“Do they put you to sleep for an endoscopy?”

For COLONOSCOPY they usually put you to sleep. But for UPPER ENDOSCOPY--they may put you to sleep, or lightly sedate you, or use a local anethestic on your mouth/throat so your sensation is reduced. Be SURE you ask the doctor who will do this procedure HOW he does it so you know exactly what to expect. Good luck!

There’s no reason to be afraid. They will put you to sleep so that you’re not aware of what’s going on around you. By the time you wake up, everything will be over. Most of the time, they use a form of sedation in which you are not deeply asleep, but you don’t really understand, are aware, or care of what’s going on. They use this type of sedation for both upper and lower endoscopies.

Lorena Khouri-Popp, MD