- Location
- UNITED KINGDOM
Hi everyone, am knackered so if I miss something out, sorry!
Started prep yesterday and decided nothing can taste viler than Klean Prep, took the first 2 litres in 4 hours (don't know how I got it all down, even with squash and drinking through a straw!) As I was running mainly empty I got up at 6:40 and took half of the last litre. Didn't sleep well, going to the loo until 2am when i finally dropped off! I learned that watery D is not the same as passing water as D!!
Finally stopped needing the loo about 11am which was great, had a bath at midday and then left for the Hospital. A rather fetching gown and a pair of modesty knickers later (had none on last time, but these were rather granny-esque), I was ready.
I found out, walking into the room, that the Dr performing the procedure was the locum I had seen in clinic, so he knew all about me which was good. He said the MRI follow through was not easy to arrange at my Hospital so it would need to be the Barium follow through instead (no laxatives!!!!!!!). He stated he would arrange this after the biopsies came back, which is what he said in clinic.
I decided at the very last minute, while they were trying in vain to find one haha, that I would give it a try with just pain relief and no sedation. Having had a flexible sig the procedure was not unknown to me and I had not found that too traumatic, this for me outweighed the unknown effects of sedation and being groggy after etc. They team were very impressed and I had gas and air (Entonox) as pain relief.
The procedure went smoothly, apart from a rather awkward corner, and I was asked to move from my left onto my back, several times. At one point I had a bad spasm (puff puff puff lol), and a moment later I heard the Dr say to the Nurse "did you see that spasm", not as a statement but in amazement and some shock. Obviously that wasn't expected! I did ask after about 10 minutes how much longer because I had had enough, and my nurse told him I was in pain. It was only a few minutes more and then he took the biopsies.
I was then told he wouldn't wait to order the barium follow through and that was done while I was there, so he changed his mind for some reason. Before the spasm he did say it didn't look likely it was Crohn's. He stated when finished it was not collitis for certain and didn't mention Crohn's again, but I do think the change of heart over the test was telling. Apparently my bowel does look very healthy.
After an hour and fifteen minutes I was heading home!
According to the report at the end, I had 50% gas and air and he got as far as the Terminal Illeum which was one further than the Caecum which he was aiming for. No signs of inflammation upto TI. 2 biopsies each were taken from these areas: Rectum, Sigmoid Colon, Descending Colon, Transverse Colon, Caecum, and 4 were taken from the Terminal Illeum, so 14 in total. To rule out Microscopic Collitis apparently. Is the amount normal?
"Histroy and abd and feature suggest IBS but had increase of WBC scan in RIF" (which is the scan which led me back to Gastro) was also stated.
So next step is to look in the other places including small bowel and stomach. I have been wondering about my stomach recently. I don't get acid reflux often, but it has been present over the years and had some nasty spells of it latelty which with the bland diet am at a loss to explain, and do get bad tummy aches at times. If it's the case then they can give me a pill cam if they can't diagnose, I refuse totally to have a gastroscopy!
If this other test is normal then I won't yet accept a diagnosis of IBS. My symptoms don't fit and no cause has been found for shoulder pain after 2 MRI scans of upper arm and joint came back normal. And the CRP always in the 20's every time it was tested last 4 years. I will ask for another WBC scan and if that comes back normal, will decide next step, if not I will tell him to start over!
Biopsies should be back in a couple weeks, likely the same for BFT appointment to come through.
Started prep yesterday and decided nothing can taste viler than Klean Prep, took the first 2 litres in 4 hours (don't know how I got it all down, even with squash and drinking through a straw!) As I was running mainly empty I got up at 6:40 and took half of the last litre. Didn't sleep well, going to the loo until 2am when i finally dropped off! I learned that watery D is not the same as passing water as D!!
Finally stopped needing the loo about 11am which was great, had a bath at midday and then left for the Hospital. A rather fetching gown and a pair of modesty knickers later (had none on last time, but these were rather granny-esque), I was ready.
I found out, walking into the room, that the Dr performing the procedure was the locum I had seen in clinic, so he knew all about me which was good. He said the MRI follow through was not easy to arrange at my Hospital so it would need to be the Barium follow through instead (no laxatives!!!!!!!). He stated he would arrange this after the biopsies came back, which is what he said in clinic.
I decided at the very last minute, while they were trying in vain to find one haha, that I would give it a try with just pain relief and no sedation. Having had a flexible sig the procedure was not unknown to me and I had not found that too traumatic, this for me outweighed the unknown effects of sedation and being groggy after etc. They team were very impressed and I had gas and air (Entonox) as pain relief.
The procedure went smoothly, apart from a rather awkward corner, and I was asked to move from my left onto my back, several times. At one point I had a bad spasm (puff puff puff lol), and a moment later I heard the Dr say to the Nurse "did you see that spasm", not as a statement but in amazement and some shock. Obviously that wasn't expected! I did ask after about 10 minutes how much longer because I had had enough, and my nurse told him I was in pain. It was only a few minutes more and then he took the biopsies.
I was then told he wouldn't wait to order the barium follow through and that was done while I was there, so he changed his mind for some reason. Before the spasm he did say it didn't look likely it was Crohn's. He stated when finished it was not collitis for certain and didn't mention Crohn's again, but I do think the change of heart over the test was telling. Apparently my bowel does look very healthy.
After an hour and fifteen minutes I was heading home!
According to the report at the end, I had 50% gas and air and he got as far as the Terminal Illeum which was one further than the Caecum which he was aiming for. No signs of inflammation upto TI. 2 biopsies each were taken from these areas: Rectum, Sigmoid Colon, Descending Colon, Transverse Colon, Caecum, and 4 were taken from the Terminal Illeum, so 14 in total. To rule out Microscopic Collitis apparently. Is the amount normal?
"Histroy and abd and feature suggest IBS but had increase of WBC scan in RIF" (which is the scan which led me back to Gastro) was also stated.
So next step is to look in the other places including small bowel and stomach. I have been wondering about my stomach recently. I don't get acid reflux often, but it has been present over the years and had some nasty spells of it latelty which with the bland diet am at a loss to explain, and do get bad tummy aches at times. If it's the case then they can give me a pill cam if they can't diagnose, I refuse totally to have a gastroscopy!
If this other test is normal then I won't yet accept a diagnosis of IBS. My symptoms don't fit and no cause has been found for shoulder pain after 2 MRI scans of upper arm and joint came back normal. And the CRP always in the 20's every time it was tested last 4 years. I will ask for another WBC scan and if that comes back normal, will decide next step, if not I will tell him to start over!
Biopsies should be back in a couple weeks, likely the same for BFT appointment to come through.