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.

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.

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!

No need for a pouch - I WON THE LOTTERY! 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!

I’m getting mine done tomorrow, 8/13, unfortunately at 2:30. They put me on a liquid diet 48 hour before, it’s just Gatorade, Boost and Jell-O for me. I did have a nice 25 mile ride today.

Mine (my first) is scheduled for November. The nurse was setting up my appointment and told me I could not drive to it. I said "no problem I was planning on riding my bike". She replied, it better be a bike for two. I think I'll just have my wife take me.

You definitely need to have somebody drive you there and back. In my written instructions they said that if I didn't have a driver come with me and stay for the procedure and drive me home, they would cancel the procedure. Bold, underlined and highlighted. You will be out of it to a degree for most of the day due to the general anesthesia. It is also best to have someone with you as the "designated note-taker" when the doctor tells you what he/she found and tell the doctor that you have a designated note taker. Both times I had the procedure I have no memory of what the doctor told me about what he found. I was glad to have my dad with me as the designated note taker and driver.

Ask for pictures of what they found - I did and it was not pretty. At least you know your enemy! In some places they will give you a video.

As for driving yourself home - you will probably be "legally impaired" and being a "procedure" there is always the possibilities of complications; the hospital I went to recomended you have someone with you for the next 24 hours for monitering.

Having had the procedure done ins everal different facilities I can tell you the staff will not let you go unless someone comes in and signs for you. In other words if there is no one to get you and check you out you stay put.

On that note, I drove myself to a test once. A friend came over after it was done and checked me out. I then walked down with him to my car and I drove myself home. I felt fine but no doubt if something happened I would have gotten into trouble. Just not worth taking the risk.

Dante - Boost? Was that on your list of things you could have? I definitely could have used a Boost or two but my instructions were clean liquids only. I was limited to water, juices (with no pulp), popsicles, broth and jello. It amazes me how different everyone's instructions are. No two alike.

Also as to seeing your films - ask if the doctor doesn't show you. I was awake during the procedure so watched the whole thing. I was alittle loopy so it was sortof like watching a psychodelic movie from the 60's. When the doctor ran into the cancer, he spent considerable time taking films and showing me the growth. I just remember him saying "...ahhhh! Here's the cancer..." and my mind going blank. Cancer? Did he say cancer? Anyway, thank the good Lord it's over with (for now) and I'm OK. A few scary moments there but now just a faded memory.

And Yen... since you, like me, don't like all that sugery stuff much, try doing a broth. Just water and chicken or beef bouillion cubes. The salty is good for balancing out all that sweet tasting. But I've gotten to the point where now I just do water (with alittle lemon added). For one day, I can do water.

Side note... I always say I can't miss a meal. When I had surgery, I had to fast for 2 days before and then I had nothing from the surgery day for 5 days. Just IV fluids. For 3 days after I could have nothing by mouth, even water (because of a nasal-gastric tube down my throat). That really sucked. The food thing I got used to. I was not ever really hungry but water, I surely missed sipping on water. The doctor after 2 days allowed me to such little plastic lollipops dipped in water. Ooohhh yeah!

I lost alot of weight during this time because even when I could eat I had little appetite (and little energy) and I was afraid to eat too much as my system was very "delicate". Sadly, the weight is all back on and plus some. 4 months of not riding did it's number on me!

[QUOTE=islandboy;5054070]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.

+1 on the slow growth. A friend of mine waited until he had strong symptoms of a problem (he's 55) and is now going through chemo and multiple surgeries (he's stage 4). His doc says the growth was probably 10 years old. In other words, if he had gotten scoped when he was 50 the prognosis would have been tremendously better since it wouldn't have spread at that time.

Had mine two and a half years ago, at age 52. They found three polyps (no problems) and told me to come back in three years. So this April, I get to have the Kodak go where no Kodak belongs. I had some problems with the medication, don't think they gave me enough, 'cuz I was very aware of what was going on. However, it was, and will be worth any discomfort to get this taken care of.

How many more??? As far as colon cancer is concerned, there doesn't have to be ANY more...this is one cancer that can be detected and beaten by a colonoscopy, as long as it is done early. \

I hope that everyone who has said they were going to schedule the procedure has followed through and actually done it. DO IT NOW!!!!

Ok, I’m back home from my colonoscopy. Everything went perfect, NO PROBLEMS, NO POLYPS and I don’t need to go back for 5 years. It was easy and I feel fine. The staff was great and I didn’t feel the IV. The first thing I did was eat a piece of my birthday cake. Saturday was my birthday, my wife had a party for me and invited some friends over. Everyone got to eat, I was on the liquid diet. She saved me a piece of cake and I just had it, oh was it good.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday! You could eat that cake with a lot of peace of mind.