colonoscopy... anyone else ben thru this ?

[rock n roll kid]

am 65 but never had had this done ...that changes this thur. when i go locally to have it preformed.
family doc thought it was about time i did . havent had much of any thing out of whack to complain about , occasional hard stools but no blood and eat a pretty healthy diet and maintain an exercise routine . weight is nicely in check , with in 5 lbs. of what i weighed in high school

my info on this says if they find a polyp , they " can use a thin wire snare to lasso it " yeah ha !! doesnt sound like much of a party
for the patient !
it also states " that polyps- fleshy tumors, are usually the for runners of cancer " ..... say what ? i certainly hope not !!

anyone who has had this preformed and what results were obtained , i hope to hear from .
my neighbor , who is about 80 plus years old , says it is not that bad and the prep is usually worse than the test !
still , all in all , i tend to worry when the outcome varies from one person to the next .

 

[george minze]

Your neighbor is right...The prep with all that weird tasting stuff is the worst. You are in that weird never land during the process...You and the pot will become as one for a while...Good Luck

 

[sipowicz]

I had it done. No big deal....they used a really cool euphoric anesthesia...I was awake but not really there...hard to explain. Anyway, had to go back... there was a small benign polop on my prostate....snip snip...heard the snipping but again, again, didn't feel a thing.

 

[feralmerril]

No big deal at all. Even if there is pulps to cut out. Had it done several times. The hardest part is drinking all that stuff the night before to clean you out. You get a good short sleep, wake up and have to get rid of all the hot air. Your wife drives you to denneys and you make up for yesterday. There is no pain what so ever. You hope your neighbor isnt a nurse there.

 

[jaykellogg]

The prep is worse. I had one done in a doctor's office, never again. The last was done at a specialist's. I had 2 polyps one was precancer. They will be removed and you will never know except they tell you. Do not take any blood thinners before the test. If you take daily aspirin stop several days before the test.

Drink plenty of water along with the laxative during the prep. Your body loses a lot of water during the prep. The first time I did this I was shivering and I was told later that was due to loss of fluids. The prep is a bit uncomfortable, once that is over the rest is a piece of cake. Have someone drive you to the test and drive you home afterward.

 

[mtelkhntr]

I had the first one done when I turned 50 and the prep IS worse than the procedure. I remember going in that morning and nurse asking if I had issues with hemorrhoids. My answer to her was not until yesteday then I gave those babies a workout.

On the serious side, I had a close friend contract colon cancer at age 52 and lost him three years later. This isn't a procedure you put off because you're too manly. Early screening and treatment is a lifesaver.

 

[Will Carry]

By the time you get on the table to have the colonoscopy....you won't care. The worst is over. You will wake up and they'll keep you until you passs gas, then you can go get something to eat.

Here's a funny joke to play on the nurse. When she asks you if you have had anything to eat, tell her you had a can of cream corn just before you left the house.

 

[NYlakesider]

I have had 7 scopings. The worst thing is the prep, that depends on what prep the doc want to use.

During the procedure you're in a very relaxed state of mind (basically asleep) and any polyps found are removed, you will not feel a thing.(takes under a ½ hour) After the procedure is over they will turn off the IV drip and you will wake up. A 1-2 hour later again depending on the Doc and you will walk out.

I grow a lot of polyps so that is the reason I get a lot of scoping. They found out about the polyps years back when I went in for my first scoping when the G.I. doc was looking for another problem!

 

[BigBill]

for hard stools we need to eat more fiber, drink more water and eat more fresh fruit. Sometimes a stool softener and laxative is needed too.

Where suppose to have our colon and prostate checked on a regular basis.
After 50yo it should be checked every 10 years for the colon exam.

Prostate can be checked for cancer by a blood test and a pee test.

I have prostate cancer and caught it in the early stages it's 99 percent cureable for 10 years if it's detected early. I'm going for radiAtion now

 

[mg357]

My dad had his very first colonoscopy earlier this year and he did just fine.

 

[KKECK5]

Funny you ask.....I had one this past Friday....Truly a piece of cake....This was my second, last one was in 2003. Both came out clear no problems found.....Day before, clear liquids, black coffee or tea, jello, popsicles, just not red or purple. The worse part is the prep you need to drink to clear yourself out...once that's done plenty of water...Day of procedure (if you want to call it that) no big deal, you put on your johnny, they put an iv line in your hand or arm, lay on your side, and it's nighty nite....I had a nice dream. 1/2 hour later you wake up in another room and say " When are we going to start". But your all done. You get your juice and crackers and off you go back home....Me i went to IHOP i was starving.... You'll need a driver, they won't let you go home my yourself. One last point, should they find a polyp, no big deal, they just want it out right there and then so it doesn't become a problem later down the line.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I had it done. No big deal....they used a really cool euphoric anesthesia...I was awake but not really there...hard to explain. Anyway, had to go back... there was a small benign polop on my prostate....snip snip...heard the snipping but again, again, didn't feel a thing.

How did they get to your prostate from there??? I thought for that they had to make their own hole.

 

[motom]

Piece of cake. My only advice is once you start the prep DO NOT leave the house!!!!! I was given this advice by my barber, he said don't ask how he knew!

 

[Straightshooter2]

I've had two. When I went in for the consultation this time before the procedure I told the doctor he really should buy me dinner and flowers first Worst part is the prep and not eating. They used the Michael Jackson drug on me and I asked if I would be able to "moon walk" afterwards. They said sure and I said good because I couldn't when I came it. (Insert rim shot). Never felt a thing. Because my father had throat cancer, I also get an endoscopy (not at the same time ). Best part of the whole deal is stopping by your LGS after the procedure, finding out they just took in a like new, unfired 1974 Remington 700 in .30-06 from an estate and buying it for less than a new 700. The colonoscopy will be a piece of cake but no guarantees on your LGS having the 700.

CW

 

[UncleEd]

Had one 10 years ago and am about to schedule another one.
Actually didn't find drinking all that mixture the day before that bad.

After the procedure, my wife and I went to my favorite BBQ place where I had ribs, fries and vinegar-based cole slaw.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

this pretty well covers it
Lou Rawls Colonoscopy Exam in English - YouTube
SU2C: Homer's Colonoscopy - YouTube

 

[USAF385]

I've had a dozen or so over the past few years. The worst part is waking up during the abduction, or waking up on the table as three or four little grey men lean over you with the probe...

 

[Seneca]

Everybody is correct about the prep being the worst part ( along with the anxiety of the unknown). He's a tip that helped me with that; mix the " Drano " you have to drink a few hours before you start and put it in the fridge and get it good and cold. It seems to go down easier that way!
When I got on the table the Doc told me he was going to swing the TV monitor in front of me and I could watch the the whole thing in living color and see what he saw! " No Doc ", says I, " I don't want to see ANYTHING like that; put me out!" He then told the nurse to crank up the Twilight Zone juice that was in the IV and the next thing I saw was the ceiling of the recovery room and a cute little nurse waking me up. She handed me a note from the Doc that simply said " See you in five years" which he told me before hand was code for everything is O.K. Drove myself home, too.

 

[fdw]

I had one about 6 months ago and...

The prep is by far worse than the procedure. I actually woke up when they were doing it and watched the monitor for a few seconds before they turned up the "juice" again...

Prep is horrible...

 

[NYlakesider]

Everybody is correct about the prep being the worst part ( along with the anxiety of the unknown). He's a tip that helped me with that; mix the " Drano " you have to drink a few hours before you start and put it in the fridge and get it good and cold. It seems to go down easier that way!
When I got on the table the Doc told me he was going to swing the TV monitor in front of me and I could watch the the whole thing in living color and see what he saw! " No Doc ", says I, " I don't want to see ANYTHING like that; put me out!" He then told the nurse to crank up the Twilight Zone juice that was in the IV and the next thing I saw was the ceiling of the recovery room and a cute little nurse waking me up. She handed me a note from the Doc that simply said " See you in five years" which he told me before hand was code for everything is O.K. Drove myself home, too.

My Doc did leave me aware to watch it.(My first time) He asked me and I agree to watch! According to him I watched the monitor and even talked with him during the procedure. The nurse even verified this. I have been present at embalmings and autopsies so the "inside" look I got would not have bothered me

When I woke up I remember none of it as the "friendly drug" they use has a kind of amnesia affect.

 

[yaktamer]

Prep is the worst, although I was out cold under a general during the procedure because I had them going in from both ends.

 

[Fishslayer]

No big deal. Even the prep wasn't as bad as everybody says. I opted for the "put me out" meds. Watching "live" is about the only thing i can imagine that would be worse than reallity TV.

 

[jack the toad]

Have had 2. One was late 80's and the other was few months ago.
Over before I knew it and really not that bad.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've had it done twice. Absolutely, going through the prep procedure is the worst part. I hated that.

The procedure itself is painless. They knock you out with a sedative, and when you wake up, it's all over with, and you feel fine almost right away. You will experience some gas right after the procedure, and they tell you it's just fine to fire away. I think this is about the only time it's considered socially acceptable!

Both times, my results were negative - no polyps, no sign of cancerous growths. I can go five years between repeat procedures.

It's nothing to be afraid of, and it's a worthwhile thing to do as you get older. It will relieve your mind when they tell you that you're clean, and that's the most often found result. Even if they find polyps, they can be nipped in the bud, and they will have no chance to turn into cancerous growths.

John

 

[mjr]

For additional commentary, see the thread "Query," started by CAJUNLAWYER, which is now on page 2 of the Lounge.

 

[EQGuy]

I've had one and opted to watch the procedure on the monitor. It was interesting to watch. The Doc even gave me a couple of snap shots. I had a male nurse set up the IV and I mentioned to him that even though I had no tattoo's If I were to get one it would be one back there stating EXIT ONLY. He told me that before he had a procedure he had his girlfriend use a magic marker to write back there " exit only and danger explosive gas may be present". He said the Doc cracked up and could not start the procedure for 5 minuets he was laughing so hard. You will be fine.

 

[crofoot629]

I found the prep difficult. Different Docs use different preps though.

At a very healthy age 49 they found Stage IV Colon Cancer.
Never had any symptoms.

If I'd gone in 5 years earlier the outcome would like be different.
As it is now I've been doing weekly Chemo for almost 3 years, buying time. My kids are only 9 & 11, so time matters.

With my diagnosis approximately 50% of people are dead at 18 months.
So the good part is I'm beating the bell curve. However it's just a matter of time before it gets me.

So...... Get off your butts and get it done folks

Emory

 

[686fan]

I'm having my first one next week. I really dread it. The nurse (a friend of mine) was telling me that one of the good things was that I would lose a lot of weight during the prep. I asked her if she was saying that I'm full of it. She refused to answer.
I call my doctor Captain Kirk (he's about to boldly go where no man has gone before).

 

[Engieman]

As above, had it done twice, prep night before is the worst part of the whole experience....stay near the bathroom! Second time, recently, was far easier than it was 5 years before that. Big advances in procedures, equipment, drugs, etc. My only concern is being probed AND at the same time being able to see BOTH of the Doctor's hands. Something is not right....

 

[Kinman]

Colon cancer killed my dad within a year, he refused the surgery because he had lived what he considered a full life and couldn't bear the idea of living with a colostomy (****-bag), although been through prostate exams prior to that I had never been through a colonoscopy...I hated the fasting and purging the worst, the rest is a piece of cake. If you get a clean bill of health they don't want to see you for like 5-10 years, any polyps and they want to see you sooner...I got a clean bill of health.
I've had a full prostatectomy and most of the biopbsy work, etc. is done in much the same manner as the coloscopy except they do not put you out, it is very uncomfortable, especially when they make the 90degree turn to shoot the hollow needles through the prostate. My cancer was aggressive enough that my doc advised immediate removal, its a tough decision because your sex life is never the same afterwards, I was only 53 at the time. I went through the process and there are a couple of different methods, one via your lower belly, the others from the rear...my doc is probably from german extract because he works from the rear, he basically makes a W shaped incision around your anus with the center point just under you sack, lifts your junk up and goes in from there. I'll be 62 in a couple months and currently have a 0.00 psa and according to him am probably in complete remission, life is good...I try to keep that thought in mind, the old urges are still there you just loose the ability to do anything about it without mechanical help...all spontenaiety is out the window, but your on the sunny side of the dirt...spring is in the air, flowers blooming, grandkids laughing and playing in the yard, its good.