In the article we tell you how many hours before FGDS you can’t eat, and how long after the procedure you can. You will learn what foods and drinks doctors do not recommend consuming before and after gastroscopy.

How many hours before gastroscopy can you eat?

Before FGDS, it is important to follow the recommendations for food intake

Patients have a reasonable question: how many hours before gastroscopy can you eat? It is important that your stomach is empty during the examination. Only in this case the doctor will receive the most accurate picture of the condition of the internal organ and make the correct diagnosis.

How long before FGDS can you not eat? 8 hours is the minimum required for complete digestion of food entering the stomach.. It is better if you can not eat for 14 hours.

If you violate this rule, the examination will be postponed for the following reasons:

• the inserted equipment stimulates the gag reflex, as a result of which food debris will enter the respiratory tract and pose a threat to life;
• The diagnostic results will be of poor quality, which will not allow making an accurate diagnosis and prescribing the correct treatment.

How long should you not eat before FGS if anesthesia is used? The last meal should be 12 hours before the examination.

Usually gastroscopy is carried out in the morning, so you should do this: have a normal dinner, go to bed, and not have breakfast in the morning.

What foods should you not eat?

Patients must follow a diet for at least a week before the examination.

Should be excluded from the menu:

• nuts of any kind;
• chocolate and sweets;
• seeds;
• fast food;
• pasta;
• legumes;
• mayonnaise and other sauces;
• baking;
• pickles;
• fatty and spicy foods.

These products are poorly absorbed by the stomach (up to 24 hours), putting a strong burden on it. Such tests for the gastrointestinal tract of people, even with suspected pathology, are undesirable.

It is better to have dinner no later than 18 pm, and the food should not be too cold or very hot. Choose healthy foods and dishes with a liquid consistency - low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, cheese, omelet, boiled vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, beets, carrots), fruits - sour apples and pears.

How many hours before gastroscopy can you drink?

You should also not drink shortly before the procedure.

Knowing how much not to eat before FGDS, you need to clarify the rules of fluid consumption. You can drink 2-4 hours before the procedure. The stomach does not require much time to digest the liquid, and it is quickly eliminated. But if immediately before the procedure you want to take a sip of something refreshing, you need to abandon the idea.

If you need to take the medicine with water before the examination, you can take a few sips 20-30 minutes before the examination begins. If the drug is in tablets, it must be crushed before use.

What not to drink

For several days before gastroscopy, you should not drink alcoholic beverages, even low-alcohol ones.

A few hours before the procedure, it is better to drink only clean filtered water. If you buy a mineral one, choose one without gases. Avoid all other drinks, especially those containing flavors and dyes.

The total volume of liquid drunk before the examination is half a glass.

How soon can you eat after gastric gastroscopy?

A good doctor should tell you how long you can eat after EGD of the stomach, and also prescribe a diet that you need to follow.

If gastroscopy was performed:

• with a biopsy, then the first meal is no earlier than 4 hours later;
• if without it, then in an hour.

Temporary restriction of food intake is due to the fact that during the examination the pharynx is treated with lidocaine, a freezing anesthetic. If you do not wait time, it is easy to choke on food or water.

What foods can you eat?

After waiting for as long as you can eat after FGDS, make a menu, give preference to:

• kefir (yogurt, fermented baked milk and other low-fat dairy products);
• liquid porridge;
• jelly;
• low-fat broths;
• vegetable puree (potato, beetroot, assorted).

The menu should not contain hard foods, as well as too spicy and fatty foods. The diet after gastroscopy with biopsy involves avoiding the following foods:

• mushrooms (cooked in any way);
• fatty meat broths;
• cabbage, cucumbers;
• baked goods;
• marinades and canned food;
• cereals: millet, eggs, pearl barley.

Choose foods with low acidity that will not irritate the stomach lining.

What can you drink

Despite the fact that after gastroscopy you will experience a burning sensation, dryness and discomfort in your mouth, you should not drink immediately after the procedure. To take a few sips of water, you should wait at least half an hour.

Then give preference to dairy products - kefir, fermented baked milk, low-fat drinking yogurt.

After the examination, 3 hours later you can drink weakly brewed tea, cocoa, or rosehip decoction. For at least a week, forget about the following drinks:

• alcoholic;
• coffee;
• Black tea;
• juices (especially freshly squeezed).

Diet before and after gastroscopy

After FGDS it is necessary to follow a therapeutic diet

Within two weeks after the examination, as well as when pathologies are identified, doctors prescribe diet No. 1.

Its basic rules:

• dishes are steamed, boiled or baked (but not fried);
• the amount of salt is reduced to a minimum;
• food should not be hot or cold;
• meals – from 5 times a day, but in small portions;
• water consumption per day – at least 1.5 liters;
• the number of calories consumed per day is 1500-2800.

Include in your diet menu for 2 weeks before and after the procedure:

• soups - vegetable purees, potato soups with low-fat chicken broth, milk soups with pureed rice or oatmeal, pasta soups with vegetable potato broth;
• bread - only 2-day-old from first-grade wheat flour (but it is better to minimize bread consumption);
• savory baked goods - cookies, biscuits, pies with meat, berries, eggs, cheesecakes;
• dietary meat of rabbit, chicken, turkey, lean lamb;
• boiled lean fish;
• omelette or 2 soft-boiled eggs per day;
• oatmeal, rice, buckwheat are allowed from cereals - prepare porridge from them for weight loss, cook soups or fry cutlets;
• from vegetables, choose potatoes, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower (discard tomatoes, especially sour ones).

For more information about FGDS, watch the video:

What to remember

1. It is important to remember how much you should not eat and drink before gastroscopy: eat – 8 hours, drink – 2-4 hours.
2. Before and after the procedure, do not eat fried, spicy or overly salty foods. Choose healthy foods that are easy for your stomach to digest.
3. Follow a diet 2 weeks before and after gastroscopy.

Gastroscopy is an informative method for diagnosing various diseases of the digestive system. The procedure is performed using special endoscopic equipment - a gastroscope. It allows you to study the state, and. The study is widely used in gastroenterological practice.

Preparation

In order for the examination to be successful and the results to be reliable, it is necessary to properly prepare for gastroscopy. In a few days, you need to change your usual diet, start sticking to a diet excluding heavy foods, alcohol, strong tea and coffee. The diet includes only easily digestible foods. 8-12 hours before the study, eating is prohibited to minimize the risk of a gag reflex during the procedure. Drinking liquid (plain water without gas) is allowed 3 hours before the start of the diagnosis. Smokers should avoid cigarettes because nicotine causes increased gastric acid secretion.

If possible, you should stop taking medications. This is especially true for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and blood thinners.

If the patient experiences severe anxiety immediately before the procedure, a subcutaneous injection of a mild sedative can be given. Remaining calm during the procedure is very important. Otherwise, the person begins to make involuntary sudden movements and makes it difficult to conduct the study.

If you have an allergic reaction to anesthetics, you should notify your doctor in advance.

How to do gastroscopy of the stomach through the mouth

The standard procedure is performed by an endoscopist through the mouth using special equipment. The endoscope is a flexible hollow tube with a diameter of no more than 10 mm. At one end it is equipped with a backlight and a miniature video camera, the other end is connected to a computer. It has holes through which instruments can be inserted to take biopsies and perform other manipulations.

The study is carried out in a separate room. The patient is positioned on the couch in a lying position on his left side, with his knees drawn up to his chest. A cushion is placed underneath. If the patient wears glasses, lenses or dentures, they must be removed for safety reasons. The doctor irrigates the root of the tongue and the back of the tongue with the local anesthetic Lidocaine. Thanks to this, the muscles relax, which facilitates subsequent insertion of the probe. Next, the patient is asked to clamp the mouthguard with his teeth to avoid biting the device. Through the oral cavity, the gastroscope is carefully inserted into the cavity and a thorough examination is carried out from all sides. The image is transmitted to the monitor screen, and the specialist examines the condition of the mucous membrane. If visualization is difficult, a stream of water or air is injected through the endoscopic tube. In this way, the endoscope lens and the examination site are washed.

Breathing during the procedure should be smooth and deep. Swallowing movements should not be performed; accumulated saliva is removed by suction.

Once the examination is completed, the endoscope is carefully removed. The doctor enters all the data received into the protocol and hands the papers to the patient.

If you are concerned about any health problem, sign up for a diagnosis. The success of treatment depends on a correct diagnosis.

Is gastroscopy performed under general anesthesia?

The procedure is performed under anesthesia or sedation if indicated or at the request of the patient. In this case, more thorough preparation is required. The patient must provide the results of an electrocardiogram, fluorography, and various tests.

Medical indications:

• inflammatory processes in the stomach and;
• strong gag reflex.

Gastroscopy under anesthesia is always performed in the presence of an anesthesiologist. He selects suitable medications and calculates the dosage.

Medication-induced sleep lasts about half an hour. During this time, the doctor has time not only to examine the stomach, but also to perform therapeutic and diagnostic manipulations, if necessary.

How long does the procedure take?

Patients always ask how long gastroscopy takes. The study does not last long - about 20-30 minutes. This is quite enough to examine the entire inner surface of the stomach. An experienced specialist requires even less time - only 15 minutes. If during gastroscopy a biopsy is performed (taking a sample of epithelial tissue) or other manipulations are performed, the time increases slightly (by 10-15 minutes).

How often should you do it?

Many patients are interested in how often this examination can be done. Gastroscopy is a multitasking procedure. It is carried out at different intervals, depending on the purposes of the study.

1. Therapeutic. Performed to cauterize bleeding, remove tumors, and spray pharmaceuticals inside the stomach. The frequency of execution in each specific case is determined by a gastroenterologist.
2. Diagnostic. If there are complaints or suspicion of any disease, it is carried out once a year.
3. Preventive. Indicated for patients suffering from pathologies. Performed once every 6-12 months.

In general, if there are no contraindications, then the number of endoscopic manipulations is not limited. This diagnostic method is considered safe and is rarely accompanied by complications. But in practice, too often gastroscopy is never prescribed because it is not the most comfortable procedure. If indicated, a repeat study may be scheduled a month after the previous one.

Gastroscopy of the stomach is a minimally invasive diagnostic examination that allows you to detect many diseases of the digestive tract even at an early stage. This significantly speeds up the healing process and reduces the likelihood of unpleasant consequences for the body.

This article is posted for educational purposes only, does not replace an appointment with a doctor and cannot be used for self-diagnosis.

Hi all! If you are reading this review, then most likely you will soon have this procedure. And I immediately want to reassure you! It lasts no more than a minute! I've done it 3 times already and they all lasted so quickly! They looked at me both through the monitor screen and through the peephole, there was no significant difference in time.

But let's figure out how it goes:

So first they spray an anesthetic into your throat, if I’m not mistaken it’s lidocaine. It tastes very nasty, bitter.

You will then be asked to place a towel on the couch, a towel under your head (this is necessary because you will drool) and lie on your left side.

You will be asked to open your mouth and a special thing will be inserted into it so that it does not close; you will hold it with your teeth.

Then the doctor will begin to push the hose through and you will involuntarily swallow it and you will begin to vomit - the main thing here is to calm down!

I usually lie down, cross my arms to control them, close my eyes and think to myself that now everything will end soon)

How will you feel when the hose is inside:

While it is going through the esophagus, you will have a strong urge to vomit, this is a normal reaction of your body to a foreign object and you should not be ashamed of the doctor, he sees this 1000 times a day.

then, when the hose goes into your stomach, you will feel a little better, the urge to vomit will subside a little, and the most important thing here is to calm down and breathe again, I noticed that if you breathe through your mouth, it’s easier. It is better to take a deep breath, it lasts longer, because when you exhale you will again gag.

then the doctor will insert it into the duodenum, here I already had pain during the last study, before that it was not painful, but there was no gastritis either. But this pain quickly passed when the doctor moved a little further. Here you feel that something hard is crawling inside you, it looks like a hard big worm, for some reason it seemed to me that they would pierce me now, but I tried to mentally calm down and kept repeating - now it will all be over, now it will all be over!

So the doctor stopped for a bit, apparently to do an acidity test and check if I had that nasty bacterium Helicobacter pylori in me. And then she stuck out the hose, when she did that you felt relieved.

And all this lasted no more than a minute, even most likely less, since I didn’t time it.

Of course, the main thing is to choose a doctor, before this I had it done by a man 2 times, he didn’t hurt me and the procedure was faster, he even timed it and when he pulled it out. told me the time, it was 34 seconds!

The last time I did it was with a nasty woman who kept yelling, come on quickly, we should still have time to drink tea with you... well, in general, you understand - the choice of a doctor is your comfort.

What I advise you:

During the procedure, it is best to either place your hands between your legs or clasp them in a lock - it is easier to control

Breathe deeply - it’s easier and there’s less gagging

Mentally tell yourself that everything will end soon, or think about something else, good

It's better to close your eyes. so as not to see the hose approaching your face

Listen carefully to the doctor, he will tell you what he is doing now

Advantages and disadvantages:

+ the procedure is really very fast

Always correct diagnosis

This is certainly unpleasant. but it’s not fatal, I always laugh at those people who can’t do it, damn it, it’s really no big deal!

Do not forget!

Before the examination, you will need to donate blood for HIV.

Take a towel

The procedure is carried out only on an empty stomach, you can’t even drink!

It is better to eat your last meal no later than 20.00

During the procedure, you will have tears, snot and drool, but not too much, so it’s better to come without makeup, at least don’t paint your eyes

Result:

I constantly had pain in the right hypochondrium, it turned out that I had gastritis with high acidity, so it hurt me a little when the doctor got into my door. intestine (it’s just in the right hypochondrium), but if you go just for prevention, it won’t hurt you at all! I consider the procedure necessary if you want to be a healthy person!

For many people, the stomach causes a lot of problems, since gastrointestinal diseases are considered the leading among all chronic diseases.

Every second adult in the world has stomach problems, and to identify them, you need to conduct a study, one of which is gastric FGS. FGS is an abbreviation; the full name of this abbreviation is fibrogastroendoscopy. This procedure is not very pleasant, since a small hose with a camera is inserted through the patient’s mouth to examine the mucous membrane. In addition, tissue can be collected for biopsy. How FGS of the stomach is done, how to properly prepare for FGS of the stomach, what you can eat and what such an examination of the stomach shows will be described in the article.

The main difference between FGS and FGDS

What does FGS show? This procedure allows you to examine the condition of the stomach, its walls and mucous membrane. If you prepare for fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS), then the doctor will be able to diagnose not only the stomach with this method; the duodenum will also be examined. One study and the other are very similar to each other, not only in how to prepare for the procedure, but also in how the procedure is done.

Many people are interested in what FGS is and how it is diagnosed. If you read reviews or listen to people who have previously undergone such diagnostics, you can get very scared, since not so long ago a device was used that was quite large in diameter. Due to this, examination of the stomach was problematic, and the procedure itself was very unpleasant and sometimes traumatic. Therefore, today many are interested in whether it hurts to make such a diagnosis.

Today, after FGS of the stomach, there is no stomach pain, and the examination itself is carried out without unnecessary discomfort. In addition, people can use alternative research methods that already exist in Penza, Nizhny Tagil, Moscow and other cities, where the method of diagnosing the stomach without swallowing a tube or gastroscope is used. Additionally, people can use a method where the doctor puts his patient into a medicated sleep; the person is not under anesthesia, but under a sleeping pill.

How long does such an inspection take? Typically 40-45 minutes. After this, the person who was under anesthesia, or rather in a dream, does not feel any discomfort or side effects. At the same time, the doctor himself can normally analyze and examine the person, since he does not move or feel discomfort; patients simply sleep under anesthesia. This alternative makes it possible to diagnose children, which is impossible, or rather difficult, to do FGS without anesthesia. Knowing what can replace diagnosis, you will need to additionally know who is undergoing FGS and who is contraindicated for FGS of the stomach.

Indications and contraindications

FGS of the stomach is prescribed when there are suspicions of serious abnormalities in patients, for example, with ulcers, gastritis or other abnormalities. As for all indications and contraindications, they are presented in the table:

Indications:	Contraindications:
My stomach hurts for 2 days. For unknown reasons.	Heart attack.
Discomfort of the esophagus and stomach.	Obvious curvature of the spine.
Constant heartburn.	Stroke.
Constant vomiting.	Heart diseases.
Failure of swallowing function.	Esophageal stenosis.
Rapid weight loss.	Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.
Anemia.	Hypertension.
Pathologies of other internal organs.	Angina pectoris.
The patient always undergoes FGS of the stomach before surgery.	Mental disorders.
For gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, ulcers).	During pregnancy
After removal of polyps.
As a preventive measure or to monitor the course of the disease.

Important! In some cases, contraindications can be ignored if urgent diagnostics are required. In this case, the doctor will assess the possible risks, after which it will be necessary to take measures. It is worth noting how dangerous FGS can be during pregnancy. The baby can be easily harmed, so during pregnancy the doctor should use other diagnostic methods, for example, ultrasound.

Preparation for FGS

Before checking your stomach, you need to prepare for FGS. The essence of preparation lies in the diet that must be followed in order to cleanse the intestines and stomach walls. The doctor always tells you how much not to eat, whether you can smoke, whether you can drink water and what you should eat in general. But there are basic, general recommendations for preparation that we will adhere to:

If a person takes medications, then during the FGS he will need to give them up, or is there an alternative, then use replacement medications, but only with the permission of the doctor. Also, smoking should be eliminated 4 hours before the start, and it is better to give up cigarettes altogether during the diet. A person who smokes a cigarette will want to eat more, and gastrointestinal diseases may develop more often and more severely.

There is no need to be afraid to look at the FGS results. The results are deciphered quite quickly after the studies, and all diseases today can be cured without the use of surgery. Every doctor knows how this or that FGS indicator is deciphered, what is normal, and where is which organ with pathologies. After the results are obtained, the doctor prescribes a diagnosis and treatment. By adhering to simple rules, preparation will be simple, and the duration of the examination will be reduced, since the stomach, like the walls, will be clean. Diagnosing FGS in a child requires similar preparation.

Conducting and price of FGS

You need to come to the clinic in the morning and undergo an FGS of the stomach. The procedure looks like this:

The photo on the side shows the FGS. Veliky Novgorod, Moscow, as well as the Penza clinic offer a more modern device that uses a fiber optic endoscope. After the studies, the device can show the doctor a video of the FGS of the stomach, due to which it will be possible to better assess the condition and prepare the necessary treatment. After the examination, the doctor prescribes treatment, but if necessary, prepares for surgery.

The price for such an examination is not high, from 1100 rubles in Moscow. Many people are interested in the questions, how often can FGS be done and how often should it be done? When answering the question of how many times a year an examination should be carried out, only a doctor can say. For prevention, it is allowed from 2 to 4 times a year, but it is possible even for several days if the patient has serious pathologies and it is necessary to monitor their changes.

Many people have heard about gastroscopy and are often guided by erroneous information. Some people believe that gastroscopy lasts for hours and causes a number of side effects. This is wrong. In fact, gastroscopy of the stomach takes little time. There is a preparation procedure and restrictions after FGDS, which are also included in the total duration of the process. The key questions for patients are how long the gastroscopy procedure takes and whether it hurts.

The duration of FGDS depends on the objectives set for the study of the stomach.

Preparatory activities

You cannot do gastroscopy if you just came to the doctor and asked to do it right now. First, a preparatory stage is provided. Don't be afraid, there is nothing difficult in preparation. There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a standard set of activities that every person undergoes before FGDS.

Your list of tasks includes:

• eat at least 8 hours before the procedure so that there is no undigested food left in the stomach that could affect the accuracy of the examination;
• no alcohol at least 24 hours before the scheduled procedure, because it provokes vomiting and can disrupt the normal course of the examination;
• smoking is also not allowed before the procedure (if you really want to, smoke 3-4 hours before), otherwise the mucous membrane will be irritated and the probe will not be able to pass normally;
• Water should be consumed 2 – 3 hours before;
• stop taking medications the day before the examination, as some of them affect the results.

How comfortable it is to immerse an endoscope with a camera into the stomach depends largely on the patient. Yes, the doctor’s qualifications play a role, but gastroscopy must be done in compliance with all instructions before and after the procedure.

Usually doctors offer to sign a paper where you confirm with your signature that you are familiar with all the nuances, features and possible side effects of the examination. At the same time, the specialist introduces the stages and sequence of gastroscopy. A prerequisite is to check for contraindications. This is an individual question, so patients must talk about all their diseases, problems and disorders.

The procedure and its duration

When a patient says: “I’m afraid to do FGDS,” this is usually due to receiving distorted information regarding the examination technique. There are cases when the doctor’s negligence or violation of the rules on the part of the person being examined resulted in unpleasant consequences, severe pain, etc. If you are afraid of pain, you can solve this problem. Additionally, so that you are not afraid, the doctor conducts an active conversation and explains all his actions as the probe is inserted. This often calms you down and allows you to complete the procedure without incident. Much depends on competent interaction between the patient and the doctor.

Now about the stages of gastroscopy, and how long this procedure lasts.

All information is displayed on a monitor located next to the doctor. This allows you to monitor the condition of the stomach, esophagus and other areas for damage and other processes.

Sometimes it seems that several hours have already passed, because gastroscopy takes so long. If you are afraid that the examination will be very long, calm down. How long the procedure lasts depends on the planned activities. Simply immersing the probe takes literally a few minutes. If you additionally need to take samples, administer medicine, or perform surgery on internal organs, the time increases from 3–10 to 10–30 minutes. It is extremely rare for gastroscopy to be performed for longer than 30 minutes.

Painful sensations and ways to avoid them

Patients have always been afraid that gastroscopy is very painful. But such thoughts regarding the procedure are erroneous. Yes, in rare cases, EGD can cause severe pain. This applies to the period after completion of gastroscopy. The procedure itself is painless if all the rules for its implementation are followed. Approximately 95% of all manipulations performed result in only mild discomfort. It cannot be avoided due to the peculiarities of the procedure and the physiology of the human body.

After FGDS, patients most often complain of pain affecting the throat and abdomen. Weakness and dizziness may also occur. Get ready for increased dryness in the mouth, which goes away on its own literally within 1 to 2 hours. But there are a number of reasons to trust exclusively. Unfortunately, a specialist without sufficient experience in carrying out such procedures is not able to take into account all the subtleties, interact correctly with the patient and prevent unpleasant consequences.

The following points indicate incorrect gastroscopy:

• internal bleeding appears, saliva may come out with blood impurities;
• the abdominal pain is very severe and does not subside after the standard 1–2 days (minor pain after the procedure for 1–2 days is considered normal);
• the stomach is bloated;
• or diarrhea;
• the person constantly feels sick and vomits.

If such symptoms continue for more than 2 days, you should immediately consult a doctor. Some people are more sensitive, so they feel discomfort more strongly. One of the most unpleasant consequences of incorrect gastroscopy is infection. The resulting wounds on the internal organs become a target for infection. Remember that if you have vomiting and diarrhea, you cannot wait 2 days and tolerate the symptoms. These are not normal after-effects of gastroscopy, unlike abdominal pain, throat pain and dry mouth.

Patients often accuse doctors of negligence. Although the percentage of specialist errors is no greater than the number of unpleasant consequences after gastroscopy, provoked by the subjects themselves. To avoid pain and other serious consequences of the procedure, you need to adhere to several rules during and after completion of the FGDS.

The duration and pain of sensations during gastroscopy is influenced by a number of factors. A typical examination will take literally 3 – 10 minutes. But it would be correct to take into account the preparatory stage and the rehabilitation process. As a result, for a full examination, you need to adhere to strict rules for 3–5 days. You spend much more time preparing and recovering than actually inserting the probe. In the worst cases, the device will spend 30 to 40 minutes inside your body.

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