How long you will be in the endoscopy unit will depend on the procedure you have, if you opt to have sedation, and how you feel after your procedure. However on average we ask you to expect to be in the department for 2-4 hours. Occasionally endoscopy lists do run late as sometimes procedures can take longer than expected or we can experience unavoidable delays. The nurses in endoscopy will keep you informed of any delays.

Your family member can wait with you in the waiting area of endoscopy but will be unable to follow you through to the admission area.

If you are a carer for the patient having a procedure please notify the reception staff on arrival and if necessary arrangements can be made for you to accompany the patient through into the admission area.

Family members may be asked to leave the endoscopy waiting area if the department is very busy due to limited space. If you are asked or wish to leave the unit but remain in the hospital grounds while your family member is having their procedure you will be given a pager which will notify you when your family member is ready to be picked up.

We will try to make you as comfortable as possible during your procedure. Depending on the procedure you are having and your medical history you will have the option of sedation, intravenous pain relief, Entonox (gas and air), local anaesthetic or a combination of these drugs. We aim to make you as comfortable as possible during your procedure, however a varying degree of discomfort can be experienced. During colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy a feeling of trapped wind is common and in investigations of the stomach a bloated feeling and burping is very common.

Yes, you can decide on the day.  However if you decide to have sedation you need to ensure that you have a responsible adult to collect you from the endoscopy unit and to stay with you for 24 hours. Also after having sedation you MUST NOT drive, drink alcohol, look after young children by yourself, operate heavy machinery or sign any legal documents for 24 hours.

Yes, you can stop the procedure at any time.

There will be a nurse with you at all times so you can tell them, the endoscopist will be listening to what you say too. During gastroscopy it’s difficult to speak so we ask patients to raise their hand in the air as a sign that they want the test to stop.

It is very important that you follow the bowel preparation instructions carefully. If you do not follow the instructions the bowel lining may not be clean and the endoscopist will not be able to see any abnormalities that may be there or they may not be able to complete the procedure.  If this happens you may have to take the bowel preparation again and repeat the procedure.

There are videos and information leaflets on our website to give you further information on how to take your bowel preparation.

Click here to see specific bowel preparation information

If you are having a gastroscopy we ask you not to eat for 6 hours before, you may drink clear fluids up to 2 hours before your procedure. If you are having a colonoscopy you need to follow the bowel preparation guidelines which will tell you when to stop eating.  You can continue to drink clear fluids alongside the bowel preparation.  If you are having a flexible sigmoidoscopy you can continue to eat and drink as normal if you are having enema preparation.  If you are having bowel preparation for your flexible sigmoidoscopy you will need to follow the same guidelines as those for Colonoscopy. For bronchoscopy and EBUS you must not eat or drink for 4 hours prior to your procedure.

Where possible for 3 days before your procedure you should have a low residue diet.  These are foods that are easy to digest and are low in fibre.  This helps the bowel to empty properly.  Please see the foods to avoid section under the bowel preparation section. 

During the procedure there will be a nurse looking after you and a healthcare assistant helping the person carrying out your procedure.  There may also be a student nurse or medical student present observing the procedure.  The nurse looking after you will monitor you during your procedure.  The nurse will also support you and address any concerns or worries you may have.

The sedation used is ‘conscious sedation’ and the effects differ from person to person.  You may feel drowsy but usually you will feel more relaxed.  You are still awake.

The sedation used can cause amnesia and quite often you can forget some of your procedure.  The effects can last for up to 24 hours so you will need someone to collect you from the endoscopy department and stay with you for 24 hours.  We recommend that you rest for 24 hours following your procedure. Do not drive, drink alcohol, sign any important documents, look after any young children on your own or operate any heavy machinery.

The first people you will meet when you arrive in Endoscopy will be the reception staff.  You can raise any concerns and worries with them and they will try to help or if they can’t they will pass them on to the admission nurse.  The admission nurse will then discuss any concerns or worries with you prior to your procedure. The staff in the endoscopy unit are here to help you at any time during your stay in the endoscopy unit.

After your procedure the endoscopist will write a report on the outcome of your procedure.  The nurse in the recovery area will explain your report to you before you are discharged and advise you of when to expect the results of any samples that may have been taken.

If samples are taken during your procedure the doctor who referred you for your test will either write to you with the results or arrange to see you in clinic to discuss them if required.