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.
--------------------
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
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
Re: Capsule endoscopy?
