Endoscopy in Vasant Kunj: Cost, Preparation, and When You Actually Need One

Quick answer

An upper GI endoscopy is a 5–10 minute test in which a thin flexible camera is passed through the mouth to look directly at your food pipe, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. It is the definitive test for persistent acidity, reflux, difficulty swallowing, unexplained anaemia and suspected ulcers — and the only way to biopsy for H. pylori or rule out something serious.

At All Is Well Medical Centre, Vasant Kunj, endoscopy is performed by Dr. Anuj Pahuja (MBBS, MD, DNB Medical Gastroenterology), Associate Consultant at Fortis Escorts Liver & Digestive Institute, Okhla.

Cost: ₹6,500 — currently ₹5,000 for a limited period. Call 8800844793.

Have you been taking antacids for months?

This is the pattern we see constantly. Burning in the upper abdomen. A bitter taste at night. Bloating after meals. So you buy an antacid, or a chemist hands you a strip of pantoprazole, and it helps — until you stop. Then it comes back, so you take it again.

Two, three years pass this way.

The problem is not that the medicine doesn't work. It's that it works well enough to hide what's underneath. Acid-suppressing drugs relieve the symptom of an ulcer, a hiatus hernia, an H. pylori infection and, occasionally, something considerably more serious — all identically. Only a camera tells you which one you have.

If you have needed acid medication for more than four to six weeks, that is the point to stop guessing and look.

When you should have an endoscopy sooner rather than later

Gastroenterologists use a specific list of "alarm features". If any of these apply to you, an endoscopy is not optional and should not be delayed:

• Difficulty swallowing, or food sticking — especially if it is getting worse

• Pain on swallowing

• Unexplained weight loss

• Vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds

• Black, tarry, foul-smelling stools — this is digested blood

• Anaemia found on a blood test with no obvious cause

• Persistent vomiting

• Feeling full after only a few mouthfuls

• A family history of stomach or food-pipe cancer

• New indigestion starting after the age of 45

Please do not wait out any of these. Most turn out to be benign — but they are precisely the symptoms that separate an ulcer you treat in a fortnight from a cancer found too late.

Reasons to have one that are not urgent, but are worth doing

• Reflux or acidity that keeps returning when medication stops

• Chronic upper abdominal pain without a clear cause

• Suspected H. pylori infection

• Suspected coeliac disease

• Monitoring known Barrett's oesophagus or a previously treated ulcer

• Persistent nausea, bloating or belching that hasn't responded to treatment

Why H. pylori matters so much in India

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that colonises the stomach lining. In India, prevalence is high — a large share of the adult population carries it, considerably higher than in Western countries. It is the leading cause of peptic ulcers and a recognised risk factor for stomach cancer.

The good news is that it is curable, usually with a two-week course of antibiotics plus acid suppression. The catch is that you have to know you have it. Endoscopy allows a biopsy taken directly from the stomach lining, which remains the most reliable way to confirm it and to check whether it has caused damage.

Treating "acidity" for years without ever testing for H. pylori is one of the most common missed opportunities in Indian primary care.

What actually happens during the procedure

The test itself is quicker than most people expect — usually 5 to 10 minutes.

1. You arrive fasting (details below).

2. Your throat is numbed with a local anaesthetic spray. Light sedation is available and is the usual choice for anxious patients — discuss it beforehand.

3. A mouth guard is placed to protect your teeth.

4. You lie on your left side. The endoscope — thinner than most people imagine — passes over the tongue and down the food pipe. It does not interfere with breathing.

5. The doctor examines the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum on a high-definition monitor.

6. Biopsies are taken if needed. This is painless — the stomach lining has no pain receptors of the kind skin does.

Afterwards you rest briefly. If you had only throat spray, you can usually leave within the hour. If you were sedated, you must not drive and should have someone accompany you home.

How to prepare

Fasting. Nothing to eat for at least 6 hours before — usually this means nothing after dinner for a morning appointment. Clear fluids may be allowed up to a couple of hours before; your doctor will confirm. An empty stomach is a safety requirement, not a formality — food in the stomach risks aspiration and obscures the view.

Medication. Tell the clinic in advance if you take:

• Blood thinners — aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, apixaban and similar. These may need adjusting, and this decision must be made by a doctor, never by you.

• Diabetes medication, especially insulin — fasting changes your dosing

• Iron tablets — usually stopped a few days before, as they stain the stomach lining

• Acid-suppressing drugs — sometimes paused before testing for H. pylori, because they can mask it

On the day. Wear comfortable clothes, leave jewellery at home, and bring previous reports, prescriptions and any prior endoscopy findings. If you're having sedation, bring someone with you.

Is it safe?

Upper GI endoscopy is among the most commonly performed procedures in medicine and is very safe. Being straight about the numbers:

FrequencyMild sore throat for a dayCommon, expected Bloating from air used to inflate the stomachCommon, settles quicklySerious complication of any kindAround 1 in 1,000 Perforation of the gut wall Around 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 11,000 Bleeding after biopsyUncommon; usually stops on its own

Sedation carries its own small risks — nausea, a drop in blood pressure, or slowed breathing — which is why monitoring during and after matters.

Call us immediately if, after your endoscopy, you develop: severe chest or abdominal pain, fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting blood, or black stools. These are rare, but they need same-day assessment.

What it costs

Fee Upper GI endoscopy ₹6,500 Limited-period offer ₹5,000 Gastroenterology consultation ₹1,000

Biopsy and histopathology, if required, are charged separately — your doctor will tell you before proceeding, not after. Ask us for the full figure when you book, and we will give it to you.

We publish our price because you deserve to know it before you walk in. Endoscopy pricing in Delhi varies widely and is often quoted only after a consultation.

Booking your endoscopy in Vasant Kunj

All Is Well Medical Centre — rated 4.9★ by patients on Google Shop No. 1, Central Market, Masoodpur, Sector-B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 (Opposite Vasant Square Mall) 📞 8800844793 🕐 Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Book an appointment

We also serve patients from Vasant Vihar, Munirka, Mahipalpur, RK Puram, Masoodpur, Kishangarh and Dwarka.

Related services: gastroenterology consultation, lab tests with home sample collection, ultrasound and radiology.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an endoscopy cost in Vasant Kunj? At All Is Well Medical Centre, upper GI endoscopy is ₹6,500, currently offered at ₹5,000 for a limited period. Gastroenterology consultation is ₹1,500. Biopsy and histopathology, if needed, are charged separately and quoted to you in advance.

How long does an upper GI endoscopy take? The procedure itself takes 5 to 10 minutes. Including preparation and recovery, allow about an hour — longer if you choose sedation.

Is endoscopy painful? No. The throat is numbed with anaesthetic spray, and sedation is available. Most people report the sensation as uncomfortable rather than painful, and a mild sore throat for a day afterwards is the commonest after-effect.

How many hours of fasting are needed before an endoscopy? At least 6 hours without food. Clear fluids may be permitted up to a couple of hours before — your doctor will confirm based on your appointment time.

Can I drive home after an endoscopy? Yes if you had throat spray only. No if you had sedation — arrange for someone to accompany you.

Do I need an endoscopy for long-term acidity? If you have needed acid-suppressing medication for more than four to six weeks, or you have any alarm feature — difficulty swallowing, weight loss, vomiting blood, black stools, or unexplained anaemia — then yes, an endoscopy is indicated.

Can endoscopy detect stomach cancer? Yes. Direct visualisation plus biopsy is the definitive method for diagnosing cancers of the food pipe and stomach, and for detecting pre-cancerous changes early, when they are treatable.

Will I be tested for H. pylori? If clinically indicated, a biopsy is taken during the same procedure to test for H. pylori — no second appointment needed.

Who performs endoscopy at All Is Well Medical Centre? Dr. Anuj Pahuja, MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DNB (Medical Gastroenterology), Associate Consultant at Fortis Escorts Liver & Digestive Institute, Okhla, with 9 years of experience in gastroenterology and therapeutic endoscopy including ERCP and colonoscopy.

What is the difference between endoscopy and colonoscopy? Endoscopy examines the upper digestive tract — food pipe, stomach and duodenum — via the mouth. Colonoscopy examines the large intestine via the rectum. Symptoms determine which you need; sometimes both are advised.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Anuj Pahuja, MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DNB (Medical Gastroenterology), All Is Well Medical Centre, Vasant Kunj. Last updated [16 August, 2026].

This article is general health information and does not replace consultation with a qualified doctor. If you are vomiting blood, passing black stools, or have severe abdominal pain, seek medical care immediately.

Sources: American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and American College of Gastroenterology guidance on upper GI endoscopy and dyspepsia; published complication rates for diagnostic upper endoscopy.

Contact

Call 8800844793. Home visits 6 am to midnight.

Phone

8800844793

© 2026. All rights reserved.

Shop no. 1, Central Market, Sector B Rd, opposite Vasant Square Mall, Masoodpur, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, Delhi 110070

ADDRESS

All is well medical centre

10 AM - 7 PM

Mon-SAT