endoscopy and colonoscopy

Hi everyone,

I've been flaring up pretty bad recently and had to go into the hospital. I'm out now and doing better, but still not great. My GI doctors and surgeons want to perform a double balloon endoscopy and colonoscopy on me at the same time. I would think that this is a good idea because I would only have to be sedated once and lose one day out of my hectic life.... What do you guys think? Has anyone had both done at the same time and if so, how did it go?

Hello Fuzz. I did both last wednesday. It is alot better only have to be knocked out once. But My endoscoping did not come out so well, they took a biospy and I have a major candid yeast infection in my throat, stomach, bladder, eye ( can't see out of it), and bowel. But if they would not have did the endoscopy at the same time it would have been next week until they founf this infection or I would have been in the ER. Good Luck, Mr.D

My very first experience w/a scope was an upper endoscopy followed by a colonoscopy, same day one right after the other. Sedated, you are no more aware of one than the other.

HOWEVER, a double balloon endoscopy is NOT the same thing as a "normal" or "regular" upper endoscopy followed by a colonoscopy.

Its been awhile since I ready about the double balloon endoscopy, it was right after they were approved in the US.

As I remember it, they start a scope at one end and continue on thru as close to half of the small intestine as possible. That area is marked. Then they start a scope at the other end and continue on thru as close to half of the small intestine as possible. Ideally they meet at the mark or beyond so that they observe the entire GI tract from mouth to anus. The scope is "assisted" by little suction cup type "thingies" that crawl thru the GI tract like little catterpillar feet. The intestines, both large and small, are "ribbed" like slinkys. The little catterpillar feet close the "slinky" up pulling it back tighter rather than looser like a loosened slinky and that is how they are able to observe all or most all of the intestines.

Try a google or PubMed search on double balloon endoscopy.