Having a colonoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

This is my fourth colonoscopy. Previously:

I’m a 31 year old woman, and I live in southern Ontario, Canada. In December 2009, I went to the hospital with a perforated bowel. The doctors performed a bowel resection, and I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I haven’t been on any medication since 2016, and my Crohn’s seems to be in remission, so this colonoscopy is just a routine checkup.

I expect this colonoscopy will be a little different than my previous ones, since we’re currently in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m not worried about the actual procedure or the prep, since I’ve done that all before, but I am worried about possibly catching COVID at the hospital.

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COVID-19 and low lymphocytes with Crohn’s

I know I haven’t written in quite a while, but I’ve been doing fine, so there hasn’t been anything to write about.

My last in-person appointment with my gastroenterologist was in April 2019. At that appointment, she told me she had started offering eVisits, and she asked if I’d like my next visit to be online. I said that would be great. Usually, the earliest appointment I can get for my gastro is at 9 am, and my work starts at 9 am, so whenever I have gastro appointments, I end up missing time at work, which I prefer not to do. My appointments usually take at least half an hour, because usually the doctor is running behind, so I spend a lot of time in the waiting room. Since I take the bus, I also have to wait for the bus, then spend more time on the bus. By the time I get back to work, it’s usually almost time for lunch, so I actually took the day off in April for that appointment.

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Rheumatologist appointment

I went to see my rheumatologist today. I filled out a form about my medical history, and soon after, the doctor came to see me. He asked how I was doing, and I said good. I’d written on the form that I’d stopped taking imuran, so I guess he noticed that and said my Crohn’s must be under control, which I confirmed. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I guess he said my bones had improved. What I do remember him saying was “you don’t have osteoporosis any more”. I think I knew he had told me I had osteoporosis previously, but I’m not sure it ever really registered with me. So that’s good to hear I guess, not that I ever really noticed I had osteoporosis in the first place.

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Gastroenterologist appointment

I saw my gastroenterologist today. I always remind myself to try to remember everything she says so I can write it down here, but I’m not very good at it.

She said my colonoscopy back in July looked very good. I think she said she took a bunch of biopsies, which surprised me, because I didn’t think they had. In previous colonoscopies, there were times where it hurt, and I figured that was because they were taking a biopsy, but during my last colonoscopy, it didn’t hurt at all. She said something about the left side, I think maybe there was inflammation there. But I think she basically said it looks like there wasn’t any active Crohn’s.

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Colonoscopy with Purg-Odan (Pico-Salax/Sodium Picosulfate)

As I’m writing this, it’s the morning of my prep day for my third colonoscopy (my first was seven years ago in 2010; my second was five years ago in 2012). Even though this isn’t a new experience for me, and last time went pretty well, I’m still a bit anxious. I’m not sure what time my appointments were previously–I suspect they were in the morning–but this time, it’s at 1:15 pm in the afternoon, so I’m a bit worried about going that long without food.

Background

I’m 27 years old, and I live in southern Ontario, Canada. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease about eight years ago, when I was 19 years old. I’m not currently on any medication for my Crohn’s, but I have been on imuran, entocort, and prednisone in the past. My Crohn’s currently appears to be in remission, but having recently come off the imuran due to low lymphocyte counts, I guess my doctor wanted to make sure everything still looks okay, and that’s why I’m having the colonoscopy.

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