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This is how I feel also. My stepfather died from complications of a colonoscopy when his bowel was punctured. Plus there have been many warnings about people getting infections from the equipment they use which is impossible to sterilize and is used over and over again.
I'm 61, have never had one and never will. It's just another money maker for the doctors. Older people seem to get constipated a lot which would account for the slight blood in the stool. If there is no history of colon cancer in your family then leave her alone to make her own decision.
I'm 66, and when I got Medicare last year, my Dr. urged me to get one, and when I heard of the preparation it takes to get one, I decided I'd rather die than undergo something like that!
I'll never understand it, this high tech world we live in, we must be subjected to a test which seems so archaic/primitive to me.
I'm 66, and when I got Medicare last year, my Dr. urged me to get one, and when I heard of the preparation it takes to get one, I decided I'd rather die than undergo something like that!
I'll never understand it, this high tech world we live in, we must be subjected to a test which seems so archaic/primitive to me.
I'll wait 'til a more high-tech test comes along!
Are you serious?
The prep was an inconvenience for me, not some sort of nightmare worse than death. And I didn't even feel the actual test itself. You're exaggerating all this in your head for some reason. It's simply not that bad.
My 89 yo mom was forced into a colonoscopy by her cardiologist. She had been taking meds for heart for years. Blood tests revealed anemia. Doctor suspected internal bleeding and refused to keep prescribing these meds until she got checked out. She suspected she had colon cancer (had noticed bleeding) but had never had a colonoscopy or any other screening test like a mammogram. She had to go along with the doctor if she wanted to keep getting the cardiac medication.
It did turn out that she had very advanced colon cancer that was inoperable, especially at her age. Doctor predicted she would die within a year. She died almost exactly a year later. She could have died at home, but she refused to let us call in hospice because she thought they would pray around her (she wasn't religious---no convincing her that regular hospice wasn't religious). Her last 48 hours she got completely blocked and had pain that couldn't be managed at home, so we had to admit her to the hospital.
She didn't have much pain until the last two days. Occasionally she claimed she did, but it seemed as much anxiety as actual pain. She did use fentanyl patches. Occasionally I had to give her a suppository rectally (my friends say they couldn't have done this with their moms, but you do what you have) for pain.
The major problem was that my mom decided to devote the remainder of her life to dying. Even though she was capable of going out, she chose not to----including to the doctor. Fortunately the GI doctor was nice enough to prescribe the pain meds for her for a year without requiring me to bring her in.
In some ways I wish she hadn't been forced into the colonoscopy, since the knowledge that she had cancer led to her kind of losing the last year of her life. But for someone who would handle it differently or was younger, knowledge is power. And if my frail 89 yo mom could do the prep and have the procedure, anyone can! It's kind of like people who won't get tests/injections because they "hate needles." As if anyone likes injections!
My 89 yo mom was forced into a colonoscopy by her cardiologist. She had been taking meds for heart for years. Blood tests revealed anemia. Doctor suspected internal bleeding and refused to keep prescribing these meds until she got checked out. She suspected she had colon cancer (had noticed bleeding) but had never had a colonoscopy or any other screening test like a mammogram. She had to go along with the doctor if she wanted to keep getting the cardiac medication.
It did turn out that she had very advanced colon cancer that was inoperable, especially at her age. Doctor predicted she would die within a year. She died almost exactly a year later. She could have died at home, but she refused to let us call in hospice because she thought they would pray around her (she wasn't religious---no convincing her that regular hospice wasn't religious). Her last 48 hours she got completely blocked and had pain that couldn't be managed at home, so we had to admit her to the hospital.
She didn't have much pain until the last two days. Occasionally she claimed she did, but it seemed as much anxiety as actual pain. She did use fentanyl patches. Occasionally I had to give her a suppository rectally (my friends say they couldn't have done this with their moms, but you do what you have) for pain.
The major problem was that my mom decided to devote the remainder of her life to dying. Even though she was capable of going out, she chose not to----including to the doctor. Fortunately the GI doctor was nice enough to prescribe the pain meds for her for a year without requiring me to bring her in.
In some ways I wish she hadn't been forced into the colonoscopy, since the knowledge that she had cancer led to her kind of losing the last year of her life. But for someone who would handle it differently or was younger, knowledge is power. And if my frail 89 yo mom could do the prep and have the procedure, anyone can! It's kind of like people who won't get tests/injections because they "hate needles." As if anyone likes injections!
I am so very sorry for your loss, but feel she made the right decision for HER and you are a good child to have honored that decision!!!!
I can assure you if I develop colon cancer in my mid 70's or perhaps before, I will swallow my stash and be done with it. So, yes, my death will be absolutely magnificent.
I, too, have heard that the prep is basically terrible. It could be worse for some than others.
At any rate, I don't think anyone questions whether the test is useful or not, or if it saves lives or not. The question raised was "forcing" the mother to have a medical test. And IMHO, no one (in their right mind) should be forced to have a procedure done. That's crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed.
Basically my mother is turning 77 this year and has no history with colon cancer in the family. However in the most recent physical where she had to give a stool sample there was a hint of blood, which led my family doctor to recommend a specialist who made an appointment to do a colonoscopy this month. I suspect there was blood because my mother suffers from constipation and prior to giving the stool sample she forced herself to go which caused her to bleed quite a bit. After that though, there's been no blood whatsoever.
The problem is my mother's mental and physical health has declined late last year and if this scheduled colonoscopy had occurred before all her other problems she would not have hesitated to do this procedure. She's not sure if she can fast the day before and does not want to take the prescriptions to make her empty out her colon. She finds the procedure too difficult because of her current health. She does not want her to go but the doctor and specialist want her in cause there's a health problem.
Should I force her to go or let her cancel? I'm worried on the day of the procedure she will flat out cancel. She's mentioned that she might. On the one hand I don't really think she has any type of colon cancer but I'd hate myself if there was an actual problem that the colonoscopy could find.
She's an adult but my mother and her reasoning is not 100% logical at the moment. Not sure what I should do. I've read that colonoscopies can be hard on very elderly people and useless after age 75.
What should I do?
Because you have hinted and stated that mom's mental abilities aren't what they used to be, I'd suggest that you get Power of Attorney granted to you so that when decisions like this need to be made, you have a legal right to them. At 77, she's no spring chicken, and her mental state will only decline - I say this with way too much experience as both my mom (83) and dad (92) are in early stages of Alzheimer's... it's not pretty.
I pray that you mom's ok and that the bleeding was simply from a possible hemorrhoid.
I hope all turns out as best can...
What I really hope is that you're not an only child and that you'll get support with mom as she ages from your siblings... It's a really hard road to go down - I wouldn't wish it on anybody...ever.
You said she "forced herself to go". Probably popped a small blood vessel down there, especially if she had constipation.
She's 77. She's well past the life expectancy of her age group. It's her decision.
At a certain point, with elderly people diagnosed with cancer, they'll be told, "yeah, you have cancer and we can treat it, but this cancer usually takes about X years/months to progress..."
Reading this thread, it seems we have a divide between the younger generation, medical professionals, and we older generation.
It is Mom's decision to make, whether to agree to the preventive test, or actual treatment. Children you need to stop trying to treat your own parents like they are your own little children and it is YOUR decision to make.
It does not matter what the test entails; be that pain, or otherwise. If an adult says they do not want it, whatever their reasons, "informed consent" according to whoever or not, it is THEIR choice, and their's alone.
Reading this thread, it seems we have a divide between the younger generation, medical professionals, and we older generation.
It is Mom's decision to make, whether to agree to the preventive test, or actual treatment. Children you need to stop trying to treat your own parents like they are your own little children and it is YOUR decision to make.
It does not matter what the test entails; be that pain, or otherwise. If an adult says they do not want it, whatever their reasons, "informed consent" according to whoever or not, it is THEIR choice, and their's alone.
Butt out, pardon the pun.
I agree with what you said as long as the child doesn't have to become the caregiver for that adult who is dying of the treatable cancer....
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