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Have you had a capsule endoscopy?

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Crohn's Disease
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Ohana
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 89
Posted 9/12/2007 7:56 AM (GMT -6)
My doc suggested that I could have this done if I want to find out more about what is going on in my small intestine. During the colonoscopy he found some signs of CD in the terminal ilium but I never really have pains on my lower right side. My pains are left side, upper abdomen bloating and lower middle abdomen.

Anyway, if you had one - how did it go? Did you have any pain? Did you get sick? Did you have to take a prep? Did you learn any useful information?

My doc is not even sure it is Crohn's. The pathology report said "strong indication" of Crohn's. I do have many other Crohn's symtoms like arthritic joints, eye problems, lightheadedness, sores on my head. I've found out, though, that my doc does not really care about my other symptoms. He said, "Those could be from any number of things."

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redrose
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 138
Posted 9/12/2007 8:32 AM (GMT -6)
I had a capsule endoscopy back in Dec. Easy as pie. Swallow the camera - about as big as a large vitamin pill- strap on the computer pack and go about your day. Mid to late afternoon you take the computer back to the lab. It takes like 2 pics a second and gives a comprehensive look at what is going on in the small intestine. At some point, if you do not see the camera pass, they will probably do an x-ray to make sure the camera has passed. It does get stuck occasionally if you have severe strictures. That happened to me and I landed in the hospital. I ultimately had surgery to remove the camera and about 2 feet of small intestine. Usually though its a piece of cake.
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Jenn4dex
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2006
Posts : 501
Posted 9/12/2007 12:31 PM (GMT -6)
I had it done and was diagnosed with this test.  It saw everything the other tests couldn't.  It was just a really long test, I think 8 hours.  But no biggie.
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yogaprof
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 1665
Posted 9/12/2007 2:14 PM (GMT -6)
it is the easiest test ever. the only hard part is spending the day looking like the unibomber, but it made for lots of fun at the college where I teach. good luck. yp
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killerzoey
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 161
Posted 9/12/2007 2:31 PM (GMT -6)
I am having one done Sept. 25th. I will let you know how it goes.
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beave
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 2246
Posted 9/12/2007 3:19 PM (GMT -6)
I've had this test done twice. It was pretty easy. Assuming you don't have any strictures, it should be no problem for you. If you have a stricture and the capsule gets stuck, you might need surgery to have it removed (an unlikely possibility but it should be discussed with your doctor).

My doctor required a prep the night before with Fleet phospho-soda, but I've heard some doctors don't require a prep before this test.
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Dave D
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2005
Posts : 404
Posted 9/12/2007 4:12 PM (GMT -6)

If you have any history of obstructions, don't do it.

Read my bio.

Dave D

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Ohana
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 89
Posted 9/13/2007 12:58 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks for all your answers. I kind of want to do this but am pretty scared about it getting stuck. Can they tell if you have strictures by viewing a CT scan first? I did have a CT scan (with barium) done about 2 months ago.

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dragonfly137927
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 2527
Posted 9/13/2007 2:28 PM (GMT -6)
yes a ct can show stricures. I had a stricure and the test 2 times and it never got stuck
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brit tuck
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 143
Posted 9/14/2007 1:25 AM (GMT -6)
Is it possible for your doctor (or where you'd have it done) do a patency capsule first? That gives you a better indication if it will get stuck or not. I did two patency capsules, which both got stuck, but I still went ahead with it anyways because nothing else could diagnose this other stuff for me right now. The pain I have is too far in for either scope (in the colonoscopy or endoscopy) to find it. I wouldn't just go off the CT scans though. My doc was telling me about a patient who was having pain too and she had CT scans and MRI's that showed up normal. She did the capsule and it showed strictures. I still don't know the results of mine yet.. but I should be getting them soon.

The test wasn't that bad. I definitely didn't go about with a normal day though. The computer monitor thingy that's on the belt is kind of bulky. Plus, just walking through the hospital I got looks like I was wearing a bomb. I did have to do prep for mine, but I think that's unusual. My doc was just worried it was going to get stuck so he wanted to clear the way as much as possible. So that was the only not fun thing for me really, as the prep was still "leaving" me while I was hooked up for the 8 hours. But it's really not bad at all. And then in a few days, if you haven't seen it pass, they have you get an x-ray to see if it's passed. I'm really hopeful that I get some clarity with the results.. since nothing else has really helped so far. So as of right now, I would recommend doing it.
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stormnation
New Member
Joined : Sep 2007
Posts : 7
Posted 9/21/2007 12:58 PM (GMT -6)

I swallowed the camera. It got stuck on one of my abcesses. I wound up in the hospital for 3 days while they treated me for inflammation. I had to drink Golightly, and the doc had to go up and fish it out. Wait until they develop a dissolvable camera.

I had a MRI of my small intestines a year later, much better procedure, bowel prep wasn't bad, took about an hour and a half.

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