People with dodgy colons - your opinion please

[threebob]

I had a colonoscopy today and they found no inflamation, no polyps (aparts from piles with mucus filled things on them - yuk, nothing to biopsy.

I have an extra long bit of my colon(sorry not very technical but I was off my head on drugs) and he also tried several times to get into one bit and just couldn't and gave up because it was too twisty, hidden.

His suggestions in this order were:

See dietician and change diet THEN
Think about sorting out polyps ONLY THEN
Drugs for spasms.

As some of you know ds has many allergies and eating as a family is an art form that I have perfected. I am very very rarely ill as a result of something I have eaten. I know what I can and can't have. I get sick on holiday (bummer)and sometimes if I choose badly from a menu. So I think the dietician is pointless really - I know what I can have and it's only when I break my own rules that it all goes wrong. As I get sick on holiday and we are going away in 6 weeks I would not unreasonably like access to the drugs first. If I then manage even better - well I didn't need the dietician did I?

Do I would like to do;

Drugs
Piles in summer holidays
Dietician if I get worse or no better.

Is is reasonable to put this to consultant, as it's basically the opposite to his treatment plan?

I am rarely ill as a result of something I have cooked! I am frequently ill if I eat the wrong things - must preview posts.

Anyone?

I presume you have tried all the over-the-counter sort of drugs. If I remember rightly, you are in NZ? In the UK, we have a drug for Buscopan which is for IBS - it has an antispasmodic element to it.

I take Aloe Vera every day which helps keep the crampy tummy pains at bay.

Sorry, probably not very helpful.

I think that as you can usually control it with diet, and have thought very carefully about your family's diet, I would say that it is reasonable to speak to the consultant again and ask for the drugs as a back up, for when things go wrong.

threebob - I think it's reasonable in light of the fact that you are highly aware of what you eat and your diet, and also that you're willing to have the piles done, just not in term time!

Also presumably you'll be able to explain all this to him whilst not under the influence. I guess consultants get used to seeing people who have terrible eating habits and then turn up with digestive problems - is he aware that you definitely don't fall into that category?

(sorry - speaking as somebody with long running mild IBS, whose entire digestive system is currently on something of a celebratory pregnancy hoop-la!)

Good point SBC

My consultant became much more amenable (and stopped treating me like a 3 year old) when I told him that we ate an almost entirely organic diet, with wholegrains, no processed food etc and drank loads of water, but no caffeine. In fact, he commended me on my efforts!!!

I think I'll get my GP to have a word with him - he knows all about all the cooking and planning I do. Last time I saw a dietician with ds I definitely knew more than she did.

Good idea Threebob. The consultant is more used to people who need guidance on their diet, and for whom a change in diet can help digestive disorders. He doesn't know who he's dealing with this time