Frequently Asked Questions

A gastroenterologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the digestive system. This includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver. Gastroenterologists complete extensive training beyond medical school, including a three-year internal medicine residency followed by a two- to three-year gastroenterology fellowship, and are board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the subspecialty of gastroenterology. They are trained to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, and ERCP.

You should consider seeing a gastroenterologist if you experience persistent or recurring digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, heartburn or acid reflux that does not respond to over-the-counter medications, chronic bloating, diarrhea or constipation lasting more than a few weeks, blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing, persistent nausea or vomiting, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). You should also see a gastroenterologist when it is time for your colorectal cancer screening, which is recommended starting at age 45 for average-risk adults. If your primary care physician has referred you for evaluation of a GI concern, a gastroenterologist is the appropriate specialist for further workup.

Dr. Jaison John treats a comprehensive range of digestive and liver conditions, including but not limited to: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), colorectal cancer screening and polyp surveillance, celiac disease, peptic ulcers, Barrett's esophagus, fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD), hepatitis, pancreatitis, gallbladder and bile duct disorders, diverticular disease, hemorrhoids, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, and unexplained abdominal pain. He also performs a full range of endoscopic procedures including colonoscopy, upper endoscopy (EGD), ERCP, and FibroScan.

Texas Gut Health is located in Sachse, TX and serves patients throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Our patients come from communities including Sachse, Garland, Wylie, Murphy, Plano, Rowlett, Richardson, McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Mesquite, Sunnyvale, Lavon, Lucas, Rockwall, and many other surrounding areas. Our office is conveniently located on President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) with easy access from major highways throughout the DFW area.

Yes. Dr. Jaison John holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. He completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where he served as Chief Fellow, and his internal medicine residency at UT Austin Dell Medical School, where he served as Chief Resident. These certifications demonstrate that Dr. John has met rigorous standards of education, training, and clinical competence in his specialty.

A gastroenterologist is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats digestive conditions primarily through non-surgical means, including medications and endoscopic procedures (colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, ERCP). A general surgeon performs open and laparoscopic surgeries on the digestive tract and other organs. In many cases, a gastroenterologist can diagnose and treat a condition without surgery. If surgery is needed, your gastroenterologist will refer you to a surgeon and coordinate your care. For conditions like colon polyps, the gastroenterologist can remove them during a colonoscopy, avoiding surgery entirely.

No. A colonoscopy is not painful for the vast majority of patients. You will receive intravenous sedation before the procedure begins, which puts you into a comfortable, twilight-like sleep. Most patients report feeling no discomfort during the exam and do not remember it afterward. Mild bloating or cramping may occur for a short time after the procedure as your body expels the air used to inflate the colon, but this typically resolves within a few hours.

The colonoscopy procedure itself typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on what is found and whether polyps need to be removed. However, you should plan to be at the facility for approximately 2 to 3 hours total to allow time for check-in, preparation, IV placement, sedation, the procedure itself, and recovery in the post-procedure area. You will need someone to drive you home after the procedure.

The American Cancer Society and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that adults at average risk for colorectal cancer begin screening at age 45. This recommendation was updated from age 50 in response to rising rates of colorectal cancer among younger adults. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or advanced polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or a known hereditary cancer syndrome such as Lynch syndrome, your gastroenterologist may recommend starting screening earlier — often at age 40 or 10 years before the age at which your relative was diagnosed, whichever comes first.

Colonoscopy preparation involves following a clear liquid diet the day before your procedure and drinking a prescribed bowel-cleansing solution (laxative prep) to empty your colon completely. Clear liquids include water, broth, clear juices (apple or white grape), plain gelatin without red or purple colors, and black coffee or tea without cream. Most patients use a split-dose prep, drinking half the solution the evening before and half the morning of the procedure, which has been shown to be more effective and better tolerated. You will receive detailed written instructions from our office well in advance of your appointment. A clean colon is critical for your doctor to detect polyps and other abnormalities.

For average-risk individuals with a normal colonoscopy result and no polyps found, the recommended screening interval is every 10 years. If polyps are found and removed, your gastroenterologist may recommend a follow-up colonoscopy in 3 to 5 years depending on the number, size, and type of polyps. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease or a strong family history of colorectal cancer may need more frequent surveillance, sometimes every 1 to 3 years. Dr. John will provide a personalized follow-up recommendation based on your individual findings and risk factors.

Yes. One of the major advantages of colonoscopy over other screening methods is that polyps can be found and removed during the same procedure. This is called a polypectomy. Small instruments are passed through the colonoscope to snare or cauterize the polyp, and the tissue is sent to a pathology laboratory for analysis to determine whether it is benign, precancerous (adenomatous), or, rarely, cancerous. Removing precancerous polyps during a colonoscopy is the single most effective way to prevent colorectal cancer from developing.

An upper endoscopy, also known as an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy), is a procedure in which a gastroenterologist uses a thin, flexible scope with a camera and light to examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). It is used to diagnose conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, peptic ulcers, celiac disease, esophageal strictures, and unexplained upper abdominal pain or nausea. Biopsies can be taken during the procedure, and therapeutic interventions such as dilation of strictures can also be performed. Like colonoscopy, sedation is used to ensure patient comfort.

No. Because colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, and ERCP require intravenous sedation, you must arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home after the procedure. You will not be permitted to drive, operate heavy machinery, consume alcohol, or make important legal or financial decisions for 24 hours after receiving sedation. The person driving you home should be present at the facility so they can receive post-procedure instructions from Dr. John and the nursing staff. If you do not have a driver arranged, your procedure will need to be rescheduled.

ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. It is a specialized endoscopic procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the bile ducts, pancreatic duct, and gallbladder. During an ERCP, a flexible scope is passed through the mouth into the duodenum, where a small catheter is inserted into the bile or pancreatic duct. Contrast dye is injected and X-ray images are taken to identify blockages, stones, tumors, or strictures. Therapeutic interventions such as stone removal, stent placement, and sphincterotomy can be performed during the same procedure.

A FibroScan is a non-invasive, painless test that uses specialized ultrasound technology to measure liver stiffness and fat content. It helps assess the degree of liver fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fatty liver) without requiring a liver biopsy. The test takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes and is performed in our office. It is commonly used to evaluate patients with fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD), hepatitis B or C, alcoholic liver disease, and other conditions that can lead to liver fibrosis. No sedation or preparation is required, and you can resume normal activities immediately after the test.

Dr. John will share preliminary findings with you and your companion immediately after your procedure, before you leave the facility. If biopsies were taken or polyps were removed and sent for pathology analysis, final results are typically available within 1 to 2 weeks. Our office will contact you to discuss the pathology results and any recommended follow-up care or changes to your treatment plan. If you have questions about your results at any time, you are welcome to call our office at (214) 624-6596.

Texas Gut Health accepts most major insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Cigna, Humana, Medicare, and United Healthcare (UHC). Because insurance plans and networks change frequently, we strongly recommend calling our office at (214) 624-6596 to verify that your specific plan is accepted before scheduling your appointment. Our staff can help you confirm your in-network status and answer questions about your coverage.

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover screening colonoscopies at no out-of-pocket cost for patients who meet age and risk-factor criteria under the Affordable Care Act. A screening colonoscopy is one performed on a patient without symptoms, purely for cancer prevention. Diagnostic colonoscopies — those performed to evaluate specific symptoms such as rectal bleeding, chronic diarrhea, or abdominal pain — may be subject to your plan's deductible, copay, or coinsurance. Additionally, if a screening colonoscopy results in polyp removal, some plans may reclassify the procedure as diagnostic, which could affect your cost. We recommend calling your insurance company and our office to understand your specific benefits before your procedure.

It depends on your insurance plan. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans and some other managed care plans typically require a referral from your primary care physician before you can see a specialist like a gastroenterologist. PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans generally allow you to see a specialist without a referral. If you are unsure whether your plan requires a referral, contact your insurance company or call our office at (214) 624-6596. Our team can help you determine what is needed to schedule your appointment.

If you do not have insurance or prefer to self-pay, please contact our office to discuss payment options. We believe that every patient deserves access to quality gastroenterology care and are committed to working with patients on an individual basis. Our staff can provide information about our self-pay rates for office visits and procedures, and we can discuss payment arrangements that may be available to you.

Yes, it is common to receive separate bills for different components of a procedure. You may receive a bill from Dr. John's practice (the physician fee), a bill from the facility or surgery center where the procedure was performed (the facility fee), a bill from the anesthesiologist or anesthesia group, and a bill from the pathology lab if biopsies or polyps were sent for analysis. Each of these providers bills your insurance independently. If you have questions about a specific bill, please contact the billing department listed on the statement.

Please bring the following to your first appointment: a valid photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport), your current insurance card (front and back), referral authorization if required by your insurance plan, a complete list of your current medications including dosages (prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements), any relevant medical records, lab results, imaging reports, or pathology results, a list of previous surgeries and procedures with approximate dates, your family medical history (especially any gastrointestinal conditions such as colorectal cancer, IBD, or liver disease), and a list of questions or concerns you would like to discuss with Dr. John. Arriving 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment time will allow time to complete intake paperwork.

A typical first appointment with Dr. John takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes, plus time for check-in and intake paperwork. During your visit, Dr. John will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms and concerns, perform a physical examination, and develop a diagnostic or treatment plan. This may include ordering lab work, imaging studies, or scheduling a procedure such as a colonoscopy or upper endoscopy. We recommend arriving 15 to 20 minutes early to allow time for paperwork.

You can schedule an appointment by calling our office at (214) 624-6596 or by emailing office@texasgut.com. Our team will help find a convenient time for your visit. When calling, please have your insurance information ready and be prepared to provide a brief description of your symptoms or reason for the visit. Same-week appointments are often available, and we strive to accommodate patients as quickly as possible.

Texas Gut Health office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We are closed on Saturday and Sunday. Procedures may be scheduled at different times depending on the facility. If you need to reach us outside of regular office hours for a medical concern, please call our main line at (214) 624-6596 for instructions on how to reach the on-call provider.

Texas Gut Health is located at 4650 President George Bush Hwy, Suite 210, Sachse, TX 75048. Our office is situated on the south side of President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT), east of Merritt Road. We are easily accessible from major highways throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Free parking is available on-site. For directions or if you have trouble finding our office, please call (214) 624-6596.

Please call our office at (214) 624-6596 to ask about options for completing intake forms before your visit. Completing paperwork in advance can help reduce your wait time on the day of your appointment and ensure that Dr. John has all the information needed to provide the best possible care during your visit.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call our office at (214) 624-6596 as soon as possible, ideally at least 24 to 48 hours in advance. For procedures such as colonoscopy or upper endoscopy, early cancellation is especially important so that we can offer the time slot to another patient who may be waiting. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.