Capsule endoscopy?
#232202 - 12/16/05 11:09 PM
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Hi all,
Has anyone had a capsule endoscopy?
Thanks,
Carol
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It that the one where you swallow tha pill camera? That looks neat!
~nelly~
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Yup! It was much easier than a colonoscopy. I think it's mainly to check all through your intestines -- I've read that it's not a substitute for any other tests i.e. colonoscopy/endoscopy.
The food restrictions are easier -- the day before you stop eating at noon, do a bowel prep that night, and nothing after midnight. The bowel prep was as bad as the regular colonoscopy bowel prep, so, looking back, I would've done a full day of liquids instead of the half-day.
I had to be at the hospital at six. They tape all these sensors things onto you and strap you into this thing with the wireless equipment, and around seven I swallowed the camera. It's really just the size of a big pill and I had no problems with that. Then the hospital sends you home and you come back several hours later. I think I had to be back at 4:00. You're pretty restricted as far as activity goes. You do get to eat a light meal in the middle of the day. I think I had two mini-cups of applesauce. I just sprawled out on the couch napping and reading.
As I remember you couldn't lie down flat on your back -- I had to make sure I propped myself up. Be careful about what you wear, too. You need to wear something like sweatpants. I also wore a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. Because I'm always cold and it was March, I had them buckle the camera stuff on my sweatshirt. I actually got really hot during the afternoon but I couldn't take my sweatshirt off. I think I remember that I couldn't cover up some part of the equipment, so when I was napping I had to rearrange the blanket to get it to show. Also, it was a nuisance to go to the bathroom because they buckle this heavy battery pack thing around your waist and you have to gingerly shift it up and make sure it stays out of the way.
You need to keep watching the toilet carefully every time you have a BM so that you can see when you pass the camera. I passed mine about 24 hours later, I think. I could see it was there because the red light was still blinking! Every time I've mentioned doing this everyone asks me if I saved the camera, and I'm like, um, you DO know how it comes out, don't you??? And then usually they STILL say they would've kept it. Excuse me, but I am NOT digging around in THAT to keep a lousy little piece of electronics!
If you've had a colonoscopy before, this is a breeze in comparison.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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I'm not due for one for 5 years or so but can you tell me where you live that this was an option for you? I understood that they hadn't mastered it yet that the batteries weren't lasting long enough and that if they needed a biopsy than obviously this wasn't the route to go.
I live in the eastern part of the United states and I haven't heard anyone that I know have this done yet. Gosh I hope it comes around here within the next few years. It seemed so much better than the colonoscopy. I'm still traumatized by it and it's been 5 years 
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~~~Lisa~~~
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I had it done in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It wasn't anything super-new here, so I'm surprised that you haven't found anyone.
You cannot do a capsule endoscopy in place of a colonoscopy. Sorry, I know that's a bummer, but the capsule endoscopy is mainly meant to check out the stuff that the colonoscopy can't reach. The reason I had one was because my IBS symptoms have been very degenerative and the first GI I went to thought I had Crohn's. So did the second GI, but neither one of them found anything and decided I was imagining everything. Because, of course, it is every girl's dream to constantly have horrible pain and diarrhea. Makes you such a tragic romantic figure doesn't it???
One hysterical thing I remembered -- I called my insurance beforehand to make sure they'd cover the procedure. The woman sounded hesitant and said she was going to check. I was on hold forever and then she finally said, "Yes, it's covered if the surgery is medically necessary and not cosmetic." I was like, "Um, WHAT?" and she paused and said, "I'm sorry, you did say gastric bypass, didn't you?" How the heck does "capsule endoscopy" sound like "gastric bypass"???
That's another thing, too, lots of insurance won't cover it (though mine did). I think it costs around $5000.
As far as I know they haven't had any troubles with the battery. The biggest problem they have is that on occasion the camera gets stuck and isn't expelled. So you have to make sure that you identify it coming out or you could be in for an unpleasant surprise.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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I just haven't hear of anyone that has had it so I'm assuming that it's not real popular here yet. I could be wrong. Maybe the bigger city hospital's have it. I live in a small town.
That's too funny for your insurance company to think you were asking about "gastric bypass". Sounds nothing like capsule endoscopy! I deal with insurance companies like that all day so I can totally relate!!!!!
So then basically and endoscopy(down the throat test)can't detect chron's either? My friend's daughter was diagnosed with Crhon's simply by an upper GI. They saw thickening/narrowing in something and determined it was Chron's that way. They put her on meds and she's been really good since. I swear my IBS is worse than her Chron's. I suffer way more often than she does. However, Chron's I think has long term affects whereas, IBS apparently isn't life threatening. Either way it sucks to has either of them!!!!
OMG what happens if you don't pass it? Do they have to surgically remove it? Ughhhh that's scary! 
Thanks for the info though. I'm gonna have to look into it in our area.
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~~~Lisa~~~
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