Aftercare guide
After your procedure: normal, or call the clinic?
The first day or two after an endoscopy comes with sensations nobody warned you about and a simple question: is this normal? This guide answers it honestly, in three columns.
Normal for a day or two
- A sore or scratchy throat for a day or two
- Feeling bloated or windy from the air used during the test
- Drowsiness for the rest of the day if you had sedation
- A small bruise where the cannula was placed
If you had sedation: no driving, cycling, machinery, alcohol, or important documents for 24 hours, and a responsible adult should stay with you overnight.
Worth a call to the clinic
- A sore throat that is getting worse after two days instead of better
- Mild pain that does not settle with simple measures
- Low-grade fever or feeling generally off the day after
- Any question about your biopsy results or what was found
Use the number on your discharge sheet during working hours; that is exactly what it is there for.
Reviewed against NHS aftercare information and BSG patient resources.
Sources
- Colonoscopy: recovery and results NHS, 2023
- Gastroscopy: recovery NHS, 2023
- Patient information resources British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), 2023
Last reviewed: 2026-07-16
Still ahead of your procedure? Start with what to expect on the day or the bowel-prep countdown planner.