Colonoscopy questions

Hello,

I would really appreciate some help and suggestions, I'm rather desperate at the moment.

I had not been feeling well for a few months, and then I started to have a change in bowel movements, now about 6 weeks ago. I was having diarrhea daily, with mucus and blood. Not having health insurance, I waited to see a doctor until I realised this was not going to clear on its own. I finally went to see a doctor 2 weeks ago, the doctor sent me to a specialist. The specialist wants to do a colonoscopy which is scheduled for 3 weeks from now, it was the earliest appointment I could get.

Now, here is my problem. I am unable to go for more than a few hours without food. Not eating first thing when I wake up in the morning has never been an option for me, and especially now that I've been feeling extremely weak and shaky, I don't see how I can pull this off. There is no way.
I discussed it with the GI specialist and he just said well, you can't eat, nothing I can do about that.

I've googled this and came up with no solution. Has anyone experienced this? I am sure I'm not the only person who has this type of problem? Are there any suggestions anyone can give me? Also, my colonoscopy is not until 2 in the afternoon, so I'm thinking to add 6 hours to all the prep instructions (like it says stop eating solid food at midnight the day before and then drink only clear liquids all day, so I'll eat until 6 am and I'll start taking the prep stuff at midnight instead of 6 pm but that still won't help me with not being able to eat hours before.

One other thing, I weigh less than 100 pounds. When I look at that bottle of miralax, that seems like overkill to use the whole thing. Maybe I should take less? Typically any meds are based on body weight, maybe they should have taken this into consideration? I'd be taking the same amount of someone twice or even 3 times my weight. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

Thanks for the quick reply, Sherry :)

If I wanted a morning appointment, I had to wait until after the summer, and since I've been so sick, waiting is not an option.
But that said, I work nights and usually go to bed around 5 and get up between 11 and noon, so the 2 pm scheduling could actually be considered my morning and moving all the prep stuff by 6 hours should be okay I hope. Problem is that there are hours between the time of waking up and the colonoscopy. I'm not sure how to explain this, I can't do it. I actually keep my breakfast on my night stand. When waking up, after sleeping 6 or 7 hours, I am too weak to get up and make it to the kitchen, so I usually have food in bed right after waking, and then I can get up. I honestly don't know how I am going to do this.

Thanks again, Sherry.

The colour is rather bright. No abdominal pain at all, but a lot of "bubbling" in my abdomen. The diarrhea I had got better, now I have to use the bathroom many many times a day, but it's not really diarrhea anymore. Still blood and mucus though, as well as "stringy" stuff, not sure how else to explain it.
At first I tried an alkaline/raw foods diet but that only lasted 2 days, it made me feel super weak.
I eat fairly healthy all around, 90% vegetarian, little dairy products or sugar, hardly any processed foods, ever. I grow all my own vegs organically and make lots of soup.

As for being weak, even if I weren't weak or sick, it would still be hard. I've passed out many times before when not having immediate access to food, even when I was very healthy. When I feel the shakes coming, I need to eat immediately.

Thanks. I'm planning on drinking loads of gatorade, that won't interfere with anything, right?

As far as being sedated, yes, unfortunately. I asked for no sedation and gave 4 in my opinion valid reasons to not be sedated, I was told nope, we won't do it without sedation. A friend of mine went to the same clinic but had a different specialist, and he asked if he wanted sedation or not, he had a choice.

I am also trying to decide how to deal with this. I wonder if I should ask for a different doctor, the one that allows no sedation? Problem is that my appointment for the colonoscopy is already made, and paid for (I don't have health insurance, so they made me pay in advance). Not sure what to do...

Post Edited (page3) : 4/16/2014 3:07:33 PM (GMT-6)

For several reasons.

First, because I've hardly taken any medication in my life, the few things I took, I had allergic reactions to, so I'm afraid that a substance in my body that I'm not used to will give me an allergic reaction. (I'm also afraid that the miralax will do that). I've had allergic reactions to midol, ventolin, benadryl, and wellbutrin. I also had a weird reaction to morphine which was given to me when I had kidney stones.

Also, I weigh less than 100 pounds, and I'm afraid they'll give me a dose too high for my body weight. Plus my blood pressure is super low (90 over 40), won't that even go lower?

Another reason is that I have to work that night, and I don't want to be all groggy.

I'm also afraid that if they find something, they won't tell me because I don't have health insurance.

It's a colonoscopy, I don't feel that sedation is needed.

Sherry, I am so grateful to have you reply here, you have no idea.

I find it very strange that they would tell someone else before they tell us what they find. My ride is my room mate. I don't have family close by (all my family lives on a different continent).

When you had the bloody mucousy diarrhea how long did it last? Did you feel extremely weak? I am starting to wonder if I should make another appointment between now and my colonoscopy, I am feeling terrible and can hardly walk around, because of extreme weakness. I haven't taken a shower in 2 days because I don't feel I can safely to this at the moment.

All of this is new to me, and I'm definitely not a wimp. When sick on occasion, I just ignore it and go about my daily routine, but now I just can't and I am becoming increasingly worried about what might be wrong.

Sorry you've had to deal with this since a young age! I hope it's all under control for you.

about seeing the family doctor, easier said than done, I'm afraid. I've now called twice for an appointment, each time they tell me they'll talk to the nurse and call back, but they never do. I talked to a friend who goes to the same doctor's office and she deals with the same problem.. very hard to get an appointment, if at all.

I didn't think of being anemic, and I eat lots of spinach because I love it. Maybe I just need to tough it out, hope for the best and take it as easy as possible until my appointment in May. I work from home and can take naps, so at least I'm not losing work and I can rest as much as I need, which nowadays is quite often.

Yep, I considered it, even looked up their hours last weekend, they are open from 8 am until 9 pm.
It's definitely a possibility if this gets worse. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm really bad about going to see a doc so I keep hesitating. The funny thing is that I usually feel slightly better at night. It is a little after midnight here now, and that seems to be the magic hour. Something tells me I might just not be eating enough. Having these constant bowel problems, I don't feel like eating much and I definitely eat less than I used to.

It's good you got your blood taken. When was your scope scheduled for?

If you don't mind if I ask, how old are you?

Sorry for the late response, I've been having some medical issues to deal with as well but thank you for letting me know how you are.

Thanks! I'm getting there. I had a severe case of Costochondritis (this is inflammation on the cartilage of the ribs)...it hurt to breath, to sit, to bend, to do anything really. I've been spending my days lying on the couch with an ice pack and pain killers. But then I did something to my foot about 3 weeks ago..I had it shot up today with steroids, wrapped and I have a walking boot. Foot still hurts like crazy but at least my rib pain is easing...thank goodness!

As for you, you do know why the doc was asking you about lumps yes?

Hmm....I might have to try that! Right now I will try anything! LOL Thanks :)

But...not to scare you and since you haven't noticed any lumps (meaning swollen lymph nodes) than you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Most docs will ask this, if you have lost a lot of weight in a short period of time....they automatically assume cancer. It's where there mind goes it seems. I lost a lot of weight in the past and they went there too....scared the bejesus out of me! But it turned out not to be...I was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis (which can also cause weight loss).

But do please keep me informed...especially when you have your scope. I am curious as to what the docs says.

If you are talking about medicinal marijuana...we can talk about that here (MM is the only thing we can talk about here...all other substances are forbidden). But unfortunately that makes me extremely nauseous. I haven't partaken in that in many of many years because of a bad incident. But it has been proven to help many people.

But I will keep my fingers crossed for you that your scope turns out good :) *fingers crossed, hanging a horse shoe, four leaf clover and all that!* :)

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