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How you prepare
By Mayo Clinic staffTo prepare for your capsule endoscopy, your doctor may ask that you:
- Stop eating at least 12 hours before your capsule endoscopy. To ensure that the camera will capture clear images of your digestive tract, your doctor will ask you to fast before the procedure.
- Stop or delay taking certain medications. In some cases, your doctor may ask that you stop taking certain medications. In other cases, your doctor may ask that you take your medication two hours before or after you swallow the capsule that contains the camera. That way, your medication won't interfere with the camera.
- Plan to take it easy for the day. In most cases, you'll be able to go about your day after you swallow the capsule that contains the camera. But you'll likely be asked not to do any strenuous exercise or heavy lifting. If you have an active job, ask your doctor whether you can go back to work the day of your capsule endoscopy.
In some cases, your doctor may ask you to take a laxative preparation prior to your capsule endoscopy in order to flush out your small intestine. This has been shown to improve the quality of the pictures collected by the capsule's camera.
Follow your doctor's instructions in preparing for your capsule endoscopy. Failure to follow the directions may mean your capsule endoscopy may need to be rescheduled.
- Eliakim R. Video capsule endoscopy of the small bowel. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology. 2010;26:129.
- Cave D. Wireless video capsule endoscopy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Kimmey MB. Complications of gastrointestinal endoscopy. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Understanding capsule endoscopy. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=390. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Preparing for capsule endoscopy. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/patient-center/procedures/capsule-endoscopy. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Picco MP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. June 15, 2010.
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