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Colonoscopy During Covid-19 Pandemic

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/10/2020 11:03 AM (GMT -5)
Hello!
I am a UC sufferer for 20 years.
Currently I am on entyvio once every month.
I was going somewhat good untill the pandemic started. That was when I started working from home and everything was going better and better until I was having 100% solids, only once a day.

Then the hospital I get the infusion at, started taking in covid patients. My stress levels skyrocketed every time I had to visit to get the infusion. I mean I had nightmares to the point of waking up screaming, the days before and after the infusion.

All went to hell. I lost my solid bms and went back to mucus, gas, blood etc.

They gave me cortiment and suggested (informally) to be sure to not stop smoking or taking nicotine since I use it, not now at least.

I was so scared and stressed that cortiment has done nothing in 20 days since I started it, except to keep me in a semi-controlled state with blood streaks and less gas. Cortiment has worked wonders for me in the past.

They also gave me diazepam.

My diet is one of the most careful I've ever done.

I had extensive bloodwork done and everything is in range. Even vitamin D for which I take supplements.

I got my last infusion but the Doctors told me that if I keep having symptoms I should get a scope done.

I am now even more scared as I believe I cannot wear a mask (I use N100/FFP3 ones) during the procedure and I am afraid I might catch the virus.

They reassure me that the environment is controlled but nonetheless it is in the same hospital where patients come and go and PCR testing is scarce.

I am thinking of asking to have the scope done in another Dr's office. A private one but I am afraid they won't accept that.

For those of you that had a scope during the pandemic, what was it like? Did you get to wear a mask? Were there any more precautions taken?

I have one and a half month until that point comes (if it does, in case I get better) and it makes me feel like hell.

The next drug they are thinking of getting me into is Stelara.

Thank you all! Don't be like me. Be calm, please. It seems like the older my UC thing gets the more easily scared I get.

Post Edited (WalterSkinner) : 10/10/2020 10:07:02 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/10/2020 11:53 AM (GMT -5)
Hi, sorry to hear you are suffering from so much Covid anxiety! Unfortunately, in my experience you cannot treat that level of anxiety with rationality so likely anything I say to you will not help a lot. But for what it's worth, I had a colonoscopy in August. Not only did I "get" to wear a mask, I was in fact required to wear a mask the whole time from when I first entered the hospital to when I left. Even during the procedure I wore a mask. Is there any reason you think would not be able to? I wore a regular non-medical mask, so I'm not sure if that would make any difference (can't see how it would).

There were other precautions taken. There was a greeter at the entrance who questioned the people coming in, so only those who have business there can enter. Even my husband could not enter until he was called to come pick me up. Anyone who enters must wear a mask and are given one if they do not have their own.
There was no one waiting around in the waiting area. I came in, was ushered directly into the admitting area. The admitting clerk sat behind a plexiglass barrier. I was directed to the GI area where they took me in right away; again, no hanging around in the waiting area. Everyone there, staff and patients alike were required to wear masks the entire time. Staff are wearing gloves the whole time.

Seemed pretty safe to me, but for the sake of full disclosure, I live in an area where at the time of my scope there were extremely few hospitalized cases of Covid. It has since ramped up, so my timing worked out well. However, I would still feel safe going for a scope even today since I saw all the precautions in place.
Posted 10/10/2020 12:11 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you! I hope what you describe applies to my hospital too.
Posted 10/10/2020 4:09 PM (GMT -5)
I just had one two days ago. Same procedures as serenity. They gave me one of their masks to wear which I kept on until I was in procedure room. Then they took it off because I was having an endoscopy too. I felt safe there. I also feel safe at my infusions because they are so careful there. It is a stand alone center tho as was my colonoscopy procedure. There were quite a few patients there at the colonoscopy though. Still — the nurses etc don’t want to get sick either so they are being civilians.
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