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Are you 50 years old?


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I just took a guy to the OR yesterday. He's 56 and saw his primary care doctor after he couldn't have a bowel movement for two weeks. The GI doc scoped him and found an adenocarcinoma growing in his colon. He has no family history and had no symptoms prior to his constipation.

The operation took almost six hours. Luckily, my partner was there to help. It was the most difficult cancer operation I've ever done. If only I could have gotten to him six years ago.

On a positive note, my first colon cancer patient is coming in next month for his one year screen post resection. He's doing great!!

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I am considering asking my Doc to bring my sugar level way down with insulin and while its down whacking my with a load of chemo. I am considering it since the other stuff seems not to work after 4 months of heaving up my toenails. Do you think that this could work? I am sick and tired of having 3 week moths.

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Got scoped again two weeks ago. The doctor said he didn't see any pre cancerous polyps this time but did send some samples to the lab. Having it done about every 6 months is a pain, but I'm getting use to it. No jokes please.

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I just took a guy to the OR yesterday. He's 56 and saw his primary care doctor after he couldn't have a bowel movement for two weeks. The GI doc scoped him and found an adenocarcinoma growing in his colon.

Path report:

All 21 lymph nodes negative for mets. The tumor invaded the muscularis propria. Using the TNM classification, this lesion is a T3N0M0--Stage IIA. Survival is 70-85%.

So far, he's the luckiest guy I've seen.

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  • 8 months later...

My partner took a patient for a screening colonoscopy, biopsied a mass and it was proven to be malignant. A CT scan was done as part of his work up before surgery. Surprisingly, an 11 cm Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm was discovered. Anything over 3 cm is considered abnormal. These suckers are ticking time bombs. When they rupture (especially one this size), the likelihood of survival is very poor.

So, if you're a male over 65 and you ever smoked in your life, go get screened for a AAA. It could save your life.

http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/142/3/198.pdf

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Drinking the prep stuff was not so bad.

Prior to doing it get a comfortable toilet seat installed (You'll be sitting there for quite a while) and a good book to read.

The anesthesia goes in and just before I go out the doc (Amateur comedian) says"So this ones an appendectomy....right?"

I'm trying like hell to say "NO! NO! NO!" then the lights go out and I had the most restful sleep of my entire life.

I wake up and the recovery room nurse asks "Can I get you anything?"I say "Yeah pump that stuff back in and give me a couple hours more rest."

Polyps found....negative.

My Dad had colon cancer...found when he hit the head one day to move bowels and saw a LOT of blood in there.

He had part of the lower intestine removed and a small amount of treatment and has been fine since.

I go every 2 years for one.

Not a big deal.

My pain mgmt treatments are FAR less plesant than the colonoscopy.

JK

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Drinking the prep stuff was not so bad.

The anesthesia goes in and just before I go out

JK,

Which prep did you take? How come you're having one done every two years? If your scope was negative, you should only need one every five years (because of your family history).

Typically, if a polyp is found, you'll need another screen in three years. If the three year screen is negative, you get another scope in five years. If that one is negative, and you don't have a family history of colon cancer, you'll need one in ten years.

The propofol anesthesia is awesome. It's literally lights out in a few seconds. I've been using an anesthesiologist when he's available, and it is far easier for the patient and I. However, now insurance companies are coming out with new guidelines stating that they will no longer approve anesthesia. They are claiming it isn't medically necessary!! So we have to get pre-approval before we use the propofol. Otherwise, we have to do it the old fashioned way with narcotics and benzodiazepines. It takes longer to get people to sleep, longer to do the scope and longer to wake the patient up.

Did I mention that I hate insurance companies?

Also, the FDA has come out with new warnings on phosphate bowel preps. If you're over the age of 60, have diabetes, renal impairment or taking an ace inhibitor such as lisinopril (basically any drug ending in -pril), you should not take a phosphate prep.

I've started using a phosphate-based pill prep on select patients that fit the FDA criteria. If I can't use the pill prep, I use Movieprep. According to a taste test conducted by Salix Pharmaceuticals, Moviprep is the best tasting bowel cleansing agent.

When it's my turn to have a butt scope, I'm taking the pill prep. I'm also going to insist that an anesthesia provider put me to sleep--even if I have to pay for it out of my own pocket.

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I don't remember the name of the prep stuff...the docs office gave me a list of stuff to do prior which included the stuff to drink. I went to the pharmacy and got it.

To me it just seemed like a big build up to what was esentially drinking something that was not great tasting but was not the "God awful" tasting that people had told me it would be.

Thats why I say it was not so bad.

Not pleasant...but not the worst thing in the world either.

I've gotten them (and am going again) because of the family history and my polyps found.

I'll get the pre-aproval for that propofol stuff.

It worked great.

I went out ...........out like someone threw a switch.

JK

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I forgot to mention that my doctor told me most insurance companies won't cover a scope if your under 50. Now if you claim you thought you saw blood in your stool they will cover the procedure.

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I've been subjected to the golytely, halflytely and colonoscopy since 2003 prostatectomy. I finally graduated to the see you in 3 years in 2006 after enduring an every 3 month, then 6 month then 12 month routine. There is nothing you can add to that foulest tasting salt water to make it palitable. Thankfully they finally starting allowing you to put it in the fridge. I chug-a-lug it because once I stop drinking it, my mind won't let start drinking again.

I get demerol and vercet and I agree it is the best stuff pharmacies have built. Wake up with one of those oven warmed blankets and I'm ready to stay.

My wife, who sees the same colorectal doc as I do, gets the pills (24 of them) to drink with ginger ale. Asked why I can't have the pills instead of the juice, doc said because I don't like you as well and you are too full of sh-T.

Get the test guys, get PSA tests beginning at 45, earlier if you have family history of prostate cancer. The ultra-sound and biopsy procedure on prostate isn't the most thrilling thing to do, but once the lydocaine is finished being administered, you just hear rubber bands snapping.

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most insurance companies won't cover a scope if your under 50

For a run of the mill screening colonoscopy, that's absolutely true. If you are having problems (e.g., constipation, chronic diarrhea, bleeding, pain, etc.), it's easier to get insurance to pick up the tab.

In reality, it isn't an issue since most people tend to not want to have this test done anyways.

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  • 4 months later...

Well the VA has decided I am a good candidate for One tube down the throat. Another tube up the butt. My P Day (Prep Day) is 9/29. The procedures are for the Sept 30th. I'll swallow 4 Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) and then 3 hrs later mix 8.3 oz of Miralax into a 64 oz of Gatorade. NOT RED. They were concerned about my annual bloodwork coming back that I was very anemic and very low blood iron levels. That coupled with turning the toilet bright red everyday. So about a month from now I'll report back. Think good thoughts !

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Well the VA has decided I am a good candidate for One tube down the throat. Another tube up the butt. My P Day (Prep Day) is 9/29. The procedures are for the Sept 30th. I'll swallow 4 Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) and then 3 hrs later mix 8.3 oz of Miralax into a 64 oz of Gatorade. NOT RED. They were concerned about my annual bloodwork coming back that I was very anemic and very low blood iron levels. That coupled with turning the toilet bright red everyday. So about a month from now I'll report back. Think good thoughts !

good luck,

i hope they clean the scope before your turn. :roflol:

lynn

Edited by lynn jones
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Well the VA has decided I am a good candidate for One tube down the throat. Another tube up the butt. My P Day (Prep Day) is 9/29. The procedures are for the Sept 30th. I'll swallow 4 Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) and then 3 hrs later mix 8.3 oz of Miralax into a 64 oz of Gatorade. NOT RED. They were concerned about my annual bloodwork coming back that I was very anemic and very low blood iron levels. That coupled with turning the toilet bright red everyday. So about a month from now I'll report back. Think good thoughts !

good luck,

i hope they clean the scope before your turn. :roflol:

lyn

I hope they clean the scope before switching ends.....

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Well...... Yesterday I did the halflytely and this AM was the procedure... Couple of polyps removed and I am good for 10 years it seems...

To anyone who thinks the halflytely tastes bad... Obviously they never pilfered a Schlitz from there ole Grandpa and drank it as a youngster....

Glad I did it. Nothing at all like a lot of people make it out to be. :)

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Merlin: Schlitz was the bomb back in the late 60's ... you should have tried Dixie made from the pristine waters from the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Always sold 12 oz cans, you bought it because it was cheaper, got 72 oz instead of 60 oz for Bud and once you got past the 1st six pack it all tasted the same. Golytely still takes the prize for foul. Which reminds me that I get the experience again in December.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well, today is prepday. My new best friend this PM will be the toilet. Wish I would have put a padded seat on before today. Took the pills an hour ago. In 2 hours I drink the mix. I'm scheduled for 7:30 tomorrow morning. Hope to be home by noon. I bought a big porterhouse steak for dinner tomorrow.

Anybody ever do any dry firing on the toilet to pass the time ???

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