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Endoscopy and Colonoscopy


genie

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Hello all,

Went back to the doc for my "tummy" issues and now he has decided I need to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy, just to rule out other causes than the autonomic disorder. I am still not sure that I want to go through this to "rule" out other issues, but he seems adamant that he wants to make sure it's not something else. I know several of you have mentioned that you've had these done but was wondering if there is anything I should be worried about, reactions, medicines etc.... Thanks!!!

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I've had both done. I didn't have any adverse reactions to the drugs--the worst part, as most folks with or without ANS problems will tell you, is the preparation for the colonoscopy. You have to have clear liquids and use loads of laxatives--despite all the fluids, I got dehydrated and my ANS issues flared up for several days afterward.

I would suggest having the procedures done if you haven't ruled out things like ulcers, or other serious GI problems. My best suggestion is to have the procedures done at a hospital, with a real anesthesiologist who can be made aware to treat you as they would any cardiac patient. Many doctors now do endoscopies and colonoscopies in their office--but my doc doesn't feel comfortable doing that with ME, even though that's his routine for most patients. I was going to ask to have the stuff done at the hospital, but he suggested it first.

Nina :)

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Same here. I've had a few endoscopies to intall/remove peg-j feeding tubes. The last one I had I was wide awake through the entire procedure. This was not a good experience. Like Timbo said, make sure you get a decent anesthetist! Good luck,

-Dan

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I had an endoscopya few months before my POTS diagnoses. I had lost my appetite and had swallowing problems. It was a piece of cake for me. I was out, and woke up just a few minutes after it was done. I had no problems of any kind thank goodness with anything. I do know many people without POTS who have had them done and no one I know has had a problem.

My hubby ( no POTS) has had a colonosopy, he had no problems after it either. Just hard to try to " clear" himself before the procedure.

Hope it goes fantastic for you.

Silvia

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Guest tearose

I had both tests and they came back fine. I was awake for the endo and totally asleep for the colo. As long as you give them a heads up on the POTS you should be fine! I think the preparation drink was too much for my body size and so I was potsy before the test. If you can, just confirm that the preparation is correct for your body size, age and metabolism. I was a bit of a rag doll for the following two days, but that it was a normal response for me after having been so dehydrated. Do you know what you have to do to prepare? Don't worry, that is not a good use of your energy! Just go ask more questions get some answers and tell us more....we care!

Sending you assertiveness...tearose

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I also have colonoscopy and I also have POTS.

The colonoscopy is not going well. I do this exam at the hospital and I don't support the ingection the doctor must do before the exam. When I do the ingection my heart is stopping. before the ingection my heart is going very fast but with the ingection it is very bad.

So four days after that their the doctor decided to do the colonoscopy with a total anastesy. and with a total anastesy it was ok.

I all the time react very strange with ingection I don't know why.

but with this colonoscopy all was normal.

Excuse me for my bad english but it is not my muther language.

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had both. with the colonoscopy, the worse thing was the dietary restrictions a few days beforehand (as if i already didn't have those issues...) and particularly, that sodium-type solution they give you to drink the night before. it gave me really bad hypertension and tachycardia and, for some strange reason, a headache and fever.

endoscopy/gastroscopy...the sedative made me feel really messed up for the rest of the day, and i had a fair amount of reflux/pain/discomfort in my upper GI tract for a few days afterward. on the plus side (if there is one?) i told them about my condition beforehand, and they gave me an IV bolus before the procedure, so everything was ok in that department.

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Hi. I am brand new to this forum. I have had two endoscopies and they both went just fine. I took home souvenir pictures of my tummy. The doctor who did them moved away, so I went to a new one for the colonoscopy....

However, the colonoscopy prep was a serious problem for me, and the procedure had to be cancelled because it got my reactive hypoglycemia going and my blood pressure and pulse both soared and I got horrible chills. When my blood pressure went over 200/100 and I still had another bottle of Fleets left to drink, I called the ER and they told me to call my doctor and cancel. I will never try that again! I had told him I had reactive hypoglycemia, but he told me to use "mind over matter". Needless to say, I will not return to that doctor.

Klutzo

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Hi -

My daughter had both last year for stomach problems with POTS. The medicine to clear her system made her so nauseous that she started vomiting and became dehydrated. We had to go early for the procedure so they could give her IV fluids.

Maybe if you could do inpatient, they could hook you up to an IV ahead of time so you don't become dehydrated. (If that's an issue with you.)

Margaret

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I've had a few endocscopys one of which was after my diagnosis of POTS. That went fine. I was a bit out of kilter after the anethesia (twilight sleep, I think) and it took a while to recover and I couldn't move too fast or I would get nauseated, but all in all, it was fine. For the colonoscopy, I've had 2 of them, one after my diagnosis. When drinking the "stuff", I stopped when I got nauseated, because I knew that I'd throw up and that would ruin things. I figured I didn't have to drink the entire thing if my body was already so full of the stuff that one more sip would get me retching, so I stopped. I react very poorly to stressors of this sort and wound up in the bathroom many, many times even up to the procedure, which luckily was at 7:30 AM (no time to think). I was too weak to stand when I got there and I had them put me on an IV ASAP and I told them why. I did fine with the anesthetic, but as usual, it took me awhile to get over it, not to mention the bloated feeling I got from them having pumped my gut with air (I think) and not having any food in me for two days. It took my gut about 2-3 days to recover.

I felt that both procedures were necessary in my case. As a matter of fact, they found something in my stomach that was a slow bleed caused by an arterio-venous malformation which they cauterized. The internal bleeding could not have been helping my POTS at all! I would just discuss your concerns with your doctor ahead of time so he knows what he's dealing with and everything will be okay.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm new to this site and just read your post. You may have gone through all you testing by now, but I thought I would pass this info on to you anyway. :huh: My 19 yr son and I both have dysautonomia and GI problems. My son had very severe irritable bowel syndrome when he was 15. Went through all tests to find nothing. The worst part is the prep, and he threw most of it up! (sorry to be so graffic!) These preps work by drawing fluid into the bowel and will lower your blood volume which will aggravate POTS. Also, with IBS, this assalt on the bowel causes spasms and the fluid doesn't pass. There are other bowel preps than taking Colyte or mag citrate such as clear liquids for 4 days before and an enema the day of the procedure. Encourage the doctors to choose this less aggresive method so it is easier on you.

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Well anybody I have heard of who has had a colonoscopy, they said the prep was the worst and the test was a breeze....they didn't remember a thing.

For me, I had to be hospitalized for mine because I already had low potassium and magnesium so they put me in overnight to replace electrolytes while I did the prep. The prep was not that bad. The test was horrible. I was aware of what they were doing when they started the test and told them I could feel it and for the remainder of the test I would go in and out at times completely aware of the intense pain and begging them to stop it hurt so bad. They would say, hold on, he is going around a curve it will be over in a minute. It was horrendous. At 1 point I heard the doctor say to give me more of something and I was less aware then except to hear the nurse ask me if anybody ever told me I had a problem with "flushing" as evidently I was pretty red. Needless to say, by the time the test was over, I was completely sedated. Too bad they couldn't have started me out that way. I firmly say I will never have a colonoscopy ever again. Besides, they say there is "virtual colonoscopy" that is just as good so that is what I would choose. Then again, if it is necessary people should have it done for the potential life-saving benefits as usually this doesn't happen to people (i.e. feeling it) from anybody I know who has had one. For me, I figure if my bowel is that clean at 36 I'm good for another 36 and will opt out! :)

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Dear Jackie,

Can you explain where I can find more info about this "virtual colonoscopy"? I had to cancel my regular one due to the prep making me dangerously ill, and I would like to know more about the alternative.

After reading your story, I can see why you won't do it again.

Klutzo

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Nevermind my last post, please! I just did a web search and read two items on virtual colonoscopy and it would not help me at all, since the prep is still the same,and that is what kills me. The first article I read also said in a comparison study more people rated the VC as uncomfortable because they do not sedate you at all for it. And, if they find a polyp, they have to do the regular one on top of the VC one to remove it. Not for me,

Klutzo

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I had an edoscopy done about 5 years ago- it was easy except I also woke up gagging on the scope- but was so drugged I didn't care :)

When I woke up, I just kept asking over and over again what the results were- kept forgetting what I already said. Not fun, but when you need answers, you'll do anything. Of course, lol, I got no answers- the answer was food allergies from ANS problems, as I found out 2 years later.

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Yikes Klutzo, I didn't know that. I never really read anything about it and just figured "virtual" was really non-invasive, etc. I guess I don't want that one either! For me....I'll be colonoscopy free! (just poking fun). But seriously, if you need to have it done, you should...if you can make it through the prep, I doubt the actual procedure will really be a problem...I probably just had a quack of a doctor or else my system was so out of whack that the anesthetic just wasn't enough to knock me out. Try seeing if your doc can get you admitted for the procedure like I was since you had the electrolyte problems so they can balance those out while you do the prep. Good luck and keep us up to date on what happens.

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