Wellness

[aubnwa01]

When I had my 1st one, the recommended age to start screening for colon cancer was 50 & now, I think they've lowered it to age 45. 

I think the actor, Chadwick Boseman, was only 43 when he died of colon cancer.  The 1st time I ever heard of colon cancer was a young woman of only 29 years old from where I worked at the phone co. dying of it back in the late 1970's.

No one loves getting a colonoscopy, but it beats dealing with colon cancer, especially when it's so easily dealt with at an early & treatable stage by early detection & screening.

[Auntie CC]

Drink all of the Preps thru a straw. It goes down easier for me

[Shelbelle]

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@vsm wrote:

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@Shelbelle wrote:

I have had 2, I only take pills, lots of pills but they sure do the trick!!! My gastro doc is very laid back, if you do your research and prefer one prep over the other he will sign off on it. His main concern is getting patients tested, not worrying over one prep from the other. Pills were my choice, and both times he said my prep was very complete. 

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I took the pills for my 1st procedure, and they worked well. My doctor wouldn't let me have them for the next 2 procedures, because of reports that some patients suffered kidney damage from them. I took GoLitely and Suprep for those. They worked just as well, but of course were harder to take.

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The pills I used the first time were called, Visicol, they were removed from the market. Now, they use Citrate Magnesium in pill form instead of a liquid, I took these in 2016 and they worked great, friend of mine just used them recently and said same thing. Also my gastro doc gives the pills for free, some of the preps are very costly. 

[shoesnbags]

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@aubnwa01 wrote:

When I had my 1st one, the recommended age to start screening for colon cancer was 50 & now, I think they've lowered it to age 45. 

I think the actor, Chadwick Boseman, was only 43 when he died of colon cancer.  The 1st time I ever heard of colon cancer was a young woman of only 29 years old from where I worked at the phone co. dying of it back in the late 1970's.

No one loves getting a colonoscopy, but it beats dealing with colon cancer, especially when it's so easily dealt with at an early & treatable stage by early detection & screening.

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@aubnwa01 

My close friend died of colon cancer at the age of 39.  None of her doctors thought to connect her symptoms to colon cancer because of her age. And by the time it was diagnosed it had spread to her liver. She died within a short time. Needless to say,I started my colonoscopies as soon as I turned 50. Glad to see that they lowered the age to 45.

[Luvsmyfam]

@aubnwa01 this is what I had,and I managed to get it all down

[Furgirl]

"I've lost track of how many times I've done this"

@Furgirl 

So many you've lost track? Dental Cleanings I can buy, but not knowing the number of times you had a Colonoscopy! 

Well, I have Crohn's disease, so I've had a "bazillion" since 1998. Sometimes more than once a year. I'm too lazy to do the math. 

[BirkiLady]

 Scheduled for Wednesday, 10/20/2021, for my colonoscopy. Picked up SUPREP this morning, which I've used before. Was stunned that with Medicare/BC-BS it cost $113.32 (have forgotten the cost). I'll gladly pay for it, but why isn't this treated as a preventative medication - or at least like my other RX's, which are covered through Cigna? (Glad it's being done this year!)

My dad died of colon cancer 33 years ago; it's a painful, wicked death even with many surgeries. He fought it for many years with surgeries, chemo, radiation . . . all of which zapped the quality of his life forever. 

I've been having this procedure since my early 40's due to the high risk. At 73, I'm fortunate to be on the "5-year plan" to ensure I remain free of colon cancer.

My son takes me each time and we celebrate afterward with a large brunch at a favorite restaurant! Then I sleep it off.  

[Icegoddess]

The problem with the pills was that people weren't drinking enough liquid.  You still needed to drink the same volume of liquid as with the standard prep becuase you lose so much.  That was what was causing the kidney problems from what I read and why they took them off the market.  A pharmacist recommended I not get the pills because I have difficulty swallowing pills and he said they weren't small and he didn't thnk they could be cut in half. 

First time I had the Go-Lytely and last time I had the Dulcolax/Miralax prep where you take some Dulcolax the night before your prep and then mix Miralax mixed in your liquid of choice, lots of it.  I would've preferred the 2nd option except, as someone else mentioned earlier, I have difficulty getting large amounts of liquid down in such a short amount of time.  I don't see how someone mentioned chasing it with tea as I was running over and having to follow up immediately with the next dose.  And all of the approved liquid were way too sweet.  

While the Go-Lytely was bad, with the other method I did end up throwing it back up (while sitting on the toilet), but it was just too much liquid on my stomach.  It just couldn't take it.  I refuse to do that again.  I'll do the prep, but I will not rush drinking it.  I don't care if I have to start earlier to be able to take more time.  Maybe I'll look into that 2-day prep next time.  Luckily, I'm on the 10 year plan.  

[qvcaddition]

I had a colonospcopy and endoscopy at the same time.  No fun, but didn't feel a thing.  They used some good stuff, I was floating and talking at the same time.

This was a couple of years ago, this would be my last one they said because of my age. I was 82 at the time. Everything was OK.

The prep is miserable, worst than the procedure.

Years ago in my 70's I had to fight to get one, because they did a signmoscopy and it showed no polopys. I still insisted and they found 3 polopys, two could have been cancerous. They weren't.  So when my son used the kind of test you mail in and at age 60, he won't get a colonoscopy because of the mail in test showing nothing, I let him know what happen to me and glad I insisted.  

[hckynut]

@qvcaddition 

Have had 3 of the combined Endo/Colonoscopy Procedures. They all were in the hospital as an in-patient. The Anesthesia used was Fentanyl and Midazolam(Versed).

No different aftereffects than just having an Endoscopy. Short time in Recovery Room, and then taken back to my room. Up walking my miles in the hallways within 15 minutes. Those Anesthetics or Sodium Pentothal ever gave me any issues after, regardless of the procedure or surgeries.

Have Barrett's Esophagus Syndrome so now am on an every 2 year Endoscopy regimen. Originally were every 3 months to every 6 months, for several years. Then annually to now to biennial.Due before the end of this year.

Gallon of GoLytely or Nulytely for my 15 Colonoscopies and my 5 Double Balloon Enteroscopies. My feeling? I have been through much worse. But as you say, prep is the most difficult part for many.

hckynut