Be sure to have a colonoscopy! Options

[Rowe2]

If your doctor suggests to have a scope done, I highly recommend you heed the advice.
I had one three weeks ago, and the doctor found 4 polyps in my colon. Two were Adenomatous polyps, which is the kind for potential colon cancer. He told me twice he was glad I decided to come on in. He felt he had sucessfully removed them, but wants me to have another scope in January of 2009. Scary, but I'm glad I went. I went 5 years ago, and he removed one. Five years later, I had four. Don't put it off, please! The worst part is the prep before, and that's because you run to the bathroom for four or five hours, have a sore behind from wiping so much, but you will not know a thing during the procedure. I have an upper and lower done the same visit. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions if you have any. (IMG:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[MR D]

I've had more than I can count lol. I don't really mind them, besides the drugs are great! lol they put me completely under. I just have one question. If a COLONoscopy is for the colon. How do they check the small intestines? Surely, they can't reach all the way there with a scope.
D

[Rowe2]

Hi Mr. D..yes, if I knew dying was as easy as going to sleep on the meds they use, I'd never feel anxious about death. (IMG:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) You also read my mind. I had intentions of posting that very question.
I meant to ask the doc about it, but I was so flabbergasted about the polyps, I forgot.

Anyone know?

[Kathleen M.]

The endoscopy from the top and the colonoscopy from the bottom can be used to check the ends of the small intestine at either end.

A lot of the small intestine problems show up either at the start or the end so those can be used for a lot of them.

Until recently the only way to do much visual on the small intestine was the barium swallow. As it moves throught the small intestine they can X-ray and get a look.

I'm not sure if a CT-scan or MRI tells you much, but they might. They might still need to do a barium to get some contrast, and I don't know how often those are done.

The most recent way to check the small intestine is with the pill camera. It has a battery in it that lasts long enough you can get through the small intestine before it stops sending pictures.

I do know that if they do surgery on the small intestine they will sometimes run a scope through it while you have it out and you don't have to deal with the bends, but they only do that when they found something by one of the other methods and want to make sure the what they found was the only thing before closing everything back up.

[MR D]

My GI says no camera pill for me b/c of my anastomy (pill may get stock there...). I did have a barium which showed nothing wrong with SI, but I am wondering how much they can tell from barrium.