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Capsule Endoscopy

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CazMc

Guest
Hey everybody,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Well, I am still battling away a diagnosis. Found out today that my sample for Calprotectin levels has been lost (I had it done 6 weeks ago!) but now they are thinking that I will need to have a capsule endoscopy. My specialist thinks it may be Small Bowel Crohns but all my tests have come back negative (and the white powder travelled through my digestive system too quickly for the Barium scans to work!). Any experiences of this test? Going through a very stressful time just now and a diagnosis would mean so much to me:)

Kind Regards
Caz x
 
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Reese1603

Guest
I have had a regular endoscopy done....never a capsule one though. I have seen it done on TV though...although that's really not the same :)

Good luck....you'll be happier with a diagnosis, even if it is a crohn's one. It makes your stress level go down significantly just knowing whats wrong with you and knowing that you aren't crazy!!! (thats how I felt!)
 

fenway1971

Sports Crohnie
Hi Caz,
It's a very easy test. You swallow a pill with a camera and wear a pack for a day. Just don't shout out loud things in Arabic because someone might suspect you to be a suicide bomber wearing the pack :)

At end of day, you return the pack and the next day you poop out the pill. Very easy test. Had it done about a three months ago.
 
Hey Caz,

I am about to have the capsule endoscopy tomorrow. My Dr. is trying to see if I have Crohn's or UC. My symptoms suggest UC, but we'll see. Anyways, I did an additional blood test (promethius labs) to see if it showed anything between Crohn's or UC. Since I was told the chance of the pill getting stuck is greater with Crohn's. Unfortunately, I still have to do prep for the pill cam, and that's what I am doing now. I drank 10mL of Magnesium Citrate... the fun has just begun.
 
The capsule isn't bad at all. It's sort of the end all be all of tests since you'll have a complete picture of your digestive tract when its all done.
 
C

CazMc

Guest
Oh no, not more prep. My least favourite thing of all:( Wrote a letter to my specialist today to try and hurry things up as I have not been told about the Capsule Endoscopy....the secretary told my Dr. It is all far too confusing at the moment.

Still, at least I know they have not given up on me. Thankyou for all the help everyone and good luck sickranchero with yours:)

Caz x
 
The pill camera is how I got my diagnoses. My promethius test was negative but the pill revealed a lot of ulcers and more.

After months of test I was thrilled to know I wasn't crazy. Let us know what they find.




Fenway " suicide bomber" :ylol2:
 

fenway1971

Sports Crohnie
Caz -
Prep was easy - just liquid diet day before and fasting after midnight. No need to drink the juice that you do before a colonoscopy.
 
Well my capsule day is almost over, and it was a long one. I got to the Dr's at 8am and waited for the late nurse. At 8:30am she stuck 8 electrodes on my abdomen and I swallowed the pill(it is smaller than I thought). They wanted me to come back at 4:30pm to return the data recorder, but they didn't want me to go far from the hospital. I just walked around all day and hung out with my mom. At 4:30pm I returned the equipment and went home. I still have the camera pill in me, I haven't passed it yet. I might have to save it after it passes as a souvenir.
 
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CazMc

Guest
I think this one sounds ok and I don't live too far away from the hospital so hopefully that side of things will be good. I just hope that I get results from this test, the longer it all goes on the harder it gets:(

Caz x
 
They made me drink a bottle of magnesium citrate before my capsule endoscopy a few weeks ago...the runs lasted for-absolutely-ever, longer than the preps before both my colonoscopies, but at least it didn't come with nausea and cramping the way the others did. Mine ended up being worthless though. I expected a diagnosis, I'm still at square one. Nothing showed up, but at least my doc still believes I have something, since I sure as hell don't feel good! The test itself is a frustration more than anything else, walking around with all those electrodes strapped to you all day...actually, they were stuck on so hard that getting them off my skin was almost the worst part of the whole process! I had to scrub as hard as I could on my very sensitive skin for my next three showers before all the glue came off.

Don't let my experience disappoint you though, there are other people who get a definitive diagnosis from it. It's worth doing. Good luck!
 
I took the capsule and had no problems. I didn't have to drink anything with it other than some water with simethicone in it to avoid bubbles interfering with the image. The receiver pack they gave me was really not a problem either. I put it in the cargo pocket of my pants and wore my lab coat over it and no one even knew it was there unless I showed them.
 
Pill cam also gave me my diagnosis. Its fun actually and seeing the film is even better. My insides were green and slimy lol. So inflamed it was sad.

My only problem was that my camera got STUCK. I almost had to have surgery to get it out but in a fit of rage, pain and panic I drank a dang near gallon of laxative and worked it out. I thought I was going to die and my husband almost called 911 because the pain was so intense for me.

They had me scheduled for surgery for the next day lol but I got it out a few hours before.

(I don't recommend that route.)
 
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CazMc

Guest
Kittee - That doesn't sound like much fun, hope mine comes out ok!!

Genuinely can't wait for mine now. Had severe pain last few days and another pointless GP appointment. Without a diagnosis it is very hard for them to know what to do with me. Gave me some Buscopan so hopefully that will just allow me to get thru work till I have the test. Wrote a letter to Specialist which I am hoping will speed up the process:)

Thank you
Caz x
 
C

CazMc

Guest
Ugh,I am so frustrated by all of this. Had another appointment with my specialist today and again we went over the fact that my colonscopy and biopsies all came back negative so he thinks we can rule out the big stuff. Still waiting on calprotectin sample results and if they come back as showing IBD then we will do capsule endoscopy or other scans. I just don't know what I will do if the calprotectin shows nothing:depressed:

Caz x
 
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