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Loopagram before takedown

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/31/2018 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone here had a loopagram done before their takedown surgery? The way it was explained to me was that they run the a cathader/ camera down my loop ileo and fills the j-pouch up with contrast to see if there are any leaks. My surgeon said he doesn’t like using barium in case it does leak, he doesn’t want bariumleaking into my system. Anyway, I haven’t been able to find much info on the “loopagram”. While an idea of having an enema is never fun, the idea of running a camera into my stoma is mildly freaking me out. Seems like it might be a bit uncomfortable?
Posted 9/2/2018 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
I had barium enema on the 20th and final surgery on the 21st. I wouldn't do enema unless I was out 100%. I stood my ground and I'm proud of myself. Never heard of loopogram. After having UC for 32 yrs I do not want any more pain,uncomfortability etc.
Posted 9/3/2018 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
There are a lot of posts about pouchograms, but I have only seen a few people mention having it done through the stoma. Mine was done through the back and it was no big deal. I was really nervous about the procedure because I had read a lot of stories that made it sound crazy, but mine was very simple. I laid on a table that tilted, they tacked a little tube to my butt with something sticky, then they filled my pouch with something (probably barium), then they tilted the table around and took images - I turned a bit as they told me to. It took probably 10 minutes. I wasn't in pain, it didn't cause urgency, nothing came out unintentionally. They had a bathroom right off the procedure room. They told me to go in and clean up once it was done. I basically wiped my bottom and that was it. I went back out, he gave me the OK, and I was done. I told my surgeon, and went forward with surgery.
Posted 9/3/2018 1:12 PM (GMT 0)
If they go through your ostomy then you won’t feel a thing, there are no nerves inside your intestines. That’s the way they explained it to me when they put a catheter in my ostomy to clear a kink/blockage. I didn’t feel a thing, they even put a stitch in it to hold the catheter in place.
Posted 9/4/2018 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Great points. Thank You. I guess I should be more worried about my stoma being active during the whole deal then the comfort level. I’m just crossing my fingers I don’t leave them with a huge mess... I haven’t been without a bag on more then a couple minutes since surgery.
Posted 9/4/2018 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
You’ll be in a gown. My room also had a bathroom off of it. If there is a mess then it will be their responsibility to clean it up.
Posted 9/5/2018 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
I am sure you will do great, and Keith is right, if there's a mess, it's probably more their fault than yours, and they will clean. I was really worried about that too, but the facility I went to does them quite frequently, and it wen't very smoothly for me. I was the 2nd of the day the day I went.
Posted 9/7/2018 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Just finished the Loopagram a few hours ago. While it certainly wasnt super fun, it really was not a big deal. They didn’t sedate me at all and there really wasn’t any pain. The worst part was just the mini-mess Lazarus (my stoma) decided to leave when they took off the bag. If given the choice to do a barium enema or the Loopagram, I would choose Loopagram every time.

Watching the contrast work its way through the intestines / pouch was really cool. Best news of the day, was there were no leaks and the dude doing the imaging, said everything looked great. So unless something weird happens in the next little while, I’m scheduled for takedown surgery on the 18th!
Posted 9/7/2018 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
To a fellow class of 2018 good luck my friend
Posted 9/7/2018 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
My surgeon did a sigmod scope I believe it was around 10 days before my take down. And she also went through my stoma to look around. I was put out 100% so I didn't feel a thing. My stoma was swollen for a few days and leaked blood off and on for 5 day which she said was normal.

Good luck with your take down
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