Colonoscopy day tomorrow

I just had my first colposcopy in August. The prep sucks, but not nearly as bad as everyone says it’s going to. Get them done. No reason to avoid it. I believe I’m going to be on the five year plan, if not three, since they found precancerous polyps (3 of them).

I was in twilight sedation and actually woke up for the end of the procedure. I remember watching the camera as they retracted. Didn’t feel anything, so it was a bit surreal.

Next time, I’m going to remember to get online and buy some parts. I think I can buy a good amount of stuff before my wife yanks my cards, lol.
 
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BlueC said:
So you're going to play the "oh no, I was on drugs and didn't know what I was doing" card? You better make sure to burn the shopping list when you're done. :LOL:
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That’s why you have a build list that is constantly maintained and updated. It’s in my head.

Truth be told, I really wasn’t that out of it after my procedure. My appt was something like 3 pm, so I was ravenously hungry after . We went out for dinner, watched some TV and I went to bed a little early. Woke up the next day just like normal.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
I haven't actually had to get one (I'm 40) but I'll make sure to remember that when the time comes.

I did actually look for a female urologist when I thought I might need a prostate check but couldn't really find any in the area that treated men. Maybe I'll have better luck with the gastroenterologist. 🤣

A man did my vasectomy but the way I knew the Valium was working was when his attractive young assistant wiped me down with an alcohol swab and I wasn't the slightest bit concerned about it.
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I read something a few months ago about how to choose your doctors. I can't remember where I saw it but the gist of what it was getting at was that you need to be careful you aren't getting an affirmative action box check as a doctor.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
My dad has the opposite issue
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freedom_in_4low said:
And that was before the electrophysiologist kept trying to schedule him for an AV node ablation that his cardiologist says he doesn't need.
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Your Dad and I are opposite. I went in for simple day surgery ages ago when they put me under I stopped breathing. They had to use the paddles because my heart stopped.

The bottom half started working the top half didn't. The next day they zapped my heart a few more times but no change. I don't recommend getting 400 watts while awake.

A few years later I asked my cardiologist about having an AV node ablation because it could get my heart working again.

He said first it would take three surgeries each time there is a three percent chance I could die. Then with my condition there is a 300 percent higher chance I would have a stroke compared to others.

Then he said in one year 50 percent the top part of the heart stops again, in five years 100 percent stop. The risk isn't worth the reward.

I should have hip, and knee replacement but my cardiologist said when I'm in a wheelchair we will talk about it.

I had to have my appendix removed it was gangrene I almost died. I had to wait two days while the cardiologists argued about what to do about my heart before the surgery.

There are a lot of people dealing with a lot worse than me so I just keep plugging along.
 
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Apparition said:
I read something a few months ago about how to choose your doctors. I can't remember where I saw it but the gist of what it was getting at was that you need to be careful you aren't getting an affirmative action box check as a doctor.
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That has become a concern of mine. I really don't know how to shake them out other than to just talk and ask questions.
 
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Apparition said:
First step, ask their thoughts on vaccines. ;)
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Yeah, that's a good topic. My primary hasn't pushed "the vax", but generically mentions it at each visit. It's very scripted, I know it's required, but I don't know her personal opinion, which I guess is also good.
 
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mxz800 said:
Your Dad and I are opposite. I went in for simple day surgery ages ago when they put me under I stopped breathing. They had to use the paddles because my heart stopped.

The bottom half started working the top half didn't. The next day they zapped my heart a few more times but no change. I don't recommend getting 400 watts while awake.

A few years later I asked my cardiologist about having an AV node ablation because it could get my heart working again.

He said first it would take three surgeries each time there is a three percent chance I could die. Then with my condition there is a 300 percent higher chance I would have a stroke compared to others.

Then he said in one year 50 percent the top part of the heart stops again, in five years 100 percent stop. The risk isn't worth the reward.

I should have hip, and knee replacement but my cardiologist said when I'm in a wheelchair we will talk about it.

I had to have my appendix removed it was gangrene I almost died. I had to wait two days while the cardiologists argued about what to do about my heart before the surgery.

There are a lot of people dealing with a lot worse than me so I just keep plugging along.
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That sounds terrible.

My dad is dealing with a-fib that he seems to have gotten as a complication of hyperthyroidism. The heart seems to like to stay in a particular rhythm the longer it's been in it, and his previous doctors screwed around with the hyperthyroidism for years before finally killing his thyroid and by that point he'd been in and out of a-fib so much that he wouldn't stay out. He's had a couple of ablations that worked for 8 years, then 2, and then he went back in a couple months ago and that's when his cardio decided to do the pacemaker. His resting pulse is about 40 so the pacemaker serves not only to force his heart into rhythm and hold it hopefully long enough to stick, but also to set a floor for his pulse rate when taking A-fib drugs that lower your pulse as a side effect. I don't know the specific details other than what they've told me, but he and his cardiologist don't want the AV node ablation because I guess the heart at that point is completely dependent on the pacemaker to beat at all.
 
Get it done! Was high risk due to family history so got mine at 35, was worth it as they removed a few bits and on a 5 yr cycle now.

Prep is one bad day of drinking as much mirolax Gatorade as possible with some bone broth for protein. Not the worst thing in the world

Most insurance covers the procedure at 100% since it’s deemed preventative care.
 
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Apparition said:
I read something a few months ago about how to choose your doctors. I can't remember where I saw it but the gist of what it was getting at was that you need to be careful you aren't getting an affirmative action box check as a doctor.
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for sure.

I don't mean to imply that I'm down on doctors in general but the proportion of those capable of critical thought to solve more complex issues vs the ones that just learned to regurgitate from their training and/or textbooks is similar to any other profession. I don't think of it as a race thing but I do think there's a cultural component behind whether someone's normal state is to blindly accept what they're told or think for themselves.
 
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IPerkWVU said:
Get it done! Was high risk due to family history so got mine at 35, was worth it as they removed a few bits and on a 5 yr cycle now.

Prep is one bad day of drinking as much mirolax Gatorade as possible with some bone broth for protein. Not the worst thing in the world

Most insurance covers the procedure at 100% since it’s deemed preventative care.
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curious, what's considered family history? My maternal grandma had some colon removed due to cancer around age 70, but she's the only one and she had other risk factors like chronic stress related gut issues and decades of tobacco use.
 
BlueC said:
Yeah, that's a good topic. My primary hasn't pushed "the vax", but generically mentions it at each visit. It's very scripted, I know it's required, but I don't know her personal opinion, which I guess is also good.
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The nurse asks me each visit about the vax and flu shots. The Doc wants me to get a flu shot, but understand why I no longer will - because she agrees with us (wife and I) on the clot shot. "All trust has been shattered."
 
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I hope everything went well.

I had my first one done two weeks ago, at 54 years old. My prep was a couple of bottles with about 12oz of stuff to drink in them. It went down super easy, then just had to drink a bunch of water after that, which was also easy since I drink 3/4-1 gallon of water a day anyway. The hard part of the prep, was having to go pee acid out my rearend so often....lol. And they didn't give me anything to relax until after they had me roll on my side and expose myself. I would have much rather been given a little something prior to rolling on my side. There were a handful of very nice nurses in there. I believe they had to give me 3-4 shots of whatever it was. I remember telling them that I didn't feel anything yet, then I woke up in recovery. 1 polyp removed, non-cancerous. Overall the process was no big deal at all. Just had to deal with some serious Monkey Butt leading into it....lol
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
That sounds terrible.

My dad is dealing with a-fib that he seems to have gotten as a complication of hyperthyroidism. The heart seems to like to stay in a particular rhythm the longer it's been in it, and his previous doctors screwed around with the hyperthyroidism for years before finally killing his thyroid and by that point he'd been in and out of a-fib so much that he wouldn't stay out. He's had a couple of ablations that worked for 8 years, then 2, and then he went back in a couple months ago and that's when his cardio decided to do the pacemaker. His resting pulse is about 40 so the pacemaker serves not only to force his heart into rhythm and hold it hopefully long enough to stick, but also to set a floor for his pulse rate when taking A-fib drugs that lower your pulse as a side effect. I don't know the specific details other than what they've told me, but he and his cardiologist don't want the AV node ablation because I guess the heart at that point is completely dependent on the pacemaker to beat at all.
Click to expand...

My Mom had the same issues. Finally got the pacemaker and lasted until she was 92. I think she was just worn out after raising 7 kids, pretty much by herself.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
curious, what's considered family history? My maternal grandma had some colon removed due to cancer around age 70, but she's the only one and she had other risk factors like chronic stress related gut issues and decades of tobacco use.
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My dad was diagnosed about two years ago, prompted me to get checked early. After seeing that it was covered by insurance at an earlier age due to that factor, figured it was worth two days of inconvenience to get checked.

With most colon cancer being such a slow growth type, prevention is key!
 
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WARNING TMI

Suck it up buttercup. I’ve had 2 and the next will be early next year. A stool test is good but not as definitive as a Colonoscopy. The prep is the worst part either Go Lightly, (not even close to it’s name) or Citric of Magnesia. Back in the day some Drs gave castor oil. The key with the prep is to put it in the freezer before you drink it. This makes it more palatable. If you screw up the prep and they can not see when they put in the scope you have to do it all over again. When I was in the medical field I sat in on a few of these because some Drs want an x-ray before to make sure the prep was successful. Any Dr who does not use sedation is a Sadist. They use conscious sedation which means you are awake but you will not remember a thing. They want you awake because you have to turn around on the table and follow instructions so the Dr can route the scope around the colon. You want him to do his best work. The thing with conscious sedation is that the pt says some great things. Your real personality comes out. I always apologize for what I’m about to say before they start.
Yes the prep sucks and its embarrassing to know someone stuck something up your but. Colon cancer is horrible. Only cure if caught early is surgery with a bowel resection or colostomy and chemo. No radiation possible since it will cause more harm than good. Colon cancer is diagnosed by having a lower GI. The colon if filled with a X-ray contrast which allows the Dr to see it. Its called an Apple Core because of its shape.
We men like to put off seeing a Dr because we are afraid to hear the results. I spent 20yrs as a X-ray tech and Radiation Therapist. I can not tell you how many times I had a patient who waited too long before seeing a Dr and by that time it was too late. My Mother did this with her breast cancer. Most Cancer is very treatable if caught early and the patient follows the protocols. Howard Stern just lost a good friend of his show because he did not follow the protocol. He had Lymphoma which is almost always treated successfully. The Big C sucks but it does not mean a death sentence.
 
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Go Lightly sucks, and Mag Citrate is a gut bomb. I'd run away from any doc that wanted me to use Mag Citrate, and there are MUCH better preps on the market now than Go Lightly. Not everybody needs sedation - its all in your internal configuration and psychological comfort level.
 
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