Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yes I saw that. Cologuard tests for DNA not blood coming from the GI tract. The only thing about Cologuard is doesn’t detect the precancerous polyps (from what I can recall). I had one 2017 and it was negative, but the recent colonoscopy I had found a precancerous polyp.
It says it does but at a less accurate rate 60%. Also possible that it wasn't precancerous when you had the test. In my travels I saw that a doctors group is recommending that stool tests be done once per year (but not the DNA due to its expense) if you have a colonoscopy or not. I kind of agree.
Not sure if anyone knows this or not but why does the prep have to be done the way it is. Can't people just like water fast for a week? People are doing week long fasts for health reasons anyway.
They're a breeze. The prep is h@ll, but the anesthesia part is actually kind of fun. It's a trip... it's like time travel.
And as someone who has dealt with late stage cancer, and cancer re-occurrence close up, I think people should get screened as often as possible.
But, your choice...
I had a colonoscopy 7 years ago, my first and all went well. They removed a polyp and said see you in five years.
A year ago I had my second colonoscopy. It came back inconclusive because they said they didnt get a clear reading.
They rescheduled and I went for my third colonoscopy.
The reading was better this time. They removed a polyp but said they didnt get a clear enough reading all the way through even though I prepped, by drinking all of the the prep fluid on day 1 and not eating or drinking again until after the coloniscopy was finished on day 2.
They recommended another colonoscopy!
I asked what else I could do to clean out entirely. they said next time drink half the fluid on day 1 and the remaining half early on the morning of the second day.
It was only in speaking with a nurse afterwards that I found out that there is no guarantee that drinking all the prep fluids guarantees cleanout.
She said its a roll of the dice. Everyone is different.
I didnt go for a 4th colonoscopy because the insurance would not pay again until 5 years.
The prep solution can over sensitize your system, so there’s that. You have to dig for that information too. I had to confirm with with my GI Dr (at a world renowned US hospital) and my primary. I take exception to the fact that my previous GI who did the colonoscopy didn’t tell me that I may incur an IBS flare. To be clear, I’m not anti colonoscopy at all. I have digestive cancers prevalent on my maternal line. I am against not fully disclosing all of the risks. Maybe I missed the blurb about IBS or the prep could cause my system to be off kilter somewhere in the fine print!
As you may have noticed when you had your procedure, they woke you up when they were finished, and maybe after a short length of time where you might have been a little sleepy/groggy/disoriented after the procedure, you were pretty much awake, aware and ready to go. With anesthesia to the point where you need intubation, it takes longer to recover and there may be side effects from the anesthesia.
I don't know what they gave me, but I am missing large chunks of memory after waking up from my colonoscopy. I recall sitting up in the office holding the paperwork that gave my results, wondering why the doctor hadn't talked to me about those results as she had she would.
I also remember getting out of the car at home, but nothing about leaving the medical center or the drive. My daughter, who picked me up, told me they brought me out to the car in a wheelchair--no recollection of that.
I had similar intermittent amnesia for a couple of hours after an unrelated reconstructive surgery. I recall signing paperwork to be released, and walking into my house, but nothing in between. So maybe it just takes me a little longer to snap out of any kind of anaesthesia.
Anyway, there have certainly been no lasting effects for the colonoscopy. I'm glad I had it done, and the fact that it was 100% clear is very reassuring.
As I have experience with dealing closely with cancer treatment, I know this well.
Screening is done at regular intervals after a certain age with the mindset that it's worth it to catch a malignant polyp in an early stage.
Surgery is done to remove malignant tumors, however if the risk of death during surgery is too great, they will perform chemo before surgery or not perform surgery at all.
If at any point in the game, you think you want to buck those odds, then that is your choice.
For example, you could be in Stage 3 cancer and refuse surgery and chemotheraphy to go with a holistic approach. The doctors would advise against, but they cannot make you do it.
I personally always go with the odds. I'm an engineer, and a gambler. So medical decisions are easy...
I have had several. I have relatives who had colon cancer & my Mother died of cancer of unknown primary, so I do not want to ignore the possibility of finding anything early. Better chances when found early. I also go for mammograms.
The worst part is the prep, but I figure every ten years, it is probably due for a good clean out.
I think I go again when I am 70, & that will be it.
Not sure if anyone knows this or not but why does the prep have to be done the way it is. Can't people just like water fast for a week? People are doing week long fasts for health reasons anyway.
It does NOT have to be done that way there are many different kinds of prep cleanouts!
For my daughter, we did a low res diet for five days then liquid only for 48h along with (I forget how many Dulcolax) the last 24h. Super easy and no diarrhea.
She had severe sloowwww motility and there was no way she was going to consume the gallon of GoLightly prep. SLOW motility I tellya and this easy prep still worked.
Don't eat huge meat filled meals that week; low res and then the prep will be easy.
A lot of people have impacted waste in their colons. Others have very slow digestion and elimination due to chronic constipation or slow moving systems. So, to have someone do a water fast still would not make the colon clean enough for the scope to see the colon walls and see all polyps. The colon needs a high powered flushing and evacuation of waste and that is what the prep is designed to do. Some polyps are quite small and if they're hidden behind waste then the whole test really was for nothing. There are many types of prep. For my colonoscopy I used Golytely prep. It was the nastiest tasting drink I ever had. I made it and chilled it overnight and drank a glass every 15 minutes until it was all gone. I started my prep at 5:00 pm and was done with everything by 10:00 that night. I didn't have any issues sleeping or needing to get up for the restroom. My procedure was the next day at noon. The prep (and anxiety about what they might find) was the worst of it.
I get anxious with any sort of medical testing or procedures at all. I also have gone online and read the data on the risk vs. the benefits of having routine colonoscopies. I'm also in a high risk group. So, I opted to do it. I was awake for the procedure. My team was wonderful. My doctor was very pleasant and the assisting staff were also. The procedure took 45 minutes. We told each other jokes the whole time and laughed. I watched the screen and the doctor was very thorough. Nothing was found and I'm not due back for 10 years. I was told to add more fiber to my diet, which I've done.
My advice for those who either had a bad procedure before or knows some one who did is to research your Dr. extensively before you schedule. There are risks with every procedure, just like everything else in life. However, not doing your research on the best doctors and facility you can get to set you up for issues. Not all facilities or Drs. are the same quality. I chose my Dr. via research I did on Health Grades. She had a 4.9 out of 5.0. I also checked her on other sites. I drove 40 miles to have my procedure done by her. It was well worth it. She wrote me a very nice letter confirming my results after the procedure.
However, I did not follow my own advice when I went in for a routine mammography and I paid the consequences. I was squeezed so hard it left bruising and pain for weeks. So no matter what sort of exam or procedure you are having please put in a lot of effort researching the person and facility who will do your procedure.
I'm 61 and have never had one. Did the colo guard last year for first time with my wife. She had a questionable result so decided to have a colonoscopy.
I have no risk factors other than age for this cancer and am not interested in this procedure.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Colonoscopy frustrating
So maybe it just takes me a little longer to snap out of any kind of anaesthesia. 