NOTE: These instructions do not apply to gastric balloon insertion or removal.

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Upper endoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or just “EGD” for short are all terms for the same thing – examining the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) with a lighted, steerable scope.

EGD’s are done with patients completely sedated, but breathing on their own. While the patient is asleep, the scope is advanced down through the mouth and the anatomy is inspected. Often times we take biopsies to have examined by a pathologist, or to rule out a bacterial infection called H Pylori. The procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes, and you can be on your way home around 30-45 minutes after completion. You will need the entire day off work, you cannot go back to work or drive for the rest of the day due to potential lingering effects of the medications used.

If you are scheduled for an EGD, there are a few important things you need to know to be ready for your procedure!

You will be contacted the day before your procedure with an exact arrival time.
You MUST have a responsible adult to drive you to the procedure and pick you up. We cannot allow you to leave in a taxi, LYFT, or Uber!
You cannot have anything to eat or drink after midnight the night before your procedure.
If you take aspirin, ibuprofen, motrin, aleve, naprosyn, or any other NSAID, you must completely stop them for 7 days prior to your EGD. You can resume them the next day.
If you take stronger blood thinners such as coumadin, warfarin, eloquis, or others please call us to go over a plan for stopping them before your procedure. Do not stop any of these blood thinners without speaking with us first.
If you take a GLP-1 receptor agonist for diabetes or weight loss (Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Zepbound, etc.) these need to be held for 2 weeks prior to your procedure.