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Colonoscopy recovery time

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Posted 5/23/2009 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
I had a colonoscopy on Wed last week....this is the first colonoscopy I have had during a flare this bad... The doc didnt knock me out all the way which was kind of a bummer - I got to experience the whole ordeal including the biopsies. It wasnt painful, but it wasnt comfortable....

Since my colonoscopy I have had much more watery stools, mucous, and bleeding. The bleeding has tapered off, but the watery stools and mucous are still around - much moreso than before the scope...

Does this usually slowly go back to "normal" (in terms of a flare)? Feels like any progress I may have made over the past month or two has been put back to square 1.

Good news was that it was left sided only this time, and no more pancolitis at this time.... No biopsy results yet.
Posted 5/23/2009 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
It's definitely irritating to get scoped during a flare-- based on my own experience. Try to rest as much as you can & eat comfort foods, avoid fats, spices, & raw produce. A couple months back my gastro did a flex-sig with 4 biopsy samples while I was in a moderate flare, mainly in sigmoid colon. The following week I felt worse than before because I got spasms with every bm. That kind of setback can really try one's patience! Ca. 11-12 days after the scope I finally started to feel better & could tell that the ulceration was healing. I hope you'll improve real soon, but in the meantime, just know that you're not alone in this predicament. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 5/24/2009 11:21 AM (GMT 0)
I think Old Hat offers good advice. I had my colonoscopy less than a week ago and experienced the same thing you did (watery stools, bleeding, mucous). My comfort food of choice is raw milk - so I spent one day just drinking that (plus a fiber supplement) and found that helped a lot.
Posted 5/26/2009 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
i had the same thing last week, a colonoscopy, where i was in a flare up and awake the whole time. he said he did over 25 biopsies hurt very bad. the rest of the week i was feeling very sluggish and weak. and i had some bleeding and mucus.
i think this is my fifth one, maybe sixth, it is usually hard to recover after.
Posted 5/26/2009 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I think it depends on how you're flaring. Most times I'm not flaring during c-scopes, but the last one I was starting to...

The bleeding from biopsies stopped at day 3...I started rectal meds immediately because the lowest part of my rectum was flaring and I suspected it before the scope. I believe the purge (and the fact that I had an accidental fall on the steps (dislocation/relocation of my shoulder) caused incredible stress a week previous.

Are you using any rectal meds...could be something you should consider as well as probiotics and fibre supplements to bulk up/soften the stool.

When do you go for the biopsy results?  When you do, make sure you get copies of them to keep for your records.

quincy

Posted 5/27/2009 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Gads, Quincy, my gastro doesn't give out copies of anything! It is so annoying!                                 I was thinking to ask mbx5 if he ever tried Colazal-- since his UC is left-sided. (As is mine.) It might be more effective against his inflammation than Asacol because it dissolves farther into the colon. I see he goes to U. of Pittsburgh Medical Center for scoping. They had 2 involved IBD gastros, Plevy & Regueiro, but Plevy left for U. of North Carolina last yr. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])

Posted 5/27/2009 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
If you ask for them, they HAVE to give you copies of all of your medical records. You might have to pay for them, but you have every legal right to them.
Posted 5/27/2009 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
I know we have legal rights, but when the gastro's office is understaffed & extremely busy with patient flow-- guess what service gets lost in the chaos? / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 5/27/2009 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
Records regarding doctor comments isn't what I'm meaning...only for test results.

If it's on a computer, or whatever, all the doc needs to do is walk over and put it on a xerox.



q
Posted 5/27/2009 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Old Hat - first time at UPMC in Pitts with a new GI. I asked him about rectal meds but he kind of blew them off. I am going to ask about Colzal however and see what he says. He seems pretty strict - which I kind of like - but at the same time I hope he is open minded.

The scope-related bleeding has stopped finally...back to my normal flare routine...sometimes some blood, but not constantly...

I will be sure to ask for the biopsy result copies... not sure when the follow up appointment is - I have one next month but that seems long?

UPMC has great electronic files. When I went for my MRI's for my pituitary tumor, I got a copy of them on a CD - it is a program called Stentor...I didnt ask for it - I was taking the CD from one doc to another and made a copy on my laptop... All of the images are there, etc. - very cool stuff....my brain is my desktop background :)
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