Had my colonoscopy yesterday. Prep was no big deal. Had 4 polyps in 2019. 0 yesterday! Feels great!
INFO! Check Six - Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month & PIF in Post #6
- Thread starter Mr5x5
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Glad you got checked and glad you are still with us. Best wishes for many more years.
My condolences to those that have lost family and friends and thank you all for sharing. Personal stories often motivate people better than a message from their primary care provider.
I'm going in for a colonoscopy tomorrow morning.
I have no family history of colon cancer but I'm African American and in the US, statistically we have the highest incidence of colon cancer and the highest mortality rate from it. I've been a firefighter for over 20 years and because we have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population, when I turned 45 I asked my doctor about getting scoped. She said that because I was asymptomatic and had no family history she would only recommend doing the occult test, which fortunately indicated no problems. I'm 49 now and I shared my concerns with my new doc and she wholeheartedly agreed that I should get one. Scheduling was easy and I was able to get my appoint less than a month out.
While I'm not looking forward to the prep tonight, the process is much improved. I know this because my wife, whom I've known since childhood, has been scoped numerous times since she was a teenager due to non-cancerous GI problems. The prep I'm going to take is a cakewalk compared to what she has had to endure over the years.
Here's the process my GI doc gave me: I started a low fiber diet last week and today it's all clear liquids. Tonight I have to mix the 6 oz prep with 10 oz of water, then drink 32oz of clear liquids of my choice within the hour. 3 hours later I repeat the process. Then done. Well not really because I'll be emptying myself throughout that time I'm sure.
Tips I picked up from friends and the internet: drink the prep through a straw so the taste doesn't linger on your tongue, wear loose pants due the frequency and urgency caused by the prep, keep a book in the bathroom or make sure your phone is fully charged, flush as you go, and use wet wipes instead of toilet paper (someone here suggested a bidet and if I had heard that earlier I would have seriously considered it).
My fire department has 40+ members and in my 2 decades there, we've had members who've had rectal cancer, bone cancer, testicular cancer, leukemia, and 2 who had skin cancer. The one who had leukemia sadly died from it last summer. The spouses of some of our members have had cancer as well. Three died of very rare and different forms of ovarian cancer and several have had breast cancer including my wife. She was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer last year and it was found through her annual mammogram. My point in sharing this is that if you are on the fence about getting a routine physical, about getting a colonoscopy, or doing something to improve your health due to a couple of days of discomfort or for fear of what they might find:
Please get over yourself.
I don't mean any disrespect in saying that and I promise that it comes with good intent. Believe me when I say that people who love and care about you would rather hear you whine about how bad the prep was than to hear you lament on how you wished you would have gotten checked sooner.
I have no family history of colon cancer but I'm African American and in the US, statistically we have the highest incidence of colon cancer and the highest mortality rate from it. I've been a firefighter for over 20 years and because we have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population, when I turned 45 I asked my doctor about getting scoped. She said that because I was asymptomatic and had no family history she would only recommend doing the occult test, which fortunately indicated no problems. I'm 49 now and I shared my concerns with my new doc and she wholeheartedly agreed that I should get one. Scheduling was easy and I was able to get my appoint less than a month out.
While I'm not looking forward to the prep tonight, the process is much improved. I know this because my wife, whom I've known since childhood, has been scoped numerous times since she was a teenager due to non-cancerous GI problems. The prep I'm going to take is a cakewalk compared to what she has had to endure over the years.
Here's the process my GI doc gave me: I started a low fiber diet last week and today it's all clear liquids. Tonight I have to mix the 6 oz prep with 10 oz of water, then drink 32oz of clear liquids of my choice within the hour. 3 hours later I repeat the process. Then done. Well not really because I'll be emptying myself throughout that time I'm sure.
Tips I picked up from friends and the internet: drink the prep through a straw so the taste doesn't linger on your tongue, wear loose pants due the frequency and urgency caused by the prep, keep a book in the bathroom or make sure your phone is fully charged, flush as you go, and use wet wipes instead of toilet paper (someone here suggested a bidet and if I had heard that earlier I would have seriously considered it).
My fire department has 40+ members and in my 2 decades there, we've had members who've had rectal cancer, bone cancer, testicular cancer, leukemia, and 2 who had skin cancer. The one who had leukemia sadly died from it last summer. The spouses of some of our members have had cancer as well. Three died of very rare and different forms of ovarian cancer and several have had breast cancer including my wife. She was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer last year and it was found through her annual mammogram. My point in sharing this is that if you are on the fence about getting a routine physical, about getting a colonoscopy, or doing something to improve your health due to a couple of days of discomfort or for fear of what they might find:
Please get over yourself.
I don't mean any disrespect in saying that and I promise that it comes with good intent. Believe me when I say that people who love and care about you would rather hear you whine about how bad the prep was than to hear you lament on how you wished you would have gotten checked sooner.
Perfect post.I'm going in for a colonoscopy tomorrow morning.
I have no family history of colon cancer but I'm African American and in the US, statistically we have the highest incidence of colon cancer and the highest mortality rate from it. I've been a firefighter for over 20 years and because we have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population, when I turned 45 I asked my doctor about getting scoped. She said that because I was asymptomatic and had no family history she would only recommend doing the occult test, which fortunately indicated no problems. I'm 49 now and I shared my concerns with my new doc and she wholeheartedly agreed that I should get one. Scheduling was easy and I was able to get my appoint less than a month out.
While I'm not looking forward to the prep tonight, the process is much improved. I know this because my wife, whom I've known since childhood, has been scoped numerous times since she was a teenager due to non-cancerous GI problems. The prep I'm going to take is a cakewalk compared to what she has had to endure over the years.
Here's the process my GI doc gave me: I started a low fiber diet last week and today it's all clear liquids. Tonight I have to mix the 6 oz prep with 10 oz of water, then drink 32oz of clear liquids of my choice within the hour. 3 hours later I repeat the process. Then done. Well not really because I'll be emptying myself throughout that time I'm sure.
Tips I picked up from friends and the internet: drink the prep through a straw so the taste doesn't linger on your tongue, wear loose pants due the frequency and urgency caused by the prep, keep a book in the bathroom or make sure your phone is fully charged, flush as you go, and use wet wipes instead of toilet paper (someone here suggested a bidet and if I had heard that earlier I would have seriously considered it).
My fire department has 40+ members and in my 2 decades there, we've had members who've had rectal cancer, bone cancer, testicular cancer, leukemia, and 2 who had skin cancer. The one who had leukemia sadly died from it last summer. The spouses of some of our members have had cancer as well. Three died of very rare and different forms of ovarian cancer and several have had breast cancer including my wife. She was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer last year and it was found through her annual mammogram. My point in sharing this is that if you are on the fence about getting a routine physical, about getting a colonoscopy, or doing something to improve your health due to a couple of days of discomfort or for fear of what they might find:
Please get over yourself.
I don't mean any disrespect in saying that and I promise that it comes with good intent. Believe me when I say that people who love and care about you would rather hear you whine about how bad the prep was than to hear you lament on how you wished you would have gotten checked sooner.
I have to do the non-scope thing, I forget the name, but it's a commercial that has been on a lot lately, of a cartoon box walking and talking and selling the product. I'm on Coumadin, so the risk of a bleed with my artificial heart valve is why I go this route.
You basically poop in a plastic container that looks like a miniature white garbage pail. You put some preservative on it, seal it, put your stool back in the box and UPS delivers it to the lab in Wisconsin.
I just got my results back from my doctor appointment on Tuesday. I'm all good. This test would have cost over $600 but I paid zero out of pocket, probably thanks to Medicare. It's 92 percent accurate.
I'm a retired nurse, and I helped lots of folks prep for the scopes. Not fun for them, didn't bother me. Nurses do poop.
But I also took care of lots of folks that had colostomy bags. I always wondered how many of them didn't take the time out of their busy schedules to be tested.
Thank you kind sir. And I'm glad you got the all clear. My mom was an endoscopy tech and she really enjoyed the work but had to listen to her body when it said it was time to retire.
The prep I took was called Suprep and while it didn't taste that great, it went down pretty easy. It started working in about 40 minutes and I was in the bathroom about every 20-30 minutes. Due to my wife's GI issues we have a Squatty Potty (a footstool that puts you in a position to make pooping easier) and that was helpful, as were the wipes. All in all it was no big deal.
The good news is that the doctor only one polyp found and I'll get the results next week.
I pray your results are great, my friend! I learned something from you that makes absolutely perfect sense: using a STRAW! So many people in rest homes and other elderly folks can't use straws due to swallowing issues. But the vast majority of folks can, and that stuff just plain tastes YUCKY (that's a Nursing Skool term!) ANYTHING that can make the process easier to convince folks to get checked is great thing. I pray my swiss cheese brane will allow me to pass along the straw idea. That is solid gold my friend!
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Yes, the stories here led me to getting my first scope years ago.
Already had my 6 checked. Today they are checking my 12. Gotta get my bore punched.
Getting/being old sucks!!
Getting/being old sucks!!
... but it sure beats not getting old!
I've had both recently, and somehow or other I have an appointment in May for my annual physical! I COULDA sworn I just had one.... AND now my eye doctor told me Monday that I should see a neurologist. Again! LOL, that's what I get for being so honest on my paperwork....
But the BEST news is that other than my breathing I have not felt this good in quite awhile. I am blessed my friend.
Looks like NEXT year the lovely Best Friend of mine and I will get to do some winter traveling. LOL, I will be sure I call ahead before I stop in to visit you my friend!
Where has the time gone this winter? We had plans to go to FL this winter, all set up. Lol, and now winter is over!
Hope all is well with you and yours my friend!
Edit: is my noggin 3 o'clock?
It wasn’t too bad. Gotta go back for a biopsy and Eurolift.
Dr. thinks I have an infection. And I have an enlarged prostate. The Eurolift will keep me from having to take meds. WooHoo
Dr. thinks I have an infection. And I have an enlarged prostate. The Eurolift will keep me from having to take meds. WooHoo
I looked it up. That lift was not available yet when I needed it..... I'll have to ask my urologist. I took myself off the hormonal prostate treatment. Hot flashes, moody. I still take Flomax without any issues. But that procedure looks amazingly simple my friend! Finasteride. That's what I was on, two separate times. No way do I take that again, unless all other options are out.
Yup! I got really sick a few months ago and I haven’t yet recovered. No way to know if it all caused the enlarged prostate or what. But those meds you mentioned have way too many side affects. I will only be taking them until I get that procedure done.
Yesterday when he was scoping me the doctor had my wife stand and move to where she could see the monitor and watch what he was looking at. As he moved the scope and camera he explained everything in simple terms and offered his thoughts and medical options. After he answered all of our questions and even offered his opinions and advice we settled on doing the Eurolift at the same time he was doing the biopsy. Heck, I’m already in the hospital knocked out; why go through it twice.
No more meds and I’ll be able to pee normally. I’ll feel 18 again.
Looking forward to it.
I’ve only had this issue for a couple of months. I have no idea how people survive like this for years. Getting up multiple times a night. Having to go every hour or two. Always feeling like you have to go. And seldom feeling like your bladder emptied completely. But like you said this technology was not available to you before. I watched a short video of the procedure and it does seem simple and fast and no need to continue with the meds. Win. Win.
Yesterday when he was scoping me the doctor had my wife stand and move to where she could see the monitor and watch what he was looking at. As he moved the scope and camera he explained everything in simple terms and offered his thoughts and medical options. After he answered all of our questions and even offered his opinions and advice we settled on doing the Eurolift at the same time he was doing the biopsy. Heck, I’m already in the hospital knocked out; why go through it twice.
No more meds and I’ll be able to pee normally. I’ll feel 18 again.
Looking forward to it.
I’ve only had this issue for a couple of months. I have no idea how people survive like this for years. Getting up multiple times a night. Having to go every hour or two. Always feeling like you have to go. And seldom feeling like your bladder emptied completely. But like you said this technology was not available to you before. I watched a short video of the procedure and it does seem simple and fast and no need to continue with the meds. Win. Win.
As expected for someone who recently turned 50 and has never had one, the doc referred me for a colonoscopy. It'd be an overstatement to say I'm excited for it, but I'm glad it's on the schedule for next month.Just want to say thanks. I moved to a new area in late 2019, just before everything hit the fan with covid. As things slowly got back to normal, life was just busy, and I only started to get around to trying to find a doctor a few weeks ago. After a couple of "sorry, we're not taking new patients right now"s, my effort was losing momentum. But seeing this thread under New Posts every couple days was a kick in the pants to try again, and I have a GP appointment on the 22nd now.
Enjoy!!
Just got back from my colonoscopy. 1 polyp, otherwise all normal. Hopefully good for another 5 years. Guess I’ll know more when biopsy results come back.
Prostate checks too! I had one biopsy very young at 43 due to an elevated PSA test due to a prolonged kidney stone blockage. Now they have a new MRI which I had a couple of months ago at age 60 due to PSA being higher than normal. So far , everything is okay .... My Neighbors Boyfriend Ken who is Afro-American had never had a check: they caught his at stage 3 I believe, during a routine physical he had long put off.....he is alive only because they caught it......... stay well everyone !
Got home from annual physical today. Getting scheduled for a colonoscopy, endoscopy (EGD), surgery for a hernia, and found out my A1c is higher than it’s ever been. It’s gonna be a fun year.
Importantly, though, you’re on top of it.
