Bummed Out

[Rachel--24]

I had my first colonoscopy yesterday due to family history of colon cancer. I was really drugged up so cant remember anything. My Mom was telling me tonight that the doctor said he couldnt go high enough into my colon because of I have a really sharp turn that he couldnt get the scope past. He said its not that common but it sometimes happens in smaller people. So from what I gather he told my Mom I have to have another procedure to check out the upper half. I think a barium something or other....maybe an ultrasound? I'm not really sure but I have to get myself cleaned out again.

Thats what I'm really bummed out about. The procedure yesterday was no big thing but the fleet stuff I had to drink caused an allergic reaction cuz I'm sensitive to the preservative in it. It made my head swell. I knew I'd react to it when I looked at the ingredients but figured since its a one time thing I'd just deal w/ it. Now I have to do it again! I wonder if theres another way to get cleaned out w/out drinking that Fleet stuff. Theres gotta be another way.

Some other stuff the GI told my mom is that I have a slow digestive system. I dont have food allergies...I have food intolerances (Duh)....and the best part...I have IBS.

I guess I'll find out more when I see him in 3 weeks. Does anyone know anything about what I have to do to check the upper half of my colon? Has anyone ever heard of the scope not getting past a sharp turn?

[dolphin0599]

hi rachel- im sorry to hear about your test and having to take the medication i wish i had some sorta answer for you i dont.i was wondering if you could help me, i just found out i have celiac disease along with other food alleriges and was wondering if you knew of a support group in the bay area. i tried to find one in marin or north bay there are none.

thanks sorry i cant hep you-

abbie

[Rachel--24]

Hi,

I know there are some groups here...although I have never gone. Try posting your question in the support group forum and I'm sure someone will be able to help you.

[Guest nini]

Aww Rachel, that sux... can you do an enema to clean you out? Would that be acceptable to your Dr.? That is what they had me do because I am allergic to a large family of medications and ingredients and knew I would react to the Fleet stuff... I'm sorry that you have to go through that again. It's never fun is it!

[jerseyangel]

Rachel--I don't know if this will help, but I didn't use the Fleet Phospho Soda--my doctor said something about it upsetting the electrolites? Anyway, I had to drink a laxative that came dry in a jug. and I added water to it the day I was to use it. I had to drink a glassful every 20 minutes for 5 hours. It was awful! It dried out my mouth at the beginning, and got increasingly hard to swallow--but it did the job . Anyway, I thought I'd let you know So sorry you have to go through that again!

[dlp252]

I had my first colonoscopy yesterday due to family history of colon cancer. I was really drugged up so cant remember anything. My Mom was telling me tonight that the doctor said he couldnt go high enough into my colon because of I have a really sharp turn that he couldnt get the scope past. He said its not that common but it sometimes happens in smaller people. So from what I gather he told my Mom I have to have another procedure to check out the upper half. I think a barium something or other....maybe an ultrasound? I'm not really sure but I have to get myself cleaned out again.

Thats what I'm really bummed out about. The procedure yesterday was no big thing but the fleet stuff I had to drink caused an allergic reaction cuz I'm sensitive to the preservative in it. It made my head swell. I knew I'd react to it when I looked at the ingredients but figured since its a one time thing I'd just deal w/ it. Now I have to do it again! I wonder if theres another way to get cleaned out w/out drinking that Fleet stuff. Theres gotta be another way.

Some other stuff the GI told my mom is that I have a slow digestive system. I dont have food allergies...I have food intolerances (Duh)....and the best part...I have IBS.

I guess I'll find out more when I see him in 3 weeks. Does anyone know anything about what I have to do to check the upper half of my colon? Has anyone ever heard of the scope not getting past a sharp turn?

I saw him yesterday for an endoscopy (my second). You actually may not have to do the bowel cleanse, and if you do I'm sure there are other methods. A co-worker of mine just had something done and they gave him two large bottles of something that he said tasted like a banana smoothie. They then x-rayed his abdomin. Do you see the doctor again before the procedure? His scheduler is really nice and helpful too, maybe she can tell you more, and I think she'll send info, but you can ask to make sure.

I had my colonoscopy and endoscopy last Monday (3rd), but he had to redo the endoscopy because the scope he used couldn't reach something he needed to see...so I went to El Camino Hospital yesterday where they have scopes that articulate more. I had to do the colon cleanse last Monday, but didn't for yesterday's procedure...I just had to fast for 8 hours.

[AmandaD]

Yes. My mom had the same thing happen when she had her first colonoscopy- she had to have a barium done right after the colonoscopy - nothing was wrong with her just that her colon had a sharp turn at the very end of it.

She was ticked she had to go through the barium x-ray...

I had my first colonoscopy yesterday due to family history of colon cancer. I was really drugged up so cant remember anything. My Mom was telling me tonight that the doctor said he couldnt go high enough into my colon because of I have a really sharp turn that he couldnt get the scope past. He said its not that common but it sometimes happens in smaller people. So from what I gather he told my Mom I have to have another procedure to check out the upper half. I think a barium something or other....maybe an ultrasound? I'm not really sure but I have to get myself cleaned out again.

Thats what I'm really bummed out about. The procedure yesterday was no big thing but the fleet stuff I had to drink caused an allergic reaction cuz I'm sensitive to the preservative in it. It made my head swell. I knew I'd react to it when I looked at the ingredients but figured since its a one time thing I'd just deal w/ it. Now I have to do it again! I wonder if theres another way to get cleaned out w/out drinking that Fleet stuff. Theres gotta be another way.

Some other stuff the GI told my mom is that I have a slow digestive system. I dont have food allergies...I have food intolerances (Duh)....and the best part...I have IBS.

I guess I'll find out more when I see him in 3 weeks. Does anyone know anything about what I have to do to check the upper half of my colon? Has anyone ever heard of the scope not getting past a sharp turn?

[StrongerToday]

Bummer!!! Can't beleive you have to do that all over, but if it helps in the long run...

My friend had to have a similar procedure done and was given a gallon of "Go Lightly" to drink the night before the procedure. Apparently the product is not well named as "Go Lightly" is apparently an oxymoron

[jerseyangel]

Bummer!!! Can't beleive you have to do that all over, but if it helps in the long run...

My friend had to have a similar procedure done and was given a gallon of "Go Lightly" to drink the night before the procedure. Apparently the product is not well named as "Go Lightly" is apparently an oxymoron

That is what I had to take--I couldn't remember the name!! Go Lightly--NOT

[mmaccartney]

Rachel,

That really sucks. I had a colonscopy done and they are not fun at all. I'm not sure which is worse, the prep kit or the test??/

Have you discussed with your doctor a cameroscopy?? Bascially you swallow a small pill sized camera and wear a harness for a day. The camera takes thousands of pictures of your entire digestive tract, inclusive of your colon.

It's more expensive, but if your having a reaction to the prep kit for the colonscopy, it should be justifieable to your insurance company...

I think the "proper" term is a Camera Endoscopy.

[Susan123]

I have had two colonoscopys and 1 sigmoidoscopy. First one I took the go-lightly (nothing light about it). Second time 2 ducolax and a enema and third fleet (yuck- I mixed it with sprite and haven't had sprite since 3 years ago.)

[Rachel--24]

I saw him yesterday for an endoscopy (my second). You actually may not have to do the bowel cleanse, and if you do I'm sure there are other methods. A co-worker of mine just had something done and they gave him two large bottles of something that he said tasted like a banana smoothie. They then x-rayed his abdomin.

Donna, I have an appt. with him before I have the test so I'll be able to find out more. My mom was the one who talked with him and she said I definatelty have to get cleaned out again for the new test. Its not the one where you drink the smoothie...I've had that one twice already...that one was a CT scan. I'm not quite sure what this one is.

Yes. My mom had the same thing happen when she had her first colonoscopy- she had to have a barium done right after the colonoscopy - nothing was wrong with her just that her colon had a sharp turn at the very end of it.

Thanks, glad to know its not that unusual!

Thanks everyone for your advice/tips. I'm definately not gonna drink the fleet stuff again no matter what! Maybe I can acheive the same results by drinking epsom salts?

[dlp252]

Donna, I have an appt. with him before I have the test so I'll be able to find out more. My mom was the one who talked with him and she said I definatelty have to get cleaned out again for the new test. Its not the one where you drink the smoothie...I've had that one twice already...that one was a CT scan. I'm not quite sure what this one is.

Bummer! I definitely think the Fleet Phoso is what made me so sick last week. I expected fo feel bad the day of the procedure, but I was dizzy and slightly nauseated all last week after the procedure...I didn't have to do that this time and today I feel fine...could also be because I told the nurse who was going to give me the sleepy medicine that I was sick last week from SOMETHING...maybe he did something differently because he said he would talk to the doctor, so I just don't know. I do know that Fleet stuff is NASTY whether or not one has an allergic reaction to it...

[erin24]

I seriously just got a little sick to my stomach just reading the words "Fleet Phoso..."!!!!

[ravenwoodglass]

I am so sorry you have to do this again. Please tell your doctor about the reaction and use a different product if you need one. Also ask them to please make sure the barium drink is gluten free many of them aren't. I found that out the hard way.

[Rachel--24]

Also ask them to please make sure the barium drink is gluten free many of them aren't. I found that out the hard way.

Really?

I never thought about that. The barium stuff I drank last week for my CT scan tasted pretty good to me. I would drink that stuff again no problem...I didnt feel sick afterwards.

[ravenwoodglass]

Really?

I never thought about that. The barium stuff I drank last week for my CT scan tasted pretty good to me. I would drink that stuff again no problem...I didnt feel sick afterwards.

Not all of them have gluten. I just got lucky. I never would have known if my DD wasn't doing a shadowing semester at the hospital during her last year of high school. She had just been diagnosed herself and asked about gluten in everything she could think of.

[Judyin Philly]

Sorry Rachel,

My GI a good friend of mine at the hospital couldn't get me sedated..I felt every twist and turn. He kept saying, AW Judy, I just feel so bad for you"

My colon went into spasms during the procedure and he couldn't do a turn either but finally forced it .gently so as not to pierce it...I did the go litly too.

It took 3 weeks of water D to get the colon healed back up...I was on the phone every other day.to him.

Good luck can't really offer any helpful suggestions

hugs and thinking of you.

judy

[mouse]

I am so sorry that you had such problems. I can't drink that stuff as I throw it up - right away - so none gets into my system. I clean myself out the old fashion way with enemas and pills. Ask your doctor about doing it the way they used to before this junk was invented. Good Luck.

[awesomeame]

i have crohn's and get scoped yearly, and have had them done since 1990-ish. you kinda get used to it. besides phospho as was mentioned there is a jug you can buy and just add water, i believe it's called "colonite." i used it once like 10yrs ago, but much prefer the phospho myself since you only need to drink a little bottle of the stuff, rather then a gallon-in-30mins colonite. check out the crohn's and ulserative colitis forums at Open Original Shared Link there is a wealth of info there. also i would discuss the camera with your doc as mentioned to see if it's appropriate. to help wiith the "cleaning out," i switch to a liquid diet two days prior to the scope, that usually helps with passing stool after taking the phospho.

--matt

[Jnkmnky]

Well, good luck with whatever happens next.

[Sis]

I don't know how you are about taking pills, but My GI doc prescribed something called Visicol tablets. (Not sure if that's the correct speling??). You have to take a whole bunch of pills in a short period of time and drink lots and lots of water. It might be worth asking you Dr. about. It was pretty miserable, but I have also had to go on a complete clear liquid diet for 3 days prior to procedure just so I would not have to endure of of the nausea etc. that I get when taking any of the nasty preps. Good luck to you.