Today I'm having a colonoscopy...

[Vida May]

Mine is a microscopic kind of colitis. I was taking budesonide but so constipated my last bathroom break was like having a baby. I had to stop pushing and use Lamaze breathing to calm down and push again.... They stopped the budesonide today. We'll see how this goes.

I had some intense cramping, I think it was excess gas.

I think you need to keep us updated. It sounds like you are not out of the woods yet.

I am not sure how I am doing. My belly is a little tender but is that important or am I being over-sensitive because I am dealing with fear? I never worried about what I ate. I was proud that my gut would handle anything. Now our bodies are not self-regulating. We are trying to figure out what we dare consume or what we should avoid. How much polyethylene glycol should we use or should we stop using it for a day or two? In this way, it is like having diabetes or a blood pressure problem. Our bodies just aren't regulating automatically so we have to pay attention to what our bodies are or are not doing and how we need to react to establish the right balance.

 

[oscash]

Colonoscopy is a very useful procedure after the age of 60 and especially after 70. I know a lot of people who have admitted that they have polyps in their intestines, and some of them have turned into colon cancer. However, I can't make up my mind to undergo this procedure yet.

Kir7 - Don't hesitate. I had a colonoscopy 4 years ago and they discovered small polyps which had turned cancerous, although in its early stages, I had them removed via key-hole surgery. Home after 4 days with another follow-up colonoscopy which showed I was cancer free. I will need another colonoscopy in 3 years' time.

 

[Fyrefox]

I’m in what they term the “upper reaches of hyperplasia“ as my colon tends to grow polyps which they ream out via colonoscopy every four years or so. I keep hoping that they‘d make the prep solution more palatable, but it continues to be vile sludge, hard to get down; yuck!

The “starve and purge” regimen does give me kind of a light, airy feeling, however, and after a while you’re so nauseated from the prep that food loses all appeal. The ride on the gurney to the procedure room is kinda surreal, and the knock-out drug almost instantaneously effective. Is this what Michael Jackson took to sleep? Good stuff…

Neither of my parents ever had a colonoscopy; they weren’t done routinely back then as part of prevention. I think that many people of their generation died with their colons full of polyps, or in the early stages of colon cancer…

By the way, I’m having a colonoscopy (my 4th, I think) done on Valentine’s Day! What could be more romantic than that?!

 

[Rakaia]

@Fyrefox
My paternal grandfather died from bowel cancer in 1934, so it wasn't unheard of.

 

[debodun]

I have to have on this year, too. The gastro doctor's office said they would send me a notice, but I never received it. Come to find out, they sent it to my old address and I know I informed them when I moved. My biggest gripe is trying to call them. Their office hours posted on the web sit says they are open from 7:30am to 5 pm. I called at 4:30 pm on Wednesday and got their answering service, and 8:15am yesterday and got their answering service. Called again at 12:20pm and got their answering service.

Finally I did get through and was able to make an appointment. When I mentioned the difficulty in reaching them and they should change the times on their web site. The receptionist said they those hours were correct, but their phones are only online from 9am to 11:30 and from 1 pm to 4 pm. Just seems odd to me that the office would be open but no phone service at certain hours.

They are already booked up until the end of May.

 

[Kaila]

Be sure you are aware of the symptoms of a diverticulosis flare-up. If you get a sudden intense pain in your gut consider getting help. Keep gas relief pills on hand and if they do not work seek medical care. The sooner a blockage is treated the better.

The woman a few rooms down from me endured intense pain for 3 days. She thought it was indigestion. Her pancreas had ruptured and now she is dealing with an infection that could take her life!

Diverticulosis, a ruptured pancreas, or an appendix can lead to peritonitis. An infection that is deadly if untreated.

Of course, we do not want to live with fear so I have a note by my computer desk that says "Stay lucid. Focus on what I know and do not fear what I don't know." However, at this time in our lives, we are not as resilient as we once were and we do have problems that younger people do not have. I am sure your doctor meant well when he attempted to make you feel safe even though you are living with increased risk. Avoiding certain foods can reduce your risks. Use the internet for information and focus on the facts. But don't deny we are not as we were when we were young. The sooner we get help the better the outcome will be.

Very good post. Thanks for sharing your ideas with us.

 

[Kaila]

Unfortunately the colonoscopy I had a few months ago determined I have colitis. It was causing diarrhea and very unpleasant bowel irritation. I hope your discomfort is relieved. I have been give budesonide. It is a steroid. It really slows things down. Now I am having to deal with constipation. I had to use Miralax twice a day and then take 2 DucaLax pills to have a BM a while back. It is a wild ride. After the dose I am on they evaluate to see if it worked. I have about 2 weeks to go.

Thinking of you. That's a lot to go thru.
I hope your next evaluation helps you overall.

 

[Kaila]

Mine is a microscopic kind of colitis. I was taking budesonide but so constipated my last bathroom break was like having a baby. I had to stop pushing and use Lamaze breathing to calm down and push again.... They stopped the budesonide today. We'll see how this goes.

I had some intense cramping, I think it was excess gas.

Okay, now I found this update you wrote about your recent evaluation. Thanks for sharing about it.

 

[Kaila]

Kir7 - Don't hesitate. I had a colonoscopy 4 years ago and they discovered small polyps which had turned cancerous, although in its early stages, I had them removed via key-hole surgery. Home after 4 days with another follow-up colonoscopy which showed I was cancer free. I will need another colonoscopy in 3 years' time.

Very good info. Thanks for telling us. !

Was that the first time you'd been told you had polyps, (4yrs ago) Or had you had them in the past as well?

I'm at borderline of age to stop having them, and unsure whether to have 1 more colonoscopy, or not.

I've known too many people who didn't and suffered so much as a result, but the risks of complication from the procedure itself, increase after 75 or 80.

I have diverticuliti, and difficult bowel problems, but no polyps in any of my previous colonoscopies.

 

[oscash]

Very good info. Thanks for telling us. !

Was that the first time you'd been told you had polyps, (4yrs ago) Or had you had them in the past as well?

I'm at borderline of age to stop having them, and unsure whether to have 1 more colonoscopy, or not.

I've known too many people who didn't and suffered so much as a result, but the risks of complication from the procedure itself, increase after 75 or 80.

I have diverticuliti, and difficult bowel problems, but no polyps in any of my previous colonoscopies.

Hi Kaila: That was the first time I was told I had polyps. My doctor ordered a colonoscopy because my blood stats were low and he thought something was causing it. Thank goodness they got it early. I'm now 80 and am due to have another colonoscopy in the near future. I will have it when they can fit me in.

 

[oscash]

I’m in what they term the “upper reaches of hyperplasia“ as my colon tends to grow polyps which they ream out via colonoscopy every four years or so. I keep hoping that they‘d make the prep solution more palatable, but it continues to be vile sludge, hard to get down; yuck!

The “starve and purge” regimen does give me kind of a light, airy feeling, however, and after a while you’re so nauseated from the prep that food loses all appeal. The ride on the gurney to the procedure room is kinda surreal, and the knock-out drug almost instantaneously effective. Is this what Michael Jackson took to sleep? Good stuff…

Neither of my parents ever had a colonoscopy; they weren’t done routinely back then as part of prevention. I think that many people of their generation died with their colons full of polyps, or in the early stages of colon cancer…

By the way, I’m having a colonoscopy (my 4th, I think) done on Valentine’s Day! What could be more romantic than that?!

Fryrefox: -- Before I had my first colonoscopy the bowel prep was disgusting to take. When I had my second one, my chemist told me the best thing to do with the prep is to add cold water and drink it with a long straw, I tried it and was so glad I could hardly taste the prep. Just a good tip for you or anyone else who are having the procedure done.

 

[Vida May]

Fryrefox: -- Before I had my first colonoscopy the bowel prep was disgusting to take. When I had my second one, my chemist told me the best thing to do with the prep is to add cold water and drink it with a long straw, I tried it and was so glad I could hardly taste the prep. Just a good tip for you or anyone else who are having the procedure done.

That looks like a tip worth remembering.

oscash​

I just want to say your avatar is very attractive. It reminds me of the new Hershey chocolate creamer I am using. After my first sip of coffee flavored with it, I wanted to put whipped cream on top of the coffee.


I want to tell everyone my bowels have been working better since my last diverticulitis bout. This is too good to be true and I hope it last. To encourage better health I have been drinking a sports drink that decreases dehydration but I am concerned it is too many calories. I like it much better than the zero-calorie drinks with weird colors. It is just hard for me to drink water plain water. My city has good water but it is easier to drink with an added flavor.

 

[Aunt Mavis]

I had one, doc said “That was a waste of time, see you in ten years!” Now (6 years later) my current fake doctor has been pushing me to crap in an envelope, Cologuard. This company has been literally stalking me and I’m not kidding. I’ve blocked at least 2 numbers and they found me once more. I’m about to send an email, not a nice one.

 

[stephenPE]

Unfortunately the colonoscopy I had a few months ago determined I have colitis. It was causing diarrhea and very unpleasant bowel irritation. I hope your discomfort is relieved. I have been give budesonide. It is a steroid. It really slows things down. Now I am having to deal with constipation. I had to use Miralax twice a day and then take 2 DucaLax pills to have a BM a while back. It is a wild ride. After the dose I am on they evaluate to see if it worked. I have about 2 weeks to go.

Paco, my brother died of colon cancer 20+ yrs ago so my other brother and I have had colonoscopies ever since. Small price to avoid cancer. After my surgery my bowels quit from the pain meds and anesthesia so I had to figure it out. I eat cereal with psyllium fiber and use a Metamucil powder /generic. And raisin bran ever other day.

I was doing badly. And I have diverticulitis. But I solved that years ago by not eating fast food hamburgers and eating All Bran Bran Buds. But this is my solution to constipation. I drink LOTS OF WATER. Never did before but now try to have 4 glasses of water (8oz) each before noon. Then two more............ideally it would be 7 each day. And I have since done fine. It just flushes me out and I NEVER drank that much before. Every other day I take that dulculax instead of powder in water (psyllium fiber it is). I hope you get this fixed soon. I know how bad it can be with constipation...... I swear water does it.

 

[stephenPE]

Fryrefox: -- Before I had my first colonoscopy the bowel prep was disgusting to take. When I had my second one, my chemist told me the best thing to do with the prep is to add cold water and drink it with a long straw, I tried it and was so glad I could hardly taste the prep. Just a good tip for you or anyone else who are having the procedure done.

I remember my first one. Drink a gallon of saltwater. HORRIBLE. and then they left air in me after the procedure. IT WAS horrible. Since then they are much better. I used to drink strong limeade after each glass of salt water to rinse, Just a little. Simply Limeade. Last time I said why cant I just drink the citrate and they said no problem. Hell, I could slug two of those easy .....i despised that gallon of salt water.......

 

[Lara]

I had one, doc said “That was a waste of time, see you in ten years!” Now (6 years later) my current fake doctor has been pushing me to crap in an envelope, Cologuard. This company has been literally stalking me and I’m not kidding. I’ve blocked at least 2 numbers and they found me once more. I’m about to send an email, not a nice one.

I had my yearly physical which I passed with flying colors but then the doctor said it's just time for me to get a colonoscopy. I said NO WAY so the doc talked me into the Cologuard home kit you mentioned. After putting it off so long it was nearly expired, I sent it in and the result was A+. Was I ripped off?

 

[Nathan]

@Lara , no, you won!

 

[Nathan]

I didn't want a colonoscopy so I asked my DR to authorize a FIT kit be sent to me
However, the powers-that-be at Kaiser just refuse to send the kit . Instead they are pushing me to schedule a colonoscopy. Not!
I'm getting one of those Cologuard kits from Amazon.

 

[Nathan]

I didn't want a colonoscopy so I asked my DR to authorize a FIT kit be sent to me
However, the powers-that-be at Kaiser just refuse to send the kit . Instead they are pushing me to schedule a colonoscopy. Not!
I'm getting one of those Cologuard kits from Amazon.

Hmmm, looks like I'm NOT getting the Cologuard kit from either Amazon...or Cologuard. They advertise on TV, so you'd think they would want to sell you one.

 

[Lara]

They may have done you a huge favor @Nathan . I just did a little research and one said "Cologuard's accuracy rate for detecting colorectal cancers and precancerous polyps is touted to be 92%. While that is impressive for a stool-based test, it still means that 8% of lesions will go undetected, leaving those patients with a false sense of security. Cologuard has a 14% false-positive rate."

Also, I read that "Foods like red meat, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, grapefruit, horseradish, mushrooms, radishes, and turnips can all trigger false alarms and could lead to unnecessary additional testing."

 

[Nathan]

@Lara, thanks for the info, I'd hate for the accuracy to fall through the cracks, 8% undetected plus 14% false positive is just too much of a gamble.

Might as well schedule a colonoscopy. Of course the prep is the worst part, Kaiser Permanente currently only has in their formulary the GoLYTELY® prep that is...like trying to drown yourself in like 2 1/2 gallons of seawater.

My wife just had a colonoscopy a couple months ago, she refused to use the GoLYTELY, instead used mag-citrate like they used to prescribe for the inmates, when she worked in the med clinic.
There is a new prep pill approved by the FDA, sounds a lot less horrible.....https://colorectalcancer.org/article/new-colonoscopy-prep-tablet-approved-fda

 

[oscash]

Nathan, I'd certainly recommend the colonoscopy. When my doctor was first concerned with my low iron test, he first suggested the Faecal stool test and it came back negative. He was still not happy with that result, so he booked me in for the colonoscopy which showed there was a positive result of bowel cancer. I was booked in with a Colorectal Surgeon within 2 months and lucky for me they got it in time. Will need another colonoscopy again this year.

 

[Fyrefox]

I’ve got an interesting wrinkle in my case. I’ve been scheduled for months for a colonoscopy this Wednesday. I went for my annual physical in later January. I was asked if I had any chest pains, and I said yes as I care for someone with Alzheimer’s in my house, and assumed the mild twinges were from stress. I was sent for a chest X-ray and EKG.

The X-ray found a granuloma in my one lung and lung changes suggestive of early COPD. The EEG suggested that I may have had an enfarction, a silent heart attack. So my family doc sent me for a second EKG elsewhere, which I had done just Saturday. This one did not confirm the first, but rather suggested a heart rhythm problem, I think called a T-wave anomaly.

So I’m wondering if I should go ahead with the colonoscopy in two days or not, and I am waiting to hear back from my doctor. I’d hate to go through the gosh-awful colonoscopy prep to be turned down at the door, but dying during the procedure could ruin my whole day. Hopefully I’ll hear back today, as the prep is time-sensitive. I’m sick of doctoring, too…

 

[Kaila]

I’ve got an interesting wrinkle in my case. I’ve been scheduled for months for a colonoscopy this Wednesday. I went for my annual physical in later January. I was asked if I had any chest pains, and I said yes as I care for someone with Alzheimer’s in my house, and assumed the mild twinges were from stress. I was sent for a chest X-ray and EKG.

The X-ray found a granuloma in my one lung and lung changes suggestive of early COPD. The EEG suggested that I may have had an enfarction, a silent heart attack. So my family doc sent me for a second EKG elsewhere, which I had done just Saturday. This one did not confirm the first, but rather suggested a heart rhythm problem, I think called a T-wave anomaly.

So I’m wondering if I should go ahead with the colonoscopy in two days or not, and I am waiting to hear back from my doctor. I’d hate to go through the gosh-awful colonoscopy prep to be turned down at the door, but dying during the procedure could ruin my whole day. Hopefully I’ll hear back today, as the prep is time-sensitive. I’m sick of doctoring, too…

At the least, I would think that it would be prudent to have done at a hospital, as an outpatient there,
rather than any other type of outpatient place, due to your medical situation, just in case.
But I'm not an expert, and you're smart to get the go-ahead from your doctor, before it.
And also to inform everyone at the procedure, if you do go.
(Or preferably beforehand)

About preps, I thought last time I had a quantity of Miralax, and it wasn't that bad. I might have flavored it with a little of some clear liquid. Perhaps some weak tea. If I remember right.

I also limit my foods to easy, quick digesting ones, for a couple of days beforehand, so to have less to clear out.
I don't find the prep nearly as bad as it was many years ago!

And worth it, considering the options.

 

[Kir7]

I will indeed have a colonoscopy soon - that's for sure.
I remember, while drinking wine together, there was a conversation about colonoscopy with my friend, a wonderful man. The thing is that he had problems with digestion and with going to the toilet.

He went to the doctor and the doctor ordered a colonoscopy. He was found to have polyps in his intestines. I was unpleasantly surprised. And then he shocked me with the fact that his father died of colon cancer, and before that he also had polyps.

During the conversation I told him that doctors do not recommend eating fatty meat or drinking a lot of beer and alcohol in general and that he should now follow a diet. And he answered me that he would not follow any diet, that all this is nonsense, and he does not believe that cancer can threaten him. I couldn't change his mind.

Maybe he is just psychologically protecting himself from the coming threat, because I felt his inner anxiety, or maybe he is just stubborn, despite his intelligence. By the way, he's a former army officer, a major.
It's been seven years since that conversation. He's alive and well, no cancer. But something tells me that he certainly did some preventive measures and followed a diet, but he doesn't tell me.