Last meal

[Rebecca85]

I am sitting here enjoying some buttered toast, I have a colonoscopy tomorrow so this is my last solid food till tomorrow lunch. Just one problem.... I am currently on pred and have big time munchies so will be finding it rather hard! I have stocked up on juice and bovril since i have been told these are ok to drink. I'm not looking forward to taking the moviprep either!

 

[uab grad student]

Can you have jello? My doc allowed jello as long as it wasn't red (something about that interfering with them getting good images with the scope)... having something semi-solid like jello got me through the day so if you can have it, I'd def get some.

Good luck with the scope! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Rebecca85]

It doesn't say if jelly is allowed or not so best not risk it. Besides I only have red jelly (can't eat other flavours as I have a reaction to the colourings). Though I did just find out I can have soup with no bits in as a last resort if I am starving. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[Linney]

I feel for you, I can remember what a long day it was before my scope not being able to eat. I agree the moviprep is foul and so are its effects. If you haven't had one before be warned it is like peeing liquid acid out your bum (baby nappy cream or moisturiser can be very soothing). Good luck

 

[Chrismac]

Oh definitely stock up on moisturiser! Nivea is really good. It's the thing that got me through my moviprep!

I couldn't eat for 2 days before and it was so hard.. I was on large amounts of pred at the time also, I was allowed 2 boiled eggs on the first day and then as I went to boil them I dropped one! So only one egg for me.

I wasn't impressed with myself.

Make sure you rest lots also.

 

[ChefShazzy]

Ooooh, I know how tough that can be, I had my last colonoscopy on 30mg of pred. Just get through the scope, it will be hard... but the prep will keep you busy enough that you won't think about food too much. What are you going to eat after the scope?? You will probably feel like eating a buffet. The WHOLE buffet.

 

[Rebecca85]

just started taking the moviprep.... It tastes disgusting! Have got sudocrem and baby wipes to stop me getting sore.

After the scope I will take whatever they offer at the hospital (they said they would provide a drink and snack after) then probably mcdonalds to tide me over till i get home and do some pasta or something. Mmmmm getting hungry again now (the moviprep took my appetite away for a bit!)

Time for another glassful

Rebecca.

 

[Chrismac]

I totally know the feeling.. sorry you're there right now. I was so down when I took the moviprep..

You might want to be careful afterwards with what you eat though.. I ate a small meal with boiled potatos and a few veg and puked it all back up so soon after!

It might not be a common thing after a big colonoscopy so it might be different for you but that's how it worked for me.. my digestive system was VERY sensitive!

 

[Astra]

Urgh Rebecca, I feel for you!
Especially with the Pred munchies!
Hope everything goes well and good luck!
xx

 

[Rebecca85]

Well, i never want to go through that again! The prep took hours to get me going, my belly was HUGE! And the pain was awful, nearly as bad as when i was in hospital. Except I didn't want to take any painkillers other than paracetamol (which is useless) because the instructions said not to take any thing that causes constipation.

Now i just have to get through the scope itself. Oh, and it would be nice if i could stop pooping long enough to get there!

Rebecca.

PS i couldn't quite finish the prep, i was on the last glass and i was a bit sick and didn't dare drink any more. I just hope it doesn't make a difference, i will scream if i have to do this again!

 

[Rebecca85]

Well the colonoscopy wasn't too bad, hurt getting the scope round the corners but they did eventually get into my small bowel and found evidence of crohn's. They took biopsies to be on the safe side, and will go to clinic in 2 weeks to get the results, but in the meamtime they have started me on pentasa and slowed the pred taper to get the inflammation under control.

Rebecca.

 

[Linney]

Glad to hear you survived the scope ! Also glad you got a diagnosis, it may not be good news but at least you know what you are dealing with. I'm sure the pred will get things under control quickly - the tricky part is keeping it under control but there are lots of us fighting that battle so keep positive. have you made up for yesterdays starvation yet ?

 

[MacJr]

feel for you! i have one this friday. chicken broth and gatorade helped me from feeling starved last time. I hope it's the same this time around.

 

[Rebecca85]

They still haven't *officially* given me a diagnosis, everything is written up as "likely crohn's" until the biopsy comes back, but tbh it looked like crohn's on a ct, it responded like crohn's to the steroids, it looked like crohn's on a colonoscopy, I would be very surprised if the biopsy said it was anything different!

As for making up for the starvation, they wheeled me into recovery where everyone else was sleeping off the sedation and I sat up and said "can i have a biscuit now please?". So far have been very restrained, and only had 6 biscuits, a plate of pasta, a yogurt and a kfc meal. And countless cups of coffee!

 

[CrohnsHobo]

Hate the whole process.

Not looking forward to it next week. Though I love going out for a big meal afterward.

 

[uab grad student]

Glad to hear it all over Rebecca and they were able to get a good image during the scope.

 

[Chrismac]

Did you get to watch it on the screen? I love seeing that! And my doctor is great, she talks me through what she's seeing so I have an idea..

Watching the biopsies being taken is weird though.

 

[Rebecca85]

I watchedmost of it on the screen, there was just one part where they couldn't get round a corner and needed me to turn over. I didn't imagine intestines would look like that inside! The doc didn't talk much to me, but there was an assistant there she spoke to a lot, and a nurse to hold my hand and keep an eye on my obs so I think I got the gist of what was happening. I didn't like having the biopsies taken, especially not when you see the screen fill with blood! But it must have stopped quickly because i haven't had any blood in my bms.

 

[kenny]

a KFC meal! :lol2 that stuff is murder on my poor tummy.

 

[Rebecca85]

I haven't really found much that disagrees with me so far (i was already avoiding some foods due to intolerances. Or maybe it was crohns all along, i don't know). I do know spicy food is a no-no, so i just had regular chicken and that seemed ok

Chris: i am from nottingham so go to the qmc there. It's part of the university of nottingham which does a lot of research so hopefully it's a good hospital to be in! (though some of the doctors could improve their bedside manner!)

 

[Becca1991]

Hey thats what happened to me the CT scan showed mild inflammation in the terminal ilieum, and the colonoscopy showed it looked like it and the prednisone helped it but the biospies said different

 

[Chrismac]

(though some of the doctors could improve their bedside manner!)

Haha.. tell me about it!! My hospital is the Luton&Dunstable.. it's alright.. but my old doctor used to tell me I was born to be awkward! He was a grumpy old man. My new doctor is female and lovely!

I kinda had the same results with my biopsies.. the path lab didn't come up with a result.. but my doctor said to her it definitely looked like Crohn's. As head of the department, I definitely trust her.

 

[Rebecca85]

There was just this one doctor that I didn't like, I was on a surgical ward because they thought there was something wrong with my gallbladder, then when they did the ultrasound and CT they asked someone from gastro to come and talk to me. He walked in, asked if I had ever heard of Crohn's disease. I said I didn't know what it was. He then said "you might have it, and now we can discharge you" so I cried and he said "well that will only make things worse" and left. Real helpful!

 

[Hedgehog]

Hi Rebecca,
Glad you got the colonoscopy over and I hope you get some long-term treatment soon.
I know that scenario with insensitive doctors. With some you just wish you could give 'em Crohn's for a day whie you look on and smile.... Some docs are so crass!
Gail
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