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Well I survived another colonoscopy and have an added twist pill camera. The colonoscopy was scheduled to review the MC and to look at terminal ileum. The second time around the prep was not as bad as the first, but still no picnic.
In my case I have been diagnosed with CC and Crohns disease in the middle portion of the small intestine called the jejunum. After diagnosis this past April I agreed with the use on Entocort but did not want to take any of the immune system modulatorsor other medications to control the Crohns. The Entocort has little if any effect on the upper parts of the small intestine. I was able to convince my GI doctor to give a strict diet and the Entocort a try for about 6 months. I am hoping that the results show now increase in the Crohns.
The pill cam is now working its way through my system to look at the areas of the small bowel that cannot be accessed with a scope. The pill cam is what it sounds like a large capsule with a miniature camera and light that you swallow that transmits its images to a receiver that is picked up through antennas placed on the skin somewhat like EKG leads. Nothing like your GI tract in the movies
I'm going to get some rest now as the anesthetic is still making me a bit dopey
Just imagine all those billions of "good" gut bacteria, smiling and waving as the camera passes them, (and the "bad" ones will probably be frowning and making threatening gestures. LOL).
I hope the results are what you're hoping for.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Wow...how sci fi is that ?? Awesome !! Sending good thoughts your way Joe...keep us posted when 'ya feel up to it ( I know the 'prep' for me was alot worse than the actual test ).
Get some rest ... Memory
Here's hoping that the pill camera doesn't show any additional damage due to Crohn's. Can you feel the camera moving through your system? Do you have to refrain from eating for a set amount of time?
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Tex that's too funny although it would be cool to see the bacteria giving their hand salutes
I don't think you get a video of the test, although I will ask for some of the images. The camera pill has a lens with a few white LED's around the periphery. Its no bigger in diameter than your pinky finger and about half of an inch long. You don't feel it move or anything. It just makes the journey along the alimentary canal taking pictures about every 1 second of what it sees.
As far as prep, if you are having just the pill cam its a clear liquids diet the day before and only a bit of water the day of until the test is finished. Since I was also having a colonoscopy, I had to do the standard clean everything out prep with Miralax.
Thanks Polly and Ant. I should have the results back from the colonoscopy biopsies and the pill cam by late this week. It was not too hard to swallow, overall about .3" in diameter. A large vitamin can be .25" in diameter.
I've got my fingers crossed. I have been following a strict GF/DF and very limited soy diet since May. My worry Polly is what are the options if the Crohns is progressing. The Entocort does not cover Crohns in the jejunum.
Joe wrote:My worry Polly is what are the options if the Crohns is progressing. The Entocort does not cover Crohns in the jejunum.
Entocort doesn't, but budesonide could.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi Joe, glad to hear you survived another colonoscopy and the story about the camera is so fascinating. I hope you get a wonderful report from both and find that all your efforts are paying off. It reminded me about a movie from the 60's with Raquel Welch called Fantastic Journey (I think). They cruised through the human body in something that looked like a submarine. I also got a lead on a good accupuncturist that I'm going to try to get an appt. with. We'll have to compare notes. Take care, JoAnn
Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. John Wayne
Hi JoAnn, yeah I think Hollywood has made a few movies like that. One that comes to mind was Inner Space with Martin Short and Dennis Quaid. I guess an example of life (technology) imitating art...
The acupuncture really worked quite well with very good results in Brisbane. Since then I have made an appointment at a local group (Plumb Blossom) that has significant experience in helping people with digestive disorders. Overall I am viewing this experience as a way to help with the body overall.
From what I have learned, one aspect of the technique really takes advantage of what Chinese called Qi (roughly pronounced Chee), this is roughly what we now know as the bio-electric energy that our nervous system uses to control our various systems and communicate sensations like pain etc. One simple example of this would be the bio-electric signal that causes a muscle to contract or our heart beat. In Chinese medicine Qi is defined more broadly as the circulating life energy.
Another interesting aspect of this field of study, is that the Chinese and Japanese have produced not only incredibly accurate 'schematics' of the nervous and vascular systems but also described what the responses are to stimulation or repression of a particular system. Of course this was achieved well over 2000 years ago.
There is certainly far more to this than that simplified example discussed here and I plan on doing a more detailed write up after I work with this local group for a few sessions. One thing for certain, the effects experienced in Brisbane were quite surprising and beneficial. It think I stated earlier I went into this as a optimistic skeptic
?? Awesome !! Sending good thoughts your way Joe...keep us posted when 'ya feel up to it ( I know the 'prep' for me was alot worse than the actual test ).
... Memory
