CT Scan Vs. Colonoscopy

I think I posted on here many years ago, when I had the "IBS" title. I've been avoiding the colonoscopy for years because 1. I already have so much pain day to day that I'm afraid of what pain the prep would cause. 2. I have never had a really, really bad flare. I have had some weird "stomach flus" with diarrhea as the only symptom, and mild fever, and no one else gets it but me--so that had me convinced I should get looked at again. (I also had a really bad flare during my second pregnancy. Around the time most people get morning sickness, I was having diarrhea and cramping every day for the first few months. Complete opposite experience with my first pregnancy.) 3. I had my gallbladder removed when I was about 22, and I thought some of my GI issues were a result of not having a gallbladder. It's really weird that I had gallbladder disease at 22, considering.

Anyhow, here I am, about 20 years after first experiencing digestive issues. I decided to go to the best GI in town (according to reviews) and he suggested a small bowel CT scan. He also did a pancreas test which revealed that I have pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. He was going to just give me the enzymes to deal with that, but I did some research and found that sometimes IBD can cause that (alcoholism can too, but I've never been a drinker). So, anyway, I get the small bowel ct scan to rule out IBD... and I have inflammation at the end of my small intestine and beginning of large intestine (near the ileum and cecum). The doc called me today to explain the results and he says it looks like Crohn s but wants to do a colonoscopy to make sure .

I am dreading the prep pain!!!! I deal well with pain. I had a 26 hour labor and didn't get any meds the first 22 hours, but I'd rather do that all over again than have to do the colonoscopy prep . When it comes to intestinal pain, I am not very tough. Just a bad bout of the runs can have me doubled over in a sweat feeling awful.

I'm just wondering why he did the CT scan if he knew he would want to do a colonoscopy if something significant showed up? I just started doing research on Crohn's/Colitis, but I'm imagining there are specific treatment plans for both? (I'm sure that's a dumb question, sorry!). Thankfully, he says the inflammation isn't severe, but he says he wants me to hurry up and get it done so he can start on a treatment plan. I just don't know what the point of the small bowel ct can was and what info he needs to make the diagnosis.

I keep telling myself that I've gone thru labor and get can thru this but it isn't helping. :ybatty:

Thanks for hearing me out.

Scopes can let doctors do biopsies which can reveal a good deal about state of your disease. That being said I don't understand the obsession with them either, it seems to me if you see the inflammation it's unnecessary but I don't have a medical degree.
Prep for a colonoscopy can be painful I won't lie but some preps are better than others, talk to your doctor about all of your options and see what he says, if he really is a good doctor he will listen to your concerns and address them.
Best of luck

Thanks for responding!! I see from your post signature, you're in San Antonio . I'm in Texas too.

HopefulThornInMySide said:

I think I posted on here many years ago, when I had the "IBS" title. I've been avoiding the colonoscopy for years because I already have so much pain day to day that I'm afraid of what pain the prep would cause.
Thanks for hearing me out.

Click to expand...

My Colonoscopy prep was not that difficult. A lot of liquid & a lot of bathroom trips but I completed the prep with out pain, rather, just annoying bathroom trips : ) The colonoscopy was completed with pain medication. I was certainly nervous & I did experience a sense of cramping discomfort during the Colonoscopy but not significant pain. It was noted that my bowel was quite loopy which probably explained the cramping peaks of discomfort as the examination was being performed. The Colonoscopy is probably a crucial test in enabling your GI to take tissue samples for Pathology. Good luck with your Colonoscopy!

Thank you. That is encouraging! I am definitely doing it, just trying to not get so anxious about it. I want to just get it over with .

I had the same thing hopefullythorn inflamtion where u have it plus I had an abscess very sore I was put in hospital for antibiotic and pain relief they did a ct scan and that's what showed up they said it was a likely cause as well and I got a specialist and she is convinced I have it to I was put on predisone for 2 weeks 40 Mgs a day tapering I'm in 30 Mgs at the moment dropping 5 Mgs every 2 weeks she is trying to book me into a scop in bout 6 weeks I'm trying to every healthy and eat lots of fruit and veges and now I've gone from runny bowels to constapted even the lactalose liguid surup is not working so I can't win it is scary too so I understand

Yea, just do it If you ever need any support Austin is not that far away!! feel free to message me.
Some helpful tips for prep- Gatorade in appropriate colors can help you feel better faster, also have something fun to do in your bathroom time, I sometimes put a movie on my laptop and just hang out in there lol

Bowel prep for colonoscopy, at least the way they do it nowadays, is not painful, per se, just annoying. The most painful part is the irritation in the anus once everything is almost done. Baby wipes and hemorrhoid cream will be your best friends at that point.

In the US, colonoscopies are done using conscious sedation, so you will feel no pain and have little or no memory of the procedure itself. It really is an easy thing to do.

Colonoscopies are very important. Once you have it, get a diagnosis, you can begin treatment....YaY!!

Good luck to you!

Thanks, everyone! This site has been great. Knowing I'm not going thru this alone will help me deal with it! I'll post back here when it's over. :ylol2: