The lighter side of a colonoscopy

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As Jeff said, "please reconsider"! I haven't been directly affected, but I do know several people that have been diagnosed with colon cancer following a routine colonoscopy. The survival rate for stage 1 detection is a very high 80-95%...
 
Just before I was going to retire last spring, my 50 year old boss had his first colonoscopy.  It revealed a mass inside his colon that tested positive for cancer. 

Within a week or two, he went under the knife to remove it.  They wound up taking part of his large intestine, his appendix and several lymph nodes.  All of these tested negative, the cancer had not metastasized or spread beyond his colon.  Since it was caught at such an early stage, he did not need any followup radiation or other treatment.

He was out for 6 weeks recovering from the surgery, I stayed around until he was able to return to work.  A year later he's cancer free with 90% odds of staying that way.
 
Peggyy said:
I tell them upfront.  You have two tries to get this iv in.  If you cant do it in two tries, find someone who can.  I have had enough procedures to know some are better at it than others.
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  There is a little Haitian nurse at Tampa General that shanks my veins and port when I get my photopheresis. I ask for her every time I go in and even if another tech is doing my procedure she will come look me up just so she can have the honors.  Absolutely painless while the others are good, this little nurse is the best!

  I had a nurse several years ago that had her three tries and was going thru the vein and into the muscle, it would blow up every time, Then she would wiggle it around trying to find the vein.I finally said "you're done, get someone else". She claimed that she never has trouble with peoples veins. Well, I got another nurse that found it first time and was watching her doing the same thing to another poor patient across the room from me. guess what she told him? "I never have this problem with people veins"  Just shows you that some can and some cant!!
 
I've had a few and the prep is the least enjoyable part of the procedure.

This is Billy Connolly discussing his experience:  https://vimeo.com/24340828

I've learned to say, "No, I do NOT want to watch the monitor.  I want to go to sleep.  Wake me when it's done."

It's an unpleasant procedure to think about, but I'm one of many who are glad to have it available. 

Those who perform the procedure have even been celebrated in song:  https://vimeo.com/24340828
 
jackiemac said:
Wow your health care seems to be much more sophisticated than ours in the UK.  For your 50th birthday you get a kit to smear your poo on. Pop it in the post and get results back a week or so later. If there is something iffy then you go for testing.  If cleaf you get the kit again 2 years later. Unless that's what's going on here?

Anyhow I wish you all good health and sending very best wishes to you Ned for a good outcome from your treatment.
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You send poo through the mail in the States you get a visit from the FBI.
 
Several years ago when we lived in Missouri I went for my routine colon photo shoot. Everything seemed to go fine until I got a call the next day. The hospital said there was a problem. The procedure was not clean. I told them I did the prep as per the instructions. They said that wasn't the problem. The problem was the instruments used for my procedure were not properly cleaned after the previous photo shoot. I was asked to come to the hospital for several blood tests. That was about 10 years ago and so far no side effects.
 
Oldgator73 said:
You send poo through the mail in the States you get a visit from the FBI.
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Nope, there are a few different mail-in test cards available in the US for collecting fecal swabs for colon cancer testing. Cologuard? is probably the best known currently, and is advertised fairly widely. I've done their test as well as one from LabCorp at my doctor's request before my annual physical. The kits meet all USPS hazmat requirements.
 
NY_Dutch said:
Nope, there are a few different mail-in test cards available in the US for collecting fecal swabs for colon cancer testing. Cologuard? is probably the best known currently, and is advertised fairly widely. I've done their test as well as one from LabCorp at my doctor's request before my annual physical. The kits meet all USPS hazmat requirements.
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But you are referring to placing the poo in a box or envelope. I just put a stamp on the poo and drop it in the box.

Look up the definition of facetious.
 
Oldgator73 said:
But you are referring to placing the poo in a box or envelope. I just put a stamp on the poo and drop it in the box.

Look up the definition of facetious.
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  Then it sticks to the bottom of the box and is only removed 30 years later when the box is melted down for scrap to fight World War V

Bill
 
jackiemac said:
Wow your health care seems to be much more sophisticated than ours in the UK.  For your 50th birthday you get a kit to smear your poo on. Pop it in the post and get results back a week or so later. If there is something iffy then you go for testing.  If cleaf you get the kit again 2 years later. Unless that's what's going on here?
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I just remembered something...
I mentioned that my doc has been hounding me to get this done for some time. The test kit was offered a couple of times during yearly physicals as an option. But was also told that the kit is quite vulnerable to false colon cancer results due to other factors. That the only way to confirm those results is the colonoscopy with possible further biopsy/lab testing. Which could pan out to anything from cancer itself, possibly an ulcer, or nothing more than an irritated hemorrhoid.

Anyone else look into this? 
 
_Rusty_ said:
Does the post office know about this??  I would think there would have to be some bio-hazard sticker on the envelope or something  ???  I have to wonder if the mail service "stinks" over this ;D
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Yes, it's common. They had it on a cardboard contraption which you put in a foil envelope. New one in plastic container then envelope.
 
denmarc said:
I just remembered something...
I mentioned that my doc has been hounding me to get this done for some time. The test kit was offered a couple of times during yearly physicals as an option. But was also told that the kit is quite vulnerable to false colon cancer results due to other factors. That the only way to confirm those results is the colonoscopy with possible further biopsy/lab testing. Which could pan out to anything from cancer itself, possibly an ulcer, or nothing more than an irritated hemorrhoid.

Anyone else look into this?
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We do one, if blood present, we do another, i guess if 2nd positive then you get further testing.   
 
There is a big difference between a check for blood and a DNA check. The first is standard for every check up we get, the second is "send us a stool sample".

Ernie
 
Ernie n Tara said:
There is a big difference between a check for blood and a DNA check.
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Exactly. But the kit I am pertaining to is the first test. And it requires a stool sample to be dropped off directly to my doctors office lab. Not a "mail in" kit.
Actually, it says right on the kit that it should not be used by patients with hemorrhoids or other internal issues where any blood would be passed. Nothing mentioned about DNA.

A couple annual physicals ago, my doc again brought the subject up. It was again mentioned about the kit. Was told again that these type of test kits do have somewhat of a record of giving false test results. And if a positive comes back, the only real way of confirming that test result was taking a closer look.

I'm confused.  :eek: :eek: :eek:

And now back to the topic...

A guy just had a colonoscopy procedure preformed and was waiting for the test results.
Doc walks in to say everything looked just fine.
Patient replies "Damn! I was hoping you would find that stupid TV remote I've been looking for"!  ;)
 
The colonoscopy procedure can be a real pain in the ass.  If from nothing else other than wiping after each preparation session.  One word of advice, get some really soft toilet tissue before starting the process.
 
Molaker said:
The colonoscopy procedure can be a real pain in the ass.  If from nothing else other than wiping after each preparation session.  One word of advice, get some really soft toilet tissue before starting the process.
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This reminds me of a new topic to be started in the Shade Tree.
 
The colonoscopy procedure can be a real pain in the ass.  If from nothing else other than wiping after each preparation session.  One word of advice, get some really soft toilet tissue before starting the process.
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Baby wipes are wonderful for that.
 
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