What to Expect
Knowing how the day will go makes it easier. Here is what happens, start to finish.
Before Your Procedure
Arrange your ride now
You must have a responsible adult available to drive you home. Sedation stays in your system well after the procedure ends, so you cannot drive yourself, and a rideshare or taxi on your own does not qualify. If you arrive without a driver, we will have to reschedule. This is the single most common reason procedures get postponed, and it is entirely avoidable.
Review your medications with us
Some medications need to be adjusted or paused before a procedure, particularly blood thinners and diabetes medications. Tell us everything you take, including over-the-counter products and supplements, and we will tell you what to do with each one. Do not stop any prescription medication on your own.
Follow the prep exactly
For a colonoscopy, the prep is what makes the exam possible. If the colon is not clear, polyps can be missed and the procedure may have to be repeated. Read your instructions a few days ahead so you have time to shop for what you need and to call us with questions before you begin. Find the page that matches your prescribed prep on our Prep Instructions page, or go straight to Upper Endoscopy Instructions for an EGD, EUS, or ERCP.
The Day of Your Procedure
Plan on about three to four hours at the surgery center from arrival to discharge. The procedure itself takes a fraction of that time. Most of it is check-in, preparation, and recovery. Tell your driver to plan for the full window.
- Check-in and preparation. You will confirm your information, change into a gown, and a nurse will review your history, take your vital signs, and place an IV.
- Meeting your team. Your gastroenterologist and the anesthesia provider will talk with you, answer questions, and confirm the plan before anything begins.
- The procedure. Sedation is given through the IV. Most patients are asleep and remember nothing of it. A colonoscopy typically takes roughly 20 to 45 minutes; an upper endoscopy is usually shorter.
- Recovery. You will rest in the recovery area while the sedation wears off. Grogginess, and some gas or bloating after a colonoscopy, are normal and pass quickly.
- Going home. Your physician will go over what was found and give you written discharge instructions. Your driver takes you home.
A note about the conversation right after the procedure: sedation makes it hard to retain what you are told, even when you feel alert. This is normal. Bring your driver or a family member into that conversation, keep your written instructions, and call us if anything is unclear once you are home.
After Your Procedure
The rest of the day
Take it easy. Do not drive, operate machinery, sign legal documents, or make important decisions for the remainder of the day. Most patients eat normally and return to their usual routine the following day unless told otherwise.
Biopsy and pathology results
If tissue samples were taken, results usually come back in about a week. We go over them with you at your follow-up appointment, where we can explain what the findings mean and answer your questions properly. If you have not heard from us and your follow-up is not yet scheduled, call the office at 813-600-3709.
When to call us
Mild bloating, cramping, and a small amount of blood after a polyp removal can be expected. During office hours, call us at 813-600-3709 if you develop severe or worsening abdominal pain, heavy or persistent bleeding, fever, chills, or repeated vomiting.
Our office does not have a physician on call after hours. If any of these symptoms develop in the evening, overnight, or on a weekend, go to the nearest emergency room, or call 911 if symptoms are severe. Do not wait until the morning for a call back. Messages left after hours are returned during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Procedures That Do Not Require Sedation
Not everything we do involves sedation or a surgery center. FibroScan, available at all three offices, takes about ten minutes and you drive yourself home. Hemorrhoid banding is done in the office in a few minutes, with most patients returning to their normal routine the same day. See our Services page for the full list.