Can a person get infected by any type of Hepatitis or other blood borne diseases from Colonoscopy?

Hello everyone.

I have a Colonoscopy test this upcoming Thursday and they told me I need to not eat any solid food two days before the test and I was going to post here about it but I did some search in google and without me knowing I saw this webpage about a patient who was infected by HCV from doing Colonscopy test with an properly cleaned equipment, please read and watch the video before replaying:

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/07/11/first-miami-va-colonoscopy-case-headed-to-trial/

So is this true? Is it possible?

Hello Connie, how are you? I hope you are doing well.

But it's still possible, especially if it's not properly cleaned, right? The thing is, I ask because I never knew how did I ever got my HCV. Now, I know I might sound like I'm being unnecessarily paranoid here, but the thing is; I never did any drugs before in my life or could have had it from sex and I'm sure of it. That's why I always believed I might have had it from uncleaned medical instrument like from needles but that's almost impossible because they are going to throw that used needle away and not use it again. But now that I read this, it sounds reasonable. And sadly the healthcare in our country has it's flaws. And I'm not speaking of minimal flaws.

Anyway, I'm already infected so it does not change anything much. But I'm a bit worried to go to our public hospital now, and I honestly I'm not sure I can offered to do the test in a privet clinic or hospital. I guess I'll just ask my doctor (who'll also do the test) to make sure the equipment are clean, I know it's silly to ask that but I don't know what else to do, and I don't know if they have "sterile scope", but I'll ask them use that if they do. Thanks.

But I wanted to ask, do I really need to fast from solid food for two days before the test? Because they told me so and that on the 2nd day I should take Picolax (which is tomorrow) Do you follow this plan as well in your side of the world? I honestly think it's hard to not eat anything solid for two days and just depend on liquids or even jelly, at least if I can eat something like a soft bread with strawberry butter I think that would be reasonable. Should I instead just eat some soft food today and stop eating anything tomorrow and take Picolax?

Mike has a colonoscopy scheduled.

The protocol is to eat only fluids that are not red in color for the day before the colonoscopy and to take a laxative pill and a laxative drink with LOTS Of water. Then the bowel can be cleaned out the night before.

The protocol does not say anything about soft of liquid foods for 2 days. BUT, we have, over the years, discoverd that changing to a VERY light diet on the 2nd day before makes the laxative process much less severe. No cramping and it just cleans out, the last of the bm's are clear liquid and you know the doctor will get good pictures.

Since colon cancer is detectible on colonoscopy and since advanced colon cancer is pretty AWFUL, I would choose to drink tea and clear soups for 5 days if they could see the colon VERY WELL at the test and CLEAR any question of something going on in there. Unless there are anticipated problems or an early problem that they SEE ,you don't have to have a colonoscopy very often.

Good Luck, Mama Lama

Gelatins, broth soups can be flavorful, soda with calories so you done fade away, teas with sugar or honey to take the edge off. Orange juice has pulp and is not considered a clear liquid. apple juice, white grape juice, etc are more clear.


i was only kidding about the 5 days...but i do switch away from meat and fiber things the 2nd day before.



one time the gi doc scolded Mike for NOT doing the prep...the view was cloudy and the doc was grumpy. Mike DID do the prep as directed, but now we do the 2nd day before as I described



ml

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 8/28/2012 5:46:51 PM (GMT-6)

Try ice cream until the day before. Then clear liquids for 24 hours. It isn't that bad.

Sorry, I should have said, sorbet, or Popsicles.

MamaLama said...
Gelatins, broth soups can be flavorful, soda with calories so you done fade away, teas with sugar or honey to take the edge off. Orange juice has pulp and is not considered a clear liquid. apple juice, white grape juice, etc are more clear.


i was only kidding about the 5 days...but i do switch away from meat and fiber things the 2nd day before.



one time the gi doc scolded Mike for NOT doing the prep...the view was cloudy and the doc was grumpy. Mike DID do the prep as directed, but now we do the 2nd day before as I described



ml

Oh silly me! Of course you were kidding :)

I'm sorry he's test didn't went that well. I hope his next test goes well.The last two colonscopy tests that I did didn't went that well for me. I woke up during the test that I even saw the screen that was showing my bowls, and the 2nd one was also the same but was much less "awake". I hope this time it will go well, Oh God good thing I'm a believer so that I can pray and ease my worries. I just had my first cup of the bowl clean med (Picolax) and so far so good I guess, of course I feel a bit nausea which is normal, just have to endure.

hep93 said...
Mr X, I had a colonoscopy for the first time last Sept. This was part of my pre-evaluation testing at Mayo for a liver transplant. I only recall eating a soft diet the day prior to the test, with NOTHING eaten for 12 hours prior to the scope. Only water. Same on the day of colonoscopy. I was to abstain from dairy products or fatty foods the 24 hours prior to testing. I also remember the eating of "nothing red."

Hugs,
Connie

I see, thank you so much for your replay and I'm glade your test and transplant well :) but regarding the dairy products , I actually had a plan low fat yogurt yesterday which they told me it's fine but no more or any other dairy products to have beside it. I thought it will be a good nourish for my body during this and tomorrow so I went ahead.

**David** said...
Sorry, I should have said, sorbet, or Popsicles.

Hi David, how are you? I hope your doing well. You might not remember me but I remember your name in one of my old posts. No it's fine thanks for your help :) But now that you mention it, I feel like having sorbet after I finish the whole thing thou.

arneeb said...
Mr. X glad to see ur post.... popsicles sounds like a great idea.... glad ur having it done... well tame the fear... and get er done... Sandia

And nice to see you to :) How are you? I hope your doing good. Thanks, I hope the test results will be clear.


By the way, I should not drink Apple juice if I'm taking the bowl clean med today since apple juice is red, right?

I see so it's fine than, thanks a lot.

Hi everyone, just thought I should post about my Coloncopy which I had yesterday (I probably should have posted early but I was a bit sleepy from the drug they gave me)

I finally did it, but it seems I did not get enough results because when they were moving inside me the doctor faced a tight stricture inside of my bowl which she told me it's part of my Corhn's illness and could not move the scope forward anymore so they withdraw it (but thak God not tight enough to prevent me from eating, at least maybe not yet but hopefully it will never come to this) We're going to talk more about it and my HCV treatment in my next appointment which is very soon because I was still sleepy from the drug (and even thou I was still drudged during the test somehow I wake up, it was vivid but I even saw the monitor and felt the scope moving inside of me, the feeling wasn't pleasant of course but thank God it wasn't THAT painful and not too long. They even drugged me again during the test!)

Thanks again everyone for your help, I appreciated :)

arneeb said...
Been busy taking my Addiction Counselor Certification classes... taking them one at a time... should be done next June... got A in first class... second class gong into the 9th week with 24 100's on weekly postings and 2 100's on papers... I think I might get an A in this one also...
other than that working ... and you Mr X. so glad to see you are doing this colonoscopy!!!
Sandia

Nice, I'm glade your doing well. my school start this September , I hope I do well enough with math this time and I'm glade I finally finished it, thank God.