topic Re: Colonoscopy in Wellness

Colonoscopy

LBird — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:51:22 GMT

Good Morning to all,

I would like to say Thank You to each and everyone of you for helping me and guilding me thought my colonoscopy . I did not know what to expect . I had the processor done this week and I would say yes the hardest part of it all was the prep drinking the stuff was not to bad untill the very last little bit. All went well and now that I've done it I can say I'm happy that I did. I did have some very small polyps the doctor said there is nothing to worry about . He will have them sent off to be tested just to make sure but in his opinion there is nothing to worry about. Thank You to each and everyone .

Re: Colonoscopy

hoosieroriginal — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:53:17 GMT

I will never have a colonoscopy - but after I get my Medicare in May, I will ave dr horder a Cologuard which is done by DNA. I have no family history.

Re: Colonoscopy

AspenGrove — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:23:57 GMT

@LBird - So glad you had the procedure and that all went well!

@hoosieroriginal, you may want to rethink your decision. I had the Cologuard test and it gave negative results. However, at the urging of my doctor, I also had a baseline colonoscopy – even though I had no family history. Well, guess what? I had one polyp and that polyp was found to have the beginnings of cancer growing inside. Thank goodness I listened to my doc. The polyp was removed and I required no further treatment other than another colonoscopy a year later, and then every 3 years after that, which I’m happy to do. I remain fine.

The gastroenterologist told me that I saved my own life because had I not had that initial colonoscopy, the polyp would have grown and spread into full blown colon cancer. She explained that Cologuard does NOT find cancerous polyps all the time in every person, which is why colonoscopies remain (today) the only way to know for sure. Newer processes/technologies are being tested (including Cologuard), she said, but none have had the same 100% results as the colonoscopy standard at this point.

Re: Colonoscopy

itsmagic — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:19:45 GMT

@LBird I'm so glad it went well and that you had it done! Especially since they found and removed the small polyps!

Re: Colonoscopy

Keeper of the koi — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:10:22 GMT

@LBird, yay, knew you would be fine, enjoy your peace of mind. Stay well,wishing you peace and health!Maryanne

Re: Colonoscopy

hckynut — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:21:29 GMT

@LBird

Good to hear you have had the procedure and that all went well for you. Appreciate you letting everyone here that know that telling you their experiences made this easier for you. You did you and your loved ones a favor by going through with this procedure. It is always better to be aware of what is happening on the parts of our anatomy that we cannot see.

hckynut(john)

Re: Colonoscopy

Yardlie — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 15:55:22 GMT

@hoosieroriginal... I agree with @hckynut that you may want to reconsider the colonoscopy. I had a friend die in her 40's due to colon cancer...and she had absolutely no history of any kind of cancer in her family.

I have another friend here where I live now. She had the Cologuard test done about 1 l/2 years ago. No colon cancer in her family, so the doctor ok'd it for her. The test showed that everything was fine.

About six weeks ago, she began having rectal bleeding. The doctor insisted on a colonoscopy. Sure enough...she had 7 polyps removed, and six of them were precancerous. One showed some cancer cells. Now she has to have a colonoscopy every year. Thank God she caught it early!

It's just one more test to do as our bodies mature, and you can heave a sigh of relief if things come back good. Mine showed two polyps and that I need re-testing every 5 years...a small price to pay to catch things early.

Re: Colonoscopy

2blonde — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 15:34:49 GMT

@hoosieroriginal I hope you will reconsider the colonoscopy. My doc finally talked me into it a few years ago. Of course, the worst of it was drinking that stuff, but that's only for one day. I literally slept through the whole procedure (they checked the upper GI too). When I woke up they were wheeling me back to my waiting sister. She drove me home, and I proceded to pig out on real food! In my case, there were no polyps or other issues, so I was cleared for 10 years. It was a really good feeling to know I was OK, and not be just "hoping."

Re: Colonoscopy

Yardlie — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:05:15 GMT

@LBird wrote:
Good Morning to all,
I would like to say Thank You to each and everyone of you for helping me and guilding me thought my colonoscopy . I did not know what to expect . I had the processor done this week and I would say yes the hardest part of it all was the prep drinking the stuff was not to bad untill the very last little bit. All went well and now that I've done it I can say I'm happy that I did. I did have some very small polyps the doctor said there is nothing to worry about . He will have them sent off to be tested just to make sure but in his opinion there is nothing to worry about. Thank You to each and everyone .

@LBird ... So happy to hear you had your colonoscopy and that it came out well. After the colonoscopy, I always feel like "it was no big deal." The prep for the second colonoscopy I had about a year ago was much easier than the one I had ten years ago. That one took about 5 days to prepare for it...avoiding certain foods, etc. This last one was only 2 days of avoiding foods and the prep day. Hope it keeps getting easier! You did yourself and your family a big favor having that test...and now you have peace of mind.

Re: Colonoscopy

twinny70 — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:06:16 GMT

I had my 10 year colonoscopy recheck in November & although the prep was not fun I am so thankful that I had it done. My Dr. found 3 polyps & burned them off. I also have NO family history. I now need to go back every 5 years instead of 10 years.

Re: Colonoscopy

hckynut — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 17:03:48 GMT

@AspenGrove

Thanks for sharing your story. Glad to hear you acted on your doctors advice. When there is a Gold Standard for possibly saving a person, and their loved ones, from a painful end to their lives. Why would anyone settle for less? A rhetorical question, food for thought.

Maybe only 1 person here will see your story and really hear what you have said. Those sharing their personal experiences with both of these tests, tells what could actually happen.

I have no genetic predisposition for Esophageal cancer, but had I not had my first Endoscopy? I found out that I had Barrett's Esophagus, a pre-cancerous issue. Had I not followed through with the oral prescription and regular followup Endoscopies, and my symptoms? Absolutely zero!

hckynut(john)

Re: Colonoscopy

AspenGrove — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:43:27 GMT

@hckynut - What a thoughtful reply! Thank you so very much for your kind words.

Like you, I believe in sharing our own stories as a way to help others. My gastro told me I was the "poster child" for why everyone, even without family history, needs a baseline colonoscopy. She urged me to tell all friends and family, which I did. And every single one of them who hadn't had the procedure yet did so because of what happened to me. So proud of them and, quite frankly, of me! You and I are both living proof of why preventative medicine is always the way to go.

Re: Colonoscopy

3suwm5 — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 18:57:19 GMT

@LBird Congrats. on your test. Sounds like everything went well. I'm happy that our discussion helped you proceed.

You can rest easy now and maybe help others understand that this test has gotten a bad wrap for years. It was more involved years back, but these days - a breeze.

Enjoy your good news!! Continued good health.

A good friend of ours passed away from colon cancer a fews years back. The protocall that he went through for treatment, was a 1000% harder than any colonoscopies would ever be. Just a thought from a real life fight.

Re: Colonoscopy

GCR18 — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 19:14:58 GMT

Great news. I was scared to death to have my first one based on reading threads here. I put it off a couple years. After I did it, I thought that wasn't that bad. Of course, you don't want to do it more often than you have to. It was a wise decision. I have a friend going through colon cancer treatment now. He postponed his test. It's not a good situation.

Re: Colonoscopy

Ibby114 — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 00:11:33 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
I will never have a colonoscopy - but after I get my Medicare in May, I will ave dr horder a Cologuard which is done by DNA. I have no family history.

@hoosieroriginal

My BIL is a GI doctor, he told me that a very small percentage of colon cancer cases are genetic.

Re: Colonoscopy

Shelbelle — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 21:50:15 GMT

I see very little to no value to Cologuard, bite the bullet and go for the gold standard, it is not that bad. Cologuard will not detect and remove polyps which needs to be done, they are what cause cancer in the first place.

Re: Colonoscopy

Susan in California — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 06:40:12 GMT

I had a Colonoscopy this morning. So glad the whole procedure/prep is over.

At the same time I had an Endoscopy. Both came out fine, and I am hoping the next will be in ten years.

The procedure was quick and with anesthesia I managed to sleep through it all.

My husband was waiting for me while the doctor came in for a brief evaluation of

how it went.

I was groggy for a few hours, but soon I was back to normal.

I do believe having a colonoscopy is important. My lifelong friend who has never been sick, ended up with colon cancer and is now in hospice care. Her mother is living with her, and she is 100! Her whole family is incredibly healthy, so this was a curve ball for sure.

I asked her if she had had any symptoms. She said she felt tired but thought it was just the aging process. I'm so sad for my dear friend. I love her so much.

Re: Colonoscopy

hondagirl — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 16:29:35 GMT

I did Cologuard and I had no family history of cancer. My Cologuard came out positive and had to have a coloboscopy done. 4 polyps were found.. Thank you Cologuard.

Re: Colonoscopy

SeaMaiden — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 16:42:24 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
I will never have a colonoscopy - but after I get my Medicare in May, I will ave dr horder a Cologuard which is done by DNA. I have no family history.

@hoosieroriginal

“I have no family history of colorectal cancer, therefore I am not likely to develop colorectal cancer.”

Although a family history of colorectal cancer does significantly elevate one’s risk, not having a family history does not mean a person is immune to the disease. “Approximately one in 20 Americans will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime, and the majority of these patients do not have a first-degree relative with this disease,”

Re: Colonoscopy

hckynut — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 21:38:14 GMT

hondagirl wrote:

I did Cologuard and I had no family history of cancer. My Cologuard came out positive and had to have a coloboscopy done. 4 polyps were found.. Thank you Cologuard.

And the procedure that you had to remove the source was? While a tourniquet will stop the bleeding, it is not the final step. While it certainly treats the symptom, it does not treat the source. Bleeding you can see, which makes it 100% positive for one to see, and treat. Cologard on the other hand is far from 100% accurate.

If a Cologard came back with a False Negative and was wrong, and that person believed it to be 100%? If it's right, as in this OP's case, great. In other cases when there it comes with a False Negative? Not so much.

@hondagirl, glad that this is what got you to have the Gold Standard procedure that possibly saved you from colon cancer.

I personally believe in taking the best and/or shortest and surest way from point A to point B. If others choose the longer route, my hope is that they don't arrive too late.

hckynut(john)