82 year old mum, colon scan

[AcornAutumn]

Apologies, bit indelicate.

My mother has experienced blood in her stool. She is 82 and they’ve agreed that a colonoscopy would be too much for her.

They’ve suggested she have a colon scan which requires no food and a laxative to empty her bowels before the scan.

To be honest, this worries us both as she is underweight, fragile, has heart problems etc.

I just wondered if anyone knew anything about this procedure in the elderly and if there’s any alternatives. The appointment today was apparently chaotic - I wasn’t allowed to accompany her.

My suspicion is her heart medication is causing this but of course they have to address the cancer possibility first.

Thanks for any advice.

I’m assuming that the colon scan is an ultrasound, not a CAT or MRI scan. A health professional will have to explain the procedure to your mother and get consent. Does your mother have capacity to consent? Do you have POA Health & Welfare for your mother?
It doesn’t say in your post if your mother is an inpatient or if they’re planning to do the scan as an outpatient.
You could possibly discuss your concerns with your mother’s GP, obviously the GP is limited what they can discuss due to patient confidentiality. I would be concerned about your mother’s frailty and even if the scan revealed anything sinister, would that change your mother’s management as it would be unlikely that surgery would be performed.
I hope you manage to get your worries addressed

I had a colon scan and it's a CT scan, not an ultrasound. You don't have to starve - you have a low residue diet for 2 days and clear liquids a few hours before. Complan is allowed, and Bovril, soup and custard.

The laxative isn't pleasant but you do that at home in your own bathroom.

Thank you
Mum has capacity

The doctor only mentioned the laxatives but a couple of websites said you had to fast before as well.

They want to do it as an outpatient procedure. I can be with her in the days before and after.

It’s interesting that Serene feels they’d be unlikely to do surgery. I honestly can’t see that as a realistic option, I feel like she wouldn’t be a good candidate, too fragile.

I’ve told her I’m happy to pay for a private hospital if that would make the laxative etc part safer. But the NHS have said they can do this in three weeks and she feels it would take longer to get everything transferred to a private place.

I’m probably over worrying but I find she is very frail, I don’t think necessarily scores high on the frailty index but as well as being underweight with heart problems, it’s like the tiniest change to her schedule, even food or sleep, can have a bad effect on her health, if that makes sense.

Have you asked what they might find out - you've said cancer is one - and what the treatment options would be? If you are worrying about the scan, would she also be too frail for any treatment indicated by anything they might find?

My father signed a letter to his GP saying that they could share his medical info with me, which means they're happy to talk to me about his treatment - might that be an option, so you could ask questions direct?

Thank you Mere

It’s hard to know re frailty. It might be that she’s got a polyp or haemorrhoids that need removing, which would be okay.

If it’s the worst news, I don’t know what they’d do.

I think it’s fine to get the information from mum, I would normally go with her but of course that’s not allowed at the moment.

But on reflection we do need to do it as it might be something non sinister and sorting it might solve the bleeding.

I spoke with my sister today and she’s not got much work at the moment either, so she can stay with mum a couple of days and it doesn’t just have to be me.

It’s an odd stage I think, mum has an emergency button but doesn’t need a carer. When she’s perky, she’s very perky. Thoroughly pissed off that she can’t see her mates now, fir example.

She is terrified of the worst so I have to try to keep her mind off it.

I read that 9 out of 10 of these referrals aren’t cancer but I guess the incidence is much higher in older people.

My 83 year old mum, very frail, marked cognitive decline, lives alone, currently recovering from a fractured pelvis so mobility even poorer than normal had a CT of her colon two weeks ago.

They were checking for cancer as her HB is very very low and has been steadily getting worse and a stool specimen showed some blood. She coped very well with the pre CT diet and laxative requirements. I was only allowed to accompany her into the waiting room and then had to leave but she said the staff were wonderful and found the actual scan fine.

She didn't need anyone overnight, I'd arranged to stay with her but she felt well and practically pushed me out of the door! She likes her independence and even more now she's so frail as I think she knows she's right on the knife edge of managing to live independently.

It wasn't cancer so that was good news but we're still going to numerous appts (I'm waiting fir her outside outpatients at the moment!) to find out why she's so anaemic very grateful that our hospital is still seeing her during lockdown

Trizzle, thank you, that's reassuring.

the information arrived today and much to our surprise, it says that you are allowed a companion. I am going to check as I think they might have sent old information and I don't want to be standing around a hospital car park.

Your mum sounds similar to mine - her iron count was found to be low after they found the blood in the stool.

they have very much fast tracked her, it's now on Monday 16th, so I will be with her all weekend while she preps. If she feels wobbly etc, it doesn't matter as I can do all the stuff that needs doing.

we are both trying not to think about the outcome. I still think it's most likely her Rivaroxaban and we will need to see cardio about reducing the dose.

Hope it all goes well @AcornAutumn. Fingers crossed

thank you Trizzle

All the best to you and your mum too. Did you get any answers yesterday? I understand if you'd rather not say.

@AcornAutumn thanks for asking and sorry haven't answered sooner.... been one of those weeks! Lots of mum issues and some 'interesting' behaviour by her if you know what I mean!

No, still more tests but they think it's 'anaemia of chronic disease' probably driven by her scleroderma alongside her other health issues. Basically everything is going out of kilter in her body/physiology (she has a lot of health problems) and her prescription runs to 2 pages so there is probably some unavoidable poly pharmacy going on as well.....another trip to the GP next week and to see one of the three consultants she's under but I'm not holding my breath. Think it's just going to be a slow decline.

Hope all is well with you and your mum.