Colonoscopy Today

[Amylouio]

Well I had my first colonoscopy today, and boy did the prep suck. It made me so dizzy and sick.. YUCK! It was easy once I got sedated. haha. But much to my dismay everything looks fine and although they did take biopsies due to family history of crohn's, I am pesstimistic about the results. So they suspect IBS.. Well o.k but I thought IBS didn't wake you out of a deep sleep with pain so severe you can't move??? I know it's good to not be sick, and my family thinks i'm insane for being depressed over normal results. I know it looks that way, except I KNOW I am sick and that something is wrong. So know i'm waiting on the MRI although i am sure it will also be normal and beginning to doubt myself and wondering if i am relly just "doing this to myself" or that this is just how I am and I need to get used to the pain and inability to eat normally... guess I'll just have to wait and see..

Amy

 

[ellipse22]

It's hard to be happy about normal results when you are still having symptoms or feel like crap! This is one of my fears. I have yet to see a GI Specialist.

I hope the MRI can give you more definitive answers! :ghug:

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Amy, I've had a normal colonoscopy too and I know just what you mean. You know something is wrong and it's so frustrating when test results say you should be just fine. Hopefully the biopsies will show something, but they may not. If you have something like Crohn's, it can appear anywhere from mouth to anus, so all that means is that it's not currently lurking in your colon. There's still a LOT of small intestine that it could be hiding out in. Don't give up, there's still lots of other tests that can be done. Hang in there, and I hope the biopsies or the MRI you mentioned can shed some light on what's going on in there.

 

[Amylouio]

Thanks for your comments! So since i have the colonoscopy I have been having extreme cramps in my lower abdomen, which passing gas does not seem to help, it feels sore. Kinda like menstrual cramps... only different. Anyways my dr. office called to check in with how I was doing.. Which was great because I was going to call them anyways to see if it was "normal" to feel extremely sore all over my lower stomach? Anyways she said she would relay it to the dr and he would give me a call.. yeah 4 hrs ago and no return call. Anyways I was wondering if anyone has experienced this as well?
Another thing was directly after the call I had a bowel movement (sorry if tmi) which was mostly watery diarrhea but there was an object which floated and looked like a small baby carrot, but texture of a cooked potato. I did not eat anything as such and I chew my food really well and eat slow. I have had stomach problems for years and have learned things that help a bit. I have never, that I know of, had such a thing. I will also tell the dr about it, but does anyone have any ideas what that could be??
Thanks for reading..
Amy

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Amy, YES, I had quite a lot of pain the day after my colonoscopy! It was like waves of pain that made me double over. I called my GI to see if it was normal, and he gave me some non-answer like "If pain is a normal symptom for you, then it's not unexpected that you're having more pain than usual after a procedure like this." In other words, he didn't know what was causing it. Did they take a lot of biopsies from you? In my c-scope they took 10 or 12 biopsies and that's my theory, that they took a bunch of biopsies from intestines that were already angry (although they looked normal, but I know they were angry!) and that's what caused the waves of pain. The good news is, the pain gradually eased and 2 or 3 days later I was back to my old self again. If your pain doesn't start to ease by tomorrow morning, call your doctor again and let him know. And of course head to the ER if things start to get worse, if you get a fever, anything like that. It's rare, but on ocassion the bowel can get perforated by the scope. If the pain gets worse you might want to get checked out for that just in case.

As for the weird floating object in your post-scope poo, I have no idea. Maybe it was a mucus glob? Sometimes when I pass mucus it's kind of orangey colored. Is mucus one of your usual symptoms?

 

[Amylouio]

Thanks everyone for posting.. So I got the results of biopsies, all normal. of course. Well the letter didn't say "normal" just said nothing to be conserned about.. what??? I love that they treat you like your too incompetent to understand. I seem to always test slightly abnormal, but they always act like it's not enough to be of consern. As much as I understand that, it frustrates me because I'm telling them my symptoms and how much i've been suffering and they give me that side glace, say oh i'm so sorry, but i don't think thats your problem. They just want to say I have IBS, some form.. That was exact wording. I am unhappy with IBS, because thats basically telling me , well keep taking priolsec and well thats it... I've been talking priolsec and it has never changed a single symptom... So frustrating. I feel like a diagnoses of IBS is simply lazy drs. It seems like its used as a diagnoises when they have no clue whats going on or why. Sorry to ramble it's just the game we all play... the waiting game. Hope your all going as well as possible. I really wish we didn't need to be in this undiagnoised club.. heres hoping for intelligent DR....

 

[allieinwonder]

The thing is, a colonoscopy doesn't really confirm IBS or say you don't have IBD. Crohns in particular can occur from mouth to anus. If you are unhappy, I would get a second opinion! IBS, IMO, is a crack term that means either stress makes your bowels unhappy, or that they don't want to figure out whats really wrong. Don't give up!

 

[Amylouio]

Thanks Alli, I agree with you completely and am NOT satisfied with IBS, i really believe it's there laziness of incompetence.
I have an MRI with contrast tomorrow to look at my small intestine, but I love that the DR. sent me a letter stating it's IBS before they have even finished my tests. Great Job doc. They have to know how horrid it is for a patient to get that diagnoises after years of suffering, to me it feels a bit like a death sentance or at least a misery sentance.. It's basically saying sorry your feeling so bad, but nothing we can do about it. Starting to feel desperate I have a horrid GI and am waiting to see another.. so well see how that goes...

 

[allieinwonder]

I understand, it is a complete waste of a diagnosis. I understand people that are diagnosed with it, treat it as it is, and are fine, but there are people like us that need better answers! I have had problems with by guts since I was 15 (22 now), and I didn't get the courage to get myself to a GI until I was 19, even though my GP was saying it was urgent and I needed to go. The GI dxed me with IBS on the spot without even touching me! It has haunted my medical records and has made it so hard to get doctors to realize something is really wrong!

I really hope your SBFT tomorrow shows whats wrong!! Good luck!!

 

[Amylouio]

That is horrid Alli! To just come out and say IBS.. To me it's like them saying.. well you a female, so you mus be overly emotional and thats whats causing your upset stomach... Yeah whatever.. I doubt this as i am not a stressed out person and have plenty of coping skills. I'm sure you do too. Hello how long have we been suffering.... years.. it's ridiculous. I am glad you are getting better helped, at least the testsd, even when they come back normal. So sorry about the delay on results from pill cam.. I really hope they find out whats going on with you. Is it hard to get a DR to take you serious once you have IBS diagnoises, because thats exactly what I have now??? That worries me, as I had a hard enough time getting into GI in the first place. I know a lot of people with IBS that went to nutrionalist and found out they had severe food allergies to additives or other things. Wish dr in america were mord holistic. Nutrition is essential and dr know nothing about it.. Thinking i might have to go down that road, but i have always been "relatively" LOL healthy, and during times I have been on vegan/raw food diets and still have symptoms.. just feel like i can't help myself and dr are not willing to try. At least they have done tests insteed of just saying IBS like they did with you... I still think they are not the best clinic or GI dr in clinic, but stuck with him until I get to see other dr. one which you book 4 months in advance. I take that as a good sign though.

 

[allieinwonder]

Yeah, I am grateful they have done the tests too. They wouldn't at first. My rapid weight loss got one of my GI's to straight up say Crohn's or Cancer, and he was the one who got me my colonoscopy. When that came back normal I had 8 hard months of showing my GI (different GI than before, we have been moving a lot) my symptoms before he finally scheduled the pill cam. It actually was an ulcer eating through my tongue (like a fistula) that got my GI to go "damn this looks like crohns"! I have been waiting so long for help that this wait on the pill cam isn't really bothering me too bad, and I'm not getting my hopes up on the results..I was so heartbroken when the colonoscopy came back normal!

With the whole IBS thing...I personally have learned not to mention it with new doctors. Everytime I tell a new doctor my history, they almost give up because they feel another doctor has figured it out and they don't need to work at it. When I explain that that particular GI never touched me and called me a liar when I came back and said I was allergic to the medicine, they seem to get insulted and think I'm insane and just want attention. So I recommend, just from personal experience, to pretty much leave the IBS crap out of it. If they go back to that on their own, fine, but having it in the back of their minds in the first place makes it a much trickier situation!

I understand with the diet thing too...thats pretty much why I didn't really bother for so many years. I was still able to eat my favorite foods...which are all healthy! Dinner for me would be a giant bowl of cut up fresh fruit, or a salad. Now I can't have any fresh fruit or veggies, and everything has to be thoroughly cooked. I used to eat double fiber bread, whole grain this and that, and now I can only really have plan pasta! Everything else makes me sick and in SO much pain. Thats one main reason why I know its not IBS!

There are red-flag criteria that are stated that mean its not IBS. Blood in the stool, D/pain in the middle of the night, etc mean it isn't IBS. I would bring this up to your doctor and see what they say!

 

[Amylouio]

I have mentioned this to the doctor, that i get woken out of a dead sleep in agony and pain. Again they chalk it up to IBS and say, yes IBS can be very painful. The problem I have is I am in a clinic in which you have to see their dr. and my insurance makes it VERY difficult to change, so even when I see the new dr. he will have all my notes from previous dr. But I have heard from nurses working there that there is a "battle" between some of the GI drs. lets hope that they are on opposite sides. LOL.
Your tounge ulcer sounds horrid. I get problems with my tounge, but nothing like thaat. I get sores.. just little bumps that hurt and are irritated by food and drink. That had to suck... And thats my newest and the thing that breaks my heart, is fresh raw food, along with high fiber foods, like whole or multi grains.. KILL ME.. This is so sad because I used to love these foods and now I eat crap.. literally white bread, pasta, plain. But the worst thing is a new found food phobia... I fear food and thus don't want to eat. I am so afraid that it will set off a flare and I will be in pain with nothing to do to feel any better... I feel like the medical world has left me behind. Every apt I've been to they ask me over and over again about depression. Are you a happy person, are you depressed/stressed out ext?? he truth is yes I am depressed, but thats because I'm sick and no one will help me, or even really believe me... Really sucks
I've lost a lot of weight recently too, but 1 1/2 years ago I had my son, so they just seem to think i've been losing the baby weight, whih is great because I gained soooo much. But deep inside I know it's not healthy to lose 40 lbs in a month or less. In 1 weeks lost 15 lbs, just a couple weeks ago and they don't even mention it. I am, not even trying to lose weight... it just keeps coming off.
I understand about trying to not get too exieted about the pill cam results. I feel that way about every test.. I get depressed and figure whats the point, they won't find anything, because they don't want to. The GI already believes it's in my head, so to prove him wrong would be embrassing... Egos really get in the way of objective thinking.

 

[allieinwonder]

40 pounds in a month is not healthy! I lost 13 pounds in a week at one point, and thats what kickstarted this whole mess. But 40 pounds in a week..sheesh!

I am also asked all the time about depression. One GP I saw at my clinic literally said "this is all in your head, you are depressed, take these antidepressants and you will be fine in three weeks". WHAT? It is absolutely ridiculous, and it seems like it happens to so many people that need real help! And of course you are going to be a little depressed from this entire situation, but it probably is not causing your symptoms!

Maybe another GI will have a different opinion, maybe not...the only way I got to mine was being patient, polite, educated on what was going on, etc. My GI at the time realized the tiny little woman in his office was much sicker than she let on, and she needed help! Too bad he moved a week later and my new GI is back on the IBS crap. >.< Either way, it seems like being patient and sane seems to work much better than getting angry and letting them believe you are crazy. I know its hard, but it has really worked for me!