Colonoscopy in 2 weeks

Ay, ay, ay.... I hope it goes great for you, but two weeks is a long time. Is that standard procedure? I've never had a GI tell me to stop all my meds before a scope. Are you doing pretty well right now?

Stef, no it is not standard and I'm doing pretty good right now. The slight flare is my wording because BM are so random from D to not going for a day or two. I have some bleeding, fresh blood that I think is hemmies.

Gary, the doc's thinking is the pathologist report does not confirm the doctors diagnosis of UC.

I may have been misdiagnosed. I can see the proof on the paper, the reports, but when I have tried to taper off the asacol, I start cramping and getting looser stools. I'm willing to give this a try, I go back and forth on what I think, but am curious to know what this GI will find. If it gets bad, I will call his nurse.

I don't mind giving as much info as possible.
Yes, I am very anxious/curious in how this is going to turnout.
I'm off the meds so he can see what is really going on, so I think the answers are yes to your questions. His word is "masked" nothing will be masked when he does the scope to hopefully get me an accurate diagnosis. Plus, the asacol is very expensive, if I need it okay, but if not, it's a lot of money!

Long Story:

I met with the GI and we went over everything (40 minute appointment).
He pointed out that the pathologist report (indeterminate) does not support the doctors report (UC possibly Crohn's) from my colonoscopy. 

 My labs came back good, stool samples and blood work, nothing indicating inflammation. He said he isn't saying I don't have something, but he can't confirm what I have from the reports. Not having meds in my system will allow him to see what is going on. I agree it sounds crazy but at the same time I had other stuff going on at time of scope and diagnosis (needed hysterectomy and gallbladder was about done), I'm curious to know do I have ulcerative colitis or something else,  Another type colitis, Crohn's, IBS? What if I don't need asacol hd 800 mg at the cost of almost $900 a month?

I used to take A LOT of ibuprofen. GI said it is possible that it had my colon in a mess. My Dr said I had two separate spots that looked like raw meat. He did biopsies, pathologist tests did not confirm IBD. I saw this on the reports and wondered about it myself.
GI said he isn't discrediting my doctor, but he cannot continue the given diagnosis, because it does not add up.

My son has Crohns had to have surgery and is now on Humira. My Dr used to be his Dr. There is more IBD in my family, so ???

It will be interesting to see what my symptoms are. When I was diagnosed I was in a lot of pain due to uterus that NEEDED to come out. My doc did scope because I started passing blood on stools. It took a little bit to figure this out with continuous menstral periods.
Some of this may have been repeated, I've copy and pasted some of it.

Mmmm very interesting! and I can completely see why you would want to do this...apart from the cost, it must be awful wondering if you are taking these heavy duty meds....when you may not actually need them...

Either way after the colonoscopy you should have some resolution.

Hi Coffeencake

I have proctitis and am also waiting for a colonoscopy.

I have to stop my meds too. Very scary. I had a sigmoidoscopy two weeks ago which showed no active inflammation but I am still having blood on my stool.

My consultant said I need to do this so they can get a better picture. However If I can't cope without the rectals I can start them again. Last night was the first night without them. Still got blood this morning but have only been once so far and this is unusual for me as I go about five times in a morning. My IBD nurse said there may be a possibility that some thing in the suppositories could be irritating me. I am not sure about this as in the past I truly believe they helped. My symptoms are slightly different this time as apposed to my past flares. Even though I go four or five times in the morning they are not the urgency that I had with my flare last year. I will maybe go half an hour later with some BMs. Maybe I have something else going on up there. Did wonder if constantly shoving rectal meds up your bum could do something else.

Hope everything goes ok

Unless I missed something (which wouldn't be surprising) coffencake, when you had your very first colonoscopy weren't you med free then? I mean how does making you go off meds now and getting a colonsocopy in 2 weeks from now differ from your very first colonoscopy without being on meds?

As usual, I'm confused lol

Martha:
It is scary not taking the meds! Yesterday, I cleaned, stayed busy and if I felt any little anything at all, I told myself it was all in my head! I figured if it was real, it would get worst. So far, so good. I have day 3 in my head because that's when symptoms seem to show up for me from eating the wrong thing, stressing out, trying to taper off meds. If I make it a week, I will really wonder if I have this or not. But, if things look good, what if I am in remission and it's going to get me again sometime?

Life, gotta love it! Yeah right.

Oh it is going to be interesting. I don't want to admit it but my sides are starting to cramp sometimes across lower ab. It kinda comes and goes but it's there. I could eat a little better, staying with low residue foods. I haven't had a BM today, had 3 fluffy ones yesterday morning but that is normal for me to go more than once in a day then not at all for a day or two.

Thanks, and good luck to you too!
I called the GI's office, talked to an MA who talked to a PA, and the suggestion was to go back on meds. I'm thinking not just yet. Then I thought well why did I call? I think I wanted to know how easy or hard will it be to get someone. It was easy, they wouldn't let me leave a message on nurse's voicemail. They insisted I talk to someone. My question was how long to let this go. I can make it til Mon when doc's nurse will be there. Plus, now I know it is possible to get someone.
I just noticed MA and PA in my first sentence, I didn't listen real well to my "Ma and Pa" while growing up!
I may pay for my stubbornness!

Just wondered how you are doing. Have you gone med free?

Hi Coffeencake!

I hope the next week w/o meds goes well and that you have more info. after your colonoscopy.

I'm following your journey too! Thanks for the updates