Joking aside - you might just want that colonoscopy.

Jefenator · #1 11-01-2009, 11:34 AM

A good friend of mine just got one and the findings were... not good. Cancer. Not sure exactly how bad just yet - he's going to see a few specialists this week.

He waited until he got on Medicare to go in. I can't imagine anyone wanting to save up to pay what this procedure costs out of their own pocket. But my buddy is now kind of wishing he had, about 5 years ago.

Guess we'll see what happens - can still hope for the best. But it's pretty heavy news.

shadowtippy · #2 11-01-2009, 12:54 PM

I had one done two and a half weeks ago. It wasn't as bad an experience as one would imagine. Two polyps were removed and biopsied and one of them showed pre-malignant cells. There is a history of cancer in my family, so I get to have another one done in three years. I'm okay for now and intend on staying that way. Anyone over 50 should have the procedure, just don't plan on doing anything the night before.

becker4567 · #3 11-01-2009, 01:33 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with your friend.

Oric · #4 11-01-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowtippy

Anyone over 50 should have the procedure, just don't plan on doing anything the night before.

I would say anyone over 40, and yearly. My grandfather died of it, and I think my great-grandfather had it- so once I hit 40 I'm going to be religious about getting that checked on.

Ericman197 · #5 11-01-2009, 03:00 PM

Screening is typically done like this. There is a set age where everyone should get tested, based on the assumption that it would be early enough to detect cancer in the vast majority of the population. For colonoscopies, the age is 50; for mammography, the age is 40. That is because, for example, breast cancer is uncommon in women in their 30s, and very very rare for women in their 20s.

However, if you have ANY history of that cancer in your family, you should be screened 10 years prior to when that family member was diagnosed with cancer. So if your father was diagnosed with colon cancer at 52, then you really shouldn't wait until you're 50 for a colonoscopy - you should do it at 42 (or earlier, if your doctor recommends it). That is because some people are carriers of certain genes (such as BRCA1) which greatly increase the odds of developing cancer. Anyone who has had a blood relative diagnosed with cancer, especially if it occurred at an unusually young age, should discuss this with their doctor so that steps can be taken for early screening and preventative measures.

Colon cancer is rough

The later it is caught, the worse the prognosis. If your friend hasn't had any symptoms yet, there's a chance that the cancer is relatively new, and hasn't spread. Colonoscopies ARE very expensive out of pocket, but this thread really highlights the need for people to go out there and get it done

Stinsok · #6 11-01-2009, 03:03 PM

A very old and dear friend was just diagnosed with it. She "lucked out." She is going to undergo an agressive round of chemo. The lucked out part is that she may not have to wear a bag for the rest of her life.

WookieeForLife · #7 11-01-2009, 03:10 PM

Uncle saw a commercial and decided to get screened. Wasn't caught early enough and he died. Before he died he got my dad to go and they found them in him. It was caught early enough. My advice is with the OP, Just go.

JimInMO · #8 11-01-2009, 03:16 PM

Think positive man, support your friend. I was diagnosed with colo/rectal cancer 10 years ago this month. Had a tumor the size of my thumb. 6 weeks of chemo and radiation, surgery and another 4 months chemo seems to have done the trick. Had an excellent team of specialists with an amazing, we can beat this, attitude. I never once doubted them ( or my wife). Treatments have advanced tremendously in the past 10 years. It's doable.

Stinsok · #9 11-01-2009, 03:18 PM

She has a good outlook and a strong support system. Lots of good people behind her.

iamlowsound · #10 11-01-2009, 06:20 PM

It runs in my family, so I will be getting them at some point. I don't really have to worry about it for 20 years or so and I am glad. Maybe by that time they will have a better way of checking.

lowsound

TBrett · #11 11-01-2009, 10:38 PM

It would be great if they find a better way of checking, but that will depend on technological innovations. In the meantime, the procedure really isn't so bad. I had an endoscopy (throat/esophagus) immediately followed by a colonoscopy. I'd had Crohn's disease some years before, so they were doing a thorough exam. They gave me a sedative which made me doze off for part of the procedure. I woke up when they were finishing up the colon exam. Very interesting (I could see the monitors) and I didn't find it painful at all. Maybe a slight ache here and there but nothing major. It took me about 45 minutes to fully recover from the sedative and then I was good to go. The only thing I hated about it was that the procedure wasn't scheduled until early afternoon and I had to fast from the day before. That was agony. I am sooooo not into fasting. The more I tried not to think about food, well, the more I thought about it. If I ever have to have another one, I will be sure to ask for an early morning appointment if at all possible!

Jefenator · #12 11-04-2009, 07:54 PM

Looks like my friend will probably be OK. CT scans show that whatever cancer there may be hasn't spread. And it now looks like the offending tissue may even be just pre-cancerous. BCS might just take another colonoscopy to remove it.

So he's not completely out of the woods, but things are going a lot better than they could have.

Thanks for your insights & good words & thoughts.

Ericman197 · #13 11-04-2009, 08:52 PM

That's very good news! When you said that he waited for a long time to get the procedure done, I was thinking that he might have already staged up, which would have had a much worse prognosis. It doesn't sound like he's out of the woods yet, but with proper monitoring and treatment, odds are very good that he'll be fine.

**smperry** · #14 11-04-2009, 08:54 PM

I was nervous to read your update, and relieved it hasn't spread.

TOOL460002 · #15 11-04-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBrett

It would be great if they find a better way of checking, but that will depend on technological innovations. In the meantime, the procedure really isn't so bad. I had an endoscopy (throat/esophagus) immediately followed by a colonoscopy. I'd had Crohn's disease some years before, so they were doing a thorough exam. They gave me a sedative which made me doze off for part of the procedure. I woke up when they were finishing up the colon exam. Very interesting (I could see the monitors) and I didn't find it painful at all.

as for the procedure, only had an endoscopy, which i guess is the better end to get a tube shoved into, but at least they put you out for the colonoscopy. i was given something in the benzodiazapine family as well as fentanyl (super powerful opiod). neither of those seemed to do anything and i was 100% awake for the whole thing looking at the monitors. its a quick procedure, but they keep you there forever, and tell you not to drive there or back.

i know they have these rules for safety and insurance purposes, and i dont publicly advocate breaking any laws, but my experience with anything that doesnt put you under is to just say "no thanks, im going to be driving." that may not be the case with the colon deal, but i thought id offer that advice, as i wasted a lot of money on cab fare because i couldnt get a ride, when i couldve just driven myself.

Ericman197 · #16 11-04-2009, 09:38 PM

Mostly they don't want to be liable if you DO get into a car accident. But benzos and fentanyl might get you a little (or very) high. Getting your eyes dilated at the ophthalmologist is the same story. Are you able to drive? Yes. Are you driving at 100% of your normal abilities? Ehhhh...

As long as you didn't crash, all is well. Next time just try get get a friend to drive in case the drugs make you feel a little loopy.

Commreman · #17 11-05-2009, 06:12 AM

I'm 49. I have been under financial pressure over the past two years that none of you ever want to go through (bankruptcy, losing the house, loss of income, etc.) Fortunately, my wife and family have hung in there with me.

On September 19th, I was out for a long walk with a friend. I'm not overweight; in fact, I'm in terrific shape. In about the third mile of the walk, my heart started pounding out of control, I couldn't breathe, and I fell to my knees. I thought it was a heart attack. I barely finished the walk, and proceeded to drive to the emergency room and checked myself in.

I'm a stubborn guy. I have refused to get any of the classic "aging" tests done to this point, but because of what happened, the docs ordered everything - EKG's, nuclear stress, catheterization, and yes, colonoscopy and checks on my esophagus.

I just had the procedure done two weeks ago. They also scoped my esophagus at the same time. I think that the probes met in the middle! LOL.

Thank God I came up clean. The only thing that they found was a small hiatel hernia, that was causing an acid reflux problem. This is what probably has caused my recent loss of my high range in my singing voice. That can be handled with Prilosec.

I still have one round of tests left for my heart later this month. So far, so good. What happened to me is now being diagnosed as delayed stress triggered by putting a happy face on a bad situation for far too long. Who knows?

Anyway guys and gals, if you are in your forties, don't wait. Get the full physical, pray for the best, but deal with whatever may be wrong while it is still small.