Capsule Endoscopy tomorrow at Stanford

[ginnyrdhap]

Hi all,

I'm up in Palo Alto at a hotel near the hospital. My appointment is at 7:30 am to do my pillcam procedure. I start my Gavilyte prep at 5:00 tonight. I'm so hunnnngry and feeling nauseous. Stanford likes patients to do the clear liquids the day before and then to drink 1/2 of the prep solution that you would use for a colonoscopy. When I told them that my local doctor was only going to have me do the liquid diet the day before and no bowel prep solution, they said that they've had too many patients not be cleaned out well enough, and that this is a problem when the camera is taking pictures. So, as I don't want to take any chances of missing any signs of Crohn's in my small intestine, I will dutifully drink this gross stuff. I'm not sure if I will add this lemon flavor packet that comes attached to the bottle. It has maltodextrin in it, which I think will make me feel worse. I brought a lemon to suck on between glasses.

I have such mixed feelings about getting the results of this test. I guess everyone who's been at this point in the diagnosis game has felt this way. I mean, I'm just so tired of tests and not knowing WHY I feel so horrible, that I
almost welcoming a diagnosis of Crohn's. My family doesn't understand such an irrational wish, but I need to be able to move past the testing phase and start treatment and at least know what that hell I'm dealing with. If this pillcam comes back as normal, then the only test left is the smartpill which tests for transit time. I will be so depressed if I am told that it is IBS and to just live with it.

Well, as I raise my glass of prep solution for a toast, I will be wishing for some answers to my medical mystery! I'm so glad that I read through many of the posts on this forum about how others have dealt with their preps and procedures. SO comforting to not feel alone with all this. :eek2:

 

[Jennifer]

Yay for Stanford! I used to go there to have tests done and had my surgery there. You are in good hands. LUCKY! I miss going there.

Half the prep isn't so bad. Remember once you're running clear, output is the same color as input, you're done. Good luck with the prep, we all hate it and feel for you. *HUGS*

Wanting a diagnosis is completely normal. Its not like you want it to be something really bad, you just want to know what's wrong so you can either fix it or treat it. Nothing wrong with that. If it does wind up being IBS (if you're bleeding and have visible inflammation, chances are its not even though IBS can show microscopic inflammation but that needs to be seen through a microscope via biopsy) then know that IBS is treatable as well. There are many medications you can try to help that as well.

Hope you get some answers soon no matter what they may be so you can get the treatment you deserve! Keep us posted!

 

[Trysha]

Hi Ginny
Good luck tomorrow.
I cut up a lemon into small pieces and held piece between my teeth when drinking the prep through a straw.
It helped to get it down.
I have been reading that they now think IBS is an early stage of crohn's----
I had IBS many years before being diagnosed with crohn's.
Hope you get good answers tomorrow.
Feel better soon
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[ginnyrdhap]

Thanks Crabby. I do have to say that you're right about Stanford. They have been amazing. Everyone I've dealt with has been so nice, knowledgeable, and accommodating. I do feel very lucky that I have access to this great hospital.

I will definitely keep you posted on the results. And thanks for the "HUGS". I'm up here by myself (nobody in my family could make it this time). Virtual hugs through the internet are almost as good as the real thing.

 

[ginnyrdhap]

Wow, Trysha. I just told my mom last night that I wondered if they would someday think that IBS is the early stage of Crohn's. That is amazing that researchers are really considering this. Maybe some people just never progress to full blown Crohn's.

I'll try the lemon between my teeth trick when I start my prep. Thanks so much for your suggestion and well wishes.