Help needed!

[Judy211]

Hi everyone. Mad week...having a rush colonoscopy tomorrow after only seeing my GP a week ago and a consultant two days ago. But I'm GCA and currently on 9mg Pred so always hungry etc. I've been looking at the clear liquids I can have for the next 24 hours but my biggest worry really centres on whether the change from my usual really healthy eating plan will stress/freak my body out and be the precursor to a flare. Anyone with experience of this or can one of our lovely experts give me some reassurance? Thank you! Judy

[SheffieldJane]

Gosh you've no time to be nervous! The occasional fast seems to make my body very happy and my peripheral symptoms less. My concern would be lining my stomach before the Pred. Are you allowed Omeprazole or some such?

Good luck with the procedure. I hope all is well in there!

[Judy211 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi Jane. That was quick! Thank you! Yes, I can take Omeprazole but I have to take the second dose of bowel clearer around 7am tomorrow morning so not sure when to take the Pred, before or after. Seems to me the laxative will just clear the meds out too which may be fine for just one day... hopefully. The week was going quite well before yesterday!!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Judy211]

Yes I think someone posted about a gastro bug and got away with the lost dose. I think Pred takes about 2 hours to get into your bloodstream. Any scope for the 2 am dose ? You will have seen PMRPro advising about the inflammatory substance that is shed by the body at 4.30 am and that can be headed off by a 2 am dose. If it were me I would be awake worriting at that time anyway.

[Judy211 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks Jane. This forum is wonderful isn't it? Just brilliant being able to post our worries etc and get such ready and great advice.

[venezia1]

Hi Judy211,

I had a colonoscopy yesterday. I have RA,, GCA and Sjogren's and am on a reducing dose of pred, currently down to 9. So on Tuesday as the fast started, I raised the pred to 10, taken after breakfast as usual. Last meal at 1pm. Took the first dose of laxative 7-8pm, and was running to the loo until 11pm. Yesterday up at 7am and second dose of laxative, loo attendance until 11 again...I took my meds at around 9a.m., pred at 10 again.

I was already feeling a bit fragile after Tuesday's efforts, so wasn't surprised to feel shaky during the morning, and really wanted to crawl back to bed. Appointment was at 2.15 but the action didn't actually begin until 3.30 and took an hour. I got the all clear straight afterwards, but biopsies were taken as the doc thought inflammation might be causing my continuing diarrhoea.

Certainly felt a bit poorly when I got home, sleepy from the after effects of the sedation, and although I had wolfed a home-made sandwich while recovering I found I couldn't eat much in the evening. Very achy before bed so took some painkiller - difficulty getting to sleep so had hot milk and biscuits at 12.30a.m., and slept like a log till 8.

Today I've been slow to get going but feel fine generally, which is good as I have a relative staying over the weekend!

I should mention that all my pred - 5mg, 2.5mg and 1mg as necessary, is coated, so no problem on an empty stomach and no need for Omeprazole.

Having been on these meds for years and had several "medical interventions" including two new hips, the possible side effects of losing a bit of pred for a day or two are really not worth worrying about. So good luck, and "Dinna fash yersel" as the Scots would say!

Venezia1

[Judy211 in reply to venezia1]

Thank you so much for that! Really helpful advice. I was just panicking slightly because it's all kicked off so quickly this week but I feel much better now I've read your post. You don't really want anyone else to be going through the same thing but it is so comforting when you hear from someone who is! Hope everything is fine with you. Judy

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It didn't bother me when I had a colonoscopy a few years ago - and I was told I could take meds before the scope, nothing else. Plain white pred only has to be in the stomach for about an hour - so I took it once the morning lot of "stuff" had worked through.

[Judy211 in reply to PMRpro]

Great, thanks. Was thinking along same lines but couldn't make up my mind whether to take the Pred earlier or later. Later makes sense!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Judy211]

I wish you well - I had the unfortunate experience of having to have a blood test early that morning at the hospital before the scope. Finding a loo was a fraught experience! Never again - I shall refuse a Monday appointment next time!!

[Slowdown]

Hi Judy, I had the procedure on Tuesday this week, spent Monday evening with two doses of Moviprep from 5pm - 11pm on the loo having taken 10mg enteric at 11a.m. (up from my usual 7.5mg) after breakfast at 9a.m. which I hoped would carry me over. Unfortunately, I had to wait an extra hour and a half for the colonoscopy which sent my timing all out and was feeling very shaky and worried about adrenals, well everything really ... I asked the consultant and he just said, well take another 10mg now, one dose won't do any harm (I always carry uncoated 5mgs. with me for just such emergencies). Immediately after the procedure I spooned in loads of yogurt I'd taken in a little cool bag and breathed a sigh of relief.

It did stress me out more, worrying about the pred than the actual colonoscopy, I had Entonox (gas and air which you control) which worked for all the ouchy bits going round the twisty bends, and you can watch on the screen which takes your mind off it - I had a small polyp removed absolutely painlessly. Took about 25 mins, depends if they find anything that needs dealing with (you can even get a tattoo for later reference on small anomalies!) Everything on screen is 30x larger than life, so don't get a shock!!

Liquid diet: I had beef consomme, tons of water, apple juice with the Moviprep, cups of tea no milk, homemade veg soup (strained of all solids).

Best of luck, Judy - hope it all goes well for you. Sorry this is so long !

PS Handy tip: use Sudocrem or any nappy cream and smother your nether regions, I wasn't sore at all - also put baby wipes into fridge to get really cold, they are much better than toilet paper!

[Judy211 in reply to Slowdown]

Hi Slowdown. Thanks so much for replying. Beef consommé is a brilliant idea! And I shall definitely carry an extra Pred or two. I am already thinking about supper tomorrow evening!