Update on Gma

Not sure if anyone remembers but I had a post about a month or so ago about Gma having bouts of D with blood.  She is still bleeding and her blood count is now down to 8.2.  She turned in a stool sample a couple weeks ago and luckily there are no parasites.  Today I brought her back to my GI and he did a rectal exam and was quite shocked at the amount of blood that was on his glove.  So he scheduled her for a Cscope on Tuesday - not sure what time yet.  Because her kidneys are still in a bad way she is going to use the Half Golytely (or however you spell it) and according to him, it's easier on the kidneys - does this sound right?

She is also supposed to stop taking her iron supplements 3 days before the scope but if she is anemic and I whole heartedly believe that the iron supplements are keeping her from having an immediate transfusion.  So wouldn't she become more anemic by stopping them? 

I have heard this before.......stop taking iron supplements several days before colonoscopy. Here is something I just came across.


Taking iron supplements. This may make your stool turn black and make it hard to clean out the colon. Do not take iron supplements for several days before a colonoscopy.

Stop taking iron pills or medications containing iron, as iron can alter the color of your colon lining
Iron residues produce a dark black stool, which makes the view inside the bowel less clear.

Hi Sherry...oh, that doesn't sound good that the gastro bleeding is continuing. It's good they've got her in for a c-scope asap.

She must not take the iron supplements, but remember, she can still eat foods that are rich in iron...can she eat meat?


The HalfLytely seems the best for your gma because it's not as much to drink and to go through the kidneys. As well, she won't have to starve for days before (my perception of using the Fleet, etc.).
I checked and see there are flavour packets as well...I would suggest you NOT put them in because if the taste is nauseating to her, she won't drink the rest...

Keep us posted please.
quincy

Thanks for the tips on the flavor packs. The lady told us that they have 3 flavors - cherry, lemon and orange. So the plain stuff doesn't have a flavor at all? As for meat, yes Gma loves to eat meat such as steaks and such. She is one of the rare older people that still has most of her teeth. :) In addition to the halflytly she has to take two Biso....forgot how to spell it lol. She's not looking forward to it but hey, neither do we when we have it done right? :)

Q, I've never had to starve myself for days before a prep. You've had to do that? Usually just the day before I just had to drink/eat clear liquids and solids.

sorry she is not doing well, I hope they can find out what is going on when they do the c-scope and I hope you are ok, it's so hard to deal w/all that. Take care!