Colonoscopy, Insulin and General Advice

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gll

gll

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Hey all. Got my super fun looking pack in today for the appointment (28th Sept - 9am slot).

Have some questions for all that have gone before me.
(I'm T2 on MDI with libre)

It says I need to call my team for insulin guidance. (yeah not counting on that happening in a timely manner but I will leave them a message).
I assume basically basal testing / adjusting to be in a good spot beforehand and since it will be a 24h fast, bolus for corrections if needed?

The booklets lists cola/fruit juice, glucose tabs and JBs are fine to treat hypos so I can work with that unless any other suggestions.

It mentions sedations, yay or nae on that? It is necessary or normally not?

Can I keep libre on for it and have phone/reader in with me?

Is there anything you wish you knew before hand that you want to share? (fear of the unknown is more than fear of knowing for me)

Thanks, Lou.
 
gll said:
Hey all. Got my super fun looking pack in today for the appointment (28th Sept - 9am slot).

Have some questions for all that have gone before me.
(I'm T2 on MDI with libre)

It says I need to call my team for insulin guidance. (yeah not counting on that happening in a timely manner but I will leave them a message).
I assume basically basal testing / adjusting to be in a good spot beforehand and since it will be a 24h fast, bolus for corrections if needed?

The booklets lists cola/fruit juice, glucose tabs and JBs are fine to treat hypos so I can work with that unless any other suggestions.

It mentions sedations, yay or nae on that? It is necessary or normally not?

Can I keep libre on for it and have phone/reader in with me?

Is there anything you wish you knew before hand that you want to share? (fear of the unknown is more than fear of knowing for me)

Thanks, Lou.
Click to expand...
Lou, I’ve unfortunately had two colonoscopies. The procedure itself is a doddle, I had sedation, it’s the prep that’s the pain in the butt ( pun intended). You should have an early morning appointment I would hope as you’re on insulin. The preparation is bloody horrible, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. Have some black tea or water along side the prep. Be ready for a dash to the loo after about the first hour. Vaseline is your best friend! Don’t be tempted to eat anything otherwise you won’t be clear and the procedure will have to be postponed and you’ll have to go through it all again.
Insulin; I didn’t have any basal whilst prepping and obviously no bolus as I wasn’t eating, so didn’t go hypo. You can keep your Libre sensor on. The procedure is short, take your BGs before you go in, and if you’re not too dopey when you get out do it then but I go hours and hours normally without checking so as long as your low alarm is set I wouldn’t worry about it. TBF my BGs were the least of my concerns! Make sure someone can take you home. You’ll feel a bit spaced out if you’ve had sedation. Good luck. X
 
gll said:
Hey all. Got my super fun looking pack in today for the appointment (28th Sept - 9am slot).

Have some questions for all that have gone before me.
(I'm T2 on MDI with libre)
Click to expand...
I echo what @eggyg said, the preparation is horrible. 😱 I've had three so far and have opted for the Etonox gas instead of sedation. If you opt for that it means you don't feel groggy and can leave the hospital a lot earlier and you get the wonderful opportunity to see your insides in close-up on a monitor!!

My top tip for the night before - make sure the loo seat is down at all times, those vital couple of seconds it takes to lower it can make all the difference between a hit and a miss. Good luck on the day.

Dez
 
I've had only one colonoscopy, but many gastroscopies. I found them a doddle. No sedation of any sort, no discomfort. The laxative was an experience! Nothing happened for a few hours, not like suggested in the notes. I even rang them and they said be patient, and they were right. Blimey!

I insisted they turned the screen so I could see - geeky, but I love all that stuff. Much better to be able to talk during it, unlike the other end!.

Hope it goes OK.
 
Excellent advice so far, have done both sedation and gas I would prefer to be sedated though did get to watch but was so painful when they touched any inflammation.
Hope it goes ok.
 
Another tip @gll try to eat “clean” for a couple of days before hand, it’s not as hmm..”messy”! My last procedure was 27th December so didn’t have the opportunity to do that and it was definitely worse than the first one when I’d been able to.
We’re not selling it are we? 😉
 
I’ve had two actual colonoscopies, only one of which was successful. The other failed due to the prep not working successfully so my advice would be:

Follow the low residue diet to the letter. Do not even think of cheating with anything high fibre because it will come back to haunt you, quite literally!! The low residue diet is quite carb heavy but you can work round it if you’re on a low carb diet.

The bowel prep is bloody awful, again, it’s bloody awful but absolutely necessary. They will abort the procedure or not even start it if you haven’t completed all the prep. VASELINE IS YOUR FRIEND!! Remember this mantra and apply liberally to your bottom well before you feel the urge to go to the loo!!

I didn’t have sedation or entanox and it was OK. Uncomfortable but not painful as such. I had a few biopsies taken and they made me jump a bit even though I could see them coming.

Go straight home afterwards (after you have spent your time in recovery at the hospital). Your belly will have been pumped full of air and you will need to trump, a lot!! Don’t do what I did and go for a jaunt round Morrisons!! I looked like I was in labour by the time I came out.

I can’t offer any advice on your insulin as I take a different medication but the procedure itself didn’t affect my BG at all.

Good luck, you will be fine.
 
Sarahp said:
Excellent advice so far, have done both sedation and gas I would prefer to be sedated though did get to watch but was so painful when they touched any inflammation.
Hope it goes ok.
Click to expand...

Ahh, good point. My examination was to rule out things not to find something, so no 'tender' areas as such.
 
barrym said:
Ahh, good point. My examination was to rule out things not to find something, so no 'tender' areas as such.
Click to expand...
just shows how the procedure can be used for many different types of tests.
 
All great advice. My only worry on going to my appointment at 8.00 am was - Just suppose I got the wrong day - and had to go through all the preparation again 😱 - It is truly horrible!

I phoned my DN a week before my appointment which gave her plenty of time to return my call and advise me properly. She told me that most people phone her the day before their appointment and that is too late to prepare properly.

The advice I was given for the few days beforehand is to eat all the things we are not supposed to eat - no fruit, no fibre, no wholemeal or seedy bread, no nuts etc. Full fat jelly and lemonade were ok to keep strength up on the day I was to take the preparation.

Good luck and I hope all is clear.
 
I appreciate all the info and tips, will make sure I'm organised with plenty of Vaseline o_O

Nope @eggyg , you aren't selling it but I would much rather brutal honesty 😉
 
On the 48 hrs before, if you eat jelly or sweets or squash then make sure no red or dark fruits as looks like blood in your gut!
 
I didn't cope with the Entonox, but our hospital had stuck a cannula in the back of one hand 'just in case' anyway, and eventually afraid I was just so tense everything ruddy hurt and I found it impossible to relax so they could complete it - they'd asked me to pass wind please before that and I couldn't - then of course with what they'd now injected I had to say hang on, of course I really do need to pass wind now! and did so satisfyingly and they were able to finish NP. 3 polyps found and removed, none were 'iffy' so all AOK.

The preparation is ALWAYS far worse than the procedure itself.
 
Had it done twice, first time had nothing but second opted for entonox, isn't as bad as you think & agree with @eggyg that emptying bowels before is worst part.
 
Sorta related. Just had letter with results from calprotectin test. "Significantly elevated (1148)"

Kinda hacked off with the GP now too who made me feel stupid for questioning him over my inflammation markers in blood tests and he dismissed it as "its just normal for you" when I said "but they haven't been normal for a while have they?".
 
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