L
laura2002
Guest
Hi gang - I know I'm new in posting here, but not new in reading all your wonderful posts. Everyone here has been so helpful in reading about all your experiences, and I'm hoping someone out there has some information that can specifically help me now.
6 weeks ago - yes - 6 weeks ago - I did a capsule endoscopy at the behest of my GI doctor. For anyone that's not familiar, it's when you swallow a camera the size of a horse pill, and it takes pictures of your intestines as it goes through. It's supposed to 'take care' of itself within a few days, but it's been 6 weeks. I keep going in for x-rays to track it, and it's obviously still there. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Anyone have any experience with this? My doctor had me start Entocort two weeks ago, but that hasn't helped. In fact, I feel worse ever since I started it. Now she is pushing me to take 6mp or start Humira. I've already been on prednisone for periods of time during the past 5 years I've been dealing with Crohn's, and have found that a steroid like that hasn't helped. My doctor believes this will help in relieving the inflammation that is preventing the capsule from coming out. I don't honestly have that much faith in her at this point because she can't even tell me how the surgery procedure would be done, how long I would have to stay in the hospital, etc. I realize she wouldn't do the procedure herself, but gimme a break - isn't she supposed to know about these things, being a GI doctor?? Is 6 weeks really a reasonable amount of time to leave this thing in there? Isn't it going to eventually attach itself somewhere, and then it's a real problem?
In short - I'm looking for any information from this wonderful encyclopedia of knowledge we have of a community here to help me make my decision. Surgery? Drugs? How much longer can I really leave this camera in there before it does some real damage, and this surgery not only becomes necessary, but major?? My doctor has been telling me every week that since I've been having no symptoms of blockage, that I have nothing to worry about. Well - easy for her to say. She's not living with it.
Thank you all for your consideration and help. I'm soooo glad this forum is here. I have no one else to talk to.
Laura
6 weeks ago - yes - 6 weeks ago - I did a capsule endoscopy at the behest of my GI doctor. For anyone that's not familiar, it's when you swallow a camera the size of a horse pill, and it takes pictures of your intestines as it goes through. It's supposed to 'take care' of itself within a few days, but it's been 6 weeks. I keep going in for x-rays to track it, and it's obviously still there. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Anyone have any experience with this? My doctor had me start Entocort two weeks ago, but that hasn't helped. In fact, I feel worse ever since I started it. Now she is pushing me to take 6mp or start Humira. I've already been on prednisone for periods of time during the past 5 years I've been dealing with Crohn's, and have found that a steroid like that hasn't helped. My doctor believes this will help in relieving the inflammation that is preventing the capsule from coming out. I don't honestly have that much faith in her at this point because she can't even tell me how the surgery procedure would be done, how long I would have to stay in the hospital, etc. I realize she wouldn't do the procedure herself, but gimme a break - isn't she supposed to know about these things, being a GI doctor?? Is 6 weeks really a reasonable amount of time to leave this thing in there? Isn't it going to eventually attach itself somewhere, and then it's a real problem?
In short - I'm looking for any information from this wonderful encyclopedia of knowledge we have of a community here to help me make my decision. Surgery? Drugs? How much longer can I really leave this camera in there before it does some real damage, and this surgery not only becomes necessary, but major?? My doctor has been telling me every week that since I've been having no symptoms of blockage, that I have nothing to worry about. Well - easy for her to say. She's not living with it.
Thank you all for your consideration and help. I'm soooo glad this forum is here. I have no one else to talk to.
Laura