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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/10/2008 5:50 PM (GMT 0)

I'm a 34 year old man and a year ago I was having chronic diarrhea and in February '08 I had a colonoscopy. The results confirmed that I have UC. I've only had two very short remission periods, but I'm still waiting for a "normal" bowl movement. I’m currently having a flare-up with a good bit of mucus and blood. I recently saw my gastrointestinal doctor and he renewed my prescription for Balsalazide. He also gave me a prescription for a bowl prep-kit and schedule me for another colonoscopy for mid spring '09.

 

Has anyone else scheduled a colonoscopy four months in advance and how often should one have a colonoscopy? I feel like a cash cow.

Posted 12/10/2008 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
I usually schedule my scopes about 3 months in advance. But as for the frequency, it can depend on many things. How often you flare, how severe it is and how long you've had it. I've had Uc for 16 years and I had my initial scope then one 8 years later and now that I'm past the 10 year mark I go every 2 years however I have had sigmoidoscopies every year up until my 10th year.
Posted 12/10/2008 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
     My GI doctor recommends a scope every two years for his patients with UC.  After having the disease for ten years, he asks them to come in yearly for a scope.
Posted 12/10/2008 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the input. I'm new at all of this and it's not a lot of fun.
Posted 12/10/2008 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...welcome to the forum!

I had a colonoscopy after the 1 year mark....then one every 3 years.

You should also be on rectal 5ASA meds...

q
Posted 12/10/2008 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
BigApple,

I had three scopes in my first year of being diagnosed due to problems. Now it is not advisable to have scopes when you are flaring, but my doc back then insisted. Needless to say I don't have that doc anymore (and I also moved to different countries as well).

My doc does scopes every two years generally speaking and if something else comes up (new symptoms etc.), once a year. I have a scope every two years as for now and my doc might want to see my insides once a year.

Welcome to the forum and never be afraid to ask anything or get things off your chest!

Scarlett
Posted 12/10/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
Scarlett,

Thanks for your input too. I'm really glad that I joined. When I boil the issue down, I'm trying to determine if my doc is any good or if I should shop around.

Thanks,

BigApple
Posted 12/10/2008 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
I usually have a scope of some sort every year, like a sigmoidoscopy... I had a colonoscopy in July of this year and the one before that was three years ago. But they say that after you've had UC for 10 years you should get one done yearly to check for dysplasia and stuff.

As for scheduling, the farthest out I've scheduled one is like two weeks, but some doctors like to have stuff in way in advance.

Posted 12/10/2008 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
I had my 2nd scope two years and a half years after diagnosis because both my GI and I were wondering what was going on in there after my year and bit on Remicade. My symptoms had lessened to great degree but I still had some occasional blood and urgency. Turned out I was all healed except the last little bit of my rectum and I'm on Rowesa, and Canasa for when that's not convenient or I want a break from the enema.

I scheduled just a couple of months in advance to fit it in with my schedule. It's not easy for me to take a full day off.
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