The colonoscopy thread!

[TenaciousE]

I'm a gastroenterologist. I perform colonoscopies nearly every day. I've never had one myself, but the vast majority of my patients tell me that the prep is the worst part. About half of them remember nothing about the procedure and ask me "When are you going to get started?" when I go in to talk to them after the procedure. So, it's not anybody's idea of fun, but with modern sedation techniques, most people get through it with no or minimal discomfort. I would recommend that you only have the procedure performed by a physican with appropriate training. Of course I am biased, but there are some family practitioners and other primary care docs out there who try to perform colonoscopies and esophagoduodenoscopies (or EGD--going down the mouth to look at the esophagus and stomach) without formal training, especially in more rural areas.

Here's another proctologist joke (I'm not a proctologist--that's a colorectal surgeon):

A proctologist is playing golf with his buddies. He goes to get his pen from his shirt pocket to record his score, but only finds a rectal thermometer. He turns to his friend and asks "Can I borrow your pen, some a--hole has mine."

 

[Marley's Ghost]

I am 48 and have family history of colon cancer (Mom's a survivor). I have been ducking the test for a few years now. I do eat very little meat, take probiotics and multivitamins and exercise almost every day. I go like clockwork. But I guess I should go soon. :scowl:

 

[jrthebassguy]

I had one when i was 15.

The prep was by far the worst part. The stuff I had to drink to clear me out made me throw up more than anything else.

 

[TenaciousE]

I am 48 and have family history of colon cancer (Mom's a survivor). I have been ducking the test for a few years now. I do eat very little meat, take probiotics and multivitamins and exercise almost every day. I go like clockwork. But I guess I should go soon. :scowl:

According to the current recommendations, people with a family history of sporadic colon cancer (not associated with a genetic condition) in a first degree relative (parent or sibling) should start undergoing colonoscopies starting at age 40 or ten years younger than the age at diagnosis of the affect relative, whichever comes first.

 

[Moe Hickey]

I'm a gastroenterologist. I perform colonoscopies nearly every day. I've never had one myself, but the vast majority of my patients tell me that the prep is the worst part. About half of them remember nothing about the procedure and ask me "When are you going to get started?" when I go in to talk to them after the procedure. So, it's not anybody's idea of fun, but with modern sedation techniques, most people get through it with no or minimal discomfort. I would recommend that you only have the procedure performed by a physican with appropriate training. Of course I am biased, but there are some family practitioners and other primary care docs out there who try to perform colonoscopies and esophagoduodenoscopies (or EGD--going down the mouth to look at the esophagus and stomach) without formal training, especially in more rural areas.

Here's another proctologist joke (I'm not a proctologist--that's a colorectal surgeon):

A proctologist is playing golf with his buddies. He goes to get his pen from his shirt pocket to record his score, but only finds a rectal thermometer. He turns to his friend and asks "Can I borrow your pen, some a--hole has mine."

Thanks Doc. It is a gastroenterologist that's gonna do it. It sounds like about 24 hours of pure hassle and then it's over with. It's just part of being a dude.

 

[JimK]

It's just part of being a dude.

Women need to be screened, too.
A colonoscopy is not about checking out the prostrate.

Now, talk about a completely "I need a shower" & somewhat painful procedure-
"Bend over & spread 'em". It may be quick but(t) IMO it hurts.
I'm a Rad-qualified worker & need to go through this every couple years. I've been violated twice...I'm not a happy camper on that day.

Quick story about the time I took my mom to get a colonoscopy-
We're in the recovery ward & this girl in her 20s is just freaking out as she coming off the anesthesia. She saying stuff like "They're going to kill us all", etc.
This was the week after 9-11 & apparently the doctor & nurses were engaged on that as the topic of conversation during her procedure.

 

[dhodgeh]

Just had one this week, and while dreading the prep, it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Of course, taking a nice healthy dump before getting started probably helped.

The procedure itself was nothing. I was home by 9:30 AM, and pretty much had the whole day to goof off. The wife insisted that I do nothing all day - who am I to argue.

To me, the worse part was not being able to eat anything of substance all day Sunday, which is typically my big grilling day of the week. That chicken broth and jello got old real quick.

D

 

[Moe Hickey]

I know women get them too but it just seems to be more of a guy thing to me. Glad to hear yours was ok dhodgeh.

 

[plexibass]

i've never had one but i found out several years ago just how important colon cleansing and a healthy bowel really were. i dont want to gross anyone out but i feel this is really important. i believe that like 70% of your immune system is in your intestines. i have suffer for years with bleeding ulcers and massive irreguarity and was getting really sick 5-6 times a year.. touring, not eating right, for a while drinking far more than is humanly possible and the real killer, stress. i was in an airport and picked up a mens health magazine and it had an article in it about how most men have impacted in their colon about 5 pounds of waste. that freaked me out. it gave the name of this chinese herb combination called TIAO-HE that will really clean you out and restore normalcy to your immune system. i thought what the hell, i'll try anything once. i went and bought some from a local herb shop that is right by my house and started taking it. most amazing stuff in the world. i wont go into the gory details but i no longer get sick, maybe 1 time a year for 2 days and i feel better than i have in 25 years. i still have the ulcers but i found an herbal supressant for them. i have stress ulcers not the bacteria kind. no i do not work for the company that manufactures this product and i have no vested interest either. i have turned several people on to this and they all said they noted an improvement in their health after taking it. just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Fire-Starter]

I am 48 and have family history of colon cancer (Mom's a survivor). I have been ducking the test for a few years now. I do eat very little meat, take probiotics and multivitamins and exercise almost every day. I go like clockwork. But I guess I should go soon. :scowl:

Dude, not trying to get in your buisness, but YES, YOU NEED TO GO!!! from my understanding, colon cancer can develope in a person and they show no symptons until its too late. Get it taken care friend, so you can stick around and enjoy TALKBASS. Just my 2 1/2 cents.

 

[JimK]

I'm with you, Fire-Starter.
My dad was diagnosed the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 1998 & was gone in March 1999. He was 67, looked 10+ years younger & was never sick a day in his life.

The doctor told me this was a gift from my father...an early warning on what may happen to me down the road. If you have a family history, you owe it to your loved ones(living & deceased) to get screened.

 

[pocket_groover]

I put it off for two years ... but now that I've been through it, I wonder why I did. Although I wouldn't look forward to the next one, I'll gladly have it done again just to be safe.

 

[Bassmanbob]

Didn't read the whole thread, but I had one done by the local colo-rectal surgeon who happens to be a very good keyboardist. We played together (music that is) for a Doctor's Day gig a couple of years ago.

The prep was horrible, but I didn't feel a thing after the procedure. Believe me, his exam in the office was much worse than the procedure with the nice Diprivan drip. You'll recognize it. It's the IV that looks like milk.

 

[dirtgroove]

I had one at the age of 20. No anaestestics are really needed, although it could hardly be described as comfortable.
The weirdest part was getting to watch the entire procedure on the extra hugemongous tv screen carefully positioned near my pillow. Highly informative stuff.

 

[Moe Hickey]

Well . . .

here I sit broken hearted

popped four Duocolax and the fun's just started.

 

[pocket_groover]

Well . . .

here I sit broken hearted

popped four Duocolax and the fun's just started.

Good luck!

 

[Stanley Design]

I really want to find some more information on colonix. I'd like to have a cleansing done just to see.

 

[Incognitus]

I'm really wondering why some of you guys have had one at such a young age. Was it a special examination because the doc was worried or something else?

 

[Munjibunga]

It's a laugh a minute. I had an upper and lower on the same day. I told the doctor, "I don't know which end you're going to do first, but remember to wipe that thing off between ends."

Now, a cytoscopy, that's a whole different beast. Ask your doctor for one. Be sure not to Google it before you do.

 

[Kibuddy]

I'm really wondering why some of you guys have had one at such a young age. Was it a special examination because the doc was worried or something else?

They needed a biopsy of my colon to diagnose what was wrong with me (Chron's Disease).

Just for reference, I'm 16 and had it done last year.