Before the Procedure
- Detailed, written instructions on how to prepare for the gastroscopy will be given when the examination is scheduled
- The stomach needs to be completely empty for the doctor to see the stomach lining and duodenum clearly. Fasting for eight hours before the procedure is thus necessary.
- Your MyHealth Clinic doctor may ask you to stop taking medications for indigestion two weeks before the gastroscopy, for him/her to clearly see your stomach’s problem.
- A gastroscopy may be done with local anaesthesia, which is given in the form of a throat spray. This blocks feeling from the throat area, but enables the patient to stay awake during the procedure. A sedative may also be offered, but please be aware that it may cause you, the patient, to have very little memory of the procedure.
- Inform your MyHealth Clinic doctor of any allergies to medications and medical conditions such as asthma, heart problems, arthritis with the neck, and other lung diseases. If you are wearing dental crowns, bridges, or loose teeth, your doctor may ask you to remove these prior to the procedure to avoid damaging them during the course of the gastroscopy.
- A consent form will be given for you to sign. This signifies that you, as a patient, understand the risk involved in the procedure, as well as the benefits and possible alternatives to it. This will also confirm your permission to go ahead with the procedure. The consent form must be signed for the procedure to push through. Talk to your MyHealth Clinic doctor for any concerns regarding the gastroscopy.
