DISCHARGE INFORMATION
Gastrointestinal Institute Office Telephone Number and After Hours Answering Service (309) 451-1121.
If you receive sedative medications today you may feel drowsy, tired or sleepy, experience slow reflexes and changes in judgment for up to 24 hours. These are normal responses to sedative and pain medications. It is required that you be discharged in the care of a responsible adult.
After your procedure, the nurse will write in the date and time when you may resume all activities including driving, any findings or follow up care and specific changes to your medications. Please follow these instructions after leaving Gastrointestinal Institute facility:
- No driving or operating machinery for 24 hours after your last dose of sedative medications. Avoid strenuous or aerobic activity today. You should plan to go home and rest for the remainder of the day.
- You should avoid making critical decisions or signing legal documents. Avoid activities that require complete concentration or attention to detail.
- You may resume your normal diet. If you experience mild nausea, start with water and other clear liquids, then add soft foods slowly. Drink plentiful amounts of water and other beverages today to relieve dehydration from the procedure preparation. You should not drink beer, wine or any other beverages containing alcohol.
Call your physician or go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of these symptoms:
- Fever (temperature greater than 100 degrees or a fever with chills)
- Severe abdominal pain (it is normal to experience some bloating or cramping for several hours after the procedure until the air has been expelled, these symptoms will decrease as you pass air)
- Vomiting blood or passing a large amount of blood rectally (it is normal to see a few spots of blood on the toilet paper if you had a polyp removed or if you have hemorrhoids)
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing or difficulty swallowing.
- New onset of nausea or vomiting that lasts more than 4 to 6 hours
