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Sitz Marker and Defecography

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Posted 3/28/2011 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hello again :-)   I spoke with my GI doctor and am discontinuing my Amitiza. It is not helping at all and is  making my bloating worse. So he is ordering Defecography and a Sitz Marker test. First of all what happens with the defacography? Secondly, what were YOUR results of the Sitz Marker test? How many were left? I don't know when my will be yet but he is supposed to call me back. Also,I thought it was weird that I have an x-ray on day 4 and day 7, I thought it was usually days 1,3 and 5?Thank you in advance!

ETA They want me to take it tomorrow evening but I took laxatives today, what should I do?Is it good to have an empty bowel since you go so long without a bm or do we need stool in there?

Post Edited (TickledPinkTwice) : 3/28/2011 3:13:11 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/28/2011 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
hi Tickled,

glad things are moving foreward for you!

the defecography is a dynamic x ray (like on video) that tapes your whole defecation process. they will ask you to do an enema before the test. you will be given barium to drink i think about 30 mins before the test, then when you go in, they fill your rectum and vagina with thicker barium. then you will be asked to sit on a toilet like sit (dont worry, you'll have a big robe on you the whole time), on your side there will be the x ray machine and you will be told to first squize, then to expel the barium. in this x ray they can see the anatomy of your rectum, wheather it's normal or not, if there's a rectal prolapse, Intussusception, rectocele, enterocele, anismus.

i had the sitz test several times and in all of them the markers were spread throughout the colon. in my last sitz test i had my first x ray on day 5, in which most of the marker were in my transeverse colon and some in my ascending colon. on day 7 most of the markers were in my descending colon, but havn't reached the sigmoid yet. on day 9 they were still at the same place (still all of them in) and on day 11 i had only 4 left in my sigmoid colon.

each dr has his own way of doing the sitz test. the first dr that gave me this test had me do x rays on days 2, 4 and 6. the second dr i saw asked for days 3 and 6 only, and the last dr who gave me this test asked for only one x ray on day 5 (but my surgeon said if they are not out by day 5, i should continue with x rays every 2 days, so i did).

good luck! keep us posted!
Posted 3/28/2011 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
about your additional question, some drs preffere to have you off laxatives for a while before taking the capsule (at least few days), some drs don't pay much atten to it. in any case, i think you should call and tell them you took laxatives and maybe should reschedule.
Posted 3/28/2011 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much for your response. I plan on giving them a call first thing in the morning!
Posted 3/28/2011 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi tickled - I think you're doing the right thing by giving them a call, they will tell you what they think is best regarding the laxatives. For my sitzmark test I had to swallow one capsule containing 24 rings, every day for 5 days...so a total of 5 capsules, and I had an x-ray on day 6. My markers were all spread out with a large amount still on the right side of my colon. I have not had a defecography yet but I am sure it's in the cards for me...I have my next appointment with the GI doc in mid-April. I hope your tests go well!
PS - I feel your pain with the Amitiza, it made me feel like I had the flu and didn't do anything for the bloating. Every time a doctor asks if I've tried it, I want to tell them THEY should try taking it for a week and then get back to me...
Posted 3/28/2011 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Alibee- that was a long time to take the capsules. I only have to take mine for three days. So despite the results from the sitzmarker you still have to have the defecography?

Yes,I hate the Amitiza and it is expensive!

BTW One of my twins name is Alivia Bree and we call her AliBree. How funny?!

Posted 3/29/2011 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Reading your post, and I just have to comment about the Amitizia, too.  Yes, it is very expensive, didn't do anything, and made me very nauseous and sick!!! 
Posted 3/30/2011 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hurtboy-yes the nausea was horrible I didn't even want to eat. I pretty much told my GI that I refused to take it any longer.
Posted 8/3/2011 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
amitizia made me really sick too! ah.. im in the process of having a sitz marker exam.. go for my first xray tomorrow... i know this is an older post but im wondering what your results were? they are worried that my colon may be dead.. any suggestions? or words of encouragement? anything would be great - thanks!
Posted 8/4/2011 8:08 AM (GMT 0)
hi Jess, welcome to healingwel!

i had a total colectomy due to colonic inertia and very happy i had it. you can learn a lot about colonic inertia and the surgery if you google "total colectomy part 3" then 4, 5 etc. there is a wealth of infromation there. good luck. feel free to ask any questions.
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