Going home after your visit
After your sedation
How to look after yourself for the rest of today, after sedation in the emergency department.
You have had sedation today. The medicine can stay in your body for about 24 hours, so please follow this advice even if you feel completely fine. Make sure someone at home reads it too.
Your care details
To be completed by the team before you leave.
this Emergency Department your nearest A&E other:
none needed
Call 999, or come back to the emergency department, if any of these happen
These can be signs of a serious problem and need checking straight away.
- Trouble breathing, or breathing that is slow, shallow or noisy
- So drowsy that you are hard to wake or keep awake
- New chest pain
- Being sick (vomiting) that will not stop
- Severe pain, swelling or bleeding at the procedure site, or it is getting worse
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or trouble swallowing
- A spreading rash, or wheezing
CALL 999 if you are too unwell to get to hospital, or someone collapses or stops breathing.
Get same-day reassessment if any of these happen
Contact the ED or the service named above.
- Being sick (vomiting) that will not settle, or you cannot keep fluids down
- Pain, swelling or bleeding at the procedure site that is getting worse
- You feel unsteady or muddled the next day, rather than back to normal
- You have no responsible adult who can stay with you tonight
For the next 24 hours
- A responsible adult must take you home and stay with you, ideally overnight.
- Do not drive, ride a bike or operate machinery.
- Do not drink alcohol or take recreational drugs.
- Do not sign legal papers or make important decisions.
- Do not be the only person looking after a child or a dependent adult.
- Avoid cooking on a hob or using dangerous tools.
Eating and medicines
- Start with small sips of water, then move on to light food.
- Take your usual medicines as normal, unless you were told otherwise.
- For pain, you can use paracetamol or ibuprofen if you normally can.
- Rest quietly and avoid anything strenuous for the rest of the day.
Where to get help
999
Life-threatening emergency, or a severe breathing or circulation problem
ED / urgent service
A warning sign above that needs same-day reassessment
111
Urgent advice when it is not life-threatening, or you are unsure — call or visit 111.nhs.uk, 24/7
Your team / GP
Use the number and follow-up plan in Your care details above