Prep day, and in a flare :(

[LNS87]

My scope is tomorrow at noon and today is my prep day. I have basically been on clear liquids for 36 hours already, and starting the mag citrate and dulcolax in a few hours. Was only able to sleep about 4 hours today and I woke up nauseous and in pain. This flare is getting worse fast, so i am glad to be getting the scope done but man this is miserable right now. I could use some support and any tips or tricks you have to get through the next 24 hours. This will be my third scope in 3 years.

On another note, I have only ever had a colonoscopy done, never an upper scope. Both of my previous ones came back with inflammation and both times the docs had difficulty determining whether it was crohns or UC. The last one she was thinking it looked like crohns but biopsies came back UC. Should I be asking for them to go ahead and do an upper scope tomorrow just to be sure?

 

[Johnnysmom]

I would absolutely want the upper scope done. I am not sure how they could properly diagnose you without one. My son's worse areas were his stomach and duodenum. They knew he had crohns straight away because he had inflammation in those areas.

It also makes sense that you are already there and ready so you may as well have them look at everything (and take biopsies).

The only advice I can offer on the scope is that once your stool is a liquid yellow/clear you are ok to stop the prep. This happened for both my son and I and we still had prep to drink. Once you are running clear, you are ok and it will keep you from cramping up as much. Otherwise, use a heating pad for your tummy.

Hope all goes well. (((((Hugs))))) those preps are the worst. Let us know how you are getting along.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

No real advice, I'm afraid. But, I can honestly say that I've been there. :stinks: Not the easiest or most fun thing to do while you're in a flare! :ybatty: Good luck on your prep today and scope tomorrow. You are not alone! Sending hugs your way. :hug:

 

[shamrock15]

Maybe a nice warm bath too? I agree the upper scope would be a good idea. Remember that crohn's can get you from your lips to your butt, and I would hope the doctor wants to make sure it's UC. Either that, or make sure you get a small bowel follow through. If you are being sedated anyways for the scope, go for the two for one special if you can get it.

 

[LNS87]

Thanks guys. I got the first bottle of mag citrate and dulcolax tablets down so the hardest part is over. I took a Xanax this afternoon because I was getting so incredibly anxious, and took a zofran while i drank the prep and between the two i am doing pretty good. Just have to drink a little more mag citrate around 5am, since scope is not til noon but already starting to run clear so I wont need to drink much. PS Lemon mag citrate mixed with lemonade = not bad at all! At the moment, just relaxing, watching TV and having some broth, popsicles, and jello while the prep does its job.

I definitely plan to ask about the upper scope in the AM when i get there. Just sometimes when I get so anxious I forget to ask important stuff so I may chicken out but hopefully not. It'd make me feel a little better if I knew for sure the upper GI tract was ok.

 

[LNS87]

Started off pretty good, woke up around midnight had to change my pants and barely made it to the bathroom. Horrible cramping and nausea all night even with zofran, and spent most of it in the bathroom. Got maybe 2-3 hours of sleep total. Got a little more than 1/2 of the second bottle down this am, and am running clear now. took a shower and got dressed and leaving in about an hour to head to the endoscopy center. I will be so glad when this is over!

 

[LNS87]

Just a quick update:

Doc said there was only mild inflammation but took biopsies so we will see what the results come back as in the next week. She is talking about adding a biologic, possibly remicade to avoid more courses of pred and keep the inflammation down. She thinks a lot of my current symptoms are from my IBS so she has me starting bentyl 4x a day. Once we get results I will follow up with her in the office and decide where to go from there. I am just wondering if being on 5 weeks of pred in October lessened the inflammation she is seeing now, although my symptoms are much worse now than they were then. Also confused as when on pred, I felt almost 100% but once I stopped it, about a week later symptoms started coming back. We shall see. Thank you for all your support on here. So glad it is overwith, and hopefully don't have to do another for atleast a year!

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Glad scopes went well and only mild inflammation! Hopefully these meds will help for you. Thanks for updating us. :hug: