Colonoscopy

[Jolie]

At the ripe age of 25, I had a colonoscopy. Honestly, the only miserable part was the prep. I had to take a whole bottle of Miralax the day before. Awful!

The procedure itself, the only problem was my high tolerance for the sedatives used. They kept injecting and injecting and nothing. The doctors were amazed by my tolerance. I managed to stay awake during the procedure but was so out of it it didn't bother me (similar to twilight surgery I have had). I actually found it cool to watch the procedure on the tv screen.

Best part, the nice long refreshing nap!

[Troubadour]

@Jolie no doubt. I also stayed awake and watched the whole thing too.

[Jolie]

@Gene Poule , same thing happened for my endoscopy too. The nurses and doctors were seriously confused on how I could walk after it I was so doped up. Makes me nervous for any serious surgery!

But wasn't it cool to watch? Reassuring too because I could see a nice clean colon haha.

[Troubadour]

Same here no problems. It does make you wonder about waking up in the middle of heart surgury

[Jolie]

Oh geez. Scary thought!

Another reassurance is that I will be OK and not nervous to have a colonoscopy again. I was so nervous it would hurt! I had this colonoscopy because of stomach issues, but my grandfather had colon cancer so it will be very important to have regular ones when I get older.

[MattMar]

Hi Ocenview and thanks for sharing your details. My cousin who is now 60 was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer 2 years ago- not good! Remarkably, she is still going strong and feels great. The only downside is she has to get chemo every 2 weeks. The good news is they cannot detect any cancer cells now. There have been amazing, tremendous advances in treating cancer this decade. I wish you a speedy recovery and a long road ahead! Oh and when I decided to approach my cousin and just discuss her cancer she was so happy to talk about it! No one wanted to say the "C" word let alone talk about it and she needed to talk! People are so fearful they do a disservice I think. It's during times of illness when we need people more than ever!

About colonoscopy- I had one a few years ago. The worst part was the prep. The actual event I was drugged up but I was still able to watch the procedure on the monitor. It was painless! Nothing to fear! Folks are just embarassed and/or ashamed by the body functions and many think it will be painful. Don't put it off, you may be saving your life.

[bigmike0912]

I have been having sharp pains in my lower stomach area and I am thinking that they are going to want to do one of these. Thanks for the info. It makes me alot less nervous to go in now.

[SpaceMatters]

I have been having sharp pains in my lower stomach area and I am thinking that they are going to want to do one of these. Thanks for the info. It makes me alot less nervous to go in now.

Do you have a doc that you see? Stomach pain could be lots of things. But if you are due for one of these tests, go for it. So rare to find a cancer we can so easily catch and beat. Let us know what you decide.

[Billybarz]

I have had both these tests done front and back and they were no fun. Nor did I have any meds to counter the discomfort. I did these when I was late 30s due to a major car accident and they wanted to see after serveral months that all plubming was OK. As steriod injections go.. Iwould get mass trigger points in my metal neck and mid back. Then every 3 months, I would get epidurals around my lower cages to reduce inflammation and push off scar tissue that causes nerve pain. AlarmALARM. These injection will lower you immune system and your chances of catching MRSA just doubled. |

[bigmike0912]

I have a regular doc I go to but Im still havent asked him about it. I guess I should get the guts and tell him.

[pcguyusa]

I think if I keep reading this thread I'll never go to hospital again.

[SpaceMatters]

I hear you @pcguyusa . Hospitals are not fun. Now on the bright side (and this is a stretch) colonoscopies are usually done in clinics.

I don't like tests either. I had so many tests done in April I think, it almost killed me. But after it is done, I feel better and more responsible.

I can't control the pain in my neck but I can control whether or not I get colon cancer, as my mom did. And that is a good thing.

Not trying to be a wet blanket and I do agree w/you, hospitals are not fun.

@billybar , sounds like your medical care after the car crash was not very considerate of you as the patient. Not to be given meds for scope procedures seems wrong to me although I don't know much about endoscopies (is the the word?).

[Billybarz]

@Fireplaces . No it wasn't fun and I was pissed. I had my own meds 10/10 hydros. But, that wasn't the worst test. Evey try taking a Fkn DISCOGRAM? Holly crap.. the entire facility heard me swear (loudly) ever frkn word in the book. This is when they test to C how much your disc is out of place and leaning on a main nerve. The inject a solution in your spine that stings ONLY if you have a disc pushing on a nerve. } had 2 in that area. OMG, I'm a tough guy, but man I almost passed out. This is insurnace purpose. They kneww these other disc where bad, they just had to see how bad the nerves are being affected. You are not strapped to shit, on your side and wide awake. I took 6 30mg Roxis and I didn't do shit. They told me to take my regular meds, but I trpled them. Anyway those discs are gone and left me with nerve damage because I waited way to long to get the operation.

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@Ocean View . I'm so sorry that you have had to endure that. You will be in my thoughts and prayers for a full recovery and other test come back negative.. Have a great weekend.

[SpaceMatters]

@billybar , that's truly horrible. I just don't understand how docs can do that to folks w/out warning them more. Well maybe they figure if they told you how much it would hurt you would run. Can you imagine giving that test as your job everyday? OMG, no way.

And WHY does insurance require such painful test? The whole damn thing is insane, that what I think.

Hate it; really do and there is not much that I do hate.

Pain, hate pain; people that increase/generate it; and policies that prevent it from being treated. And pain can be either physiological or physical.

[Troubadour]

I think if I keep reading this thread I'll never go to hospital again.

To stay on topic my colonoscopy was negitive for everything and I drugged myself up a bit before it. But @pcguyusa I hear you. I don't want to go to an ER ever again

[Billybarz]

@Fireplaces . Amen to that bro. B4 all this I was an positive man that could get ANY thing done. But I wouldn't be the humble man I am today.. the man upstair pounced on me and said slowdown cat daddy. And look around. Well, I try and look at the positives in this condition. U have to keep pushing.

@Fireplaces . Amen to that bro. B4 all this I was an positive man that could get ANY thing done. But I wouldn't be the humble man I am today.. the man upstair pounced on me and said slowdown cat daddy. And look around. Well, I try and look at the positives in this condition. U have to keep pushing.

[SpaceMatters]

@Gene Poule , that is great news and GOOD FOR YOU!!! It's an important test.

My Dad called and his 82 year old girlfriend (my mom died 4 years ago) had her colonoscopy done and they found a tumor. My Dad has been 'dating' this woman for 1 year, maybe more and she is really quite nice.

She has had her colonoscopies done every 3 years, so I am hoping the tumor (although it is malignant) is small and has not perforated the intestinal wall.

Preventing colon cancer is why we have this test. Let's see if it works for my Dad's GF.

I certainly hope so. I will be getting info 3rd hand, but will keep the readers of this thread updated. I do know the his GF met w/the oncologist and the surgery to remove the tumor is scheduled for 3 weeks out.

[Jolie]

@Fireplaces , best of luck to your father's gf.

I definitely will start getting regular ones much earlier than recommended even though my first one at 25 was perfect. My grandfather had colon cancer and because he caught it very early, it turned out just fine. It ran in his family and his older relatives have died. I will not allow that to happen to me!

[littlebirdy]

You guys are freaking me out. Im having a bum cam procedure in two weeks in an attempt to diagnose unexplained right hand side adbominal pain. I hope that they can successfully sedate me.

[themoshx2]

@Fireplaces . No it wasn't fun and I was pissed. I had my own meds 10/10 hydros. But, that wasn't the worst test. Evey try taking a Fkn DISCOGRAM? Holly crap.. the entire facility heard me swear (loudly) ever frkn word in the book. This is when they test to C how much your disc is out of place and leaning on a main nerve. The inject a solution in your spine that stings ONLY if you have a disc pushing on a nerve. } had 2 in that area. OMG, I'm a tough guy, but man I almost passed out. This is insurnace purpose. They kneww these other disc where bad, they just had to see how bad the nerves are being affected. You are not strapped to shit, on your side and wide awake. I took 6 30mg Roxis and I didn't do shit. They told me to take my regular meds, but I trpled them. Anyway those discs are gone and left me with nerve damage because I waited way to long to get the operation.

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@Ocean View . I'm so sorry that you have had to endure that. You will be in my thoughts and prayers for a full recovery and other test come back negative.. Have a great weekend.

Been there; done that! Ouch.