Pre-med for Colonoscopy

[Kathy McCain]

Just wondering. Has anyone been prescribed by their GI Dr. the antibiotic LEVAQUIN? I will be taking one pill the day before, the day of, and the day after the colonoscopy.(500 mg)

What has been your experience with it?

I usually take Amoxicillan, before dental procedures. I have never heard of this one.

Thanks for your help!

 

[njean]

Just wondering. Has anyone been prescribed by their GI Dr. the antibiotic LEVAQUIN? I will be taking one pill the day before, the day of, and the day after the colonoscopy.(500 mg)

What has been your experience with it?

I usually take Amoxicillan, before dental procedures. I have never heard of this one.

Thanks for your help!

Yes, I've been on Levaquin quite a few times for different things & I do have to keep an eye on my INR levels because it will definitely affect it.

Good luck with the procedure.

I too am due a colonoscopy but the drs here will not do it unless I come off coumadin for 3 to 4 days prior to the procedure & I simply refuse to do that!

 

[Kathy McCain]

Norma,

Even though I have a tissue valve, I understand. I would feel the same.

 

[Ross]

I had an IV of antibiotics before the procedure. Cefazolin a think it was.

 

[Karlynn]

Yes, I've been on Levaquin quite a few times for different things & I do have to keep an eye on my INR levels because it will definitely affect it.

Good luck with the procedure.

I too am due a colonoscopy but the drs here will not do it unless I come off coumadin for 3 to 4 days prior to the procedure & I simply refuse to do that!

Norma - if it's a screening colonoscopy - this is not protocol. You should not have to stop Coumadin.

 

[csutherland]

Jerry's GI dr. said that premed for colonoscopy was no longer being done. I think it all depends on the locale, the hospital, the doctor, and which way the wind is blowing. Surely there must be a definite "right or wrong" but I guess we just have to play the game to some degree.

 

[Lynlw]

Jerry's GI dr. said that premed for colonoscopy was no longer being done. I think it all depends on the locale, the hospital, the doctor, and which way the wind is blowing. Surely there must be a definite "right or wrong" but I guess we just have to play the game to some degree.

According to the latest AHA guidelines, there shouldn't be PA for colonoscopies "Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is not
recommended for nondental procedures (such as
transesophageal echocardiogram,
esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or colonoscopy) in the
absence of active infection."

 

[Rich]

I have taken Levaquin for other things, it is a very powerful anti-biotic( and very expensive also).
For my last colon check they did give me an IV of an anti-biotic but I don't know what it was.

 

[njean]

Norma - if it's a screening colonoscopy - this is not protocol. You should not have to stop Coumadin.

I need to get you down here Karlynn to convince these drs. of just that! They still refuse to do the screening unless I'm off the coumadin....period! So they won't be seeing my rear end any time soon!!!

 

[Ross]

I need to get you down here Karlynn to convince these drs. of just that! They still refuse to do the screening unless I'm off the coumadin....period! So they won't be seeing my rear end any time soon!!!

Maybe I should send Warrenr over there to have chat with them.

 

[Lynlw]

Maybe I should send Warrenr over there to have chat with them.

I'm sure he'd be glad to.

 

[Karlynn]

Don't we have something in our references on the Association of Hind End Doctors ( sorry can't think of the name for GI docs association.) on what the protocol is.

If someone can find it - you just take it and show it to the docs.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Norma,

Good luck with your GI Doc!

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi there!

I take it no one that has taken Levaquin, had a bad reaction! I have never taken it. Never even heard of it before.

Thanks everyone!

 

[starrman]

Coumadin Strategy

Coumadin Strategy

I need to get you down here Karlynn to convince these drs. of just that! They still refuse to do the screening unless I'm off the coumadin....period! So they won't be seeing my rear end any time soon!!!

I just had mine completed on Wednesday. My doctor said to go ahead and stay on the coumadin but if he found something significant, they would have to go in again to fix it and I would have to be off coumadin a few days. They did the procedure and found a small item that they were able to take of. I was premedicated with antibiotics inter-venous for about a half hour before the test because of my mechanical aortic valve. Everything went well and hopefully yours will be the same.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Don't we have something in our references on the Association of Hind End Doctors ( sorry can't think of the name for GI docs association.) on what the protocol is.

If someone can find it - you just take it and show it to the docs.

I think Ross posted a copy from the Journal of GastroEnteroly (or some such title) stating that performing Diagnostic Endoscopy and/or Colonoscopy while normally anticoagulated was now acceptable (or some such wording). I remember giving a copy to my GI guy (who still prefers to Bridge so that he can take biopsies and/or do "whatever needs to be done while he is 'in there'). At least he was willing to examine the paper and see their 'opinion'. It will be interesting to see what he says 'next time'.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Bryan B]

I just had mine completed on Wednesday. My doctor said to go ahead and stay on the coumadin but if he found something significant, they would have to go in again to fix it and I would have to be off coumadin a few days. They did the procedure and found a small item that they were able to take of. I was premedicated with antibiotics inter-venous for about a half hour before the test because of my mechanical aortic valve. Everything went well and hopefully yours will be the same.

I'm not on Coumadin (yet ) but when I had my first "screening" colonoscopy they had to remove 2 polyps. I would have rather been given the happy juice for the prep rather than the procedure. Well on 2nd thought maybe not, but the prep was definitely worse than the procedure. I couldn't imagine the GI doc (aka ASSMAN for any Seinfeld fans ) telling me after the procedure that I would have to go through all of that again after going off of coumadin. My dad had colon cancer (caught early and he is fine) but he is a polyp grower. This was part of the decision making process when I decided on the Ross Procedure. And dammit he also has GERD (under control with meds and diet) and prostate problems that have needed "surgical intervention" twice (think roto rooter).