Antibiotics for colonoscopy?

[Pegasus]

My husband is supposed to have his first colonoscopy soon and we were told by the doctor that the AHA and ASGE no longer recommend prophylaxis for this. They said he can have the IV antibiotics if he insists on it but it is not necessary. We will consult cardio next week to make sure. He doesn't take antibiotics for fillings either, just for extractions and dental cleanings...

Just wondering if any of you took antibiotics for colonoscopy?
Thanks!

 

[Adrienne]

Hi Pegaus. Yes, I did have IV antibiotics given to me at the hospital before they did the colonoscopy. I figured that if they had to snip off a polyp (thank goodness I didn't have any), there would be blood in a place which is laden with bacteria (despite the fact that you are "cleaned out").

 

[Pegasus]

Adrienne, thanks for your input. Which year did you have it done? The updated guidelines were from 2007 and 2008.
I too think if there is a polyp there would be blood but maybe it's a different bacteria?
We'll see what the cardio thinks....

 

[Adrienne]

I had it done in 2007. The bacteria in the gut IS different than that in the mouth. However, I think it is even WORSE! There is definitely some blood if a polyp is snipped off.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

My GI guy is Very Conservative. He prefers to have his patients OFF Coumadin, use Bridging, and IV antibiotics prior to performing a colonoscopy.

Someone posted a link to the ASGE guidelines recently.
It is very interesting. Diagnostic Colonoscopies without going off anticoagulation are approved for Low Risk Patients (Mechanical Valve in the Aortic Position with No other concerns). The more conventional protocol is recommended for Higher Risk Patients (Mechanical Valve in the Mitral Position, patients with A-Fib, etc.). I'm on the fence on this issue...

 

[tommy]

My last C-sope was 2008. I got antibiotics in the IV. I don't bridge anymore for C-scopes. The lovenox is more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Harrybaby666]

All my Gastroenterologist is doing for me is having me take a pile of Mirolax and Dulcolax before my colonoscopy on Oct 7. I don't have to have any cumadin or lovonox or plavix...thank god....

 

[tprice54]

I'm leaving in one hour for mine! I'm having IV antibiotics before the procedure.

 

[Pegasus]

Thanks for all the input. I will post what the cardio said.

Good luck Harrybaby and tprice 54 with your colonoscopies!

 

[Kathy McCain]

I had one done last year. The Dr said it was allright for me to take an antibiotic orally with a little water. Everything went just fine!

 

[tprice54]

Got a clean (literally!) bill of health, and got a full bag of antibiotics yesterday.........

 

[AgilityDog]

Al, it's very interesting that for patients at high risk of stroke they recommend coming off the coumadin and bridging, and for lower risk people they stay on the coumadin. That sounds bass-ackwards to me.

 

[DebbyA]

If the cardio does recommend antibiotics, be sure to remind the nurses when they are doing the prep. The gastro doc had neglected to order antibiotics in 3 of 4 procedures I had over the years, even when protocol still recommended them and even when gastro had agreed to use them. Not a confidence-inspiring experience. Wondering what else they might have screwed up makes me feel the antibiotic is a safety measure. This was 3 gastro docs and two hospitals over the years, so I think there's a hole in the system somewhere.

 

[Pegasus]

Update: Cardio wanted 2 g of Amoxcillin orally 30 min. before procedure.