ital, and then you will be allowed to leave and go about your regular routine. You will be given a form to record the time and nature of sensations and activities, including eating and drinking.
Four hours after you swallow the capsule, you may eat a light snack, unless your gastroenterologist tells you otherwise. You should avoid strenuous physical activity, especially if it involves sweating, and should not bend or stoop during the test.
During the test, the small light on the data recorder will blink to confirm that it is receiving data. If it stops blinking, contact your physician.
After eight hours, you’ll return to your doctor’s office, where the sensors will be removed and you will turn in the data recorder and your activity log.
After Capsule Endoscopy
After the procedure, you will need to return the data recorder and sensors to your doctor’s office. Your gastroenterologist will download the data from the recorder and will view a color video of the pictures.
The capsule will continue passing through your digestive tract and will be eliminated through a normal bowel movement in the next two to three days. While it is important to know that the capsule has in fact exited your system, there is no need to attempt to retrieve the device.
There have been few side effects reported with capsule endoscopy. You should contact your gastroenterologist immediately if you:
- Develop a fever after swallowing the capsule.
- Have trouble swallowing.
- Begin to vomit.
- Experience increasing chest or abdominal pain.
- Cramping and abdominal discomfort have not yet been reported during the capsule endoscopy procedure.
Very rarely, the capsule can become stuck in the digestive tract due to a blockage or narrowing of the intestines. In this case, surgery may be required to remove the capsule.
You are at a higher risk of blockage if you have a history of bowel obstruction or previous gastrointestinal surgery — be sure to discuss the risks with your doctor before the procedure. If you cannot positively confirm that the capsule has been excreted from your body within a week, contact your gastroenterologist for an evaluation and possible abdominal X-ray to establish the location of the capsule.
You should not undergo a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination or be near any powerful magnetic fields (such as amateur or ham radio) until after the capsule is excreted. Doing so could result in serious damage to your intestinal tract and abdominal cavity.