Tests and Expectations for Ilostomey Reversal Requisite Procedures

Had colon resection in December and 3 days later had emergency surgery due to leakage. 2nd surgery had 10 inches of small intestines removed and a temporary ileostomy. It has been a hard journey. I had severe dehydration after I was home. Just within the last week we found a system that is working for me with hydration and absorbing nutrients. I've finally gained some weight back and have been starting to feel stronger.

Next week I have some tests scheduled, a fluoroscopy and a camera looking, you know where. (A place a camera shouldn't go) Anyone have these tests and what should I expect? (Pain, discomfort, etc.?) I was told no food or drink 6 hrs prior to fluoroscopy. I'm nervous as I don't want to get dehydrated again. Do they make you drink something or IV for this test?

Thanks for any input.

Just having tests done shouldn't be too painful or discomforting. Not eating/drinking for a while before the tests is just so the tests are more accurate and you don't have a bunch of stuff in your system. I doubt you can get dehydrated not drinking anything for such a short time. Relax, have your tests done, and go back to your daily routines, you'll be just fine.

Will you be awake for all the testing? The test you're describing doesn't sound like any of the tests I had to do prior to a reversal.

Thank you.

At my hospital, it seems to be standard procedure for my doctor. It's a teaching hospital, so I don't know if that has something to do with it?

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I go to Cleveland Clinic for all GI and neuro stuff, which is also a research/teaching hospital. Do you remember the name of the test(s)? What I had done anatomically during my first surgery may be very different from what your insides look like.

The first test is a fluoroscopy, which is a movie x-ray, and the other is a camera view internally a short distance.

I had a resection at the sigmoid colon (1st surgery) and I then had 10' of my small intestines removed and an ileostomy on my right side (emergency surgery after the 1st surgery site was leaking and I was getting very sick), which is very flat due to the amount of intestines removed.

Hi Bronx,

Yup.........had a fluoroscopy scan done to check out my disconnected colon a while ago. I'm assuming they want to assess your colon too, and it's good for that. First thing to know is that a fluoroscopy is a continuous series of X-rays, not a single exposure like a chest X-ray. It's viewed in real time on a monitor, and typically requires you to have contrast in the area they're viewing. For your colon that would mean they'll ask you to give yourself an enema with contrast just before they start the scan, and you'll have to hold it in while they do the scan. Yeah, not fun........but the scan is usually pretty quick, so you'll make it just fine. Now if they're imaging your colon, and it's not connected to your small bowel.........then there's no reason you couldn't eat right up to the test..........so you might want to ask them about that. And make sure to tell the radiologist, or the person preparing you for the scan, that you have an ostomy. They'll be asking you to move around a bit on the table while they scan and need to know you can't lay on your bag........unless of course you can.........but tell them anyway.

When the scan starts you'll probably be able to see the imaging screen during the test, and it's pretty cool to watch as you move around.........and like I said above, the test is usually pretty quick. And the quicker the better because you're going to be getting exposed to a lot of radiation........way more than a couple chest X-rays. Depending on the length of the scan it can be from like 25 chest X-rays up to 10,000 X-rays, depending on what they need to see. They have both pulsed and continuous scanners, so they can adjust the frame rate and the dosage per image. But your doc and the radiologist know this, and they'll keep you safe, so don't fret. But that's why the scan is pretty quick.

Once the scan is over you simply head over to the toilet and get that contrast out of you. Depending on what contrast they use they may ask you to then flush with a saline enema as a rinse, just to make sure it's all out of your colon. So overall it's a pretty easy test, but maybe not the most fun you can have in a hospital. But you'll be just fine, and have a great story to tell your friends when it's all over. Who wants to go through life without having had a fluoroscopy!! ;Cross that one off your bucket list!!

;O)

Thank you for the info.

Yes, crossing lots of things off my bucket list for sure. Things I never knew I wanted to experience not.

They kept me awake for the barium enema procedure. I hated it. And then I was under general anesthesia for my colonoscopy.

Ok, very frustrated, they are telling me to not drink or eat for six hours prior to fluoroscopy. I keep telling them nothing has been in my large intestines for 2 months and the test is to check lower bowel for any leakage or bleeding from colon resection. With my ileostomy nothing gets past my bag/small intestines.

They have protocols and just don't adjust when things are not normal testing w/out a bag.

I've gone round and round with them. So since my test is at 1pm, I'll get up early and eat and drink, and they said I can take small sips if I get thirsty, so I will do that on our drive to the procedure (3 hrs away).

I explained to them I've dealt with dehydration and didn't want to lose ground.

Dealing with front-end people in doctor's offices and procedure departments just read status quo.

I even called 2 other facilities and they said the same thing fast from midnight on.

I'm done ranting, thanks for listening.

Hi W30Bob, that is a great reply and so detailed and reassuring. What about not taking fluids for 6 hours beforehand and possible dehydration? I am in a similar situation myself. Thanks.

Hi W30Bob, that is a great reply and so detailed and reassuring. What about not taking fluids for 6 hours beforehand and possible dehydration? I am in a similar situation myself. Thanks.

Hi guys......I hear you. Do as you're told to prep.........because when you get there they'll have a questionnaire for you to fill out.......or someone will ask you the questions and write down the answers. And one question will be if you followed the prep instructions and not had anything for the times they told you. If you say no they'll say they can't do the test and you'll have to reschedule. Which is a royal pain in the ass that no one wants to deal with. So follow the prep instructions and then you'll be taken back to undress and they'll explain the enema part to you. That's when you'll complain to the technician (who'll be in the room with you until the x-rays start flying) about how stupid it was they told you not eat or drink since you have an ostomy bag.........and they'll agree and say you could've eaten and drank if you wanted to. Yeah, I know....I know.....but they're just not flexible enough to deal with ostomates, so everyone suffers the same regardless.

Now to be fair maybe your doc wants them to image your small bowel as well, which would be why they don't want you to eat or drink for the time they specify. It just takes a few more seconds with the scanner, so there might be a method to their madness. Maybe. The other reason might be that they don't want you having to get up to empty your bag once you take the enema and the testing starts. Yeah, I'm pulling that one right out of my ass........but who knows. I'm trying to make sense out of senselessness.

Again, do what they tell you in regards to prep...........things will go much smoother that way. BUT.......me personally.....I'm not good at following directions, and I drink pretty much right up until the test. Unless it's at o'dark thirty in the morning and I'm still asleep when I get there. But I've been through it before, know what they're going to tell me and know what testing they'll be doing. Play by their rules, at least the first time!

Hope that helps!

;O)

Request an IV while you are there so that you can be hydrated during the 2-3 hours you are there. Call your doctor's office so they can put it on your chart to have it done.