100 Colonoscopies

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  • borichfan
    borichfan Posts: 208 Member
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    Had my first one done in Aug., and they removed one polyp, which tested negative.
  • solarpower4
    solarpower4 Posts: 250 Member
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    I'm having my first one on Tuesday. Been having some GI issues and just recently found out that I have a long family history of early (age-wise) colon cancer, on both sides!! I sure wish I had known that YEARS ago as I would have scheduled this unpleasantness a few years ago.
  • Sunnyjb
    Sunnyjb Posts: 220
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    I am on a mission to get 100 of my MFP family to schedule a colonoscopy. My FIL is in stage 4 colon cancer that could have been prevevnted if he had payed attention and had his done. My husband had his and they removed polyps that we are waiting on results foor.

    2 people responded on my first post that they were going ahead and talking to their doctoers about it.

    So starting with number 3, post the number, your MFP handle and your commitment to have your colonoscopy and lets get to 100. We could seriously save some lives here.

    Welp, I already get them if you wanna put me on your list
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
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    My doctor's nurse has actually told me that I don't need a colonoscopy. I am in my 60s and have never had one done. She believes that if you do not have a family history of colon cancer then a colonoscopy is not needed. I don't think that is good advice.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I've had it done twice now. I'm fine.
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 331 Member
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    Father died of colon cancer. He lived four months after being diagnosed. I got one at age 48. Everything was good. So far my sister, oldest brother, and me have all had colonoscopies.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    My doctor's nurse has actually told me that I don't need a colonoscopy. I am in my 60s and have never had one done. She believes that if you do not have a family history of colon cancer then a colonoscopy is not needed. I don't think that is good advice.

    I'm not a doctor but I think that's bad advice. I had my first at 55, no symptoms, no family history, excellent health and a high-fiber diet. They found one nasty (tubular villiform adenoma with high-grade dysplasia) which could have turned into cancer in another 5-10 years if left untreated. Two years later they found a couple of smaller polyps. They said to come back in 5 years but I plan to have my OB-Gyn get me a fecal occult blood test kit at my regular appt next month. If it turns up positive that means there's intestinal bleeding somewhere and I'll schedule a colonoscopy before 5 years. Nothing to mess around with.

    BTW, I have mine done with no anaesthetic. Heck, I've had menstrual cramps worse than that and you get to watch it all on TV. You can also get back to normal a lot faster afterwards.
  • Usbornegal
    Usbornegal Posts: 601 Member
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    My doctor's nurse has actually told me that I don't need a colonoscopy. I am in my 60s and have never had one done. She believes that if you do not have a family history of colon cancer then a colonoscopy is not needed. I don't think that is good advice.

    My father in law did not have any family history of colon cancer either, but he still died of it. So yes, I agree that this does not seem like good advice. If you are 'clear', you can go 10 years before needing another.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Another cautionary tale on this topic: a woman in our church (probably early 60s) was totally occupied taking care of her husband, who had some sort of end-stage cancer. She had a lot of digestive problems, but of course everybody, including her doctors, chalked it up to the stress of caring for her dying husband. After he died, she didn't get any better. By the time she finally got someone to order some real tests, she was in the end stages of colon cancer. She's gone, too.

    Note to everyone: you know your own body and when something is wrong. Do NOT let doctors brush you off.
  • solarpower4
    solarpower4 Posts: 250 Member
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    I'm having my first one on Tuesday. Been having some GI issues and just recently found out that I have a long family history of early (age-wise) colon cancer, on both sides!! I sure wish I had known that YEARS ago as I would have scheduled this unpleasantness a few years ago.
    My doctor's nurse has actually told me that I don't need a colonoscopy. I am in my 60s and have never had one done. She believes that if you do not have a family history of colon cancer then a colonoscopy is not needed. <truncated>

    ...that's bad advice. I had my first at 55, no symptoms, no family history, excellent health and a high-fiber diet. They found one nasty (tubular villiform adenoma with high-grade dysplasia) which could have turned into cancer in another 5-10 years if left untreated. Two years later they found a couple of smaller polyps. They said to come back in 5 years but I plan to have my OB-Gyn get me a fecal occult blood test kit at my regular appt next month. If it turns up positive that means there's intestinal bleeding somewhere and I'll schedule a colonoscopy before 5 years. Nothing to mess around with.

    BTW, I have mine done with no anaesthetic. Heck, I've had menstrual cramps worse than that and you get to watch it all on TV. You can also get back to normal a lot faster afterwards.

    I had mine earlier this week, also DRUG FREE. :drinker: Although I was nervous, and it is weird as all get out, it was not at all painful. I, too, have had menstrual cramps and even gas pains that were FAR worse than the colonoscopy. The risk of infection, perforation, memory loss, and other potential complications from anesthesia are totally NOT worth it just to avoid a few minutes of pressure or embarrassment.

    Because I declined all drugs, I was able to
    - Watch everything on the monitor,
    - Talk to my doctor about everything as it happened
    - Help her by moving myself when the scope refused to go around a bend
    - Simply get up and walk out 5 minutes after she was done
    - Drive myself home
    - Eat a big meal on my way home"
    - Work in the garden that afternoon

    Here's a HUGE THANKS to the MFP woman who replied to me about her own experience doing one without anesthesia.
    THANK YOU!!! You really calmed my nerves about it all. :flowerforyou:

    And I totally agree with her: at my next one (in 5 yrs) I will again have it done with NO DRUGS of any sort. Truly, there was NO PAIN at all (just a few moments of mild discomfort). Menstrual cramps and gas pains are far worse.

    And for any men reading this, the doctor said men have it even easier b/c their large intestine has shallower turns and bends.

    "Don't be whiny; check your heiny!"
  • LainMac
    LainMac Posts: 412 Member
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    I had my first one in April at age 51
    Made hubby have his first one at 51 in March.

    I have family history so while we both got a clean bill of health, I am on the 5 year plan and he on the 10 year plan.

    My grandmother died of colon cancer a few years after her younger brother has precancerous polyps removed.

    She didn't go to the doctor until she was pregnant with cancer. (She was in her early 80s). So it was totally preventable.

    Thanks for starting this thread. It is important.
  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
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    OK, OK, alright already!!!!...........I'm overdue and I do know better (my father had a colostomy the last 10 years of his life due to colon cancer)...........I promise I'll make the appt. tomorrow......
  • cajmanthei
    cajmanthei Posts: 51 Member
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    bump
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member
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    I had mine 6 years ago and doctor pronounced perfection! :-)
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    I had mine earlier this week, also DRUG FREE. :drinker: Although I was nervous, and it is weird as all get out, it was not at all painful. I, too, have had menstrual cramps and even gas pains that were FAR worse than the colonoscopy. The risk of infection, perforation, memory loss, and other potential complications from anesthesia are totally NOT worth it just to avoid a few minutes of pressure or embarrassment.

    It really helps when people talk about this; I decided to do it drug-free because my mother had hers drug-free and she was in her 70s. I thanked her later; I jokingly refer to colonoscopies as "the test we do not discuss in polite company", but talking about it encourages people to get them.

    One question: how does the chance of accidental perforation decrease because you don't get anaesthetic? That's good news; I just wasn't sure why it would have that effect.
  • greyhoundluv
    greyhoundluv Posts: 49
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    I just scheduled mine for June 10th, after turning 50 THREE years ago and being a complete wimp about it. UNTIL I know someone who was diagnosed with a rectal tumor and is currently going through the horrendous treatment process of radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo and radiation that should last for a good year in the hopes of saving his life. If I can avoid that by going through this yuckiness for several days, I decided definitively to do it!! I had actually scheduled it before seeing this thread, but am glad to feel the support and add mine!
    I just read a few posts about drug-free, and I am so not going to do that because in my opinion (humble and not completely well informed on this!!) I am looking forward to the drugs!! My husband tried to do it without drugs because he wanted to see it and he asked to be put out about a third of the way into it. He has an amazing pain tolerance and he said it was excruciating. So many people go through it with drugs, that it just does not seem worth it otherwise. And what if they have to take a biopsy or cut out a polyp?? I so don't want to be awake for that!! :laugh:
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    I just read a few posts about drug-free, and I am so not going to do that because in my opinion (humble and not completely well informed on this!!) I am looking forward to the drugs!! My husband tried to do it without drugs because he wanted to see it and he asked to be put out about a third of the way into it. He has an amazing pain tolerance and he said it was excruciating. So many people go through it with drugs, that it just does not seem worth it otherwise. And what if they have to take a biopsy or cut out a polyp?? I so don't want to be awake for that!! :laugh:

    Your husband's intestines may have more twists and turns than usual- it happens. I've had polyps removed with no anaesthetic- there must not be any nerves in them because I didn't feel a thing. It's an individual choice, though. In my case, for some weird reason I felt better about it knowing I wouldn't have to spend the rest of the day coming out of a stupor (I went out and ran in the afternoon, although my doc cautioned me to be aware of the risk of possible dehydration). If others are willing to have the test only because they can sleep through it, that's fine, too.
  • solarpower4
    solarpower4 Posts: 250 Member
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    I had mine earlier this week, also DRUG FREE. :drinker: Although I was nervous, and it is weird as all get out, it was not at all painful. I, too, have had menstrual cramps and even gas pains that were FAR worse than the colonoscopy. The risk of infection, perforation, memory loss, and other potential complications from anesthesia are totally NOT worth it just to avoid a few minutes of pressure or embarrassment.

    It really helps when people talk about this; I decided to do it drug-free because my mother had hers drug-free and she was in her 70s. I thanked her later; I jokingly refer to colonoscopies as "the test we do not discuss in polite company", but talking about it encourages people to get them.

    One question: how does the chance of accidental perforation decrease because you don't get anaesthetic? That's good news; I just wasn't sure why it would have that effect.

    The basic reason is this: when a person is unconscious, the doctor can insert the scope more quickly all the way to the other end of the colon. Jiggling through the curves and a potentially tight twist without a conscious patient saying, "Hey, slow down a bit - that actually hurts" to warn the doctor of high pressure, apparently increases the chances of the doctor actually poking through the wall. Also, when a patient is fully conscious, the doctor usually proceeds a bit more slowly, to minimize discomfort.

    There aren't sensitive pain sensors in the polyps or the lining, though there are pressure receptors/sensors, so a conscious person can provide feedback when there is a high degree of pressure (and doesn't have to worry if a polyp needs to be removed). I haven't seen more detailed reasons from any of the studies (doctor proceeding a bit more slowly vs. patient providing instant feedback vs. something else) as to why there is a lower percentage of perforations in drug-free colonoscopies vs those with drugs.

    Finding a doctor who has performed them on fully-conscious patients and is comfortable doing so is very important.

    Most important of all is just having one done, whatever way is preferred!
  • shandi_b
    shandi_b Posts: 153 Member
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    I had my first colonoscopy last year at 37 years old. I had to almost beg my Dr for a referral as she considered me too young and that my mothers colonoscopies have been clear. I pushed the point that my maternal grandmother had just passed away from colon cancer, and her sister was recovering from bowel cancer and her brother prostate cancer.....so 3 out of 6 siblings had cancers. (the other 3 siblings had passed away years before from heart problems and diabetes complications) I'm glad I pushed the point as they found and removed a small polyp from my sigmoid colon. It was biospied and it was not cancerous. The specialist did tell me that it was the type that does have the tendency to develop into cancer and I need to have another check in 2 years time.

    I didn't have any symptoms, but they found a nasty. I would rather go through the procedure than find cancer too late to do anything....like my grandmother.
  • onlythetancan
    onlythetancan Posts: 66
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    I am having one soon, I have low iron among a few other issues we need to investigate.

    My cousin was treated for colon cancer last year and she is in her mid 30's with two kids, you never expect it

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