At post 50 my wife set me up a "wellness exam", the scope was the last act.

"I spent 18 hours on the can prior to mine"

Not the case at all for me. The 1/2 pint of liquid I had to drink (X2) was the worst part, wasn't ten minutes before a very 'moving' experience. Was conked for the procedure, felt nothing happened. Opened the shop at 9 (had 6:30 appointment).
Jim

I enjoyed every minute of being forced to submit to having a big black pipe shoved up my a$$.

Here's a question I've wondered about...I'm 42, and have not had any of the "scope" tests or whatever. Can the jellyfinger test really tell the Doc anything? I get the "you have the prostate of a young man" comment, but I guess I wonder how he can judge that from just a quick "phone dial" motion in my "region".

Should I be looking for a more rigorous test at my age than just the jellyfinger?


JA

Depends. If you have no significant family history for colorectal cancer, then you probably can hold off until you're around 50. That's roughly the recommended age to initiate sigmoidoscopy/colonscopy screening for people without other risk factors. That DRE (digital rectal exam) is mostly to swipe for any blood (leaking from a tumor) or feel for any rectal tumors right there in the vault. But it HARDLY can replace the utility of a true endoscopic exam.

A couple other comments: I'm constantly amazed at the people I run into with colorectal cancer, who are clearly over 50, and have NEVER had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy before, until some awful cancer presents itself. I wonder how many people have died (and lost family members) due to poor screening.

And there are always the occasional heart-wrenching horror stories of young people (like, in their 30s) who have advanced/fatal colon cancers despite no family histories. I can think of 2 specific situations: one guy I took care of in residency was about 33; my wife took care of another woman who was 35. They both wound up dying and left their young families (and toddler kids) behind. Those 2 stories kill me (figuratively, obviously) every time I think about them.

For me the procedure wasn't unpleasent at all. An IV (I don't know what of) and I started to get a little chatty and relaxed. Oh? Is that my insides on the screen -- cool!

Next thing I know I'm in the recovery room. My wife comes in to talk and I read some. She comes back and I asked her if she had been there earlier. I came home and was watching a race on TV when it was suddenly over. I have no idea where the time went.

Now the prep. Ugh. But getover it! Hi was given the half-lytly stuff. Don't bother flavoring it, just make it cold. Fridge is good, freezer is most likely better. No matter how it makes you feel -- just force it down. I dawdled around (it fills me up! I can't drink it! Bwaaahhhhh) until I spoke with a nurse separately with my sister who's a vet of these procedures. They both were like: "You haven't drunk it all? You'll have to cancel the procedure. You're not prepped!" After 18 hours of fasting, I wasn't about to do it again, so I started sucking it down and got to the point of running clear by around 3:00 AM. If I just hadn't been such a whus, I'd have been done and asleep in bed by 9:00.

Mark my words -- DRINK THE STUFF!!!!

Please, this is not a small or laughing matter.
I was 51, and had no symptoms. I had no family history. No blood in stool x3.
I was just like you.
Routine colonoscopy found a large colon carcinoma.
That was 2.5 years ago- hopefully a surgical cure.
Colon cancer is preventable, but it can and will kill you.
The prep is uncomfortable, but not all that bad.
The procedure itself is absolutely painless- you will not even know anything was done- the drugs are wonderful.
Sigmoidoscopy would not have found my cancer. I am a poster child for screening colonoscopy- please if you value your life and care for your family have it done.
The whole body screening studies will not find many colon cancers before they are large. Ct colonoscopy and other screening studies are available- but they require the clean out as well. This is a disease you can prevent. Laugh about it in groups- but privately go see a good MD.
gary

My Dad had polyps detected when he was in his late 40's. I don 't have any yet. Sure, having a colonoscopy isn't all that pleasant, but it beats the hell out of dying by rotting from the ********* outward doesn't it?! To me, it's not remotely worth taking a chance.

Dad died after 20 years of progressive heart attacks. Had his first; a major one, when he was 45 (he smoked heavily, I never have). He lived to be 66 but it was progressively a lesser and lesser life.

I went to Heartcheck America when I turned 50 preparing to hear I had blockages. I had 0% blockage in all my heart and neck arteries!! Doctor said for a Hispanic man in my 50's and with a family history of cardiac issues?...it was tantamount to winning the Lotto. But instead of making me feel good it reminded me most people die of cardiacs or cancer. I guess we know which one I am likely to die of and I don't like it a bit! Give me a massive cardiac where I die befoe I hit the floor over months or years of a painful death. Bottomline (funny word) HAVE THE DAMNED procedure wussy boys!

Had the endoscopy
 

....following on from yesterdays post.
The laxative bit wasnt too bad at all ....Was admitted this morning at 630am Was under General Anaesthetic at 9am ...surgeon found 4 Polyps (checking them now) had the throat done too..and gastro... all clear.
Im 49 ..get yourself checked is my advice...don't be a wuss!

two words....

Colon Blow

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...olonblow_2.png

+100 on what Noah posted in answer to Jandrews.

If you're 42 and wondering about it or don't know for certain what your family history is, go to your doctor and have it done. Sure, we're all uptight talking about THAT!:eek: but as most everyone here is saying the procedure isn't that big a deal. Get 'er done. It can quite literally save your life. A few minutes on the table will give you peace of mind AT THE LEAST, or could SAVE YOUR LIFE in the best case. To me, its not even a question of whether to wait until age 50.

Is this thread for real?

In Sweden people attend health care when they feel sick. Large population screenings are a very complex issue with statistically doubtful outcome many times. Surprisingly enough.

I seem to have read several threads on everything from blood pressure to fatty acids and now colon. Apparently regularly checked by people feeling perfectly fine and rather young.

Not saying it is right or wrong - simply different from what I am use to.

Now you may shoot me..

:D

I just liked having the Big Black Pipe shoved up my a$$.....

In my case Markus, it was done with cause and thankfully it didn't find anything unusual. Either way, healthcare (good or bad) is very different in the US then in most of the world. But then that's worth a whole 'nother thread.

Dr. Markus,

Your professional opinion is always welcome here. Colon screening may be a sociological thing. The trade off’s are wasting resources vs. catching a serious problem when it is treatable. I would rather waste some of my hard earned Dollars than the alternative.

Ten years ago I fired my physician for not accurately tracking my PSA. (Eventually it was 53 ng/ml and changing 2.5% per week). Dr. E. David Crawford saved my life and convinced me of the worth of a teaching hospital.

Two years ago a Resident looked at a spot (about the size of a period) inside my left ring finger. Biopsy confirmed melanoma. Another life saving diagnosis from a kid.

The GI guys had me in for a colonoscopy last month (I asked to up the drugs after the second of four). This week is another endoscope. Next month perhaps I swallow some TV camera.

If any of this saves my life, I can continue to offer sage Porsche advice on Pelican. Otherwise I’m gone. Needless to say I’ll endure the former – no big deal.

Best,
Grady

BTW, I encourage all my young friends to have PSA blood tests to document prostate health. Had my doc done his job, I would have detected the cancer three years sooner! The cost here is about US$45. I think everyone should track this from age 35 or earlier. You know your more expensive lap times.
G.

Actually, it's a lousy public policy problem. Remember Katie Couric's husband who died from colon CA? Only after a voice (Couric giving it endless publicity) was given to the screening procedures, did enough people call their representatives to get the government to pay for it all. Never mind that the number one killer of both men and women is coronary disease in this country.

As to PSA, don't know your entire experience, but there is actually a huge debate in medicine about its utility. The fact is that a much larger number of people get false positives this way, undergo biopsies or other procedures, without needing to. And BTW, all men eventually get prostate cancer, our old saying was 90% of all 90 year olds have prostate cancer.

Grady,

My post was not a professional opinion on whether screening procedures are a good or bad thing - simply that it seems to differ rather a lot between our two countries. Amazingly enough. The scientific evidence is there to draw conclusions from for both states. You would think two Western states would have a similar view on the dilemma.

As Peter mentions, there is much controversy as of the effect of large population screening methods. Not even female breast cancer screening is 100% clear cut.

Now, for an individual the statistic numbers are all but useless. Probability is never diagnostic. A countless number of person´s lives has been prolonged because they happened to take this or that screening test in exactly the right moment (with the right doctor). Population wise is another story.

My grandfather was healthy as can be.

But he died of colon cancer. He died because it went undetected. They simply did not have the same emphasis on screening 20 years ago.

GET YOUR COLON CHECKED.

Tough issues.

When it gets to the personal level, I prefer to err on the cautious side. This is from first-hand experience.

My mission here is to educate younger Pelicans how to save their lives. Screening is a significant part of that. I insist on that for myself, why not everyone? It has paid off for me with prostate cancer, melanoma and other. How can anyone deny screening?

Best,
Grady

Make very sure that you have a PSA test (prostate blood test) before you hit 45 or so to set up a baseline. This way the docs know what you were registering before you could have had issues.

Then when they check it at 50, 55 and so on you have a baseline to work with.

Good advice, Joe...Thanks.


JA