What can and cannot be done before a gastroscopy?

Gastroscopy is a type of medical examination that involves examining the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract using a special light-conducting device called an endoscope.

Gastroscopy is prescribed in cases where the patient feels discomfort in the abdominal area. Complaints may include pain, vomiting, nausea, discomfort in the epigastric region, bloating, flatulence. Also belching with increased acidity, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, coughing or vomit with blood impurities. A gastroscope helps to detect tumor diseases at early stages.

Recommendations before gastroscopy

• the procedure is performed on an empty stomach;
• you need to stick to a diet and exclude heavy foods from your diet;
• It is necessary to inform the doctor about all your illnesses, allergic reactions, and ongoing medical therapy, if any. This information will help to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the optimal treatment;
• Smoking before gastroscopy is prohibited. This is due to the fact that nicotine affects the secretion of gastric juice, which creates difficulties during the manipulation.
• remove dentures and anything else that may cause you discomfort;
• the most important thing is to get into a good mood and try to relax, otherwise gastroscopy will cause more discomfort;
• It is not recommended to brush your teeth before the examination, because this causes a reflex release of gastric juice and its acidity may change, which is highly undesirable;
• If the patient failed to follow all the doctor's recommendations and ate less than 6-8 hours before the gastroscopy, the procedure should be postponed. After all, if this advice is violated, false examination results can be obtained, which will complicate the correct diagnosis.

Read more about how to prepare for a gastroscopy here: Preparing for a gastroscopy of the stomach: what you can and cannot eat, diet

What tests are taken before gastroscopy?

• general blood test;
• biochemical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• determination of blood type and Rh factor;
• determination of hepatitis B and C antigens in the blood;
• blood test for the presence of RW, HIV;
• ECG.

Drinking before gastroscopy

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited if you are scheduled for a gastroscopy procedure. Strong tea, sweet carbonated or coffee drinks should also be eliminated from your diet a couple of days before this medical procedure. The day before gastroscopy, you are allowed to drink still water, homemade fruit compotes, and uzvars. Drinking weak tea is allowed, but in limited quantities. You can drink clean water without gas. The last intake of liquid should be no later than three hours before the procedure. The volume of water drunk should not exceed 100 ml.

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Eating before gastroscopy

When planning this procedure, you need to have your last meal six to eight hours before the examination, because it is performed on an empty stomach. You can eat easily digestible food, meals should be at room temperature, small portions. If you are going to use anesthesia, it is better to follow safety precautions and eat 10-12 hours before. In case of morning gastroscopy, you are allowed to eat before six o'clock in the evening the day before, but choose only easily digestible foods for dinner. If the manipulation is scheduled for the afternoon, a light snack in the morning is allowed. The presence of food in the stomach can cause an incorrect diagnosis, since it is difficult to examine the mucous membrane of the digestive system. You need to come to the procedure with an empty stomach so that the gag reflex does not work when the endoscope is inserted into the throat, and the ejection of vomit is not provoked, which can block the flow of oxygen.

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Diet before gastroscopy

Foods to exclude from your diet:

Before gastroscopy, a specific strict diet is not prescribed, it is recommended to limit the consumption of certain products. These include food that can cause flatulence or bloating, affecting the change in the acid-base balance in the stomach.

Two days before gastroscopy, you should limit your consumption of fried, smoked, spicy foods to avoid an inadequate reaction of the stomach to such food. You should also not eat fast food, pickles and marinated products, mushrooms, various seasonings and sauce pastes, canned products, nuts and seeds.

24 hours before the test, you should exclude from your daily menu whole grains, legumes, dairy products, including milk, fatty cottage cheese, kefir, excessively cold or hot food that can irritate the nerve endings in the gastrointestinal tract, pasta, borscht, meat dishes, tomatoes and citrus fruits.

List of products included in the patient’s menu for the day before gastroscopy:

• boiled potatoes;
• porridge: buckwheat or rolled oats;
• vegetarian soup without fried ingredients;
• steamed cutlets made from white poultry meat;
• dried white bread;
• soft-boiled eggs;
• low-fat fish dishes;
• baked or boiled vegetables and fruits;
• low-fat sour cream, kefir;

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Medications before gastroscopy

Before starting the medical manipulation, the root of the tongue is anesthetized with an anesthetic. Subsequently, the muscles of the pharynx relax and the likelihood of the gag reflex is reduced.

At the beginning of the gastroscopy or the day before, the patient may be given a dose of sedative - this suppresses pain and discomfort.

Espumisan is taken to reduce the amount of gas in the stomach, get rid of bloating, and reduce gas formation in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This drug is prescribed 2 capsules 3 times a day for two days before the operation itself.

Omez acts on the secretion of gastric juice, reducing it.

De-nol is a drug with enveloping, anti-inflammatory, astringent, bactericidal properties. It is part of the therapeutic treatment

Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, chronic gastritis. It is recommended to stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs a week before the planned gastroscopy. If you have previously undergone a course of treatment using De-Nol, you must inform your doctor about this.

Gaviscon is a drug from the antacid group, prescribed for complaints of discomfort in the upper digestive system. It is used to relieve "acid reflux", when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus. Taking various antacid medications is prohibited a week before the study.

Planning a gastroscopy procedure includes finishing the course of antibiotics 2 weeks before it.

De-nol, Gaviscon, antibiotics are medications that can be prescribed after gastroscopy, because they are part of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.