Colonoscopy!

[scottmandue]

There I said it,

I just turned 50... Doc wants me to get one... I feel fine and not big on the idea so I'm thinking no way.

Anyone had one and how bad is it?

I should add I'm in fine health and even the doc says I look good for 50.

[Hugh R]

I had one at 50 and the doc found two polyps of the type that turn cancerous. He said they would have probably killed me before I turned 60. I had a second one a year later and got a clean bill of health. He explained that colon cancer grows slowly, and that if you have one at 50 and every 5 years after that colon cancer is virtually 100% preventable. It doesn't hurt at all, they give you some meds, your out like a light and you wake up about 45 minutes later, have someone drive you home and you feel fine the rest of the day.

[tabs]

A year ago I had one done, like Hugh said they put the lights out and an hour later you wake up with a I couldn't care about ***** feeling and you have someone drive you home. They found one small polyp which they removed. My MD said once every 10 years? I'll go for 5 years thx. Having one can save a lot of grief. Now Money doesn't have a great experience with a Colonoscopy, his wife died as a result. Now that is fked up. So I guess you want the top guy in your area to do the proceedure..none of this Kaiser trainee type of *****. So beware.

Friend of mines, sister just had one done and they found a small cancerous leasion, which they are going to remove endoscopically. SOOOO Dude better to be safe than really sorry later.

Besides you get to have a thrill and feel what it feels to be like a woman....

[Hugh R]

Forgot to mention that while the procedure doesn't hurt, the day before is kind of a pain-in-the-ass, you won't want to be more than 30 seconds from a toilet for most of the day. Do it on a Monday and get "prepared" on Sunday.

[scottbombedout]

Scott,

I had one 2 weeks ago. The worst bit was taking the preparation the day before.

I took something called Phospo Soda to empty the bowel. Not pleasant.

Day of the op I had pethadine. You dont feel a thing.

Not only cancer they can discover but Colitis, Crohns disease etc.

Best of luck.

Scott

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by tabs

Besides you get to have a thrill and feel what it feels to be like a woman....

You just had to go there didn't you

Ay curumba... looks like I will have to go along with the doc on this one... yuck!

I'll quiz him on the procedure, I definitely want to be OUT for this little adventure.

Thanks everyone for talking me into it

[tabs]

Better to take it up the a$$..than to die a miserable death that is almost completely preventable. So scotty this is a NO BRAINER...and you won't feel a thing....

[rouxroux]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Forgot to mention that while the procedure doesn't hurt, the day before is kind of a pain-in-the-ass, you won't want to be more than 30 seconds from a toilet for most of the day. Do it on a Monday and get "prepared" on Sunday.

Ah, Golytly...."The night of a thousand showers"

[Seahawk]

Total non-event. Show up and have a ride home.

[911 in SC]

My mom died of colon cancer when she was 58 years old. I will turn 39 in November and my doctor suggested me starting to get them by the time I turn 40 and every 5 years afterward. Sounds like cheap insurance to me. I don't fancy the idea, but the alternative is much, much worse.

[on2wheels52]

"Besides you get to have a thrill and feel what it feels to be like a woman...."

You must mean one that's passed out drunk.
I had one a couple of years ago, the worst part was the two coctails the day before. Maybe what they use today tastes better. Was not an all day thing for me being next to a toilet. It was some fast acting stuff, no more than 1/2 hr each time. The procedure itself was a non-event.
Jim

[island911]

I spent a few years designing endoscopic equipment, and learned a few things along the way.

First, as others have said, don't let a rookie try things. Make sure you have this established BEFORE the procedure. -- Some doc's will ask (after you are drugged up) if it's okay if the intern takes a crack (pun) at it. You won't know what you agreed to after.

Second; ask about less invasive ways of detecting potential problem spots. -I believe there are. If questionable spots show up there, the endoscopy will be in order, but if it's clean, skip the butt-cam and snares.


Aside; Any of you Doc's want to buy a side-viewing Olympus scope? (I don't know why I still have the thing) ...a little ERCP in your spare time?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by island911

First, as others have said, don't let a rookie try things. Make sure you have this established BEFORE the procedure. -- Some doc's will ask (after you are drugged up) if it's okay if the intern takes a crack (pun) at it. You won't know what you agreed to after.

Second; ask about less invasive ways of detecting potential problem spots. -I believe there are. If questionable spots show up there, the endoscopy will be in order, but if it's clean, skip the butt-cam and snares.

This part of the problem, I am on Blue shield and go to small doctors office so they are going to schedule it to be done outside their office (most likelythe hospital across the street) therefor I don't know how much control they or I have over what happens.

Less invasive? I presume this is the only option or they wouldn't be setting me up for one?

[Hugh R]

Talk to the docs office before, about all the costs. I know they can bring in a non-plan anesthelogist, and you pay non-plan rates for that, same with nurses, and the hospital itself. Ask the medical billing people about this otherwise you might see your co-pay go up substantially.

[scottmandue]

Thank a lot everyone, we haven't set up the appointment yet (nurse mention it was time for one last time) however I am seeing the doc for a check on my blood sugar Monday and now I know it's not that big of a deal and I have some good specific questions to ask.

Once again PPOT has kept the universe in balance.

Carry on, Scott out.

[URY914]

Here's my story...

I was 32 years old and went to work for a new company (Univ. Of Miami actually) and the health plan provided free physicals. My wifes bugs me for a few months to go get one. I finally go and the Doc is poking around and asked if I had a family history of cancer. I told him my father had colon cancer once. He gives me a little thing to bring a stool sample back the next day. I bring it back drop it off and get a call the next day that they want to do it again. Maybe it was giving a bad reading and they want to try another one. Sure no problem, I do it again. Next day I get a call that they want me to come in ASAP. They tell me both have come back positive and they want me to go downtown for a colonoscopy. This is getting scaring now.

The scope finds a early tumor. I schedule the procedure and it is removed. I spend a week in the hospital and I lose 35 pounds and I'm out of work for a month. I was a very healthy 32 years old and this knocked me on my butt for a month.

As a side story, at the time we had not had kids yet and the Dr. recommended we freeze some of my sperm just in case something were to happen. Needless to say this scared my wife to death.

Doctor tells me if I had not had the physical the thing would have grown and I would have never known it until I started craping blood. By that time it would have been too late. My car would have been listed in the classifieds if you know what I mean.

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE 50! GET AT LEAST A STOOL SAMPLE DONE NOW.

[island911]

WOW.

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Less invasive? I presume this is the only option or they wouldn't be setting me up for one?

I 'know' that I read something about some imaging technology (maybe) that was starting to help early detection of colon/intestinal problems. . . .and I thought "but the scope will still be needed to confirm." .. aack, I can't remember what it was tho'. --sorry.

Well, anyway, scoping is the most direct way.

not to scare you, but few Doc's seem to have good spacial abilities. (something needed for this type of thing.) And after Moneyguys horrendous experience. . sheesh. .. be very careful out there.

If it were me, I would ask the Doc how good is he at differentiating (visually) a cancerous, vs noncancerous polyp. If says it can't be done, "I biopsy everything." .. well I would move on. ..I suppose one other option would be to let him look, but no touch. Meaning, no snaring/ cutting of suspects. Then, I would take the video to a specialist or two.

Those are my random thoughts. Maybe Moses will chime in and tell us that cast snares are as good as forged.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I didn't read everyone's responses here before responding, if I am duplicating (I hope I am!) then add me to the crowd that advises, GET THE COLONOSCOPY!

Quit yer, worrying, being chicken or homophobic, or whatever your hang up is and get this done for your loved ones if nothing else.

I had one about two months ago. By far, the worst part of it is drinking the lousy soapy crap you have to drink to clean you out. The process? I knew/felt NOTHING. Not a thing. They rolled me in, put the drug - whatever it was in the intravenous and I said, "...how long does it take to work?" Never heard the answer. Next thing I know, they are calling my name and I am waking up. No irritation, no nothing. Went and had a light lunch. No polyps = peace of mind. IF there HAD been polyps, they take care of it and presto - peace of mind.

[pavulon]

My advice is to find a place that has anesthesia services covering endoscopies. Many GI guys are udner the impression that if you can't remember your pain, it never happened. Unfortunately, your cerebral and coronary arteries get a test drive all the same. Some fentanyl, some midazolam, a bit of propofol....all adminstered by someone trained and paid to watch you and your vital signs (as opposed to the images transmitted live from your colon). If your insurance company squeaks, remind them that the same deal was good enough for the president just this year so it should be good enough for you. They can chew on a bullet for theirs if they wish.

[Rick Lee]

I go for a physical every other year or so and have been blessed with excellent health, no matter how badly I abuse myself. My dad had some polyps removed, but I believe it was after he was 50. AFAIK, no one else in the family has ever had an issue with this stuff. My doc. has told me more than once I don't need to even think about a colonoscopy until I'm 50. I'm 36 now. How long should I wait?