Good afternoon! Look Ma, I’ve got my “ranty-pants” on! (And yes, that is Eeyore on them. He’s for ranting, Tinkerbell is for all other times.)
This was supposed to be a post all about the amazing *“Smart Pill” test where I was going to swallow this nifty pill which was actually a transmitter that monitored the temperature, pH, and time spent in each location from my mouth all the way to…the exit. I would spend five days wearing a recorder that picked up the signals and would then be analyzed by Lab guys and the pertinent info sent on to my GI Doc.
Instead, today turned into a comedy of errors. Which honestly? My first impulse was to sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened. But…there are a few good points I realized I should probably share, even if I’m slightly embarrassed about doing so. *sigh*
The first good chuckle was I failed to receive my info packet form the Motility Lab. (Strike one for Motility Lab.)My” bad” was failing to research the test for a better understanding of all it entailed. (Strike one for Chris.) So I arrived with nothing more than knowing I had completed my prep work correctly.
We then sat undisturbed in the Patient Waiting Area for 45 minutes with nary a soul bothering us in the least little bit.
Side Note: May I say here that waiting is an inevitability. Someone else’s test will run long, there will be emergencies pop up, unforeseen complications. I get it! But NOT being informed? Unacceptable! A 45 minute wait for a test that required fasting? (In my humble opinion) Unacceptable! (Strike two for Motility Lab.)
By the time we were escorted to the Lab, it had been 13 hours since I last ate or drank anything. I was then informed that I would not be able to eat anything for another six hours AFTER I had swallowed the pill. Also, after being off of several required meds five days for test prep, I would continue to be unable to take them for the five days the test ran, seeing as they would interfere with the results. (Ummm…Strike three through somewhere around twelve for the Lab! I’m outta here!)
After much discussion with the VERY nice Nurse at the Lab, I made the decision to forgo the test. This is a call I would have made several weeks ago if I’d gotten the pre-test info and/or done my homework. I could have saved everyone a bit of work and us a bit of gas. (Bad Chris! Bad girl!)
This little fiasco did inspire me to make up a Test Checklist of questions for me and my Doc to discuss before I agree to any future tests I’m asked to undergo.
1) What piece of the puzzle are you hoping to find?
2) Is it something that will affect my life expectancy? If so, how?
3) On a scale of 1 to 10, is this something that will affect my overall quality of life?
Taking into account the answers to these above three, I then will ask myself this last question.
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| Not the real Smart Pill, but I couldn't find a non copyrighted pic, so this is it. Sorry! |
4) On a scale of 1 to 10, is this a major concern or more of a mild annoyance?
Based on the answers to the above questions, I will then be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not I agree to undergo the test.
For instance, today’s test would have been a “no” from the start if I’d followed this list.
1) They were hoping to find why my stomach empties more than twice as fast as it should (gastric dumping syndrome) but my small intestine doesn’t seem to want to move at all, bottle-necking everything. (An upper and lower endoscopy in March 2011 showed no blockages, so that’s not a concern.)
2) As long as I’m using my colon-blow combo and stomach pills (Zantac and Prilosec. I get both because I’m SPECIAL!) and eat a specific diet, my bod gets what it needs without further damage. So the answer would be, “Not really.”
3) As long as I’m good with following #2, it’s more of a 3 or 4, depending on if I remember to go easy on the garlic and onions. (I’m addicted to buffalo sauce, so that ups it at times to a 6, but I’m OK with that!)
*drum roll* All of the above combine to give me the answer to #4 as…
4) We’re rockin’ a steady 3 on this one, making my answer to dropping our hard-earned bank on yet another test a resounding, “Heck-y NO! But thanks for asking!”
Let me make myself perfectly clear here…I am NOT advising you to refuse Doc recommended testing. I am NOT advocating going rogue on Web MD and diagnosing the severity of your own medical problems.
I AM recommending you TALK to your Doc about all that is involved with any test or procedure he/she wants you to undergo. (I'm ALL about the informed decisions!) (Yeah, I just dropped the ball this time. No excuses.)
When it comes to agreeing to undergo a test or exercising your right to say, “Thanks, but no thanks,” it’s just like everything else in the Wide, Wide World of Healthcare. Communication with your Doc and a clear understanding is King, Czar, and Emperor on High!
Now, I’m going to go hang my head in shame and sulk for a while…
*When I was looking for info on the Smart Pill, I came across a link to a blog written by a woman who had more stamina than myself. Here's her awesome account of her days of testing. My Life With Gastroparesis: The Smart Pill Test
