DS and endoscopy/colonoscopy/CT scans

[DianaCox]

I saw a post on another DS board with misinformation again. This is what DSers need to know about being scoped.

What you need to know:

• For EGD, you should tell the endoscopist what to expect, so they aren't surprised, but there are no special precautions needed - you have an anatomically normal stomach, just narrower.
• For colonoscopy, there are two potential issues:
  • It is easier (for MOST but not all) to clean you out, and drinking large volumes of GoLytely is nearly impossible and unnecessary. Ask about a different kind of prep that uses smaller volumes, like Suprep (http://www.suprepkit.com/) - while still fairly unpleasant, it is not as bad as GoLytely because smaller volume and the taste is slighly less obnoxious - and I strongly suggest beef broth as a chaser, as it washes away the taste of the prep solution pretty well.
  • Anyone who has had ANY abdominal surgery needs to tell the colonoscopy doc about it - adhesions from the surgery to the colon can cause the procedure to be more difficult because the colon is less flexible, and there is therefore a higher risk of perforation if they encounter resistance (e.g., to "turning a corner").
  • But other than that, the DS doesn't touch the colon, so the DS specifically is irrelevant for how the actual procedure is done.
• Abdominal CT - needs to be done with IV contrast, because we have TWO limbs, one of which will not be visualized with oral contrast.

In any case, we don't need to wear Medical Alert bracelets warning about the DS - the "No blind NG tube placement" warning that RNYers need doesn't apply to us.

 

[southernlady]

In any case, we don't need to wear Medical Alert bracelets warning about the DS - the "No blind NG tube placement" warning that RNYers need doesn't apply to us.

I have been saying that over and over. Amazingly, people still ignore the message.

I DO have a Medic Alert necklace, have had it since 1982 (LONG before my DS) and will continue to wear it but NOT because of the DS. Just last week, I snagged the necklace on something and snapped the chain...so ordered me a new one. First new one in over 10 years. THIS time I left off my diabetic status as that no longer is a major factor cause there is no insulin pump involved AND my PCP is only testing my A1C every 6 months with the rest of my labs instead of every three months for diabetics as suggested by the American Diabetes Association. I did list my allergies (which is why I have it in the first place).

I use Medic Alert because having a 24/7/365 (or 366 depending on year) access to a medical file is invaluable. Second, mine is NOT jewelry. It is a medical ID and not designed to resemble jewelry. I wear a necklace cause I HATE bracelets, they make clacking noises when I am on a keyboard and they are annoying as hell. Also you can lose an arm and still need medical attention. If you lose your head, the only attention you will need is a coroner.