On the day of your VCE

Please follow these instructions before your appointment.

• Essential medicines can be taken with water only before 6am.
• Non-essential medicines can wait until you have a snack at lunchtime.
• If you have diabetes, please check if you can take your morning medications with the nurse.
• You must not eat (including gum, sweets and mints) but can have small sips of water up to 3 hours before your appointment.

At your appointment

Your appointment might be face-to-face at the hospital, or a video phone call. You do not need to come in to hospital for a video phone call (known as a virtual appointment).

During the appointment you will need to swallow the VCE, so please have a drink with you.

If you have a face-to-face appointment, please be on time. If you are running late please call the reception desk in case the appointment has to be rescheduled.

Please wear a loose top that buttons up or zips up at the front.

Do not smoke until after your endoscopy. If you think this might be difficult for you, please speak to your GP or nurse for advice.

After swallowing the VCE

Please follow these instructions carefully.

8am (when you swallow the capsule)

• You can drink only water for 4 hours after swallowing the capsule.Do not smoke for the next 12 hours.

10am (2 hours after swallowing the capsule)

• You can have water to drink but no food.

Midday (4 hours after swallowing the capsule)

• You can have a light snack, for example a small sandwich or small baked potato with filling.
• Do not have any other food for another 4 hours.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Milk is allowed from now on too.
• Do not drink alcohol.

1pm (5 hours after swallowing the capsule)

• Empty the second MoviPrep sachet A and B into 1 litre of water.
• Stir the solution until the MoviPrep has dissolved.
• Drink the solution over 1 to 2 hours.

4pm (8 hours after swallowing the capsule)

• You can eat and drink as usual.
• Take your medicines as normal, including any usual medicines for diabetes.

Retrieving and returning the CapsoCam

When you are given or sent the capsule, your medical team will phone you to explain the full instructions for retrieving the capsule after it has passed through your gut. Please also read the manufacturer’s instruction leaflet that comes with the CapsoCam capsule.

• You have been given a special kit to catch the CapsoCam when you have a poo.
• Use the gloves and place the plastic bowl onto the toilet bowl before you have a poo.
• Using the cup provided, wash the poo in the plastic bowel with cold water.
• The poo will wash away, and the capsule will stay in the plastic bowl.
• Put the washed capsule into the container provided and the label provided (with your name, date of birth and hospital number) into the plastic bag.

Return the bagged capsule in the envelope provided at the agreed time to make sure it is processed and read.

If you do not pass the capsule

If you have not passed the capsule within 7 days, speak to your local pharmacist. You can take a one-off dose of a laxative, such as senna tablets.

If you have not passed the capsule, please tell the gastroenterology doctor who will arrange for you to have an abdominal X-ray to check the location of the capsule.

You must not have an MRI examination until you have passed the capsule.

After your VCE

Your consultant will send a capsule review report and summary letter to you and your GP. This can take up to 4 weeks.

Contact your hospital team if:

• you have tummy pain that is getting worse
• your tummy is swelling
• you are being sick

Contacting us about your results

For information about the capsule consultant report review, summary letter and gastro review outcome.

Phone 020 7188 8887 ext 40407 or 40704 or email [email protected]

For surgical review outcome, phone 020 7188 8887 ext 86475