Colonoscopy time! - Will it exacerbate my flare?

noodlesnoodles

Regular Member

Joined : Nov 2015

Posts : 389

Posted 4/13/2017 3:06 PM (GMT 0)

I have suspected Crohn's Ileocolitis based on a capsule endoscopy I had on March 23. Now I get to do the colonoscopy to confirm with biopsies (prep day today - colonoscopy tomorrow).

I have been on prednisone since March 25. I was initially on 30 mg which helped with the pain but not the frequent bloody diarrhea (30-40 times a day). After an ER visit on March 30, they upped me to 40 mg and it took a while but it did help. Also doing Rowasa enemas for the bleeding. Frequency is down but I certainly have not seen anything resembling a formed stool, and there is still some blood.

I had a colonoscopy in 2015 (normal), so I have some idea what to expect. That said, I wasn't experiencing particularly bad symptoms at the time of that colonoscopy.

My question is, should I expect to experience an exacerbation of flare symptoms this go around since I'm going into it quite ill? If so, how long? A few days?

Last time I did the 2 doses of Suprep the night before the colonoscopy but because this colonoscopy isn't until 1pm, I have to do one dose at night and another early in the a.m. Not worried about the dose tonight but really not looking forward to that a.m. dose. I'm hoping that since I'm pretty cleaned out from the flare that it will not be necessary to drink the whole second dose. I'm worried about making the drive to the hospital without needing the restroom. Last time I did the whole prep the day before and still had to go a little clear liquid in the morning. Definitely wearing Depends on the car ride.

As always, thank you all for your help.

Labradorite

Veteran Member

Joined : Sep 2009

Posts : 1356

Posted 4/13/2017 3:30 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Noodles!
Good luck with your prep and scope. Even when mine have been planned for the AM I have had to do 5 am bowel preps (very unpleasant since my doc is like 1.5 hrs away) but I never had an issue though I feared it. I usually wear a pad just to be safe. I have had both good and not so good reactions to colonoscopies but I think most of the time it shouldn't make you feel worse Though I have had experiences where it has. My first scope came when I was very sick and I had no problem other than some left sided pain that I was hospitalized for just to be sure it wasn't a perforation. It wasn't, probably just an irritated ulcer from the procedure. The next time I went for one was with a different GI and that one I went into already complaining that I was basically too sick for it though he insisted and also basically pushed me out the door immediately after the procedure on to the New York City streets. I ended up with a 104 fever that I couldn't break and shaking uncontrollably. Learned two things 1) he never should have done the procedure and 2) always stick around for awhile to make sure you don't have any problems. Never went back to that doctor after being told by another GI he should have done it with an open abscess and when I already had a fever.
I've had several scopes with my current doctor and absolutely no problems.

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