I really ,really hate getting a Colonoscopy

I've had 2 so far.....with a family history of bowel cancer.....
my mum and two of her brothers had it.....I'm not taking any chances.....
as mentioned before, the worst part is the prep before the procedure.....
So far all clear for me except a benign polyp last time.....
I don't see what dignity has to do with it at all.....:confused: :dunno:
 
If my immediate family had a history of bowel cancer, I would likely take the test also.
 

Had one last Wednesday, apart from the restricted diet for three days beforehand, and the darned prep stuff that had me tied to my toilet for a few hours, it was a breeze. Turned up at the hospital, got some sleepy juice, then woke up feeling not too bad. Had a sandwich and a cuppa, waited a while so that they could see I was OK, then came home. Nothing really to worry about after all. It was all clear for me too, apart from a couple of polyps, which were removed.
 
SifuPhil said:
I don't drive the wrong way on one-way streets, I don't go in the Out exit and I don't get colonoscopies. Very simple.
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There is another way ... and it is Medicare and insurance companies approved. Remember the old "fecal blood test"? Something similar except it not only tests for blood, it also tests DNA which shows CA DNA. It is called a Cologuard Test. Your doctor should have the requisitions available. You fill out your portion [ name, address, Medicare number ] and send that in. You will be sent via UPS a box containing the sample container plus preservative for that, as well as what seems remarkably like the DNA test done by swiping the inside of mouths ... also with a preservative tube.

And the best part! ... there is NO prep. No cleaning out of bowels. And no restrictions on food or drink.

Get info from www.cologuardtest.com or call Exact Sciences at 1-844-870-8878

edited to add that only if something nasty shows up on the screening would anyone be asked to go the colonoscopy route.
 
At 73, still ain't had one. Prolly 'cause not enough symptoms to force doctors to enforce convictions! I know, I know. But, scrapping all the argument, if my first one at 50 had revealed,......or at 60 had revealed..... or I've just been lucky, or fortunate?

My friend, Charlie, born 7 days after me, known him since sophomore in high school, almost 60 years, had colonoscopy first time, years ago, found polyps, some removed. Later, "seeds" (radioactive), introduced into his prostate (3 years ago), now, kidney stones, 2, one of them 1.4 cm, other .5 cm, two days hence he gets anesthesia, a ureter stent to cover possible blockage of the big one, sonic shock therapy to break them up.

I understand the medics' method there. The bigger one might fracture into potentially ureter-blocking pieces, can't do sonic shock only on the smaller one, so, a "stone & a hard place". Years back, the bigger one meant kidney removal, and the smaller leave alone, until dislodged, and blocks ureter.

Poor Charlie! My old friend besieged by such health problems while his old buddy here is just hanging out. I AM a very fortunate old bastard, don't no one deny it!

(What's the forum stand on profanity?)..............imp
 
I once had a sigmoidoscopy, which is a type of colonoscopy, but the patient is kept awake on the doctor's table while he performs his job of placing the colonscope up the patient's rectum as far as the patient can tolerate. Normally, it only checks the lower bowel. If the doctor would push the colonscope any farther up the bowel, the patient would not be able to tolerate the pain. I only had one of these and then opted to have the colonoscopy twice since with nothing found. You may not like having a colonoscopy, but how would you would feel about having colon cancer?
 
"how would you would feel about having colon cancer?"

Pretty disconsolate! First concern would be where it originated. imp
 
imp said:
At 73, still ain't had one. Prolly 'cause not enough symptoms to force doctors to enforce convictions! I know, I know. But, scrapping all the argument, if my first one at 50 had revealed,......or at 60 had revealed..... or I've just been lucky, or fortunate?

My friend, Charlie, born 7 days after me, known him since sophomore in high school, almost 60 years, had colonoscopy first time, years ago, found polyps, some removed. Later, "seeds" (radioactive), introduced into his prostate (3 years ago), now, kidney stones, 2, one of them 1.4 cm, other .5 cm, two days hence he gets anesthesia, a ureter stent to cover possible blockage of the big one, sonic shock therapy to break them up.

I understand the medics' method there. The bigger one might fracture into potentially ureter-blocking pieces, can't do sonic shock only on the smaller one, so, a "stone & a hard place". Years back, the bigger one meant kidney removal, and the smaller leave alone, until dislodged, and blocks ureter.

Poor Charlie! My old friend besieged by such health problems while his old buddy here is just hanging out. I AM a very fortunate old bastard, don't no one deny it!

(What's the forum stand on profanity?)..............imp
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I haven't had one either, and don't intend to get one unless I think it's mandatory. I take an annual fecal occult test at home, and that's about it. A relative of mine had regular colonoscopies, then one time after removing growths like they always do, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. After removing part of his colon and doing the usual toxic chemo and radiation, the cancer spread to his prostate, after they operated on that and "treated" that cancer, he had cancer then in his liver.

Needless to say, after much pain and suffering for years, and lots of money spent for hospital and doctor treatments, he died at home (hospital bed, hospice care, IV pain drips, etc.) at the age of 65. Before this he was healthy, mainly vegetarian, healthy diet, runner when younger, didn't drink or smoke. I know people will disagree with me, but I think that these types of invasive tests can actually cause cancer, or at least, cause the cancer to spread.
 
AZ Jim's rule for those getting a rectal digital examination. Look carefully at the examining doctors hands. If he has long FAT fingers tell him you thought he was a eye doctor and leave.
 
They killed Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes with a colonoscopy and he had no symptoms. You can go to the drug store and get what they call the fit test and it will tell you if there is any blood in you waist [shit] and if so get a ultrasound at least it will not kill you.
 
I may be told to "mind my own business" but for the record, I have to tell you this. My husband kept putting off having a colonoscopy for years. Finally, he broke down and had one done but it was too late. They found he already had colon cancer and it was bad. They did surgery and then he went ahead and took the chemo treatments but none of this helped. He was miserable and in pain during the chemo. Everything just made him even more miserable and in pain. He lasted 5 years but his quality of life was gone as soon as they found the first sign of cancer. Toward the end, even morphine wasn't strong enough to help with his pain. He begged to die but, he kept hanging on in spite of his wishes. He lost so much weight, he wasn't anything but skin and bones and that is no exaggeration. This is an abbreviated version of what he went through. If he could be here now to advise you, he would say, no, don't put it off. Do it. If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for your spouse and/or your children. Don't put them through you having colon cancer. I've had one done and in my opinion, there's nothing to it. It didn't bother me one bit. I apologize if I should have "minded my own business" but I felt like I should let you know this.
 
My condolences AprilSun, I too have lost family who suffered a similar fate with the cancer treatments. Don't apologize, you are wise to share your opinion here for others, although not all of us will agree with the testing.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I haven't had one either, and don't intend to get one unless I think it's mandatory. I take an annual fecal occult test at home, and that's about it. A relative of mine had regular colonoscopies, then one time after removing growths like they always do, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. After removing part of his colon and doing the usual toxic chemo and radiation, the cancer spread to his prostate, after they operated on that and "treated" that cancer, he had cancer then in his liver.

Needless to say, after much pain and suffering for years, and lots of money spent for hospital and doctor treatments, he died at home (hospital bed, hospice care, IV pain drips, etc.) at the age of 65. Before this he was healthy, mainly vegetarian, healthy diet, runner when younger, didn't drink or smoke. I know people will disagree with me, but I think that these types of invasive tests can actually cause cancer, or at least, cause the cancer to spread.
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Literally the cure is sometimes worse than the disease. I know people who take tests like colonoscopies as prescribed and they are wiped out for 3-5 days partly because of the laxative. Ummm, dehydrating the body and depleting it of nutrients that are used by it's own immune system might be all the time a disease or cancer needs to set in or start growing at will. Same for those who get a lot of blood tests or have a lot of procedures done, the prep can deplete the body as much as anything. Yes if you can't walk and a surgery is the answer then do it but if it's an option I'd like to keep it an option.
 
SeaBreeze said:
My condolences AprilSun, I too have lost family who suffered a similar fate with the cancer treatments. Don't apologize, you are wise to share your opinion here for others, although not all of us will agree with the testing.
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Thank you SeaBreeze. I realize that this is a personal decision but I felt like I had to share at least that much and then it's up to each individual. I could have told so much more but I didn't see the point in going into that much detail. But, I will say, that I have never felt so helpless in my life. I was doing all I could do and it still was not enough through no fault of his own. Cancer is just that bad.
 

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