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When I was informed what one goes through with the prep work beforehand, I all but screamed: No Way In Hell will I subject myself to that kind of torture!!
No liquids for X amount of hours, and with my dry mouth as a result of the medication I'm taken?
Please! Give me an earlier death rather than go through all that!!!
It all seems so incredibly primitive, and in this day and age of high tech, I'll wait for some high tech procedure to come along!
Torture??? This is exaggeration at its worst. I don't know who described the prep to you, but it IS no big deal. For heaven's sake, we are talking about preventing a very serious form of cancer. While you are "waiting for some high tech procedure" you could have polyps which are pre-cancerous turning malignant and advancing to a higher stage. Colon cancer is often without symptoms until it's too late to do anything about it, or until it metastasizes into cancer somewhere else in your body.
Let me see...a few hours of the trots and some dry mouth OR the potential of a slow and painful death after multiple invasive life-altering surgeries. Hmmmm... which will I choose??
If you get dry mouth in the 2 hours you must refrain from drinking immediately before the procedure, chew a piece of gum.
I am 65 and the last colonoscopy I had was 10 years ago. It was no big deal but I doubt I will have any more. Reason is that the older I get, the less I want doctors hovering over me, telling me I need this test and that test. I really dislike the whole idea of having my body be managed by the health industry. I try to eat healthy food and live a healthy life style and hope for the best without doctors. In a way it makes me feel more human and not so much like some old car always going into the shop.
I refused a colonoscopy at my dr's recently. The reason is that on my last one, I ended up in the hospital and intensive care! But I'm not advising anyone to avoid getting a colonoscopy, it was just my bad luck.
Drinking that awful fake colored liquid was bearable, having the trots was okay, but once I got to the hospital they couldn't find my blood pressure. They panicked and wouldn't let me go home. I ended up in intensive care, where, after rehydrating me, they got a reading. But it was kind of a nightmare experience.
What ended up happening is that they asked for a virtual colonoscopy and that's what I got. Medicare paid for it too.
In retrospect, I think what happened was that the test required that I take no liquids and the colonoscopy was scheduled for 3pm. That was a long time to go without liquids, I was probably dehydrated, and that could have been the reason my blood pressure was so faint that they couldn't find it.
I do think someone should come out with something easier, especially for older people who may have health issues already. Wasn't there a post about some stool sample method? Seems like if you reach a certain age they could just give you that, especially since not everyone can easily find someone to take them for the test and take them back home again.
It is unpleasant and no one looks forward to it. There are possibilities of complications. still it is worth having them periodically up to about 80 years old. Now, thank God I have almost reached that age, so probably no more for me. Hubby may have one in the next month or so: then the same, no more.
Well, I'm close to the 80 mark and NEVER had one. I don't live in fear of the colon.
I've heard colonoscopy is not useful after you turn 70 so I won't have one after that age.
Heard from whom?
My thoughts are that I had normal (negative for polyps) results at age 66 and my doctor told me that means I can go 10 years until the next one, or age 76. If the results are the same then, that would take me to 86, at which age I'd opt out. So hopefully 76 will be my last one.
People older than age 75 who have been getting regular colon cancer screening since age 50 and who have had consistently negative screenings — no polyps (adenomas) or colon cancer — and are not at an increased risk of colon cancer because of family history need not continue getting routine screening. That's according to colon cancer screening guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the American College of Physicians (ACP).
The upper age limit was set after studies determined that the net benefit of screening after age 75 was small. However, the USPSTF guidelines do recommend colon cancer surveillance for people older than age 75 who have an increased risk of colon cancer, such as family history, a previously diagnosed colon cancer or adenomatous polyps.
Last edited by biscuitmom; 08-30-2016 at 02:43 PM..
I'm 61 and have never had a colonoscopy. I have a firm "exit only" policy when it comes to my behind. :-) Now if I was having some issues I might consider it but I think it has become the new money making generator for doctors.
Additionally there was a news report last year that stated some people were getting bad infections because some of the equipment they used just cannot be sterilized properly.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death by cancer, almost 50,000 people a year. The problem is, by the time you realize you're having issues, it can be advanced stage cancer meaning, it has spread beyond polyps and possibly outside your colon. The death rate has been in decline since routine screening, and caught at early stage polyps, it's almost entirely curable. As far as homophobe or dignity issues, it's only between you and your doctor or the proctologist, no time to be squeemish, it could be your life.
Well, I'm close to the 80 mark and NEVER had one. I don't live in fear of the colon.
My mom is 87 and has never had one, either. When she was 81 the doctor told her she should have one and she said she doesn't have any problems in that area and that she thinks doctors these days do too many tests.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death by cancer, almost 50,000 people a year. The problem is, by the time you realize you're having issues, it can be advanced stage cancer meaning, it has spread beyond polyps and possibly outside your colon. The death rate has been in decline since routine screening, and caught at early stage polyps, it's almost entirely curable. As far as homophobe or dignity issues, it's only between you and your doctor or the proctologist, no time to be squeemish, it could be your life.
A good friend of mine died of it at age 72. He was otherwise in pretty good health, traveled a lot, rode his bike, was very active. A damn shame, and apparently because he just never got himself examined.
People who say "I don't need no doctors poking and prodding at me"--well, they do have a point, but if you're that one in 1000 who actually has something detectable and treatable, doesn't it make sense to detect and treat it?
My mom is 87 and has never had one, either. When she was 81 the doctor told her she should have one and she said she doesn't have any problems in that area and that she thinks doctors these days do too many tests.
I haven't done it yet, but I will. Soon.
My mom lived to 91 and never had one. A doctor sent her a postcard when she was 86 telling her she "should" have a mammogram, which she never had either. I told her throw the card away mom, you are fine. Doctors think $$$$, sorry folks but it's true. But keep getting your tests, whatever works for you.
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