pillcam day!

ok, so i went to the dr office & rosie took all my vitals & we discussed possible problems like bowel obstruction, yikes!  i'm not too worried though she said they have done over 650 of these so far & no problems, i always wonder about the what-ifs. 

my instructions are pretty simple
1] no bending over or strenuous physical activity that includes sweating (no problem there)
2] nothing to drink til 10 (one more hour to go)
3] light snack between 11-1 (my options, very lame, a sandwich or chicken noodle soup)
4] check lights on box evey 45min to make sure all is still working
5] only can drink after snack until pillcam has been eliminated & no i don't have to return it (ewwwwww) :) 
my drink options are anything clear liquid except for no red, purple or sodas so sweet tea is my choice.

oh yeah, i have this sexy bag/belt number i have to wear until i go back to the dr office.  the strap at my neck is really annoying & rubbing my neck.  i will update how it went when it's all over, hopefully it will be soon because i am wanting some REAL food!  living on liquids is not my thing!

looks like i'm going to get some crochet stuffs done today.  :)


in case you don't know what the pill cam is for, here is some info on what it does & why i'm having it done.

What is small bowel capsule endoscopy (PillCam SB)?

Small bowel capsule endoscopy enables your doctor to examine the three portions (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) of your small intestine.  Your doctor will use a vitamin-sized pill video capsule as an endoscope, which has its own camera and light source.  While the video capsule travels through your body, images are sent to a data recorder you will wear on a waist belt.  Most patients consider the test comfortable.  Afterwards, your doctor will view the images on a video monitor.
PillCam Endoscopy helps your doctor determine the cause for recurrent or persistent symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding or anemia, in most cases where other diagnostic procedures failed to determine the reason for your symptoms.  In certain chronic gastrointestinal diseases, the method can help to evaluate the extent to which your small intestine is involved or to monitor the effect of therapeutics.

What should I expect during PillCam SB endoscopy?

The staff will prepare you for the examination by applying a sensor array to your abdomen with adhesive sleeves.  The PillCam endoscope is ingested and passes naturally through your digestive tract while transmitting video images to a data recorder worn on a belt for approximately eight hours.
You will be able to eat four hours after swallowing the capsule ingestion unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. The capsule is disposable and passes naturally with your bowel movement.  You should not feel any pain or discomfort during capsule excretion.

What should I expect after PillCam SB endoscopy?

At the end of the procedure, you will need to return to the office to return the equipment (waist belt, data recorder, battery pack & sensor array). The images acquired during your exam will be downloaded to a workstation for physician review.  After the doctor has looked at this video, you will be contacted with the results.  After ingesting the capsule and until it is excreted, you should not have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination or be near a MRI device.