Conlonoscopy and Endoscopy done today

I think what you are talking about is a capsule endoscopy. It varies from doctor to doctor as far as the prep, but basically, your son will have to swallow a pill a bit bigger than a large vitamin. The pill contains a camera. It is coated and goes down easily. Then he will wear a pack for the day and come back to the doctor's office at the end of the day to return the pack. The pack will record pictures all the way through the digestive track. The battery has about an eight hour window so after that, even if it hasn't made its way all the way through, it stops recording. The pack has flashing lights and you should be told which one means the battery has died or the pill has "left the building". Other than looking a bit like a unibomber, he can basically go about his day as usual. I've had it done a few times, by different doctors and the prep was different, but it isn't a bad test. You can eat a light lunch about 4 hours after taking the camera. And then you can eat again a few hours after that. There is a slight risk that the camera could get stuck if there is any kind of stricture, but it doesn't sound like that is likely in your son's case. The advantage is that the camera can see the entire digestive track, but of course it can't take biopsies. I hope that answers some questions for you.

Thanks for asking.  The proceedures went fine and he tolerated it well.  The doctor did not see inflammation but said given that my son is on methotrexate and enbrel for his systemic arthritis, she did not expect to see the inflammation and took biopsies which the results should be in next week. 

The pediatrician called and said she had spoken with the GI doctor who told her that she feels he has crohns based on his symptoms and expects the biopsies to show crohns.  In the event they do not show anything, she wants to do the swallow pill with the camera.  She feels he should go on remicade.  The rheumy called and plans to talk to the GI doctor about the best treatment, she wants him to take humira instead of remicade.  

I guess we should know something for sure in a few days.  I will keep you posted, and thanks for asking.  I don't like the thought of either one of the drugs but I guess it's not much worse than enbrel which he takes now.

Thanks again