Colonoscopy

[S.A. Boggs]

53874
Gotta get my 4-year next month. Pain in the ********* prep!
Sam

[dryheat]

I did it once. I don't like being unconscious. If I die I die.

[Johnny P]

Always wondered how someone chose that profession.

[Allen]

Always wondered how someone chose that profession.

Big money in it and a lot of brainwashing by the medical industry so there's plenty of work for them.

I don't see why the same or better can't be done using an ultrasound.

[Art]

I've had one of those about 10 years ago. Perfectly clean gut. Of course the real unpleasantness is the prep, sitting on the throne for most of the evening before isn't a blast.

I also avoid general anesthesia like the plague. Post anesthesia delirium is a thing and with old people can contribute do dementia.

Why they don't do something else....the contents of your gut get in the way of imaging so this is what you've got. There are other tests, including mail in ones to tell if you're a likely candidate that mostly test for hidden blood in the poop. If you notice dark blood in your stool (hemirroid blood is bright red) going to a doctor right now is a good idea; at that point, if you do have cancer, you're probably not actually fixable at that point. Bright red blood doesn't necessarily mean you're free and clear. it could be a problem lower down, but it is the usual reason for that red, red blood.

Gut cancer is insidious. We have a niece whose husband (he's about 70) was just diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. We saw him at our 50th anniversary and I said to myself, that guy looks like he has cancer. He told us he had been diagnosed with a chronic infection that he couldn't shake...well no. He has been told his cancer can be managed which means a lot of things but so far he's handled the chemo therapy ok.

I'm not going to have another one. I already have a cancer that can't be cured and if I were to develop something else I'd think seriously about going straight into pallative care.

[Allen]

Why they don't do something else....the contents of your gut get in the way of imaging so this is what you've got.

I certainly don't dispute this but after all these years it seems to me a little research could have come up with something better. I mean, we have sonars that can map ocean floors miles deep, find ship wrecks and draw them out in detail. I know Davy Jones locker and human plumbing aren't the same thing but....

I base this on women having mammograms. As you know this is a highly recommended procedure where women get their boobs smashed/pressed out thin as to more easily detect anything strange going on.

If a lump is found the next step is an ultrasound so why not start there in the first place and spare the patients all the pain?

Something as big and unusual as a polyp in the intestine seems to me could be spotted more easily but I'm not a doctor.

Unfortunately most doctors in my area aren't either.

[S.A. Boggs]

Having had colon rectal cancer stage 4 I have had this done to me many times. For an 8-month period, this was done every other month. What hurts is when the camera is turned around inside you and then slowly pulled out. I was awake the total time this was done, and it was not pleasant. For me the prep is the worst, not so much the scope.
Sam

[Allen]

At least the cameras are small and advanced now.

[Art]

Having had colon rectal cancer stage 4 I have had this done to me many times. For an 8-month period, this was done every other month. What hurts is when the camera is turned around inside you and then slowly pulled out. I was awake the total time this was done, and it was not pleasant. For me the prep is the worst, not so much the scope.
Sam

You sound like my mother. She heard that rarely, people would have partial facial paralysis from novicane. She then stopped taking anesthia for dental work, yep, drill, pull or root canal she did it cold turkey. Of course she was from a different generation having been born in 1912. Her rancher wife mother once pulled one of her own teeth. My brother asked how she could do that to which she replied - you'd be surprised what you can do if it hurts enough.

[Johnny P]

Big money in it and a lot of brainwashing by the medical industry so there's plenty of work for them.

Big money in dealing with all body parts rather than body's waste disposal unit.

[dryheat]

So, there's this woman who is gorgeous. She is fairly rich and has a U-T channel where she is building a cabin in the woods (she has a fabulous home too). Anyway, she explained that she was a nurse who was a gastroenterologist and did colon ostomy too. "if you need you butt inspected, I'm your girl" [something to that effect]. Her name is Michelle, but the handle is Michygoss. She's a pleasure to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2qnGroGyf4

So there you go.

[Mark in Ottawa]

A bit of advice based on having had several of them. The prep consists of slowly drinking a gallon of water which contains a laxative. The instructions tell you that to make it taste less bad, you should refrigerate it. Do NOT do this. The mix tastes like bubble gum and gets pretty revolting after the second glass but I found that drinking a gallon of cold water dropped my body temperature to the point that I was shivering and had to put on two sweaters. Very uncomfortable and in any case nothing is going to make it taste better. Also, leave more time than they suggest and finish up at least an hour before heading to the hospital (for obvious reasons)

A final thought: it's better to get an afternoon appointment rather than a morning one. The last time that I had a 9:00 am appointment, I had to get up a 4:00 am to start the prep

[Major Tom]

The prep should be made in various flavors like chocolate, strawberry, peach, etc. I always liked coming out of the procedure and the nurse says "Fart all you want to get the 'air' out". Something my wife NEVER says!

[M1Tommy]

My contribution to this is advice to NOT make your first meal afterwards a big taco-salad!
Just trust me on this.

Tommy