Colonoscopy during a flare?

I have had 2 SEVERE attacks in my life In 2000 when I was diagnosed with UC and again in 2008. Both attacks were mild at the time. Approx 3-8 x a day w/ slight blood and slight ab pain/cramps. Doctors MANDATED a colonoscopy both times with full prep the night before (RX milk gallon with powder) and then the scope in the am. I was also instructed to do a pm and am enema before the scope as if the cleanse wasnt enough trauma!!
Needless to say, the prep and scope; BOTH TIMES, set me off from 5x a day w/ slight pain and blood, to an immediate 20x a day with all blood, all pain. I was immediately hospitalized both times the very day after the colonoscopy.
I understand DR's need to "see" what they are daling with but when they know a patient already HAS uc, and is in a flare, this is not sound advice. INFLAMMATION should first and foremost be taken care of. Once blood subsides and a period of good colon health is under the belt then maybe a scope.
Drinking harsh soduim laden laxatives is like sending gasoline through an intestine lined with ulcers. Not smart.
Thanks to these practices and bad judgement calls, I had to get gross amts of IV steroids that wouldnt work. I was too far blown out by then. So I had to souble up with asacol, prednsone IV , and cyclosporine to get me into remission.

Im undet a flare right now and Im going for a sigmoidoscopy tomorrow. I was (at least) able to convince my DR a colonscopy and prep is NOT adviseable proven by past events. So he toned it down and made me drink a magnesium citrate OTC 10oz bottle solution as prep, 2 enemas (saline) , and only a sigmoidoscopy instead of a full colonoscopy. No anesthesia eitehr ...

I'll let you all knwo tomorrow how it goes but I still stand by this - NEVER EVER do a full prep or colonoscopy when you atre in ANY flare. Even a very mild flare. It can only disrupt and hurt an already sensitive colon and make matters worse. And it will.

POST #2 - Follow up to yesterdays.

Im psychic!! The DR was only able to do a 2 min sigmoidoscopy on me and even that was excruciating. The 2 enemas as prep before were also very difficult and thats coming from a pro using medicated eneemas now many times. Just too inflamed which is how EVERYONE is during a flare. These scopes should NOT be done. I was perferated last 2 times too making my claims pretty darn reliable. When a person is inflamed, he should be left alone in that area when that patient has already been diagnosed. First timers have to undergo a scope but they are usually hospitalized by then or it is in very early stages and inflammation isnt severe yet.

So, thankfully I was able to really argue sternly this time and get my doc to only do a sigmoid scope w/ light prep - magnesium citrate drink and 2 enemas. But even this set me off further. I was having a constant 4-10 x a day attack for 5 weeks w/ slight blood. Since the prep, Im at 15 a day with heavy blood, severe ab pain too.

I now start 60 mg prednisone while on 3600 mg asacol (or Lialda = time release asacol)

Steroids have never abated a flare for me and I always wind up having to go into the hospital for IV doses. They too never work and I have to get doubled up onto another harsh drug along w/ the steroids.

I have changed my diet since my last flare in 2008 and have gone PALEO. I supplement FISH OIL (2 gms day_ and also eat alot of fresh, wild caught cold water fish. I take a VIT D3 daily, probiotics, and a good multi-vitamin. I believe this diet and regimine is what is keeping the flare at bay because never before has it not escalated within a couple weeks to a nasty severe attack.
My attack came on after a week of no sleep and severe stress from 3 operations this year for in-vitro purposes and then I had an electrical, plumbing, ect p[rob with bills all mount the same time .. So I believe the attack was from lack of sleep and stress. The diet however being so rich in proteins and nutrients while eliminating toxins such as trans fats, graisn, soy, ect is whats keeping me at bay.

Good for you, don't let him do that to you!
Fortunately my GIs have both been good about that. Even when I was in the drug study (for asacol) and he was supposed to do flex sigs every few weeks, he would not do them if I said please, not this time.

Good luck, let us know how the colonoscopy and your diagnosis goes!