Sitzmarker day 7

Went back to St. Vincents today to get my final xray taken.  The receptionist now not only knows my name (first and last), but she knows how to spell my last name!!  Every person I talked to asked why I was still coming back. So I had to explain that the rings will still be sitting in my colon a month from now because I only "go" once a month with help of super does of medications that make me super sick for days.  They were all very suprised to hear this... Is my problem really this rare?

Took the xray and I asked to see it.  The rings did not move but a centimeter or remained in the same spot.  On one had this was devistating but on the other hand it just confirms the fact that my colon is not working.  Having this concrete evidence makes the idea of surgery less scary (well maybe not) because at least we know for a fact that my colon is dead!!

Sitzmarker Day 5

All markers still retained. Over half were grouped together in the beginning of a ascending colon (right side) and a few were scattered beyond that and were making there way into the transverse colon there were three in the descending colon.

The xray tech started to freak out because she had never seen this many markers retained by day 5. Weird (maybe she's new).  Called the ER and asked if they thought I should go imediately there because of how full my colon was (backed up all the way to my small intestine. So I explained my situation and that this is "normal" for me. She made me wait to get the OK for me to leave from the head radiologist and the ER, took forever!!

Once I was finally able to leave the head radiologist he said that my doctor would call and let me know if I needed to take another xray. I guess it's up to her if i continue xrays. I hope not. I hope i'm done, sick of having to leave my class with a sub all the time.

Dr.'s nurse called and said that she was on spring break and that the on call Dr. would call me shortly.  The next day we got the call.  I need to take another x-ray on Wednesday March 27th.  One week after i ingested the capsule with the 24 markers.  Normal transit time is 24 to 36 hours. 

This xray did give us the evidence we were looking for. Now after the next x-ray and when she returns on Monday April 1st I need to make a follow up with her to discuss my options.

Sitzmarker Day 3

Update on sitzmarker study:
Went and had my seccond xray done on today for day three of the sitz marker test.

On day one the markers had just left the small bowel as they should have, but on day three they just sat in the beginning of my asecending colon (they didn't move much if at all).  Your ascending colon is the very first part of your colon after just leaving the last portion of the small intestine.

Going back on Monday (day 5) for another xray to see if they have moved at all. 

Who she is

She's banged up,
physically and emotionally.
Literally and metaphorically.
But every day she walks outside
with a smile on her face
because that's who she is.

Sitzmarker Study Day 1

Today I had my first xray taken (day one). Its pretty sad that the office staff and xray techs know me by first and last name! They can even SPELL my last name, haha!!  This truely testifies to the amount of testing and hard work i have put into getting better.

Markers were "right where they should be"!  Meaning that they all made it through the stomach and small intestine already... So far so good.

Sitz Mark Study...What is it?

The Low Down on the Sitzmark study...

The test is used to diagnose severe constipation or other colon disorders. You are given a capsule to swallow that passes naturally through the digestive tract just as food and waste do. You will then have X-rays taken on day 1, 3 and 5.

The SITZMARKS^® capsule contains 24 “radiopaque” rings – this means that each individual ring will show up on an X-ray. You can see the rings inside the capsule before you swallow it. The capsule itself dissolves, releasing the rings inside your digestive tract. By counting the number of rings still present in your digestive tract after each X-ray, your doctor can diagnose your condition and recommend treatment options.

READING THE RESULTS: information from: (http://www.sitzmarks.com/)

If over 80% of the markers are passed by day 5, colonic transit is not grossly abnormal. If the remaining markers are scattered about the colon, the condition is most likely hypomotility or colonic inertia. If the remaining markers are accumulated in the rectum or rectosigmoid, the condition is most likely functional outlet delay, e.g., internal rectal prolapse, anismus.

1. If 5 or less markers remain, patient has grossly normal colonic transit
   
   
2. If most rings are scattered about the colon, patient most likely has hypomotility or coIonic inertia.
   
   
3. If most rings are gathered in the rectosigmoid, patient has functional outlet obstruction.
   

Update after meeting with colorectal surgeon

Met with a colorectal seurgon today at St. Vincents who siad that in order to feel better I needed to get rid of my colon. She said that I have had extensive testing, and have exhausted my non-surgical options.  There are no more medications or therapies to try.  We have tried them all.  Ugh, I was holding out for a mirical drug to come along and fix me!

She explained that there are two surgeries for me to consider.

First is an ileostomy where they leave the colon in place. If my pain and symptyoms disappear then we would proceed with taking the colon out.

The seccond is colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis.  This path would consist of removing the colon and attaching the small intestine to my rectum.

Before we begin discussing specifics of either surgery she wantes me to complete yet another sitzmarker study to confirm the diagnosis of colonic inertia, she wants an updated look.  The last sitzmarker study was done in August of 2012. 

So off I went downstairs at St. Vincents once again to the raidiology/x-ray department.  By now they all know me by my first name! They greet me with "Hi Chelsea, why are you back?"  Ha ha...wait that means I have spent way too much time at the hospital, dang! The things I find funny these days. Anywhoo, I  took the pill for the sitzmarker study imediately following the appointment so there are 24 radioactive markers floating in my belly.

The seurgon we saw today is a highly regarded colorectal surgeon.  She is very straight to the point and does not mess around. We are also going to go to my previous seurgon that performed my gallbladder surgery for a "seccond opinion". He is one of the best seurgons in the US.

Colorectal Surgeon

 

I'm counting down the days until I meet with a colorectal surgeon.

 

I'm trying to be optimistic and realistic at the same time.

 

I'm looking for answers and a solution.

 

A new medication, therapy, diet...anything...I need a next step. 

I just want to be better, to feel better, and to start living again!

ER Nightmare

Last week I was having a very high heart rate and ended up in the ER to get things checked out. I was feeling faint and very weak. I could barrly stand up and my vision was going blurry.
Heart rate monitor hooked up and normal heart beat just very rapid. Blood pressure very high.

Then the nurse tries to take blood. What a disaster!! She put the needle in, it was one of the butterfly ones and the blood would not flow past the butterfly part even with her digging around, it was a nightmare!! Then it gets worse, she hit a valve in my vein and my vein blew the needle out of my arm and blood started squirting all over me, the nurse and the room. She tried again 4 more times over each arm, digging around and couldn't get any blood to come out. I almost vomited on her at this point, and was not a happy camper.

Another nurse came in and after another 3 sticks and a lot of digging around he finally got the blood to come out drop by drop and eventually we got enough to run the tests.

Blood work shows severe anemia, low electrolytes, low potassium. Gave me an iv (very hard to start) in my hand. Nurse tells me I'm dehydrated (duh) that's what happens when u can't keep food or water down because your colon is so freaking packed with weeks of stool!

We are all  pretty sure the anemia is due to the face that I've been living on "soft" foods and very low calories.  They say the high heart rate was due to the anemia and dehydration.

Today it really hit me that I can't live this way! I can't live in pain, being so bloated that I have stretch marks on my belly and my belly button pops like a pregnant woman's.  I can't eat or drink because I'm so backed up, I am miserable all the time.

I was such an active person before, I rang long distance, triathlons and lots of classes at the gym and I loved it. I'm praying for my return to my "normal" active self!!

Colonic Inertia. What is it???

Colonic inertia is when the colon does not work properly to propell fecal matter through it due to a lack of motility....

Here are my favorite links that explain what Colonic Inertia is:

http://www.constipation-remedies-for-all.com/colonic-inertia.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSjA4ceg0m0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.aboutgimotility.org/

http://www.med.unc.edu/