Why is the CT colonography prep so damn dangerous?

Yes I did it. I was put under and had no side effects. Drinking that liquid was hard.

I just had it..and heard of no potential dangers of death!

They do generally have the typical disclaimers…but personally doing a endoscopy & colonoscopy with biopsy and full stomach scope seemed less pleasant than the CT.

(I have IBS-C) Maybe the CT is just to confirm what they found in my case—unusually long and very twisted lower colon. If you have IBS-C, it’s likely you have twisted guts.

I prefer to think of it like my stepmom (love her!) said after: “I always knew you had a lot of guts!”

It is not as bad as it sounds. You are stressed and anxious. Do not worry it will be over soon . Just work on your diet to ease the IBS symptoms. I know it is a gut—wrenching situation, I have been living with it for years(IBS).

FYI
http://pubs.rsna.org/doi/full/10.1148/radiol.11110423

“With regard to the use of barium enema or CT colonography in IBS, there is little evidence in the literature. The American College of Gastroenterology guidelines suggest that where further investigation is required, diarrhea-predominant IBS and mixed diarrhea and constipation–type IBS should have colonoscopy supplemented by colonic biopsy, rather than barium enema or CT colonography (27). The additional yield of colonoscopy may still be limited even in these groups, given the results of a recent study of patients with nonconstipation IBS. It was found that there was no increased incidence of structural abnormalities in 466 patients with IBS and 451 control subjects after colonoscopy (54).”

^ @osoraro‘s information is something you’ll want to talk to your doctor about.

However, they have to tell you every possible thing that could go wrong when you have a procedure to cover themselves in case the worst happens. It doesn’t mean the likelihood of one of those things happening is high, just that there’s a chance. You should talk to your doctor about the most common side effects from the procedure for someone with your problems.

I remember having surgery on my eyes and just before they took me in, they pull out this sheet with a list as long as your arm of things that could happen to me as a result of this surgery and say, ‘can you sign that you’ve received this information and agree to the procedure’ (or words to that effect). I did have a moment of ‘oh my goodness! Should I do this?’ It was fine. I didn’t experience any of those things and I do think it’s good the people looking after you have given you this info before you get to the waiting room outside the operating theatre. Ask your doctor about things you’re concerned about.

Every single medication including simple aspirin has a long list of possible side effects, it does not mean any of them are likely.

Just to clarify, when you say CT Colonography are you referring to the test where they pump air in the rectum and then scan? If so, then I have been through the procedure and the cleanse previous to that in NZ, there were no warnings about attached risks or the possibility of death.

Yep, take careful note of @osoraro‘s note. The CT with contrast was useless except to determine there were no intestinal obstructions. The real diagnostic information came from multiple 2 colonoscopies, and endoscopy and biopsies.

The CT is a walk in the park by comparison to the others.

To be honest I don’t fully understand @osoraro notes… what does that mean exactly?
That’s it’s pointless for me to have a CT Colonography and doing so whilst having IBS is worse because of the barium sulfate?
Is that he/she means?

@Adagio yes that one – where they pump in.
The sachet says, warning life threatening dehydration could occur and the barium sulfate says something about people dying whilst taking it!!!

I“m going to do it anyway as I need to know what’s going on but still it’s freaking me out, I have a child and it’ s really worrying me that something awful might happen to me because of the side effects.

CAn anyone tell me how many times they went to the toilet? I have a daughter and I“m a single Mum, will I cope tomorrow on my own, or should I get someone around to help me?

x

@tan253 – what @osoraro is trying to say is that this procedure is not considered the best way to find out what is going on with your IBS.

If you have regular colonoscopy where you have to do full colon prep (which is typically not the case for CT) then you’ll be on the toilet pretty much constantly with short breaks in between. Let’s just saying counting the number of times one would be on the toilet would be impossible. Very high numbers.. 50+ times?

Are you sure you’re having CT rather than Colonoscopy?

If you’re drinking the colon prep stuff it sounds like Colonoscopy. If so, and if your daughter is not very young (say, age 7 or older and can fend for herself for a bit) then you don’t need help around. You will however need to have a driver (and a taxi won’t be sufficient) if you’re having colonoscopy as you’ll be mildly sedated and considered unfit to drive for the rest of the day after your procedure.

If your child is an infant/toddler and needs constant supervision you WILL want help while you are going through the prep as it’s rather all-consuming (timewise). Be prepared to experience pain, diarrhea (of course) and potentially vomiting.

oh gawd it sounds awful – I“m definitely doing a CT colonography not a colonoscopy, my Dr told me I wasn’t able to get a colonscopy as I have no features of anything other than IBS so CT colongraphy is less invasive – 50 + time far out…. I’m not looking forward to it, I“ve already spent the morning crying about having to take the first barium sulfate and I“m tiny too I don’t want to waste away in a day!

Just for the record, I’m not “trying to say” anything. All I did was point to an evidence based review article on the utility of radiologic procedures in the diagnosis of IBS.

No I understand and thank you.
I just want to make sure it’s not something else – if it comes back clear then I can accept the diagnosis of IBS!
In saying that I just did the most awesome poop I’ve ever done in my life!
The day of having to take the prep! ;)

If it makes you feel any less nervous, I’m tiny also and have had 5+ colonoscopies in the last 10 years… you don’t waste away in a day.