How long to get back to NSR after a colonoscopy?

[Coco51]

Earlier this week I had a colonoscopy. The procedure itself was fine, almost painless, and removed some small polyps.

But now my AF is back big time after a really good year. I am gutted - forgive the pun.

I suspect the bowel preparation has played havoc with my electrolytes and also with my gut bacteria. It involved 3 days of a low fibre diet with lots of water, during which I had to stop Apixaban and blood pressure tablets and my vitamin D and C and Magnesium. Then came a day of foul laxatives (2 litres 😖😖😖) and hours on the loo.

Since then I've been waking up every night with what feels like intermittent fast heart beats and jolts, and had the same all day long, plus a headache and very little appetite. Obviously all my good gut bacteria have been cleared out and I've been pretty dehydrated. So I'm drinking lots and considering some probiotics. ( which ones I wonder?). Keffir too.

Does anyone else have the same experience and how long does it take to get back on an even keel?

[Suebo2]

Oh dear. Sounds frustrating. It should not take long to get back in an even keel, but we are not privy to your health issues, I wound contact your GP and have a discussion. Good luck.

[Coco51 in reply to Suebo2]

Thank you Suebo. I've had two ablations and still take Flecainide. But I've had hardly any episodes in the last year. I hope this is just a blip. Otherwise I will be asking for ablation number 3!

[Desanthony]

You could try adding live yogurt to your diet in the short term - if you don't already eat it. as for probiotics - yes they can be useful and best to ask your pharmacist about the best type for you and try to get to talk to your GP.

[Coco51 in reply to Desanthony]

Yes I will do that. X

[Maggimunro]

Hi thereI don’t understand why you were asked to stop all your meds. I have had 3 colonoscopies and have never been asked to stop my meds or change my diet. Yes the 24 hour prep drink is truly disgusting and will not doubt clear out most of your gut biome but I certainly didn’t go into Afib after my procedures

[MoyB in reply to Maggimunro]

I have had two colonoscopies this year and was asked to follow a restricted diet for two or three days before the procedure. It was also requested that I stop some meds before the procedure.

Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication within the department regarding what to stop and when so the info I was given was incorrect. For that reason I won't list the meds here.

The cleansing prep was disgusting the first time and even so the second time when I had the enhanced preparation. Yuk! Awful.

I was tired the next day due, I believe, to having not eaten normally for several days, but otherwise had no after effects.

It didn't affect my AF at all.

Xx Moy

[seasider18 in reply to MoyB]

I went into AF during the procedure. I put it down to my vagus nerve being stimulated. It happened on a later ocasion when I had aDRE

[Coco51 in reply to Maggimunro]

I think it depends on the meds. I take Lisinopril and Indapamide for blood pressure. Those are what I was asked to stop the day before. I noticed my BP went very low after the sedative so maybe a good thing not to have anything else lowering it. The Apixaban was stopped in case they wanted to remove polyps (which it turned out they did).

The other meds Flecainide and Bisoprolol weren't stopped.

I think I could be short of Magnesium and potassium washed out by the effects of the laxative. I find Magnesium helps the AF so I might step it up for a few days, eat more yogurt, and possibly take some Dioralyte.

[Desanthony in reply to Maggimunro]

If they are taking biopsies or removing polyps - or think they may need to then they will ask for you to stop apixaban or similar before the procedure. There is a risk with a colonoscopy of causing bleeding so some Docs will ask for medication to be stopped even if they are just looking for changes or other things and not taking biopsies. Also, depending what medication you are on and what they are investigating you could be asked to stop other medication as it can make the possible changes or signs they are looking for more difficult to spot. You will find differences in these practices with different Doctors within the same hospital and different hospitals. It's always best to double check the instructions given as I went for a colonoscopy not long after I was diagnosed with AF and on Apixaban and they didn't tell me to stop Apixaban the day before. The pre op talk was done on the telephone so I think that made it more difficult so the nurse was asking the questions and I was answering and she was writing them down. Thankfully, another form had to be filled in that morning at the hospital so when I told them I was on apixaban and when I had taken the last tablet - I said that morning the colonoscopy was cancelled for another day!

[blulla1]

Having irregular heart issues, as we all do, does not leave much room for error, much less 3 days of an extreme diet. I would have been surprised if nothing happened.

[Coco51 in reply to blulla1]

Very true, that's a good thought.

[Barrick]

Hi, I had a colonoscopy 3 years ago before I was dx with afib last year. For 4 months after the procedure I had frequent episodes of an irregular pulse. I wonder if I had afib at that time , my internist ignored me when I mention this.

[healingharpist]

Hi, Coco51, I am so sorry to hear what an ordeal you had. Just a comment for future, I have had numerous colonoscopies for IBD, and finally, the last 2 times, my GI dr. here in Northern Kentucky had me use Miralax powder (label says, "Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Powder for Solution, Osmotic Laxative"), which you take mixed in juice or water the night before. Our supermarkets carry it in the pharmacy. I can't remember the quantity to take for that prep, the nurse could advise, but it was the most normal, gentle prep I have ever had, not the horrible explosive kind :-). The dr said the results were excellent, & I had several polyps removed. I will never use any of the other torture methods again! I would think that drinking electrolyte solution and eating protein (meat, chicken, fish) might help return quickly to normal balance. That's so distressing--wishing you rapid healing.

[Coco51 in reply to healingharpist]

Thank you that's really interesting. I had Moviprep. The effect was not too violent, but the taste....😖😖😖. Will ask about Miralex.Good thought about the electrolyte solution.

[Thomas45 in reply to Coco51]

Miviprep is not pleasant but I wouldn't call it disgusting. You can drink flavoured clear liquids as well as the additional water.

[Coco51 in reply to Thomas45]

You're right, other drinks helped taken in between glasses of Moviprep. But we are all different, I just don't have a sweet tooth and the intense sweetness and lemon flavour combined with underlying salt taste finally made me feel sick. But of course I'd do it again if I had to! It's the AF that's followed which has been a bother.

[Thomas45 in reply to Coco51]

I've had 2 colonoscopies while in permanent AF. I chose not to have sedation nor gas and air. The colonoscopies had no effect on my xAF. I didn't find miviprep sweet, but it was very salty. I normally don't add salt to any meal / food. I hope you feel better soon.

[Coco51 in reply to Thomas45]

Thanks. Good that your AF wasn't triggered. I'm on the mend now. I think there should be more advice about what to do, how to eat etc after a colonoscopy. Maybe something like Dioralyte to take. And a warning that if polyps have been taken out, then some discomfort may possibly follow.

[malaekahana]

Your post is so timely for me because I am scheduled for a colonoscopy this coming Monday. I will do the cleansing tomorrow along with liquid clear diet. I take 900 mg of liquid magnesium daily to help with my afib, and when I asked the nurse if I had to stop that, she said no. I am curious as to why your magnesium was stopped? (I was told to suspend my multivitamin, and I am pausing my daily probiotic as it seems pointless for the next day and a half ....). My afib has been pretty much under control (I am continuing my metoprolol except for the day of the procedure), and I have to say I'm a bit concerned that it does not kick in, given that I have suspended the apixaban, too ...

In any case, I hope things turn around for you. I am posting from Delaware and I get my probiotic in pill form from my doctor. I would think your local doc could recommend something simple like that to help with your gut flora?

[Coco51 in reply to malaekahana]

Actually I wasn't asked to stop the Magnesium Taurate, I just thought I ought to, which in retrospect was a mistake.

Another recommendation was to drink fluids containing electrolytes like sports drinks. I got them, but when I looked at the ingredients list, all the aspartame and colouring in them put me off! Probably another mistake. People say natural Coconut Water is good, though.

I will look at the probiotics in the Health Shop

Good luck with your procedure

[malaekahana in reply to Coco51]

Well, my experience now seems to mirror yours. I was fine up to the day after the procedure, when my afib kicked in during the night. I am now 36 hours into afib. I have been back on my probiotics and lots of magnesium, copper, zinc, and C, but it persists. I tried the syringe-modified-valsalvia when it was kicking in (this worked for me once before), along with a low sodium V-8 + magnesium cocktail, but that did not work to stop it. So now I am just taking it easy and weathering it out. At least I am now back on the blood thinner.

[Coco51 in reply to malaekahana]

Oh dear I'm really sorry about that. I think it's the dehydration, messing with the electrolytes. I think potassium gets depleted too. I feel OK now. The AF has quietened down but my heartrate still feels faster than I'm used to. Fingers crossed for you. Hope the result is good for you too.

[Elfiejean]

Last October I had a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy. My cardiologist had me stop Xarelto and Aspirin 81mg 3 days before exams. I had severe anemia and they were sure I was leaking big time. They found nothing. All through exams and the awful preps my Afib was not present. I rehydrated within my fluid restriction and took all other meds . I am on amioderone 100mg daily. I was back to normal in about 3 days. I took it easy and ate lightly for a day or two. I know that sometimes a conversation with a primary Dr can be difficult to get as they are seeing patients. Anyone else in the office you can talk to? I think that I would. Here's hoping it all evens out soon. God bless you. Still don't have a diagnosis for severe anemia. It should be me bugging them for more tests. Taking a rest for a month.

[Coco51 in reply to Elfiejean]

Thanks. Shame you had to go through it with no answer found. Anyway Im glad you recovered quickly. I am feeling better now.

[Elfiejean in reply to Coco51]

Thanks for reply. Hope you feel better. It's all kinda anxiety inducing. Hard to get medical folks to slow down and explain.