MRE Advice please

[Grumbletum]

Sorry if these are stupid questions but I'd really appreciate some advice. I've been booked for an MRE on the 12th of this month. I was diagnosed with crohns at the beginning of June this year and have lost 2 stone since. I only stopped loosing weight 2weeks ago. Up until last week I'd had terrible cramps dodgy tummy or crippling constipation for a week at a time. But this week although constipated I feel fine, no mucus just noisy tummy and pain after eating but nothing unbearable. So my first question is should I cancel it as I'm better now? My other question is if I do have it should I have some sort of bowel preparation as all the information sheet says is to eat the low res diet the day before, but I live on that and am still constipated and I don't want them to waste their time on me if by not doing some sort of prep means my bowels are not clear for the scan. Any advice would be great including any suggestions for laxative as I'm eating senna like sweets to no avail. Thank you xx

[Valbaty54]

Crohn affects the whole digestive system from the mouth to the other end, so an MRI is a good way to check it out. I don't think your bowel has to be completely empty as for a colonoscopy, so just follow the instructions they have given you. Maybe have a little more fibre this week if you are feeling better, and lots of fluids. Do you have an IBD nurse to talk to?

[Grumbletum in reply to Valbaty54]

Thanks for your reply and your advice. When I was in hospital I was told I'd need to be seen regularly by the dietician as I have diabetes and crohns and the 2 diets are the opposite of what the other requires! The dietician came and said she would see me when I was out but left no contact details, she said eat a low res diet but gave no information on what that is, so I've been looking things up on the internet. I've seen the consultant every 8 weeks and he says stick to low res diet and take these build up nutrition drinks. He wants to see the damage done to my bowel as it was in a state when I was admitted in June. He said he thinks the constipation is due to the pain meds I take. I have no ibd nurse no dietician just a consultant and my go who's lovely but no help. Thanks for answering.

[willow24 Administrator]

Hi,

drinking lots of fluids will help as well as light exercise. Be careful eating too much fibre as this can actually make things worse (I do have research on this somewhere regarding fibre/intolerance and IBD). Have you tried Movicol? its a pharmacy only medication (kept behind counter in a chemist) , so you will need to discuss this with a pharmacist . or get GP to prescribe it. Movicol works by softening and moving stools and is also used for chronic constipation and faecal impaction.

I am assuming the reason for the MRI is to look for any strictures in the bowel that will be causing the constipation and look for areas of ulceration etc. Carry on with appointment as with Crohns you will have fare ups and remission fazes.

Good luck x

[Grumbletum in reply to willow24]

Thanks for your reply and advice. My go put me on cosmocol but the consultant moaned and said as he doesn't know if there are structures that was a stupid move as it could cause damage as it adds bulk to bm. Then he moans my xrays show feacal loading. I kind of give up. I never knew I'd feel so bad for so long I normally bounce straight back from everything. He wants the MRE because I was in bad shape on the ct when I was admitted in June and up until my last consultation I was still having a flare and loosing weight. However it feels like the flare is finally over and although I've not gained any weight I've not lost any in 2 weeks. So I figure I'm fixed? So when they scan me they will see healthy bowel and that will be a waste of the scan and their time? The hydration is a problem my blood shows I'm dehydrated but also have hyponatremia (very low sodium) so if I drink more I feel very unwell like I've been drinking alcohol in excess. At the moment I feel too I'll to move I've been sleeping a lot and all my joints hurt and my throat and ears hurt intermittent so I guess I'll come down with the mother of all colds soon. Hope it Hurry's up and clears I have a laparoscopy and sterilisation, ablation and removal of a large endometrioma ( which was an incidental find on my ct in June) booked for the 25th. Thanks for listening to my moaning without telling me to shut up and get on with it.

[willow24 Administrator]

My consultant tried me on movicol as what they thought was scar tissue had caused stricture - I couldn't take it tho as the taste and smell made me sick. Eventually had a laparoscopy and found it was adhesion! since that was sorted my bowels are back to normal (for me loose and open at least 6 times a day!). the surgery you have had may have caused adhesions, but unfortunately an MRI or CT wont show this

I also suffered with joint pain for many years but the new gastro referred me to rheumatology whereby a scan revealed I had enteropathic arthritis (from Crohns)

Even if the flare up has resolved it will show any narrowing or scar tissue so keep the appointment. It will also highlight any internal fistulas that cannot be seen via xrays.

Hyponatremia is often treated with a fluid restriction dependant on sodium levels, so assume this isn't helping you any either.

Hopefully others from the forum will offer advice too x

[Grumbletum]

Thank you, you've been more help than my gp and consultant combined !!

[Hobbits]

Grumbletum How are you doing? How did the MRI go?

[Grumbletum]

Hi sorry its taken so long to update on the MRE. I had the scan on the 12th it was really quite comfortable the 1.5 litres of laxative and squash was actually quite nice! I'm terrified of needles so the cannula was horrible and each time the radiographer used it he really made me uncomfortable, not quite pain but not far off! When he injected the contrast it felt a bit prickly, as I laid there I started to itch but I kept quiet about it so they could finish the scan. However as I got up they noticed the rash and I couldn't resist scratching by then and they did my OBS I was having a reaction to the contrast. Not a big problem, a couple of piriton and I was good to go home. Always a bloody drama when I do anything! However I would tell anyone if offered the scan take it, it really is no big deal and the radiologist said that the images would be really helpful to my treatment. And the fact I felt better made no difference, they said it was still a valid examination. Thanks for helping me through my wobble before hand x