Discharge Instructions / Home Care

Activity / General Information:

• Do not drive, operate machinery, make critical decisions, or do activities that require coordination or balance following your procedure for the entire remainder of the day.
• Medications given during your procedure may cause light-headedness, dizziness, or sleepiness.  If you experience any of these symptoms, please lie down and rest.
• If you have sleep apnea and sleep with a CPAP or BiPAP at home, please use your devise as prescribed while napping.
• The medications given during your procedure may make you amnesic (forgetful) for the remainder of the day.  Occasionally, mild sedation may persist for one or two days.  Please remain with a responsible adult during this time.
• You may resume your normal activity the day after your procedure if you are not experiencing any residual effects from procedural medications. 
• For tenderness, redness and swelling at the IV site, apply warm moist heat for twenty minutes at a time.  NO RUBBING.  If symptoms continue for 2 – 3 days, call your physician.

Diet:

• A light meal may be eaten when fully awake.  If you experience any nausea, limit diet to clear liquids for the next few hours.  When liquids are tolerated, you may begin to eat small amounts of bland food (crackers, Jell-O®, soups, etc) until a light meal is tolerated.  After your first meal is tolerated without difficulty, you may resume your regular diet, unless otherwise directed by your physician.
• If a special diet is ordered by your physician, look under the “Patient Education” section on our website.
• Do not drink any alcohol (not even be beer) for the remainder of the day following your procedure.

Medications:

• After your procedure, you may continue your home medications, as usual, unless an adjustment has been made by your physician. 
• If you take pain medications or anti-anxiety medications at home, please wait at least 4 to 6 hours, following your procedure, before resuming. 

Special Considerations following a Colonoscopy:

• You may experience gaseous discomfort, abdominal swelling or bloating, following your colonoscopy.  Air was put into your colon during the procedure.  Expelling large amounts of air from rectum is normal and encouraged.  If gas pains persist, lay on right side, leaning more toward stomach and try to expel air.  If stable on your feet, walking around may help move air.
• Streaks of blood in your stool or a few drops of blood on toilet paper/underwear are NOT abnormal.  However, large amounts of rectal bleeding are NOT normal.  Call your physician.  If unable to reach your physician, go to the nearest emergency room.
• You may not have a bowel movement for 1 – 3 days due to the laxative colonoscopy prep.  This is normal.  The average colon is five to six feet long and it may take a few days for your colon to fill enough to have the urge to have a movement. 
• Due to wash out effects of laxative, you may be experiencing some symptoms of dehydration (lethargy, tiredness, light-headedness, etc.).  IV fluid was given to you during your procedure.  However, it is important to drink plenty of fluid. 

Special Considerations following an Upper Endoscopy (EGD):

• You may have a sore or scratchy throat for a couple of days.  This is normal.  You may use throat lozenges, Chloraseptic® spray, or gargle with warm water. 
• You may experience some abdominal cramping from air pumped into the stomach during your procedure.  You should be able to pass the air within a few hours.

CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN (405-366-8619) OR PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM IF YOU SHOULD EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:

• Fever of 101 degrees or more
• New abdominal distention or swelling (hard, rigid abdomen) lasting more than a couple of hours.
• Increasing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and/or the inability to keep liquids down.
• Vomiting Blood
• Large amounts of rectal bleeding
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

If prior authorization was given, your physician will have made every attempt to discuss the findings of your procedure with your responsible party.  Generally, the physician does NOT discuss procedure results with the patient due to the amnesic effects of medication given.  For further findings and treatment, you may make a follow-up office appointment with your physician.

For questions or concerns, please call Norman Endoscopy Center at 405-366-0969.