COLONOSCOPY and ITP

Hi Everyone....
Asking this for my husband who has ITP. Counts usually in the 20k range. He does not treat it UNLESS he has to have a procedure of some type.

He is at moderate risk for colon cancer and needs to have a colonoscopy every 5 yrs. The prep is soooo hard on him, plus he has to have IvIg and dexamethasone prior to it...as I'm sure all of you know. I worry about him bleeding from the bowel since the prep is so 'violent.'

Have any of you found an alternative to colonoscopy since you have ITP and related issues? (Cologuard is out. I had a false positive with that.) Some type of MRI or scan perhaps?

I've had two scopes and not had anything near a "violent" prep experience. Both times it was a far easier than an infectious or food-borne illness that I would consider sometimes 'explosive'.
He should talk with his doctor about the best prep that will make sure things move along as gently as possible.

I agree with Midwest, perhaps theres a more tolerable prep. I drank a fizzy soda prep that was lemon-lime flavored. It was much better than the gallon jug that you mix with water and have to drink the whole thing. But the prep is no fun, it made me dizzy and feel nauseous- Plus fasting only clear liquids for 2 days. ugh

If your husband does IViG or dexamethasone before the colonoscopy, I would think there is no need to worry about bleeding. His counts should be up to a safe level. My platelets were 50K for my colonoscopy (I get Nplate injections), the gastro doc removed a polyp then cauterized the wound. There was no bleeding at all with prep, procedure or post op. Everyone is different, but if your husband lives with a count of 20, I would say not to worry since his count will be higher after IViG.

I have heard that the FIT test (poo test) is 73% accurate if done every year. But it only catches cancer and bleeding. Where as a colonoscopy catches pre-cancer before any bleeding. I have not heard of anything else to replace colonoscopy. I would imagine that a scan would not be helpful because if they found anything, they would have to then go in with a colonoscopy anyway for a biopsy.