How should I prepare for the procedure?
It is important that your stomach is empty for the test to be successful. Therefore, you must not have anything to eat or drink for 6 hours before your OGD.
Inform your Dr if you are on blood thinners (i.e. asprin, cardioprin, warfarin, Plavix, ticlid etc.)
If you are taking medications to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach (such as Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Rabeprazole or Esomeprazole), you should stop taking these 2 weeks before your test.
If you are Diabetic on treatment with insulin or tablets, please let us know as we need to arrange an early appointment for you
Do these things ON THE DAY OF the procedure:
Is the procedure uncomfortable?
Before the test, the nurse will spray the back of your throat with a local anaesthetic. This will numb the back of your throat for the procedure. You should experience little, or no, discomfort. You may also choose to be sedated for the procedure.
What are the risks of the procedure?
As with any procedure, there are some known complications. However, these are very uncommon. The risks of gastroscopy include, sore throat and damage to teeth; pneumonia; excessive bleeding and perforation (tear in the stomach or duodenum). The chance of this happening is less than 1 in 10,000.
Are there alternatives?
Yes, we can also do a barium meal which is a radiological test in which you swallow some contrast and take a few x-rays looking for ulcers or tumours/ growths. However, this is not as accurate as a gastroscopy, and also cannot samples for biopsy, and tests for bacteria (namely Helicobacter Pylori- which is an organism responsible for causes gastritis, ulcers etc.)
Subsequent follow up
A report of the endoscopy will be provided to you. We will also prepare a medical report should you require one. We might also need to discuss the endoscopy findings and any further treatment as required. The test for Helicobacter Pylori might also yield results after 48 hours, and this will be discussed with you on follow-up.
