Colonoscopy...

Enjoy the after farts, they can get pretty loud. lol

 

First one at 50. They removed a few polyps. Next one was 3 years later. Now I'm on the 5 year plan.
The prep wasn't that bad. I guess I had it easy compared to some folks.
After my first one I was eating cookies on the way home. Got home and up come back the cookies. After I farted out all the air I was fine.
So,,, Just get it done. It can be serious stuff.

 

Had my first one at 31 yrs old, have had on again off again stomach issues for years so they decided to do a colonoscopy. Didn't find anything unusual except for a couple small polyps they removed. But that gallon of cold, bittersweet 30 day old chicken broth tasting fluid you have to drink the night before is fucking awful.

 

I had my first one 19 years ago when I was 48. I probably should have done it sooner given that colon cancer killed my dad, his mother, and two of his siblings. They removed a couple of polyps that first time and a couple the next time 5 years later. Since then I haven't had to have any more removed and have gotten a clean bill of health so far. As far as prep goes, that first time was nasty but the methods have improved considerably and it's really not that big of a deal now.

As a side note, I'll never forget the date of that first one, Sept. 11, 2001. Yeah, I went in before dawn that morning and when I woke up the world was a different place.

 

They have pills to clean your colon out but it's cheaper for the insurance companies to use the gallon liquid stuff. If you do use the old stuff mix it with sugar freet country time lemonade and make sure your thirsty when you do. It's kind of hard to down a gallon of the fluid to blow you out.....your doctor will thank you!!!!

 

When I had my 1st I had to get it done by the last day of June that year for my insurance to cover 100%. If I waited until July I'd have had to pay the deductible. They told me to come in at 7 AM on the last working day of June and they'd work me in. They took me back around 8ish and gave me something to relax me. It worked for a while, but it was after 12 noon before they started the procedure and it was long worn off. I was wide awake through the whole thing. It is a little weird feeling the air blowing inside you and feeling your gut fill up like a balloon. I watched everything on the monitor. It was not a pleasant experience and I almost didn't go back for the 2nd one.

The prep 6 years ago was much better than before. Instead of drinking the whole gallon the night before I was told to drink about 2/3 then go to bed. Then get up the next AM early and finish the drink at least 2 hours before the procedure. Breaking it up made a big difference to me.

The solution you have to drink isn't so bad going down, but it has an oily, greasy texture to it and a horrible after taste. It's tolerable at first, but the more you drink the worse it gets. For the 1st timers, once you drink 8oz you might as well head to the throne and have a seat. It's coming out the other end in a minute or 2.

You can drink other stuff along with the solution as long as it doesn't have any colored dyes in it. I would chug an 8 oz glass of the solution and then immediately chase it with a mouthful of Frost flavored Gatorade. That made a big difference to me to get rid of the after taste.

Every other time my appointments have been early morning, this time it is 3PM. I can eat later in the day the day prior, but I'm still concerned about going that long without eating.

I think you're confusing something else. You do take a laxative 1st, then drink the gallon solution to clean out your colon.

There is a relatively new procedure where you swallow a miniature camera and as it passes through your intestines it records everything. When you pass it they recover it and download the images. But it is more expensive, it isn't as good, it can't remove polyps if it sees them. They'd still have to go back in if anything is found. And you still have to do the prep. If I've got to do the prep anyway they might as well stick the camera up my butt. I'm asleep anyway.

 

Thanks for the info about the camera. I'm sure it reduces some of the malpractice suits on doctors who tear the colon while they're in there. The pills is what the pharmacist told me about. I've never taken them. But I'm with you if the camera doesn't do anything go in for the long procedure as long as you are asleep. Your a HERO in my book if you were awake for the long exam. No way would I want to be awake for this procedure......LOL and thanks for the gatorade chaser...I'll try that next time. And they're will be a next time. I have severe hemorrhoids...

 

I`ve had two colonoscopies over the years. Had to take some pills then drink this crap called Fleet. Pleasing lemon lime flavor my ass!
Went in early in the morning and before they started they asked if I was ready. I said "tell me I`m pretty first". Nurse was not amused. Went to sleep and woke up feeling fine. The second one when the doctor came in I asked "halt, who goes there, friend or enema". He said he was going to use that line and laughed right up until he stuck the camera in my ass. When I woke up my wife was telling me how embarrassed she was while I was in recovery. She was speaking to the nurse in the hall when I let loose a ten second long foghorn. Nurse told her that`s just what we wanted. Years before I had an external hemorrhoid removed. Doc sent me home with instructions to come back in a week for a checkup. When I did he asked how the stool softener worked for my first after surgery dump. I said thanks a lot but you didn`t tell me about the softener. My God was that painful. I swear I crapped a bowling ball wrapped in barbed wire. When my father in law had his first colonoscopy they didn`t use any anasthetic. He said that was terrible. Afterwards his doctor had to have one and stated, from now on all my patients will have anasthetic. To all you people out there: Have it done! It may save your life. It`s not as bad as all the horror stories that you hear.

 

Ask up front if the doctor speaks plain english, or take someone fully awake with you to interpret. My so-called doctor was interested only in his own production numbers. Saw him for 2 seconds afterward, uttered a few words, broken english I think, then poof he was gone.

 

Yeah that sounds like a doctor ... "Love ya then leave ya!!"

 

Well, splitting the prep between the night before and the morning of has practical implications.

I’m prepping for my second in one year. My father died from colon cancer almost 20 years ago- not a pretty way to go.

The prep for most recent one had me do it all the night before. The results from that one was that I had a membrane coating my colon...could be C-Diff or any list of crazy things. They gave me a bunch of copied articles that did not put me at ease...one was about chronic cocaine use and colon problems..Never did coke...I’m thinking I’m gonna end up with a bag..

So the local MDs were stumped and it took me 6 months to get in w a specialist. After
Me telling the story like Arlo Guthrie singing Alices Restaurant- he tells me he’s no at all concerned about the ‘membrane’.

Long story short- if you do the prep too early, your liver continues to produce bile that’ll coat your colon. If your MD is not competent in doing colonoscopies, they probably won’t know that info..

Then the VID hits and everything’s put off. Finally getting it done tomorrow.

I hope this info helps someone in the future.

Good luck to all

 

You'll do fine and don't feel the dread like your going down the tube. If you had the big "C" you would know it by now. But I'd rather be safe than sorry. Your already ahead of the curve by seeing a doctor. I would say most guys and girls won't go out of fear the colonoscopy. You took a big step and you are to be congratulated for that. Keep this blog posted on what is going on. Really curious to see what is happening.....

 

49 years old and just scheduled my first one December 15th at 7:00 am. Any tips on mixing the bad stuff? They said take 4 exlax pills and Miriax i think?

 

Just saw this.
Thanks @rme . This isn't my first rodeo. My first one was soon after my father died. That was the only one where they found and removed a couple of pre-cancerous polyps.

I’ve had a couple more up to the one last year.

 

By the time you know you have colon cancer because you are experiencing symptoms, it's probably too late. A friend of mine and his late wife both had the procedure at age 55; they found stage four cancer with her and she was blindsided by the diagnosis. She died in less than 2 years.

50 years old is about right for most people to have it done, any sort of family history and you should go much sooner. Don't sweat it, the prep will give you some good stories to share and the procedure itself is a breeze.

 

Update. All went well with mine. 2 polyps removed. Neither were cancer, but one had the potential to develop into cancer so they want me back in 4 years this time.

They started me early (41) because they found cancer in my dads colon when he was 62. They had to remove a section of his colon and he did some treatments. He never had any issues and it never returned. He died almost 8 years ago just before his 90th birthday.

The one thing that helped make the prep easier for me was some type of chaser to get the aftertaste out of my mouth. I used frost flavored Gatorade, but anything with no dye could work. Call the office and ask if in doubt about what you can have. They told me nothing with red or orange dye.