Is this scope necessary? Update

I am not convinced that the benefits outweigh the negatives. But here I am starting a Miralax prep later today. Other preps have not gone down well.

The doctor wants another look only 14 months after the last one. I have been on Prednisone six times in the last year for short courses of about couple of weeks with decreasing effectiveness. Calprotectin has gone from 1200 to 2000. A biologic seems to be in the future, but when?

Someone recently reported taking one Xanax during the prep. I have one of my mom’s left over from 2011 and would like to know a good time to resort to that. Scope is 8 am tomorrow with an hour to get there. Two step Gatorade with Miralax: evening and 3 am for second quart. All these repeated scopes make the anxiety more not less.

Whoever sang the country hit “Help me Make it Through the Night” must have been prepping.

Post Edited (naturalcurl) : 10/8/2019 11:36:58 AM (GMT-6)

It's never a good time to get a scope, really. None of us want one. There are some things that can only be seen in a scope though and that's the trouble.

I personally avoid scopes as much as possible. I'm one of the unfortunate minority who is guaranteed to flare from scopes, mostly from the biopsies. Before my first scope, I had unconfirmed UC. The scope found patchy inflammation around my large intestine, but mostly continuous inflammation in my rectum. Anyway, they took biopsies of those mild areas. Two weeks later, I was having 30 BMs a day and was in the ICU with my first major flare ever.

The FDA has had to admit that scopes are impossible to completely sterilize. Here is a NYT article on duodenoscopes: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/health/duodenoscopes-infections-hospitals-antibiotics.html

In 2018 the FDA said that despite colonoscopes containing infectious material, they can't recommend that they stop being used because there is no better diagnostic procedure available.

So what you have to keep in mind is...

You take prep which flushes out the colon of its protective mucous and good flora. Then a possible dirty instrument is inserted that is used to take biopsies, thereby depositing pathogens into the bowel. Then you are sent home with no real after care.

The best thing you can do after a scope is overdose on probiotics. Get the gut so filled with good flora that any possible infection can't take hold.

Thanks for the replies!
Sorry if profile didn't show. I'm on 9 Balsalizide (ug) and rotate Rowasa/Canasa/Uceris foam (ug). Entyvio is next but the doctor wanted this look first.

I turned down a very early scope appointment and I did wonder if the instruments would have an extra chance of sterility if I were first of the day. Let's hope the person ahead of me has healthy donor flora! In any case I have some concerns but microbes on the scope is not one of them.

I'll review Miralax/Gatorade another time. Not too good so far.

I hate Gatorade so that's a good suggestion... but don't you need the electrolytes from the Gatorade?

Naturalcurl, please keep in mind the scope is necessary to check for any potential cancer too. Many years ago I had to have a scope every 6 months. I dread them to this day, the preps are not something any of us look forward to. I would rather have routine scopes than ignore my drs recommendations & one day find out I have a late stage cancer.

I have hung around HW for quite a while & have yet read of anyone getting an infection from instruments that were not sterilized properly. I am not saying it can't happen, however, hospitals do not want negligence claims either.

Serenity Now said...
I hate Gatorade so that's a good suggestion... but don't you need the electrolytes from the Gatorade?

Nope. The first time I used the Gatorade and threw up. When I did it with the white grape juice I had no issues as all. My doctor suggested using the white grape juice.

The article you posted was about duodenscopes and though there were a couple mentions of colonscopes in the article they weren't a big concern for infections. Did you read of an FDA report about colonscopes somewhere else? I'd like to read it of you care to share. I tried searching for it but came up empty.

CCinPA thanks for asking! "Left side moderate colitis, biopsies, we will want you on Entyvio". Tell me something I don't know. A new finding was pseudopolyps, whatever that is.

I so get it Michelejc. The protocol started with 4 Dulcolax tablets. Gatorade went down easily and I took my time. The whole quart came up, and then some. For the second dose I mixed the Miralax with so-called Smart Water and followed my own slow schedule the night before. It was just like drinking water, no nausea, but I needed the several extra hours I had allowed for the bathroom trips to stop. The timing on the written instructions were highly unrealistic. No one complained about a poor prep.

Look at the Gatorade label. I don't think you need those wimp electrolytes. 12 ounces has 45 mg of potassium and 160 mg of sodium. Compare to 12 ounces of Pedialyte with 280 mg of potassium and 370 mg of sodium. Pedialyte does not taste that great so I would use it as a side dish (I only managed several sips) and mix the Miralax with water, or the white grape juice.

The crew in the procedure room were all shocked that I have had 5 colonoscopies in 9 years, and a few before that due to a family history of colon cancer.