Preparing
There are important steps you must take to safely get ready for your endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). These are general instructions.
Be sure to follow any instructions given to you by your doctor.
Your doctor or nurse will review the steps with you and make sure that you know how to get ready and what you can expect during and after the test.
If you have any questions, be sure to bring them up with the doctor or nurse.
Getting ready for
an upper EUS is
not the same as getting ready for
a lower EUS. Be sure to ask your doctor which test you are having and how to prepare for it.
Upper EUS
- Give your doctor a list of all the medications you are taking and any allergies you have.
- The list should include both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, like aspirin, NSAIDs or vitamins or supplements.
- Ask your doctor before the test if any of your medications can be taken on the day of your upper EUS.
- Ask your doctor before the test if any of your medications should not be taken before your upper EUS.
- Ask your doctor before the test if you should take your medications the night before your upper EUS.
- Tell your doctor if you:
- Have diabetes and what medications you are on for it.
- Are taking blood thinners or have bleeding or blood-clotting problems.
- Have a pacemaker or other implanted electromedical devices.
- Have had stomach or bowel surgery, swallowing problems or other gastrointestinal (GI) problems.
- Have heart, lung or any other health problems that may need special care before the test.
- Follow your doctor’s specific instructions about what and when you can eat or drink before your upper EUS. If you do not remember the time of your appointment, call your doctor.
- Do not eat any solid food after midnight the night before your test.
- Do not drink any liquids or water for three hours before your test.
- You may need to avoid drinking liquids for six hours before your test, depending on what medicine your doctor uses to make you relaxed and sleepy during the test.
- Since you will be given medicine to block pain and make you feel sleepy (sedation), you will not be allowed to drive a car, work or make important decisions after the test.
- You must have someone with you to review the discharge instructions and to drive you home after the test.
- Plan to rest at home for the rest of the day after your test.
Upper EUS can be done as an outpatient procedure.
Be sure you know exactly where you need to go the day of your procedure, as it may not be the same as your doctor’s office.
Please follow your doctor’s instructions carefully, or you may need to reschedule your EUS for another day.
Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse if there is anything you do not understand.
Lower EUS
- Give your doctor a list of all the medications you are taking and any allergies you have.
- The list should include both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, like aspirin, NSAIDs or vitamins or supplements.
- Ask your doctor before the test if any of your medications can be taken on the day of your upper EUS.
- Ask your doctor before the test if any of your medications should not be taken before your upper EUS.
- Ask your doctor before the test if you should take your medications the night before your upper EUS.
- Tell your doctor if you:
- Have diabetes and what medications you are on for it.
- Are taking blood thinners or have bleeding or blood-clotting problems.
- Have a pacemaker or other implanted electromedical devices.
- Have had stomach or bowel surgery, swallowing problems or other gastrointestinal (GI) problems.
- Have heart, lung or any other health problems that may need special care before the test.
- You will need to take a bowel prep to cleanse your colon before your lower EUS.
- Typical bowel cleansing before your lower EUS can be an enema (or, occasionally, a full colonoscopy-type prep is recommended).
- Follow your doctor’s specific bowel-cleansing-prep instructions.
- Follow your doctor’s specific instructions about what and when you can eat or drink before your lower EUS. If you do not remember the time of your appointment, call your doctor.
- Your diet instructions will depend on your bowel-cleansing preparation and whether or not you will receive medication to make you sleepy.
- Lower EUS is usually not painful and you may not need medicine to help you relax.
- If your doctor plans to give you medicine to block pain and make you feel sleepy, you will not be allowed to drive a car, work or make important decisions after the test. You must have someone with you to review the discharge instructions and to drive you home after the test.
- Plan to rest at home for the rest of the day after your test.
Lower EUS can be done as an outpatient procedure.
Be sure you know exactly where you need to go the day of your procedure, as it may not be the same as your doctor’s office.
Please follow your doctor’s instructions carefully, or you may need to reschedule your EUS for another day.
Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse if there is anything you do not understand.