Hey Leah,

I went in early this morning and swallowed the capsule, and then spent the day lugging around the computer battery pack thing. I did drink a bottle of mag-citrate last night for a prep. I am hoping that going all day yesterday on a clear liquid diet, and then drinking that stuff, that my bowel was cleaned out enough. Now I just get to wait to pass the capsule...haven't seen it yet!

Didn't get any results yet. The nurse at the hospital told me that my doc would get all of the images within a day or so, but I am sure it will take him time to look at all 50,000 pictures. I go back to see him on October 5th, so hopefully I will find something out then. I really hope he finds something...I am so tired of feeling like this all the time! I know that something is going on with me, and I'd just like to know what it is.

I hope you can find you a new doc. You should push for the small bowel barium test, as it can show narrowing of the small bowel and other abnormalities...a CT would be a good idea too. Try to get copies of all test results and take them to a new doc. Has the new med that your doc put you on helped at all? I have taken several meds (bentyl, librax, etc.) and have had no improvement.

Well, take care and keep me posted!

Megan

Hey Megan:
I can't take Bentyl because of my other meds that I take. That the only med that my GI doctor gave me then drop off the Bentyl at the pharmacy and they won't refill it because of my other meds. I know there is something going on with me too. I would like someone to find out what it is. What is the small bowel barium test?
Take Care
Leah

Leah,

What meds are you on that the Bentyl interacts with? I know Bentyl contains phenobarbitol, and that can interact with alot of things. The small bowel follow through test is a test where you drink barium, and as you are drinking it, they take x-rays to see it go down the esophagus and into the stomach to see if there's any reflux or upper GI problems. Then after you've drunk it, they take an x-ray every 15-20 minutes or so to follow it through the small bowel to look for strictures, inflammation, etc. The test can take several hours, depending on how your bowel motility is. When I had it done, it took over 8 hours for it to get all the way through my small bowel and into the colon. The only abnormality it showed was gastroesophageal reflux, and delayed transit time through the bowel...thats it..nothing serious.

So when you had the capsule endoscopy, they didn't find anything at all? Hmmm...have you had your gallbladder out? They thought my gallbladder was the problem six months ago when I first got sick, but obviously it wasn't!

Megan