard in place. Breathing is not affected; you may feel some pressure and fullness from the air used to open up the stomach.
If you have sedation
Come with an adult who can take you home. For 24 hours afterwards, do not drive, ride a two-wheeler, operate machinery, drink alcohol or sign important documents.
ERCP, EUS and other advanced procedures
Preparation is similar, with additional steps such as blood tests or a hospital stay. Specific instructions are given when the procedure is scheduled.
03 · Before a colonoscopy
Colonoscopy preparation guide
A flexible camera examines the whole of the large intestine. The test itself usually takes 20 to 45 minutes, but its accuracy depends on the bowel being completely clean, so the preparation is the most important part. If the bowel is not clean, small changes can be missed and the test may have to be repeated.
About 7 days before
Collect the bowel preparation and the written instructions that come with it. Iron tablets are usually stopped about a week before. Confirm what to do about blood thinners and diabetes medicines; do not change them unless told to.
2 to 3 days before
Switch to low-fibre food (see the lists below) and drink plenty of water.
The day before
From the time you are given, take clear fluids only: water, clear soup without pieces, coconut water, ORS, clear juice without pulp, and tea or black coffee without milk. Avoid milk and red or purple drinks. Start the bowel preparation as instructed. It is usually taken in two parts, one in the evening and one early on the day of the test.
On the day
Finish the second part of the preparation by the time you are given. Bring your reports and medication list, and come with an adult who can take you home.
Low-fibre foods to choose
- White rice, white bread, suji, poha and plain pasta
- Potatoes without the skin
- Eggs, paneer, curd, chicken and fish
- Clear soups and well-cooked, peeled vegetables in small amounts
Foods to avoid
- Whole-wheat atta, brown rice, oats and multigrain bread
- Dal, rajma, chana and other pulses
- Leafy and raw vegetables, salads and corn
- Fruit with skins or seeds, and dry fruit
- Nuts and seeds, including til, flax and chia
Taking the bowel preparation
- Stay close to a toilet once you start
- Drink the full amount, plus extra clear fluids to avoid dehydration
- Chilling the solution or drinking it through a straw can make it easier
- A barrier cream helps if the skin becomes sore
How to tell it has worked
- Your stools become watery, clear or pale yellow, without solid pieces
- If you vomit, cannot finish the preparation or have no bowel movement, call before coming in
- If you have diabetes, kidney disease or heart failure, ask for instructions made for you
04 · After a procedure
Aftercare and recovery
Most people go home the same day and feel normal by the next day. These are general guidelines. Follow any specific instructions you are given when you are discharged.
Straight afterwards
You rest in the recovery area until the sedation wears off, usually 30 to 60 minutes. The findings are explained to you, or to the person with you, before you leave.
Common, and settles on its own
A mild sore throat for a day or two after an endoscopy. Bloating, wind and mild cramps after a colonoscopy, which walking about helps to ease. A small streak of blood with the first stool can occur if a polyp was removed.
Eating and drinking
You can usually eat normally once the throat spray has worn off and you can swallow comfortably. After a polyp removal, dilatation or ERCP you may be given different advice.
Driving and work
After sedation, do not drive, ride, operate machinery, drink alcohol or sign important documents for 24 hours. Most people return to work the next day.
Results
What was seen is usually explained on the day. Biopsy results take several days and are discussed at your follow-up.
Call or WhatsApp +91 82409 43767 if
- You are unsure when to restart a medicine, especially a blood thinner
- Mild pain, bloating or a sore throat has not settled after two days
- You notice a small amount of bleeding that has stopped
- You have questions about your report or your follow-up
Go to the nearest emergency department if
- You have severe or worsening pain in the abdomen, chest or neck
- You vomit blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
- You pass black, tarry stools or more than a small amount of blood
- You develop a fever, chills, or difficulty swallowing or breathing
- You keep vomiting, or feel faint or dizzy
These guides describe usual practice. The instructions you are given for your own procedure take priority over this page.
Questions before your visit?
Call or WhatsApp to book, or to ask about preparing for a procedure with Dr. Bodhisattya Roy Chaudhuri.