Dr. Prathish Kumar
General Medicine
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I had been for a colonoscopy due to changes in my bowel habit. I had been on Iron tablets due to iron deficiency anemia caused by heavy periods during the perimenopausal stage. I was so busy getting ready for my bowel preparation that I forgot about not taking the Iron tablets. I had stopped them four days before the colonoscopy but accidentally took one tablet two days before the appointment. Would this have affected my negative result? The consultant said that my bowel prep was good. I guess that he would have been trained in being able to recognize signs of Iron tablets. One website states that "Iron coats the inside of your large bowel, making it very dark and difficult for the endoscopist to see anything. It is important to stop Iron; otherwise, your colonoscopy will be canceled, and another appointment will be made". Another website says, "Iron supplements tend to turn your feces a dark color and a thick consistency, making it difficult for the doctor to detect abnormalities or problems. If this is the case, the procedure may have to be repeated to ensure that a health complication was not missed."
I suppose the doctor would have told me if there were any problems. Do you think this would need to be repeated? I was looking for a picture of what the colon would look like with iron supplements taken but could not find any. I also had a CT scan of my chest, stomach, and pelvis and nothing significant was found, although the consultant is meeting me in two weeks to discuss the findings in more detail. Is there anything to worry about?
Thank you.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I have gone through your description and understand your concern.
Do not worry; consumption of one Iron tablet will not affect your colonoscopy results. Anyways you had been preparing your bowel for days before the procedure, and that tablet was also taken two days before the procedure. Only long-term Iron tablet consumption will cause this discoloration and interfere with results when the bowel preparation is inadequate. Your consultant has informed you that bowel preparation is good. That states that your bowel was clean to be visualized by colonoscopy, and there was no interference. Be assured of the results, and there is no need to repeat your procedure. If there were any doubts due to interference of color, your consultant would have informed you about the same and planned for a repeat procedure.
So no worries, be relaxed and reassured.
Take care.
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Is there no concern that this could be something serious such as cancer? I have large mushy bowel movements and yellowish stool at times, but there might be some other digestive issues that the consultant will discuss with me. When you mention long-term use of iron tablets, how long are we talking about? I had just been on these for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Thanks.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Six weeks makes more than a month and fits for a long-term medicine intake. However, do not get panicked about this issue. Iron tablets themselves can cause gastritis, and perimenopausal women have hormonal imbalances, which can cause many symptoms like abdominal discomfort and mood disturbances.
You have not reported any other symptoms apart from altered bowel movements. So, I assume that the chances of cancer for you should be low because if it had been malignancy, you would have told me multiple symptoms. But still, I cannot assure you by just a chat over the phone without examining you in person and being unaware of your other investigation reports.
Take care.
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
The fact that the colonoscopy and CT scan came back normal is that not good news?
Kindly answer.
Thank you.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Of course, it is. That is excellent news. Leave out all your worries and relax your mind. You will be perfectly fine.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Could I have some digestive issues? I do have gallstones, but whether they are responsible, I am not sure.
Thank you.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Gallstones might contribute to your digestive issues. Generally, gallbladder disease produces digestive issues, particularly for oily and fatty foods. The other possibility is a change in your intestinal microbiota. We have millions of commensal bacteria which normally reside in our intestines. Any change in that microbiota environment will cause digestive issues. Your consultant will be discussing all these with you to decide upon a further plan.
Thank you.
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General Medicine
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