Maybe the colonoscopist forgot and left something behind.

Which reminds me, I've wondered from time to time what makes a person decide -- nay, aspire -- to become a colonoscopist?

Some people will do ANYTHING for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!;)

Well the procedure started out with the wrong patients chart. Wasn't caught till question 6, when he asked how many children I gave birth to? I sure hope they took an inventory of tools afterwards. I'll be sending some solid waste down stream soon. :rolleyes:

I recently had a physical, but the doctor offered another option to the colonoscopy that is much simpler. It involves placing a small smear of feces on a card from three separate bowel movements. It is supposed to be just as effective in spotting cancer as the colonoscopy. There is no barium enema and no risk of a perforated colon, nor any anesthetic or missing work. You do restrict certain food items for about a week before taking the samples. This test needs to be done every year, whereas a colonoscopy can be done only every ten years.

I would not trust the stool test. At 47, I am now a four month survivor of stage 3 colorectal cancer. First and only sign was blood on my stool - STOOL TEST SHOWED NOTHING!! :eek: Everyone thought haemorrhoids, luckily my Dr. still booked a barium, something showed, colonoscopy proved cancer - pT3,N0,R0,V0 was the determination after surgery (removed 90% of my rectum and part of my sigmoid colon 3/29/2007). 1 layer of cells away from having it spread - timing and location was my saving grace. Extremely lucky to need no radiation or chemotherapy - only a 5% increase in survival rate (75%). I suggest this thread be made a sticky and everyone over 40 read it.

My riding has been very therapeutic.

On the upside I am no longer a complete a**hole! :p

I do this twice a year with the VA more or less a chance type finding using this method

My colonoscopy was done this morning @ 7:00 no worries no problems. Nothing a big relief as the VA contracted an outside source and usually they do not do this unless they feel it the utmost importance.
A very simple,simple procedure with zero pain.
The worst part is drinking the liquid, the fun part passing gas after the colonoscopy.


The GoLytely is a salt type solution mixed with sodium bicabonate, sodium potassium and other minerals, taste like salt water from the ocean

I'm going to take the pills instead of drinking the liquid prior to the colonoscopy. I know a couple people at work who had horrible reactions to the liquid (extreme diarrhea, nausea) but no problems with the pills. Another person I know didn't experience much of anything unusual taking the pills, but was "cleaned up" fine for the scope. With my work insurance the liquid stuff is free, and the pills cost $15. Well worth it to avoid possible nausea IMHO.

Geez, this reminds me that I have a couple 50+ tests to schedule in the next few months. I've been putting off one particular exam that was ordered by my Dr early this year due to some questionable growths. Maybe I've been sticking my head in the sand because I so do NOT like anything to do with doctors, examining tables, needles, backless gowns, and cold speculums. This thread reminds me that all of this is still better risking a lot worse.

---Ally

You don't like backless gowns? They are great for those hot summer days when you are riding a century....

I saw this and am thinking....aw....here? But....great idea, great post and great encouragement. I have had them done and encourage it. Have friend that got CC and is now symptom free for 2 years. Not that big a deal to get the procedure done....just sounds awful.

You speak with great wisdom. Listen to him, everybody.

"Which reminds me, I've wondered from time to time what makes a person decide -- nay, aspire -- to become a colonoscopist?"

Well you see, its like this. When I was a medical student one of the faculty came to me and said, "Son, would you like to be able to get in 18 holes a day?" I swear I thought I was signing up for golf lessons......

Had mine last spring. clean as a whistle and my wife says I'm a perfect *** hole

going in at 7am tomorrow...

I'm still waiting for the office to call me to schedule the appointment. The way they do it, they mail you the forms to fill out (or you print them from their web site, which I did), you complete the forms and mail them to the office which is about 20 minutes from my home, then wait for someone call to schedule the appointment. The forms were mailed last Thursday.... should have arrived on Friday... it's Tuesday now. Does this seem like a strange practice? I'm anxious to get the show on the road... so to speak.

A very prominent and well-liked news anchorman in the L.A. area passed away this morning, apparently less than a week after being diagnosed with colon cancer that spread to his liver. I saw him do the news last Tuesday night. I missed it on Wednesday, then on Thursday his co-anchor announced that he collapsed on Wednesday night and while being treated for an infection they discovered colon cancer which had spread to his liver, adding that he planned to "fight it". Then, this morning, I heard the sad and shocking news of his passing. The first thing I thought was "I wonder if he ever had a colonoscopy....." Sad news for Hal Fishman fans everywhere.

With such aggressive surgery do you now need a pouch? How has the surgery affected your cycling? I am 42 years old and have had Ulcerative Colitis for 23 years now. I do get scoped about one every 4 years which is not nearly enough. This sounds silly but I think the primary reason I do not get looked at more often is that I am scared as hell about what the results may show.

just got back from my 7am colonoscopy...it was not painful at all...the only thing painful was the nurse and her inability to find my vein with the iv....the procedure itself was fascinating to watch. They found five polyps which they removed. The doctor said they didn't appear to look bad, but they send them to the lab anyway to make sure. I won't know any results for several days. Still, not a very comforting thought.

The folowing is not medical advise. It is for entertainment purposes only. Consult your doctor.

If you have ulcerative colitis for 23 years and if it extends higher than 45 cm. from the anus, I recommend colonoscopy every one to two years. I picked up one early cancer in ulcerative colitis this year. One surgery was curative. When it spreads to the liver you're almost always talking about buying time, not cures.

I have a nasty spot on my knee. I hope it's not melanoma but I'd like to know one way or another, so tomorrow I'm sacrificing my bike ride to visit the skin dood. Knowledge is power, usually. Perhaps you should do the same, colon-wise.

The fecal occult blood test twobikes mentions is a common screening test that many doctors do during a regular physical. The benefit of a colonoscopy is that it can prevent colon cancer by removing pre-cancerous polyps. The FOBT cannot prevent cancer. If the result is positive, yu need a colonoscopy. If the result is negative, you could easily miss something important. If you're over 40, insist on the full monty.

Sorry but I haven't yet read everyone's posts but wanted to add this:

Last August I had my first colonscopy. The doctor was immediately able to see (and I was awake enough to also see) and dx'd cancer. Surgery was scheduled immediately after.

First thing - the colonscopy itself was nothing. The prep was the worse part (I hate the drink - it's nasty! But works).

The surgery: For some reason once I told people I had colon cancer they immediately assumed the surgery would involved my bottom end (trying to say this nicely). Wrong. The surgeon went in through my abdomen as the cancer was in the transverse colon, just below the stomach. Unfortunately that meant my stomach muscles were cut and healing took a while. No riding for 16 weeks (I did start hiking after 4 weeks and also using a stationary bike).

The Result: I was very fortunate the cancer was found early and I did not need chemo. If however I started getting colonscopies at age 50 instead of 55 the doctor may have found the cancer early, as a polyp and had that removed and I would have not needed the surgery which kept me off the bike for 4 months (that sucked).

Since my surgery I have become the poster child for screening and have talked a number of friends, including my family, into having colonscopies. Don't wait. It's really not that bad and early detection will keep you found losing time off the bike or worse, your life. It's amzing how many people each year die due to colon cancer. It's such a treatable disease!

OK now read all the post - kerlen... so sorry you had to go through all this. Having just the one surgery (last Sept) I know I wouldn't want more. Use your experience to convince others to go. It's amazing how many people our age won't consider the screening because they think it's icky. The alternatives are much worse as I and others can attest.

One thing I also have to say, as much as I would like everyone to think otherwise, I haven't really recovered from the surgery. I think I let myself get too sick before. I had symptoms for about 10 mos as well (bleeding) and allowed myself to get weak and anemic. I just haven't had the same motivation about riding as I did before the surgery and the cancer diagnosis, but I am working on getting better. My strength is slowly returning. I just think it's hard ot get back on a bike after not being on one for so long. My buds are all riding so much stronger than me so and I can't keep up.

I don't say any of this to make myself a victim, I say it so others will see the senselessness in not having the screening and getting help when needed.

Especially for you guys out there - if you aren't right somewhere go to the doctor! Walk, run or ride, just get there. My friends father just passed away. Turns out he was bleeding for over a year and never say a word except to his wife (why she didn't drag him kicking and screaming...). Of course when they found it - too late. He went quickly thank goodness.

Anyway colon second is the second leading cause of cancer related death and sadly it's one of the treatable - that's the irony!

My appointment is scheduled... Monday Aug 27 @ 7:30. :eek:

No, it should be :)

Yen make sure you have no plans that day and have someone taking you in and picking you up. If you have a polyp removed that probably will mean no activity for a few days to a week and listen to the doctor's advice. They cut those things off and don't stitch them up - you break something lose then you are in for surgery to close up the wound. Take it easy. It will be worth it.

Also - as to prep - my suggestion, since I've been through it a few times or so, start the fast Saturday by eating lighter foods, nothing heavy like steaks etc. Sunday, I would start the cleaning early, not wait to afternoon just in case (I can usually get a ride in early Sunday morning - I do have a light breakfast early). A friend started at 3pm and didn't have her first movement until 3am in the morning. Needless to say she had little sleep. I usually start around 11am - 12 and make sure everything is done by 8p so I can get a good night's sleep. EVeryone is different on the liquid fast - my friend likes the jello an eats it all day. I just opted for water and chicken broth. All that sweet stuff made me ill.

Trust me it will all be over before you know it! BTW - smart to get an early appointment. The first time I went in my appointment was at 10a. Someone early had some problems and I had to wait 3 hours with an IV stuck in my arm. Not fun. From now on... first appointments for me!

I got a clean bill of health last year, the wife got hers yesterday. I can see why people wouldn't do it if insurance didn't cover it though - at $3K apiece, its a bit of an expensive test.

:eek: before the test, :) after I hear that everything is OK.

BCIpam, thanks so much for the tips. I have a nursing background so I have a tendency to think these things through, and I had already planned to eat light on Saturday. My digestive tract is fairly responsive (I eat plenty of fiber, and almost no refined sugar) so I hope it will be extra responsive on Sunday. :)

My prep will be Osmo Prep tablets (glad I won't have to drink the icky salty stuff!) starting at 3:00 PM. One thing I am concerned about is getting enough calories via clear liquids without over-dosing on sugar via jello, gatorade, etc. and I do not like sugar substitutes. I guess for one day I shouldn't care too much, but if I eat a lot of sugar on just one day it takes me a few days to recover from the sugar crash with headache, cravings, etc.

The clear liquid diet instructions say "NO RED OR PURPLE LIQUIDS" (bold and underlined), in reference to the juices, jello and popsicles . Anyone know why?

Red or purple Gatorade or Jello will look like you are passing blood during the cleansing process.

Oh, that makes sense! :eek:

No need for a pouch - I WON THE LOTTERY! :D You know the lottery where they tell you the odds of cancer screwing up your life and then it doesn't. At least not completely. Surgery was March 29/07 I was able to start riding May 9/07 with the Dr's permission. I am closing in on 4,000 km and have completed 2 Centuries & 14 Metrics since - see www.aye1.com for my post-op training schedule. According to my GI Dr. polyps are SLOW growing and if you get checked often enough they can snip them out during the colonoscopy - no muss no fuss.

BCIpam - Agreed!