Update on colonoscopy

[50568789]

I posted a few weeks ago about an aborted colonoscopy due to onset of AF triggered by stress of bowel cleansing prep (Moviprep). The objective of procedure was to see if any gastric issue causing blood loss / anaemia/ very low iron. Consultant keen to try again but this time agreed to use CT colonography which uses a less brutal bowel prep and is a very quick, less intrusive procedure. The procedure was yesterday, all went to plan, except they pump the bowel full of gas to inflate. That is not pleasant at all and was unexpectedly painful. I've had various procedures over the years, usually take them in my stride, although normally with some form of sedation. Anyway, we survived and returned home. And of course, here we go, say hello to AF, still got it this morning. To me that was triggered by the physiological stress of the procedure. So just as bad as the first effort.I'm on the list for an ablation so that's in hand. Now have to wait for CT report regarding anaemia. Ironically if they have found anything that needs removing I will need a full colonoscopy anyway, with everything that entails. Not sure how they will deal with that. Of course, it could be I just need iron tablets. Fingers crossed on that one.

[jeanjeannie50]

Don' be too concerned about the pain when your bowel was inflated. Many older people have Diverticulosis (pouches that have formed in the bowel which can become inflamed - can sometimes bleed too).

Meanwhile you can be helping yourself:

Foods rich in iron include:

Red meat, pork and poultry.

Seafood.

Beans.

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach.

Dried fruit, such as raisins and apricots.

Iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.

Peas.

Jean

[50568789 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean. Already know I have divertucula, and suspect any bleed would be coming from them. I think this whole thing is a box ticking exercise but have to go along with it "just in case". Thanks to wife, I can tick ok to the foodstuffs you have listed , except dried fruit, not good for diabetic (another complication!) Iron deficiency can be a puzzle, it certainly exercises the members of the RLS forum.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to 50568789]

I always remember a nurse friend of mine saying that iron is a tricky thing to supplement with. After that bit of (useless information) I have no idea what she meant. Wouldn't have thought you could go wrong by supplementing with natural food though.

I must admit to knowing little about diabetes, even though 2 sisters and a brother of mine have it. According to one of my sisters exercise can bring your level down and she brought hers down by using her own elliptical machine. In her late 70's she went to a gym, now 81 and forced to stop because of dizzy spells. I think she said pills for diabetes gave her a cough.

Jean

[Desanthony]

Apparently it has always been hard to get iron into the body once we are low. Years ago before it could be put into tablet form - you had huge quite painful injections - my Mum had these given by the midwife for a few months after the birth of one of us 3. I think before that people were told to eat practically raw liver or something like that because cooking can take away most of the iron contained in the meat. My wife had quite low iron when she was in her late 30's and it took nearly a year of high dose iron tablets to get her back up to normal. Her consultant told her that iron is hard because who knows their individual level they can work well at. It seemed to him that if you were used to a low level then you could be tested and found really low but still carry on as normal and be fine whereas someone who was normally used to having higher levels could drop a little lower, not be found to have a low score on a more universal scale and become quite ill. This was all years ago so no idea how things are thought about these days.

[50568789 in reply to Desanthony]

The chances of a straightforward conclusion seem pretty low to me. A combination of betablockers lowering heart rate, anaemia, AF, diabetes and just old age isn't helping!

[Desanthony in reply to 50568789]

Welcome to the club. Although I don't have many illnesses now and what I have I can cope with and are controlled - the old age is the worst. any little thing that I would previously have shrugged off easily causes more problems - including a little anxiety. At the mo I can't eat easily because of problems with my teeth - been going on for half a year now dentist doing their best but labs doing new plates and things keep missing delivery dates then appointments are cancelled and it's hard to get another one to do the work in a good timeframe - I think I am going to spend my 81st year in the dentists chair.

[50568789 in reply to Desanthony]

Sorry, don't get me started on dentists 😡

[Autumn_Leaves]

Well done for coping with all that. It IS stressful, physically and emotionally. I had a CT colonoscopy a year before my first AF episode so it wasn’t an issue at that time. These tests are always a worry. I hope the results will be reassuring.