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Colonoscopy - to do or not to do??

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted Yesterday 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,
I had been in remission for about 2-3 years until this past spring, when I went into a big flare (after drinking a whole lot of my husband's craft beer - his new hobby). I didn't get insurance until September, when I finally went to a gastro and got on meds. I've been taking Uceris and Lialda, and I've been in complete remission since starting.
My doc wants me to get a scope, and I've been putting it off since mid-October. I'm supposed to finally have it done on Tuesday (2 days from now), but I really don't think I need to. My last scope was during my last flare, and nothing was found then. I'm afraid the scope will send me into a flare, and I'm just feeling uneasy in general about having it done. Since I'm feeling so good, should I go against my instincts and get it done, or no? I'll be done with the Uceris soon, and I'm hoping the Lialda will sustain me. Opinions, please! confused
Posted Yesterday 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
for most members here to give you any kind of reasonable and informed answers, more information would be helpful -

try to look at some of the other siggies and put together one of your own - saves a lot of back and forth and gets to the real heart of the matter - answering your question -


welcome to Poops All Over Us :-)
Posted Yesterday 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
Are you on any meds other than just the Lialda at this point? If no, request rectal mesalamine as well, considering UC starts at the rectum and the UCeria nor the Lialda will treat it.

While a scope can exacerbate a flare (usually because of the prep causing some irritation to the colon), you are due regardless.

Good to know what's going on, and if you believe you are in remission at this point, it doesn't mean you don't have mild simmering rectal inflammation that you might not realise.

If all is good regarding no precancer, then you should be good for another 3 years.

I wouldn't blame the beer for your flare, however. It sounds as though you weren't on any meds.

Explain what you mean by the last scope found nothing.

Welcome to the forum,
q
Posted Yesterday 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmmm, if your last scope during your last flare found nothing, I find that suspicious cuz you say you were flaring but the scope showed nothing (is how I read your post) if that's the case then it's likely you were/are having IBS issues (I say this because I just recently went through the same thing)...
I was put on Humira in February of this year, had a scope done middle of August (but told my GI that I was still having frequency and urgency issues as they were rolling me in to get scoped) a few weeks later when I got my scope results from him he said my CD was in remission and even though he agreed to up my Humira to once/week I've still been experiencing frequency and urgency issues and my GI said it's due to IBS not my IBD since the scope showed everything was clear with the exception of a little bit of rectal scaring (I have crohn's colitis that often affects my rectum as well).

So maybe you've got irritable bowel issues as well. If it were me in your situation, I personally would get the scope done.
Posted Yesterday 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah. Somehow the story doesn't add up. How can you have a clear scope in the middle of a flare unless you didn't have UC in the first place? If you had a clear scope in the middle of a flare then what does the doctor expect to find now that you are in "remission"? I vote no to the procedure but somehow you need to get to the truth.
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