Colonoscopy

[Sam]

Well, today I had my colonoscopy at St, Mary's hospital in Richmond,  Virginia.

 

All went well and the doctor said he would see me in 10-years.

 

Guys and gals, this is an extremely important procedure that we all need to have beginning on your 50th birthday, or sooner if you think there is a problem. It can save your life

 

The prep this time around was not that bad. Not that good but not that bad. I watched LSU baseball clobber Hawaii on the computer and the Lady Tigers sweep Awbunn on TV plus so many Monk reruns that if I never see Monk again it will be fine with me. And I got really acquainted with my bathroom, too.

 

The nurses and techs were great. They made you feel relaxed and told you what was going to happen. I had the doctor, three nurses and one technician in the room. I could not believe all the people involved with the procedure.

 

So please, please, please get it done. No embarrassment what so ever. And think of what you will have to go through if you don't get a colonoscopy and you develop cancer of the colon or have a digestive system tumor. Then everyone will see your butt and goodies at the same time. Even though we go while standing on the side the boat for all to see, that is nothing compared to what you will go through if you don't get the procedure and develop a serious problem.

 

Suck it up and have it done. Peace of mind for you and your family.

 

And you can use the pictures they take of what they find for your Christmas cards!!!!  

[Choporoz]

Thanks....I'm overdue....probably should call the doc.....but that commercial for 'crap in a box' sounds almost appealing ..lol

[Bankbeater]

I had a colonoscopy done last October, but I had to have two of them.  The prep didn't work all the way the first time, so I had to reschedule for a second procedure. 

 

They found a non cancerous growth and removed it.  I was in and out of the office in about an hour and a half. I'm good for another 10 years.

 

 

 

 

[Gundog]

Had mine done after a bad bout of diverticulitis. They found 2 polyps. They removed them and did a biopsy and they came back negative for cancer. Tough 2 weeks of my life but glad it happened. Glad everything is fine Sam. You are right. Getting it done ain't nothing compared to the consequences if you don't. Talk to your doc. Be safe, not sorry. 

[Oregon Native]

Glad all is well....had mine done again last year at 68.....said will see you again in ten years too.  I'm thinking to myself....you ain't touching this butt again in ten years....at 78 believe I will just gamble with life.  Wasn't supposed to last this long.

[Darren.]

I'll be getting it done...closing on 50 in 2019.

[Sam]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Thanks....I'm overdue....probably should call the doc.....but that commercial for 'crap in a box' sounds almost appealing ..lol

Darren, it does not come close to a real procedure.

 

Please don't put it off.

 

The prep is not as bad as it once was.

 

Lots of good docs in Hampton Roads to do the 20-minute procedure.

 

Try to get a video tape to watch when company comes over!!!!!!!!!

[senile1]

Excellent reminder, Sam.

 

I have had frequent colonoscopies due to digestive issues.  They started on me around 47 or 48.  Since then I have had three plus an endoscopy in the last 10 years.  Other than a couple of non-cancerous polyps the last time around they have found nothing wrong with me.  They say I have a horrible case of IBS that raises its ugly head about every 5 or 6 months and doubles me over in the fetal position for a few hours.  That is obviously better than the alternative.  Colonoscopies are a must for those of us over 50. 

 

I have found that eliminating processed carbs, white starches, and just about anything that isn't meat, fruit, or vegetable from my diet has helped more than anything the doctor's have done.  I still have bouts but when I notice the early stages of pain I immediately drink some magnesium citrate and it usually clears out the offending material.    My apologies if this is TMI.

[NYWayfarer]

Had my first at 50

 

As @Sam mentioned prep isn't too bad. Just fasting and drinking some stuff to "cleanse"

 

They found some polyps and removed them during mine. No pain during or after. They want to see me back every 3 years, which will be next year. 

 

Get it done! My mother in-law almost waited too long and had to have part of her colon removed. She has one of these every year to make sure it hasn't returned.

[Sam]

12 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Had my first at 50

 

As @Sam mentioned prep isn't too bad. Just fasting and drinking some stuff to "cleanse"

 

They found some polyps and removed them during mine. No pain during or after. They want to see me back every 3 years, which will be next year. 

 

Get it done! My mother in-law almost waited too long and had to have part of her colon removed. She has one of these every year to make sure it hasn't returned.

Every three years!!! That's powerful.

 

Thank goodness we have the procedure to help us avoid the alternative.

 

Thanks to all for sharing to date.

[Russ E]

I had my first last year at age 54. kept putting it off. my family finally wore me down.

They removed 8 polyps. None were  malignant. It took 20 minutes.  all I remember is laying down then waking afterwards and walking out.  The anesthesia they use gives no side effects.

 

 

 

[NHBull]

My Mrs was on the table too!

 

Cleared for 10 yrs.

[N Florida Mike]

Thanks for the push to do it. Im 57 and have been putting it off. The doc just set it up .I need to call and make the appt.

Just a little nervous about anything going up in there !!!? But it beats the alternative.

[burrows]

I’m 40 and had two polyps removed last year! He wants to Repeat it in three years. Gots to do what you gots to do.

[Sam]

8 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Thanks for the push to do it. Im 57 and have been putting it off. The doc just set it up .I need to call and make the appt.

Just a little nervous about anything going up in there !!!? But it beats the alternative.

Mike, it is a breeze.

 

The nurses are great; you are knocked out for the procedure; and after you turn on your side the next thing you know is you are in recovery. No problems. No pain before, during or after the procedure.

 

The doctor will then speak with you and/or your wife and tell you what he found, if anything.

 

Great peace of mind and the avoidance of any problems.

 

Have a fun time!  

[Choporoz]

Sam's right.  It isn't really too bad.  Sorta like my vasectomy.  The days and weeks leading up, thinking and worrying about it are much worse than the actual procedure.

[Sam]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Sam's right.  It isn't really too bad.  Sorta like my vasectomy.  The days and weeks leading up, thinking and worrying about it are much worse than the actual procedure.

Just make sure that rubber hammer has been cleaned with a toilette and no problem with the vasectomy.

 

Bam! Bam! It's all over.

[N Florida Mike]

Got it set up this morning for April. I had almost ordered that test kit instead, but they said 6% of the time it doesnt detect cancer, and 10% of the time it does a false positive saying you have cancer when you dont. With those kind of innacuracies, I decided to just go ahead and do the colonoscopy.

 

 

 

[Bass Turd]

I just did mine yesterday! I'm 50 3/4.

 

Not eating anything solid for 24 hours was the worst part.

 

The taste of the stuff you drink to clean out your system was the second worst part.

 

They knock you out so fast you don't know anything happened.

 

When compared to dying from colon cancer those two things are minor inconveniences.

 

It's never too late. If you are over 50 please have it done. 

[lo n slo]

the actual colonoscopy aint bad at all thanks to the propofol. it’s that gallon of magnesium citrate stuff that you have to slug down the night before that gets to you.

 

edit: i went ahead and had an upper GI done while i was there. i gots the reflux stuff going on too. ?

[Columbia Craw]

I have a hemocult test every year.  Colon cancer does not run in my family although being full of ***** does.  Sam is right however. Colo-rectal cancer is preventable. A colonoscopy is not that invasive and contrary to lore, you don't have to go to the car wash to have it done. 

[Chris at Tech]

I couldn’t stand to let you old guys have all the fun so I joined the club last year.  Glad I did, and the procedure was easy.  And normally I’m very squeamish in the doctors office.

[Log Catcher]

I hope my wife doesn't see this. I am 66 and have never had one. I thought about asking my doc if Roto Rooter was a viable option. My wife has already had 2 of them.

[Gundog]

I'm not really sure why people put it off. Yea the bowel prep is terrible but you aren't the one who has to look at dozens of flaming red * in one day.  I felt bad to the doctors and staff. 

[Sam]

8 hours ago, lo n slo said:

the actual colonoscopy aint bad at all thanks to the propofol. it’s that gallon of magnesium citrate stuff that you have to slug down the night before that gets to you.

 

edit: i went ahead and had an upper GI done while i was there. i gots the reflux stuff going on too. ?

My mixture consisted of a six ounce bottle of the "stuff" mixed with blue Gatorade for a 16 ounce cocktail be taken over an hour period. Then followed with two 16 ounce white grape juice drinks.

 

Did this twice, ending at midnight.

 

Not all that bad but still yucky to the taste.

5 hours ago, Log Catcher said:

I hope my wife doesn't see this. I am 66 and have never had one. I thought about asking my doc if Roto Rooter was a viable option. My wife has already had 2 of them.

Please give serious thought to getting it done.

 

It can save your life.

 

And at worst, tell you everything is OK for another 10-years.

3 hours ago, Gundog said:

I'm not really sure why people put it off. Yea the bowel prep is terrible but you aren't the one who has to look at dozens of flaming red * in one day.  I felt bad to the doctors and staff. 

That's why they make the big bucks.