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Are you 50 years old?


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Make sure they clean you out completely or you will have to do it over, this happened to my Mom. She used to be a nurse and was telling her nurse she wasn't completely prepped and they went ahead with it anyway. So she had to do the whole thing over. :angry2:

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Had the second one done today. I miss the Phosphor Soda! That stuff was fast! One polyp removed. They'll call in a week with results.

Ditto. I used the MoviPrep - and no, there wasn't any popcorn included. Wish there was some prep stuff that didn't taste so foul! One polyp, results to follow.

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Had the second one done today. I miss the Phosphor Soda! That stuff was fast! One polyp removed. They'll call in a week with results.

Well,it's been a week, and the endoscopy center called as promised. Everything is good, the next one is in 5 years. :D

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Had mine done earlier this year, all good.

My step father neglected to have one. Got Colon cancer, had a colostomy, surgery went great, spent a month in the hospital, almost died from an infection. I took 2 months off work to take care of him and my mother during and after his operation. I was essentially his nurse for a month and took care of all his “personal needs” including the daily care of his ostomy pouching system (also commonly called a bag). While not the end of the world, trust me you don’t want this.

So the decision you make whether or not to have one may affect more than just yourself.

This little uncomfortable event is a small price to pay compared to the potential alternative.

And yes I had what I thought was a wicked bad dream while I was under.

David E.

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No thank You I play the odds

2-5% of polyps will turn into cancer. Most of the time, they can be removed during the colonoscopy without any pain. Sometimes, the polyp can harbor invasive cancer and as long as the margins are 2mm, there is no lymphatic or vascular invasion and the cancer is well differentiated, no further surgery is needed after polypectomy. The longer you wait to have the scope done, the riskier it gets for you.

I use the Movie Prep on everyone because it is safe for everyone and it won the taste test (as silly as that sounds). Plus, it does a really nice job cleaning out the colon so I can see what I'm doing. If the colon isn't prepped properly, it's like trying to find a light switch in a dark room in an unfamiliar house. It just isn't safe to do the procedure unless the bowel is cleansed. And that is the worst part of the whole thing. Once you make it through the prep, the scope part of it isn't that bad.

Stop "playing the odds" with your life. That's a terrible strategy. PM me if you have any questions or concerns. I respond to everyone that asks for my help.....free of charge.

Good luck.

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PM me if you have any questions or concerns. I respond to everyone that asks for my help.....free of charge.

Good luck.

I can vouch for that! About a year after I got out of nursing school, my wife was admitted to the hospital with diverticulitis. Chris provided much needed and highly valued advice, during a somewhat stressful time. Not all physicians are healers,but Chris certainly is. He's cheerfully responded to multiple pm's and allowed me to disrupt his weekend off.

Ad to repeat what he said - if you're over 50, have a colonoscopy. If you're under 50, and have significant risk factors, you should be making an appointment today, if you haven't had one....

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I am over 50, my new PCP did a nice job on the recommendation.

The twenty four hour liquid diet was not pleasant but doable.

As my friend described the anesthesia , it is like a light switch, one second you awake, then asleep, then back awake again.

Use plenty of hydrocortisone ointment and no red, chapped ass.

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Yup, over 50 and working going for my second in April. Due to my late grandmother passing or colon cancer I get to be on a five year cycle.

The prep is way worse than the procedure, and that really wasn't all that bad.

I actually found the whole experience rather interesting since I woke up half way through.

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Stumbled across this thread..

I had a routine old guy (50+) exam just after coming back from SMM3G this year., with my first colonoscopy.

No symptoms at all.. none.. I was stunned at the outcome - now it's the focal point of my life.

All I can say is.. Do it! If you're 50.. or getting close.. no excuse. If you have history in your famiuly... go earlier. They told me, to warn my siblings, that they should be checked 10 years younger than I was was when diagnosed.. so 43 for them.. but I'm the youngest, so they're all well past that

I can laugh at this now:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/02/11/427603/dave-barry-a-journey-into-my-colon.html

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This image was taken this morning in our endoscopy suite of a 58 year-old man's rectum. He waited 8 years too long. Now, he'll likely end up with a permanent colostomy.....if he is lucky.

edit: picture added.

Edited by CSEMARTIN
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Chris, Pre-Obama Care - what is the recommended schedule to have this re-done? I had one done 7yr ago when I was 50. Have not heard from the Gastro guy since.

Mark K

Mark,

If there were no polyps, the doctors I go to say 10 years, polyps, 5 years.

Mark,

Dan is mostly right, but with some added points. There are some kind of polyps which are more worrisome, and I wouldn't recommend going 5 years before the next scope. The size and type of polyp influences what should be done.

If you have no family history of colon cancer and no abnormalities on your colonoscopy done 7 years ago (e.g., polyps), you shouldn't need another colonoscopy until a total of ten years has elapsed since your last one. If you haven't heard from your GI doc, you should call and clarify that your last endoscopy was normal. I've seen people slip through the cracks, but it's not that likely.

There are some other abnormalities which require more frequent screening. If everything was normal on your colonoscopy done 7 years ago and you have nothing lurking in your gene pool, you should be o.k. for three more years.

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