No. During your gastroscopy or colonoscopy, you will be cared for by a specialist anaesthetist who will administer sedation to ensure you are comfortable and relaxed throughout the procedure. The sedation is typically given through a small IV cannula in your arm, and most patients drift into a light sleep without any awareness of the procedure itself. Your breathing, heart rate, and oxygen levels will be closely monitored at all times.

After the procedure, you will be taken to a recovery area where you will rest until the sedation wears off. It is normal to feel drowsy for several hours afterwards, so you will need someone to accompany you home and avoid driving, operating machinery, or making important decisions for the rest of the day.

No. Due to lingering sedation effects, you must not drive, work, operate machinery, or make important decisions for the rest of the day.

Yes. You’ll receive clear instructions about when to stop eating and drinking. Fasting is essential to ensure your safety under sedation.

If you are having a colonoscopy, it is essential to prepare your bowel properly to allow the doctor to clearly view the lining of your colon. This involves taking a prescribed bowel preparation solution, which cleans out the bowel by causing multiple loose bowel movements. You will also need to follow a special diet in the days leading up to your procedure, usually including clear fluids the day before. Carefully following these instructions is very important, as an incomplete preparation may mean the procedure cannot be performed properly and may need to be repeated.

While the preparation can be inconvenient, it is a key step in ensuring your colonoscopy is safe, accurate, and effective.

No. You do not need bowel preparation if you are having a gastroscopy, EUS, ERCP or antegrade double balloon enteroscopy.