How do I prepare for an upper GI
Andrew Campbell
Updated on April 19, 2026
Your doctor will probably ask you not to eat, drink, or chew gum overnight or in the morning before you have this test. Your stomach must be empty, because food makes it hard to see your GI tract on X-rays. Ask your doctor if it’s OK to take your usual medicines with a small sip of water.
How do I prepare for an upper GI test?
Your doctor will probably ask you not to eat, drink, or chew gum overnight or in the morning before you have this test. Your stomach must be empty, because food makes it hard to see your GI tract on X-rays. Ask your doctor if it’s OK to take your usual medicines with a small sip of water.
Are you put to sleep for an upper GI?
It is not needed for a standard upper endoscopy. You will be awake during the procedure, but you will take medicine to relax you (a sedative) before the test.
Can you drink water before a UGI?
Please inform your doctor about recent illnesses or other medical conditions. Your stomach must be empty of food to ensure the best possible image quality. Do not eat or drink anything including water after midnight before your exam.What is an upper GI test consist of?
Upper gastrointestinal tract radiography, also called an upper GI, is an x-ray examination of the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine (also known as the duodenum). Images are produced using a special form of x-ray called fluoroscopy and an orally ingested contrast material such as barium.
Do you fast before an upper GI?
In some cases your doctor may ask that you: Fast before the endoscopy. You will need to stop drinking and eating four to eight hours before your endoscopy to ensure your stomach is empty for the procedure.
How long does a upper GI take?
The procedure usually takes about 2 hours. The procedure can take up to 5 hours if the barium moves slowly through your small intestine. For the procedure, you’ll be asked to stand or sit in front of an x-ray machine and drink barium, which coats the lining of your upper GI tract.
What is the difference between upper GI and endoscopy?
If just the throat and esophagus are looked at, it’s called an esophagram (or barium swallow). Upper endoscopy is done instead of an upper GI series in certain cases. Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look at the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine (duodenum).How long does an upper GI with small bowel follow through take?
The test takes from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on how quickly the contrast agent passes through your child’s system. Once it is completed, we can perform the small bowel series, if this is also indicated.
Can I drive after an upper GI?For safety reasons, you can’t drive for 24 hours after the procedure, as the sedatives used during the procedure need time to wear off. You will need to make plans for getting a ride home after the procedure.
Article first time published onCan I drive home after an endoscopy?
Patients are advised not to drive themselves home after endoscopic procedures that involve propofol sedation, and to refrain from driving or taking public transportation unassisted for at least 24 hours.
Do you gag during an endoscopy?
All endoscopic procedures involve some degree of sedation, which relaxes you and subdues your gag reflex. Being sedated during the procedure will put you into a moderate to deep sleep, so you will not feel any discomfort when the endoscope is inserted through the mouth and into the stomach.
What is the camera pill?
A capsule endoscopy is a procedure that involves swallowing a small capsule, which is the size of a large vitamin pill. Inside the capsule is a tiny wireless camera that takes pictures as it passes through the small intestine. Images are transmitted to a recording device worn on a belt around your waist.
Why would a doctor order an upper GI?
Your doctor may order an upper GI endoscopy if you have long-term symptoms of GERD. Typical symptoms include heartburn, indigestion, regurgitation and nausea. Doctors perform an upper GI endoscopy with a special light that highlights abnormal tissue, and then they take a biopsy.
What is the difference between upper GI and barium swallow?
Your upper GI tract includes the back of your mouth and throat (pharynx) and your esophagus. Barium is used during a swallowing test to make certain areas of the body show up more clearly on an X-ray.
What does barium taste like?
What does a barium swallow taste like? The barium you swallow is artificially flavored and sweetened. However, many people report that it tastes bitter or chalky.
Does an upper endoscopy hurt?
Upper endoscopy is used for treatment as well as diagnosis. Endoscopes give your doctor the ability to send medical instruments into your upper GI tract to treat abnormalities within your body. Discomfort is minimal in these cases.
How is a GI test done?
During the examination, a special type of X-ray camera sends beams of radiation through the upper GI tract while a child drinks a thick liquid (barium sulfate), and images are recorded on a computer. The images taken include the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine (called the duodenum).
Can upper endoscopy see pancreas?
Upper endoscopy can be used along with x-rays to look at (and sometimes treat problems in) the pancreas and bile ducts. This type of procedure is known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
What is a FL upper GI with small bowel?
An upper GI and small bowel series is a set of x-rays taken to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Barium enema is a related test that examines the large intestine.
Does upper GI show small intestine?
What is an upper gastrointestinal series? An upper gastrointestinal series (UGI) is a radiographic (X-ray) examination of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (first part of the small intestine) are made visible on X-ray film by a liquid suspension.
What is the prep for a small bowel series?
Do not eat or drink after midnight on the morning of the exam. Do not chew gum or smoke after midnight, as these activities can cause stomach secretions, which may degrade the quality of the images. Remember to bring your prescription and your insurance card to your appointment.
Do they put you to sleep during a colonoscopy?
Almost all colonoscopies in the United States are performed with patients under a level of sedation or anesthesia that prevents them from feeling anything. Often, patients are asleep for the entire procedure.
How long are you asleep for an endoscopy?
During the Endoscopy Next, a mouth guard will be placed in your mouth so that the endoscope will not damage your teeth. At this point, if you are receiving sedation, you will start to be sleepy and will most likely remain asleep throughout the procedure, which generally takes about 10 to 20 minutes.
At what age is endoscopy recommended?
Synopsis: Current guidelines recommend upper endoscopy for any patient with onset of symptoms after 45 years of age or with alarm symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, recurrent vomiting, dysphagia, hematemesis or melena, anemia, or palpable mass.
Is colonoscopy worse than endoscopy?
Analysis showed that discomfort scores were significantly higher in patients undergoing colonoscopy compared to gastroscopy (4.65 vs 2.90, p<0.001) and also when comparing flexible sigmoidoscopy to gastroscopy (4.10 vs 2.90, p=0.047).
How do they wake you up from propofol?
Recovery from propofol anesthesia may be sped up by use of common stimulant. Summary: The ability of the commonly used stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) to speed recovery from general anesthesia appears to apply both to the inhaled gas isoflurane, as previously reported, and to the intravenous drug propofol.
Do I really need an endoscopy?
Your gastroenterologist may recommend that you get an endoscopy if you are dealing with: Unexplained abdominal pain. Persistent bowel changes (diarrhea; constipation) Chronic heartburn or chest pain.
How long does it take to wake up from an endoscopy?
Recovering from sedation usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour in recovery before leaving the hospital. The length of days to recover from an endoscopy, depends on what type of endoscopy you had, and also, what did we do during the procedure.
Do you have to undress for an endoscopy?
Before the procedure starts, you’ll be asked to remove any glasses, contact lenses, tongue studs or false teeth. (Talk to the hospital if you’re worried about this.) You will not usually need to get undressed, but you may be asked to wear a hospital gown over your clothes.
What patient preparation is required for capsule endoscopy?
To help the camera capture clear images of your digestive tract, you’ll be asked to stop eating and drinking at least 12 hours before the procedure. In some cases, your doctor may ask you to take a laxative before your capsule endoscopy to flush out your small intestine.