Pillcam experience?

[SCAR2003]

DD had EGD/Colonoscopy scopes last week (8 weeks post initial scopes). GI says it looks like her meds are doing their work and she looks better. However, he isn't sure why her symptoms are still hanging around. Her labs are looking better (platelets came down from 817 back to 630 (normal 150-450)).

So, he would like to do the pillcam. She has another MRE this week to make sure there are no narrow areas for the pillcam to get caught.

Have any of your children had the pillcam? And, what was your experience like?

Thanks!
Candi

 

[Maya142]

M had a pillcam in February. She didn't have to do the full colonoscopy prep, but there was some prep (can't remember, sorry!). The actual procedure was very easy -- she swallowed the pillcam in the morning (which is pretty big pill but manageable) and then had to wear a receiver all day (and could do whatever she wanted -- we went to a museum).

She was allowed a small snack at lunch and to eat a meal at 4 or 5.The only bad part was that she was hungry for most of the day.

We did the dummy pill a week before the pillcam to make sure she could pass it.
Good luck!

 

[Jane and Nick]

We did the full prep the day before which is the hardest part. Went in at 8am swallowed the pill cam spent ten mins lying on his side to make sure the camera was well on its way, then a quick check to see where the pill had got to, it had already entered his stomach, and off we went, we spent the day watching movies, returned at 5 they checked how far it had got, it was in the large intestine. He was un hooked, and we received the report a week later. Nick never actually saw the pill in his BM but we presume he passed it as it was already on its way out and we have had no pain or symptoms.
Good luck, hope it goes well.

 

[my little penguin]

DS did his at the time of his upper/lower scope so the Gi placed it to make sure it got in the duodendum. Some can hang out in the stomach for 4 hours and the pill only take pictures for 6 hours total .
Also no extra prep.
Gi reviewed it for us the next day .
DS was really nausea from the scope so that didn't help.

 

[DanceMom]

My daughter has had 3. We were told to cut off food after lunch the day prior. No additional prep that I can remember. The first time we used a dummy pill first to be sure she could swallow it (it is quite large). We were told to use a hat to check BMs to make sure the pill cam passed. The first test it passed in a little over 3 hours and was still blinking, the last test took several days. Very simple test to do.

 

[malorymug]

Hi Candi,
What symptoms are still hanging around? I have no experience with the pillcam, but I remember our children diagnosed the same time with the same doc. My son's platelets are still high too at 560.

 

[CDJ]

Josh had the pill cam last year when he was 12. He didn't have to do any prep as he hadn't been eating for weeks. We were in hospital anyway when he had it done. He had already had a colonoscopy and endoscopy which hadn't shown much, so next step was the pill cam. He had this done via a general as they did another endoscopy at the same time. I am not sure I could have got him to agree to swallow it :eek2:
He was wired up to the monitor which stayed in place for a few hours, fascinating to watch the progress of the camera. He had no side affects from the camera, the monitor stayed in place for few hours and he passed the camera a couple of days later.

It worked well for us as it showed the crohns was now in his small bowel, something ordinary endoscopies can't get to.

good luck :hug:

 

[SCAR2003]

Hi Candi,
What symptoms are still hanging around?

Still having stomach pains, waking to go to restroom, lack of energy. Rarely having diarrhea anymore, though

 

[vtfamily]

My son has done the pill cam twice. Both were a huge blessing and helped the docs pinpoint problem areas. Gus had the MREs first to check for narrow spots. Once he even went to school wearing the monitoring gear. Upon review, the doc saw a lot of inflammation. Turned out, both times, the camera got stuck and images were all of one location (makes me laugh to think the docs couldn't tell). If you don't see the camera in the toilet within a few days, have an x-ray done to be sure.

For prep, we did clear liquids 24 hrs prior.

Best wishes to you both.