Colonoscopy Tomorrow

[Henry T Harrison]

19 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

For future reference there is a Crap in a Box option that replaces a routine colonoscopy.  Much nicer.  If there are symptoms that require the real deal, you just have to go with it.

If you get a false negative with the box method you’re dead. I’ll take the hose 

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

prep is a crappy issue 

 

Dr says I need to do another one in Jan , had to do a bit of cutting on the last one 

 

  CB 

 

 can NOT say , I be looking forward to it 

[Dr. Zook]

Depending on how your insurance works, some take the position that the 'box' is considered the 'screening' test which may be covered 100% by your insurance. If positive & you now need a colonoscopy to check for anything in the pipes, they 'may consider' the colonoscopy now as diagnostic and if you haven't met your deductible for the year. You 'may' shoulder the whole cost of the colonoscopy.  

Whomever came up with the name Golightly for the prep must have had one heck of a sense of humor....

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Today was a breeze. Found several apparently non-cancerous polyps and snipped ‘em, so they’re off to the lab. Not expecting adverse results, but I’m on the 3-year plan for now. Insurance a non-issue as we have Medicare and excellent supplemental coverage. 😊

[Dr. Zook]

Be careful resuming anti-coagulants (follow your Dr instructions) after the procedure.  Not sure if they just snip the polyps off and cauterize or just snip & self  coagulate on their own as they heal after biopsy.

[John Kloehr]

[Sam Sackett]

Just went through this again a couple of months ago. Been in for it every 5 years since I was 40 or so. Usually find maybe one or two polyps. This last time they found 11. Now they want to shorten the span to 2 years. Yuck!  But, butter to find and snip!

 

Sam Sackett 

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

I just had my third colonoscopy 2 weeks ago. Each was 10 yrs apart starting at 46 years of age. First one was the only one with polyps. Last two were perfect. Next one scheduled for 10 years......I'll be 76. Not sure if they'll do that one.

[Vail Vigilante]

Had a couple polips removed. But they were non cancerous. 

I have had it done twice.

Why cant they just do a MRI?

 

[John Kloehr]

41 minutes ago, Vail Vigilante said:

Had a couple polips removed. But they were non cancerous. 

I have had it done twice.

Why cant they just do a MRI?

 

Assuming MRI would pick up the polyps, then would still have to go in and get them. Being non-cancerous, they were removed in time.

[J-BAR #18287]

3 hours ago, Vail Vigilante said:

Had a couple polips removed. But they were non cancerous. 

I have had it done twice.

Why cant they just do a MRI?

 

Most are quite small, only a few millimeters in diameter.  If they are big enough to see on a MRI, they are probably dangerous.

[Rip Snorter]

Since I'm a bit of a cynic, I suspect they frequently find polyps and profit from the cleanup.  Who cares to roll the dice.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

7 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Since I'm a bit of a cynic, I suspect they frequently find polyps and profit from the cleanup.  Who cares to roll the dice.

I’m a cynic by nature too. However, having known several who’ve either succumbed to a prolonged and painful death, or suffered life-altering effects of colon cancer, I’ll trust the docs. 

[Stump Water]

Being servile to the medical profession like most everyone else, a good friend went in for her colonoscopy on schedule. They "nicked" the wall of her large intestine/colon - not removing a polyp or anything, mind you, just driving around in there. She was in the hospital for three months.

I have heard of two other instances of that happening, but that was the most severe "nick".

Johns Hopkins lists it as a "rare" risk.

[John Kloehr]

It is rare but does happen So does stroking out during the procedure, heart stoppages happen too. Still, colonoscopies do save far more lives than they take.

 

My neighbor was in this experience. His wife who had several colonoscopies (with polyp removals) finally convinced her husband to get one. They did remove polyps, several were pre-cancerous, But there was an oops. Took a while for him to recover from the oops, but he would have died years ago if he had not had two of those polyps removed. He showed pictures, one of them looked really nasty.

[Rip Snorter]

Just a thought - live the life you care to - whatever length.  Dad, a distinguished Physician, left me with this thought.  "Worst thing is to fall into the hand of Doctors".  He was on his way out.  Mom's experience was the same, except the the family friend physician, hers, who was "Going to be there" , vanished when she needed him.

I will make the choices, and if it kills me, so be it! Wishing all who are in treatment the best professionals and courage.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

One of the people I knew who is now dead, was my mom’s husband and also a urologic surgeon. I’m comfortable with my choices.