Gastroscopy

Why a gastroscopy is done

You might be referred for a gastroscopy to:

• check what’s causing any digestive symptoms such as indigestion, difficulty swallowing, stomach pain, black and sticky poo or vomiting blood
• treat problems in your digestive system for example widening your food pipe (oesophagus), removing growths or stopping bleeding
• check for some types of cancer such as stomach cancer or oesophageal cancer

Getting ready for a gastroscopy

Once you've been referred for a gastroscopy you should get a letter telling you:

• when and where you will have the procedure
• when you should stop eating and drinking before the test
• about some of the medicines you may be offered before having the test
• how long you may have to wait for your results

Let the hospital know if you're pregnant.

On the day of the gastroscopy, you’ll need to stop eating at least 6 hours before the test, but you may be able to have small sips of water.

Bring along the details of any medicines you take and follow any instructions the hospital gives you about taking your medicines.

What happens during a gastroscopy

Before a gastroscopy

You'll speak with a nurse about what's going to happen. They’ll ask some questions about your health and medical history.

You'll be offered something to make you more comfortable and make the test easier, such as:

• local anaesthetic spray – to numb the back of your mouth and inside of your throat
• sedation – medicine given through a small tube in your arm to help you relax

During a gastroscopy

During this procedure:

1. A thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside goes into your mouth, or nose, and down your throat into your stomach.
2. You may feel like you want to be sick. This should stop once the tube reaches your stomach and sedation can help prevent this.
3. Air is pumped in to inflate your stomach – you may feel bloated and might burp a few times.
4. A sample of cells may be taken to check for cancer (biopsy) – you will not feel anything if this happens.

A gastroscopy should not be painful. But you can ask for the procedure to be stopped at any time.

It should take 15 to 45 minutes to have your gastroscopy.

But you might be at the hospital for around 4 hours from the time you get there until you go home.

After a gastroscopy

After the gastroscopy is finished you will be moved to a recovery room.

You should be able to go home as soon as you feel well enough to. For most people, this will be within a few hours.

If you have sedation, you’ll need someone to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours.

You should also avoid doing any of the following for 24 hours after sedation:

• drinking alcohol
• driving
• operating machinery
• signing important documents

If you have a local anaesthetic spray you should wait an hour before eating or drinking.

You may have some stomach and throat pain after a gastroscopy. This is normal and should pass in a few hours.

Possible complications of gastroscopy

A gastroscopy is a common and straightforward procedure. Complications are rare but can include:

• a reaction to the sedation
• bleeding in your stomach
• infection

Getting your gastroscopy results

A doctor or nurse may explain the results of the gastroscopy to you before you leave hospital. If you had a sample of cells taken (a biopsy), you’ll need to wait for the results.

You may be given a follow-up appointment to talk about your results and discuss possible treatments that could help you.

Biopsy results

It can take up to 2 months to get the results from a biopsy.

If doctors think you may have cancer you’ll usually get the results within 2 weeks.

If your results say you have cancer, you’ll be put in touch with a specialist cancer care team.

Support after a gastroscopy

For many people a gastroscopy will not find anything to worry about.

But it might help to speak to someone if you're feeling worried about your results.

You can get in touch with charities such as:

• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• Maggie’s – cancer support