How is a capsule endoscopy done?

Just had one done less than three months ago.

You really do not do much bowel prep for this, other than stop eating 12 hours before the test.

When you arrive at the hospital they fit you with a shoulder belt.

they attach electrodes (they stick to the skin like a bandage) There are 8 in various positions all with wires that lead back to the recording unit.

They attach the wires from the electrodes to the recorder, they give you a pill about the size of a small peanut in a shell and a drink of water. Inside the pill is a blinking light.

They test the recorder to make sure it is receiving the signal from the camera (inside the pill).

You are free to go, shopping,home, anything not too strenuous (you can't do things that might damage the equipment). You can have a drink 1 hour after the start of the test and something light to eat after 3 hours.

You are asked to keep a record of everything you do, such as drink, eat, and kind of keep a diary about activities every 30 minutes.

After about 6 to 8 hours you go back to the hospital and they remove the equipment and you go home.

If you have active crohn's you will have already passed the pill out into the toilet and flushed it away (they do not re-use them).

Nothing to fret about, it does not hurt or bother you in any way.

The pill is a small camera and the recorder captures a picture of the inside of your bowel every 15 seconds for the time it travels through your intestines.

Some doctors will show you the pictures if you ask when you go back in for results.