Has Anyone Had A Colonscopy

[maggie]

I just got done with my consult with my gi doc about having a colonscopy. My mother died with colon cancer therefore I need one done every five years. I have had two alreadly, but never with pots. He has prescribed 2 regland tablets to start and the to drink a gallon of NuLytely in the next six hours. Have anyone used this procedure for cleansing? If you have did you have any trouble keeping it down? Did you do it at home or in the hospital? It would help me feel more comfortable about this procedure if any member has gone through this and could tell me of their experience. Thanks for the help.

Maggie

[Maxine]

Maggie,

I drank citrate of magnesia at home for my colon cleanse for a barium enema. We were going to do a colonoscopy, but I have had a number of complications lately---(last three years especially) with my cervical/cranial instability, ehlers danlos, and POTS secandary to all this. I have a very patient GI doc, and surgeon (she's the one who will do the colonoscopy). My PCP is also very patient. My PCP and surgeon decided a virtual colonoscopy would be the best, but I don't think my surgeon realized the prep is double of what is for the regular. I guess they want you extra clean for this.

I was leary of this second part of the prep Trilytely---(same properties of go-lytely). I would to a 10 oz. bottle of the citrite of magnesia first, then barium, then a half gallon of the trilytely. I called my ANS doctor's office, but he wasn't available. I tried my PCP's office, and he said to come in and see him the next day. He said the prep would be too much to do at hom after he took my BP. My BP continued to fall after he took it standing. I said they woudl have to scrape me up off the floor. I told him I could handle the citrate of magnesia with gatorade, and chicken broth, and lots of water and other clear liquids.

He said he didn't even want me doing that at home.

Lots of people on here have handled the prep at home fine as long as they keep hydrated.

Another reason my doctor wanted me to do the prep in hospital is I had to do this type of prep is because if I vomited, we don't know how the strain of this would affect my instability, and headaches. I have an enlarged right vertebral artery, and lately my headaches have been localized to this area, and radiating up to my right temple. I also have swelling in my neck near my clavical.

If you OI is severe, you could request observation in a hospital during the prep. Also consult with an anesthesiologist if your being sedated, and inform him/her of your condition.

Another reason for virtual colonoscopy is because I have multiple diverticuli in large bowel, and it's probably related to the EDS, so a scope may perforate the bowel if my intestinal walls are weak.

However, even people with EDS & POTS have had no problems if their doctors are well informed about thier POTS/OI and precautions are taken.

My intestinal tract just happens to be affected by the EDS as well. I even have a large diverticulum in small bowel of 5 cm.

We have a big cancer history in my family----my brother just died of colon cancer in Feb. My Mother died 2 years before that, but we don't know where her cancer started, as her doctors neglected her terribly, and her cancer was found only 48 hours before she died. Her brother died of colon cancer two weeks after she died.

Maxine :0)

[Broken_Shell]

Hi Maggie,

I had this done in April. I was admitted as an observed patient because of my dysautonomia and hypoglycemia. I chose not to take the Reglan, but had no problems with vomiting. It does make everyone nauseous though. The problem I had was that I drank nearly the entire gallon (about 5/6) and was very bloated, but still had no BM. I have a lot of autnomic symptoms relating to GI activity, and all of this GI distention and pressure triggered me to go into strange spasms and tremors - mostly in my hips, low back, and my eyes kept on jerking about and twitching. The nurse got alarmed and called my GI doctor, but he had nothing to say about it either. Once things got moving, I was woozy, very weak, and light-headed, but the other symptoms settled down. I did ok with the actual scopes, but it took me extra long to "wake up" afterwards. I was dizzy and couldn't sit up for a while, so they just put me back in my room until I was steady enough to leave. This was the second colonoscopy that I have had since developing dysautonomia, and had no long-term problems either time. Just know that when they say that you get cleaned out they are not exaggerating... the BMs become clear liquid and it really wipes you out, so you might want to keep a cool wash cloth close by in case you are getting faint, and maybe some soft TP and flushable wipes since your rear will likely get sore. Best wishes!

~ Broken_Shell