colonoscopy/ ulcerative colitis/Crohns

[livinlife25]

I know this isn't the most pleasant topic but am at my wits end. For some history
1st- Was prepped for colonoscopy and they did a flex, was given meds afterwards and afterwards had cramping, loose stools etcc....which i didnt have beforehand!
2nd-had a sigmoid flex and did fleet prep, no meds afterwards, no anesthia and did completely fine
3rd time- *this wednesday* Had a full colonoscopy with full prep anesthia and was given mesalamine that im suppose to take for 2 weeks for inflammation.....Same thing happened as the first time and Im miserable....

Has anyone else had this happen? Could it be because my colon was so inflammed and then I had the procedure? Im thinking of stopping the mesaline and see if that helps.....And yes I realize I should have called the dr but had no time today at work because it was so busy....Thanks in advance

 

[4greatboys]

I have only had 1 colonoscopy but I didn't any problems afterwards nor did I take any meds after.

 

[Morganpics]

I have had 2. The prep was different this time, but no issues afterwards at all. I hope you get it resolved. For me, the prep was WAY worse than the procedure!

 

[oybolshoi]

don't stop taking the mesalamine!

I take that daily for Crohns disease and it takes a little time for it to really start working on the inflammation in your intestinal tract. If your doctor prescribed that for you you must have Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns ... didn't he tell you anything?

Keep drinking lots of water and keep your diet light and mild - don't eat anything that might aggravate your symptoms (and I can't tell you what that would be because it's different for all of us). Call your doctor's exchange and leave a message about your symptoms.

Also, didn't anyone from the hospital call you back the next day to make sure you weren't experiencing these kind of symptoms? I'm puzzled because I always get a follow up call and it seems strange that you wouldn't have.

Hope you feel better soon ... if things don't improve by Sunday I'd say you should pay the ER a visit. You will run the risk of becoming dehydrated and if you have UC or Crohns you shouldn't let these symptoms drag on without treatment.

 

[AustinTink]

Kinda OT, but that fleet prep has been linked to kidney failure. It happened to my hubby's grandma.

 

["Got Disney"]

I had no meds after either. I would call your Dr and ask why he has you on it. Feel better and keep taking the meds till you confirm with your Doc that it's okay to stop.

 

[TaraPA]

I've had 3 colonoscopies & never had the after effects that you mention. Cramping, bloating & gas for a few hours, but that was is. I agree you need to call the doctor in the morning - even if they don't have office hours they may get messages on the weekend.

 

[oybolshoi]

Kinda OT, but that fleet prep has been linked to kidney failure. It happened to my hubby's grandma.

Do you have a link to the studies? I take Fleets every time I have a colonoscopy because it's easier on the intestinal tract than that gallon jug of stuff that most people get to drink. I'd be interested to read it because my GI doctor has been having me use the stuff for the past decade.

thanks.

 

[AustinTink]

Do you have a link to the studies? I take Fleets every time I have a colonoscopy because it's easier on the intestinal tract than that gallon jug of stuff that most people get to drink. I'd be interested to read it because my GI doctor has been having me use the stuff for the past decade.

thanks.

I did a quick search and found a bunch, here's two.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6905/is_16_4/ai_n28493281/

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-175019937.html

There are several class action suits going on right now. That info can also be googled easily.

 

[oybolshoi]

Saw the articles about a recall December 2008 (my last probing was in 2007) but my doctor never had me take two bottles of the stuff.

I did one bottle ... two doses three hours apart mixed with 7up and chased with more bottles of water than I could count.

Sorry to hear about your hubby's grandmother - I hope she's doing OK.

 

[livinlife25]

after researching I also read about the fleet causing problems... Honestly I dont remember much about what the dr said since I was out of it. He gave me the mesaline for the inflammation which is either UC or Crohns, we arent sure, waiting for biopsies for the moment. The thing thing is I didnt have any of these symptoms before the colonoscopy....I felt fine!!!

 

[oybolshoi]

after researching I also read about the fleet causing problems... Honestly I dont remember much about what the dr said since I was out of it. He gave me the mesaline for the inflammation which is either UC or Crohns, we arent sure, waiting for biopsies for the moment. The thing thing is I didnt have any of these symptoms before the colonoscopy....I felt fine!!!

Call your doctor back and ask what he thinks you have ... the biopsy only confirms the diagnosis but he will have a good idea based on where the pockets of inflammation were located.

If it's Crohns there can be inflammation anywhere along your GI tract but it's usually concentrated in the small and large intestine. UC only affects the large intestine.

Also, I don't mean to be dense but if you weren't having any symptoms why did you have all these tests?

 

[livinlife25]

Okay I guess I should have said i wasnt having THESE symptoms lol, my symptom was bleeding but I didnt feel horrible like i do now.....I was previously diagnosed with ulcerative proctitis...I need to have surgery in that 'area' and they wanted to recheck and see if it was possibly crohns because if it is they have to do the surgery differently....The Dr. said that I had a very "grey area" meaning I had signs of both is my understanding. He told them he couldnt make a definite diagnosis based on what he saw.

 

[oybolshoi]

Okay I guess I should have said i wasnt having THESE symptoms lol, my symptom was bleeding but I didnt feel horrible like i do now.....I was previously diagnosed with ulcerative proctitis...I need to have surgery in that 'area' and they wanted to recheck and see if it was possibly crohns because if it is they have to do the surgery differently....The Dr. said that I had a very "grey area" meaning I had signs of both is my understanding. He told them he couldnt make a definite diagnosis based on what he saw.

Got it.

I was just very confuzzled ... the beer I had with dinner probably didn't help.

I really sympathize ... when I was first diagnosed it was because I ended up in the ER with ... hmmmm, how do I post this politely ... orange / red liquid from the back-end about every 15 minutes. And I was so dumb that I let it go on all day before finally thinking that maybe it wasn't going to stop and I'd better go find someone to take care of it.

Just curious ... did they give you any antibiotics recently? I know that when I take those just after a colonoscopy or a flare up they really exacerbate things and can result in nasty loose stools and cramping.

I sure hope you feel better soon and don't hesitate to call your doctor's office - he will have an exchange where you can leave a message and will most likely call you back to discuss your current symptoms.

Good luck!

 

[livinlife25]

Thanks so much! No antibiotics.....Thanks for everyones replies...Today was better than yesterday so hopefully tomorow will be better than today

 

[jimmalru80]

Had my first one week ago yesterday and it did not affect me one bit. I have no problems after my test and I feel much better because I had the test.

 

[livinlife25]

Thought Id update...I did go off my meds and every day I feel much better! Am back to normal...that being said, next week I will try them again to see if maybe I was just overreaction to it because of the trilite and colonoscopy and maybe I just couldnt handle it then? And I got my biopsies back today and it is ulcerative colitis,,,,

 

[TaraPA]

So glad you're feeling better. Welcome to the wonderful world of colitis. I've had it since I was a child (then it was called juvenile diverticulitis). My flare ups are long...I can go a year with one symptom, then be fine for 2 years, then have a different sympton for several months. I have to watch what I eat & depending up on what symptom I'm having, I do have to use OTC laxatives & fiber supplements. Colonoscopies every year, fun fun! I had been skipping some, going once every 3 years (or just when I was in a flare up) but every time they find at least one polyp, so I really do need to get this done every year. That reminds me, it's been 13 months since my last one...better call today...as much as I dread the prep...

Again, glad you're feeling better!

 

[livinlife25]

So glad you're feeling better. Welcome to the wonderful world of colitis. I've had it since I was a child (then it was called juvenile diverticulitis). My flare ups are long...I can go a year with one symptom, then be fine for 2 years, then have a different sympton for several months. I have to watch what I eat & depending up on what symptom I'm having, I do have to use OTC laxatives & fiber supplements. Colonoscopies every year, fun fun! I had been skipping some, going once every 3 years (or just when I was in a flare up) but every time they find at least one polyp, so I really do need to get this done every year. That reminds me, it's been 13 months since my last one...better call today...as much as I dread the prep...

Again, glad you're feeling better!

Are polyps common wiht uc? i havent found that in the info I read....Not sure how old you are but Im 25 and they found one in my this colonoscopy which I thought was odd!!! I now have to go schedule a surgery for a fissure as well

 

[TaraPA]

Ugh fissures...I have them as well but not bad enough to need surgery! You poor thing!

I do have polyps every year but I also have a strong famiy history of polyps & colon cancer, so that may be a contributing factor for me. I'm not even convinced of what I have - like I said years ago I was told juvenile diverticulitis, then another gastroenterologist just labelled it IBS, then one said spastic colon, now my newest GI doc says colitis but not Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis. So your guess is as good as mine!