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Colonoscopy tomorrow: Question to you who've had them.

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/9/2016 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
I'm having my colonoscopy tomorrow at 10:00AM. Today is my prep day and I guess I'm just so anxious about all of this. I want to be done and assured I don't have something even more serious than UC. This is my first colonoscopy. At age 55, it's considered a routine screening, of course, as well as a diagnostics for my colitis like symptoms. I've had 3 or 4 episodes in the last 3 years where I get intense lower cramps which turn-in to constant urge to have bowel movements, then bloody diarrhea, then chills and feel feverish.. The worst part goes away after a day, then my bowel movements get back to normal. First time this happened, I was completely normal again for and entire 14 months with completely normal stools. However, the last 3 attacks have come closer together. My last one was two months ago and even though I've been free of pain and blood, I still notice some very slight, subtle cramping on my lower right side, and mild burning sensation when I have a bowel movement. It's almost as if I ate some very hot spicy food. No visible signs of blood since two months ago, but my bowel movements have not quite gotten back to normal. Somewhat loose and small and doesn't seem as if I'm going enough.

The doctor never really made an official diagnosis other than to say my CRP blood test was consistent with IBD and inflammation when I went in the day after the worst symptoms subsided last August.


Does this sound like Colitis? I guess part of me is hoping it is.

My question is how soon will I know results? Will they tell me anything right after the procedure or does the GI doc have to go through my doctor first? I'd like to at least get some preliminary results right away, such as were there polyps, signs of inflammation, etc.? I know that polyps are pretty common and there are a few different types, including those that are caused by UC. I read this all online. My doctor did not explain much about this and what the procedure might reveal in the way of diagnosing my symptoms.

Would like to hear your stories about how and what your process was.

Thanks in advance.
Posted 10/9/2016 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Often the GI doc does come by and mention how things looked, or polyps, or how many biopsies were taken. Sometimes you are still a bit groggy. I recall my 1st, being shown a picture, but when I was clear-headed I did not have it to look at.

I remember asking who would follow up the primary doc who ordered the scope, or the GI I had been referred to, but not met before that morning. (I ended up keeping the GI for several years until I moved, but changed primary several times.) Often a followup GI appointment is scheduled but sometimes a week or more later to allow for pathology report. There is not necessarily any medication prescribed that day. I had to call and press, and was able to go pick up some samples to use until my appointment.

Ask a lot of questions. good luck.
Posted 10/9/2016 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
An IBD diagnosis like Ulcerative colitis is done through a colonoscopy, biopsy and stool test negative for pathogenic causes to your symptoms. It's a diagnosis that eliminates other possible causes to your symptoms.

Drinking the colonoscopy prep and emptying out due to it, is by far the worst part. The actual colonoscopy itself is a quick 15 minute process and you'll be unconscious so not feel a thing. You'll be a little groggy afterwards, so it helps to have somebody there with you when the doctor tells you what they saw.

My doctor told me right away after my colonoscopy that I had ulcerative colitis. He gave me a pamphlet on uc, and a prescription for medications to treat it (anti-inflammatory mesalamine through both oral and rectal routes). The biopsy results confirmed uc when they later came in.

A storybook ulcerative colitis case, has inflammation visible in the rectum, which spreads up the large intestine in a continuous fashion. The surface is red, inflamed, raw and bleeds slightly to the touch, and includes small ulcers on the surface. If that's what they see, without ambiguity, then they'd likely give you a diagnosis on the spot. If there's any uncertainty then they'll wait until all test results are in.

Polyps can happen due to age and genetics and most are benign (non cancerous). They'll take biopsies to verify that. Inflammation from IBD can also cause pseudo-polyps ("pseudo" meaning fake in medical jargon) and they are non cancerous, caused by inflammation.
Posted 10/9/2016 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor told me that I had colitis, but was waiting for a specific type until biopsies came back right after I woke up from my scope. He said they would treat it like UC until it was confirmed since that is what he suspected I had. I walked out of the hospital with a booklet of information and o n colitis and orders to follow up with him in three weeks.
Posted 10/9/2016 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
I was awake when I had mine done so they told me at the time, how many biopsies they were taking. They gave me preliminary results right after and I had to wait 2 weeks for my follow up appointment to receive biopsy results. They told me beforehand they would remove any polyps if there were any.

Best of luck
Posted 10/9/2016 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all of the helpful information. One thing I have done the past two months is an elimination diet. Something very close to the paleo. The big contributor I think to the more recent flares was alcohol intake. I completely stopped drinking beer and other alcoholic drinks and I have been nearly symptom free the past two months except for the fact the stools are not quite normal enough.

After perusing this forum, it doesn't seem as though prescription meds are a very effective long term treatment and there are so many horror stories about side effects, etc..
Posted 10/9/2016 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
Prescription medications are a good solution for the majority of ulcerative colitis patients, ensuring the longest periods of remission (being symptom free), and have the least frequent flares. It's true that some maintain without meds but they aren't the majority, rather a minority for whom medications didn't work (so, they found their own solution).
Posted 10/9/2016 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
remember that on forums there is a higher percentage of those with a more severe disease process. the patients who are doing well without ever having had any complications do not go online looking for info as often as those who do have issues.
Posted 10/9/2016 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
Get a copy of the results...make sure at your follow up....and ask for specifics as to the location of your inflammation EXACTLY...as well as the severity .
Hopefully, he/she will write a small report to be given to you after the scope before you leave. Request that of the doc before you are administered the meds. Better is if you ask for twilight ahd watch the monitor...it's a show so worth the admission fee.

Yes...meds help long-term. My ecperience tells me that.

There are varying reasons for failure such as patient noncompliance and denial, no rectal meds, systemic steroids as initial treatment and no mesalamine, too high dosage or too low dosage of mesalamine, sensitivity or intolerance or serious side effects, misdiagnosis, remiss doctor....the list goes on and on.

You don't have experience with them or even know what you have, so your conclusion is skewed at this time.

Welcome to the forum....keep us updated on yiur scope.

q
Posted 10/9/2016 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
You are all right. My own fears of the meds are not scientific and probably skewed by those on forums who are among a few who aren't gaining any relief. With that said, all long-term medications do have side-effects. When we put chemicals into our bodies every single day we are bound to have some undesirable consequences, perhaps long-term problems we won't realize, for many years. Of course, I've had some severe flares and I realize when you're in this condition you do what you have to do and trust me, I will too! With that said, are there any effective prescription treatments which do not have to be taken every day persistently?
Posted 10/9/2016 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
There are meds than can be administered as far apart as every 8 weeks via infusion
There is a self injectable approved for crohsn every 8 weeks and that is under investigation for UC
There are others that are monthly, every other week, and weekly.
But for oral meds most of em are daily as far as I am aware
Posted 10/9/2016 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
RobDel, I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, as you don't yet have a diagnosis and you're worried about how often you have to take medications.

I've yet to experience a side effect on any of the three classes of uc medications: the first class is anti-inflammatory mesalamine, the second class is immunomodulators, or on the third class which is biologics. Not everyone gets side effects, although the internet does have horror stories.

If you do get an IBD diagnosis, just realize that it's for life and so is your treatment. Noncompliance to a maintenance treatment is one of the biggest causes of flare ups and preventable hospital expenses with chronically ill patients. It's a big problem where people stop their treatments when they feel better and then their own complacency is directly responsible for their flare up.

Nearly everyone here was young, healthy, and took no medications before their diagnosis. Chronic illness changes all of that overnight. You just make your medications a part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth and eating breakfast. It's automatic and nothing to worry about. Even those who adhere to diets and alternatives must keep up with their individual treatment plan (eat specific things, take specific supplements on a daily basis) or else they will flare up, complacency just isn't an option for any of us when we intend to be successful and have the best possible quality of life :-)
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