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A good friend and fellow R.N. that I work with buried her 30 year old son last year from terminal colon cancer. Very high incidence of colon cancer on his father's side of the family which included his father, as well as an aunt, uncle, and one grandparent. It was recommended that he have a colonoscopy in his early 20s but he put it off. <snip>
This is crazy. Based on the extensive family history and his age I would bet he had familial adenomatous polyposis or another genetic condition. He could have been tested for this - there are at least three genetic variants. Do you know if he had genetic testing?
Last edited by lenora; 08-30-2016 at 07:11 PM..
Reason: added another genetic condition b/c of Lynch, etc.
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?
Not to quibble, but for Non-Hispanic white men, that figure is closer to 51 in 100,000.
I feel the same way tijlover. I heard recently on the news that you can swallow a capsule that contains a tiny camera. The doctors monitor the camera the whole time until it is passed. Seems a lot easier to me. The prep work is the #1 reason I won't do a colonoscopy.
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.
I went through breast cancer in 2011 with a double mastectomy and numerous reconstructions and 3-D tattooing just to feel normal again. Then thyroid cancer (not a metastatic cancer) surgery in 2003 left me with a paralyzed vocal cord and occasional severe breathing issues when the vocal cords slam shut which necessitates a trip to the ER.
I don't think I could handle anymore bad news. Maybe that's why I keep putting it off. I was just released from having to see my oncologist again and I just don't want to even think about any additional cancer right now. I have been feeling really good for the first time in a long time.
Maybe in a year I will feel different but I feel like my body was so violated that I refuse to be touched in any type of procedure especially one so invasive.
This is probably the major reason I never had one. I'm taking grape seed ex over 2 decades and believe this is my prevention for so many health issues and concerns:
Wow. The internet brings out all kinds, doesn't it? Not specific to anyones posts, but the fantasy, denials, and excuses in this thread still amazed me. #3 leading cause. 'Nuff said. I've had 3 by age 58. Propo, no issues. Woke up clear and alert. Couldn't tell my colon froman 18year olds he said. The prep is nothing. Having to drink that much is an issue, but the results are more humorous and inconvenient, nothing more. Lower GI is far far worse.
Wow. The internet brings out all kinds, doesn't it? Not specific to anyones posts, but the fantasy, denials, and excuses in this thread still amazed me. #3 leading cause. 'Nuff said. I've had 3 by age 58. Propo, no issues. Woke up clear and alert. Couldn't tell my colon froman 18year olds he said. The prep is nothing. Having to drink that much is an issue, but the results are more humorous and inconvenient, nothing more. Lower GI is far far worse.
I'm glad you've had good experiences and clean bill of health...but why have you had 3 by 58 if there were no issues, especially after the 2nd?
This is crazy. Based on the extensive family history and his age I would bet he had familial adenomatous polyposis or another genetic condition. He could have been tested for this - there are at least three genetic variants. Do you know if he had genetic testing?
I can't answer your question regarding genetic testing but I tend to think he did not. My friend's ex husband is a physician/psychiatrist and in their crazy divorce he got custody of the younger son who died of colon cancer and my friend got visitation only and custody of her older son. With her younger son living in Wisconsin and she in R.I., visitation was minimal and she had virtually no input in this son's healthcare following the divorce at which time he was 10 or 11. She did have her older son get whatever tests were recommended in his late teens, and although he has genetically tested negative he follows the recommended every two year scopes and sees his GI physician every 6 months. Believe me, my friend has lots of anger over her son's death and blames her ex for this tragedy. She feels especially since her ex is a physician he should have been more proactive with pushing their son to get the necessary tests which would have early detected the cancer, and treatment initiated at this stage could have very likely saved his life.
Well, now THAT doesn't sound very professional and it also makes me think doctors ARE DOING IT for the money if they are annoyed because this patient takes longer to scope. Giving the patient the bum's rush (pun intended) just because they don't want to be completely under.
My stepfather died from complications from his ruptured colon and he was anesthetized for his colonoscopy. One of the reasons I'm in no rush to get one.
It's not the actual procedure I'm worried about - it's all the prep before the procedure and the stomach cramps & farting after the procedure. I did see the Jeff Foxworthy routine a few years ago and he was talking about everyone in the recovery room farting. I'm sure it's not as bad as he made it sound but still the whole thing sounds rather unpleasant.
"Farting after..."? LOL. Hilarious. Hon I have had 4 or 5, and I assure you there was never any such thing. And I have never heard anyone else make such a claim. I've been fully under, each time, as have my sister, and BF too. No issues whatsoever.
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