PSA: Colonoscopies!

[Princesca]

As I sit here trying to ingest my second 32 ounces of colonoscopy prep (yum yum) I thought I'd remind everyone to go get your screening colonoscopy. The recommended age has been lowered to 45, and it should be covered 100% under most insurance. Apparently they're finding incidences of colon cancer in younger folks to be on the rise. The prep isn't fun, but it's only once a decade, if all goes well.

At least I had to be up early anyway to book dining reservations.

 

[kymom99]

Having my second one April 3rd. I’m on the 5 year plan thanks to family history.

 

[Princesca]

Having my second one April 3rd. I’m on the 5 year plan thanks to family history.

I do not envy that and hope that I get the all clear today. Honestly it hasn't been THAT bad except I can't handle all this Gatorade. Blechhhhhhhhh. I wish it could be pill only for the prep. I don't usually drink anything but coffee or water so this is bad. Though honestly the nausea from trying to drink all this has at least taken away any food cravings I had.

 

[mousefan73]

A friend of mine just had her first due to the age being lowered. No symptoms nothing, just a check-up. Turns out she actually had cancer, not pre-cancer polyps but cancer. She had surgery right away- took out a part of her colon. She is fine now, no chemo thank god. but off work for 2 months to recovery. ( she has a physical type job)

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Good reminder for everyone! I had my first colonoscopy a couple of years ago and the prep wasn’t bad at all. I get my next one in about 8 years. Good luck today @Princesca!

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I do not envy that and hope that I get the all clear today. Honestly it hasn't been THAT bad except I can't handle all this Gatorade. Blechhhhhhhhh. I wish it could be pill only for the prep. I don't usually drink anything but coffee or water so this is bad. Though honestly the nausea from trying to drink all this has at least taken away any food cravings I had.

I was the same way. I’m only a coffee and water person and Gatorade was tough for me to get through. As a bonus, I did lose a couple of pounds afterwards!

 

[slo]

As I sit here trying to ingest my second 32 ounces of colonoscopy prep (yum yum) I thought I'd remind everyone to go get your screening colonoscopy. The recommended age has been lowered to 45, and it should be covered 100% under most insurance. Apparently they're finding incidences of colon cancer in younger folks to be on the rise. The prep isn't fun, but it's only once a decade, if all goes well.

At least I had to be up early anyway to book dining reservations.

Thank you for this and good luck today.
I’ll be having my eighth one this summer - my UC requires me to have one every 1-2 years. The prep is definitely no fun, but I look at it as a reason to be home and watch TV all night. Then after the procedure, it’s a reason to go out to breakfast

 

[RogueX]

Yes, it's a good reminder. We had to start early because of family history. When they were running through the list of clear liquids, I asked if champagne counted.

 

[indimom]

100% agree. I'm a hospice nurse (in one of the three areas of the US with a higher than average death rate from colon cancer). We get way too many patients with colon cancer, and a high percentage didn't get screenings.
Their cancer was caught way too late when they "finally" had symptoms.

Death from colon cancer has decreased overall as screenings became more routine.... get your colonoscopy!!!

 

[kanerf]

My last one was 2021. Not due again until 2026. After 60 they said every 5 years. It is a pain and I wish they would approve the non-invasive tests.

 

[Meriweather]

yes so important.
I get one every 5 years due to family history. (My mother died from colon cancer....many years ago). I went last June.

A friend's 34 year old son had colon cancer.....luckily they caught it early and after some removal and recovery, he has been fine for the last 10 years.

 

[jo-jo]

I don't mind the drinking, it the nasty stuff you have to drink. Last time , after second dose I threw up. I'd rather take a pill with a glass of liquid every 30 mins for 4 hours than drink that stuff.

There was another thread here where people mentioned about 6 different preps that were being used depending on the Dr.

 

[Dan Murphy]

. Then after the procedure, it’s a reason to go out to breakfast

Some of our most memorable breakfasts, always great after the morning procedure.

Thanks for your reminder @Princesca. Best wishes for a good one later today. You'll do great!

I have probably my 6th or 7th scheduled for later this year, October.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I'll be 45 this summer, so my turn is coming.

 

[kdonnel]

For those who don't want an invasive screening test there are alternatives.

The US, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany are the only countries that recommend colonoscopy as the primary option for colorectal cancer screening.

Elsewhere fecal occult blood testing using FIT or gFOBT tests are the primary screening method.

Studies have not shown a clear benefit to the more invasive colonoscopy over fecal occult blood testing. There is a low risk of complications associated with colonoscopy up to four weeks after the procedure that does not exist for fecal occult blood testing.

If you do not want to get a colonoscopy talk to your doctor about a yearly fecal occult blood test. It is done in the privacy of your own home and requires no prep. Based on the results you may then be asked to get a colonoscopy.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thank you for this and good luck today.
I’ll be having my eighth one this summer - my UC requires me to have one every 1-2 years. The prep is definitely no fun, but I look at it as a reason to be home and watch TV all night. Then after the procedure, it’s a reason to go out to breakfast

I’m on the 5 year plan, that breakfast is the best!

 

[Princesca]

If you do not want to get a colonoscopy talk to your doctor about a yearly fecal occult blood test. It is done in the privacy of your own home and requires no prep. Based on the results you may then be asked to get a cocolonoscopy.

I researched this and it seems that these tests (I'm assuming like Cologuard) miss a good number of precancerous polyps. One gastroenterology website said:

Because colon cancer begins as growths called polyps, finding and removing polyps is the best way to prevent colon cancer. There are three types of CRC screening:

1. Colonoscopy – 95% of large polyps detected
2. Stool DNA (Cologuard Test) – 42% of large polyps detected
3. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) – 24% of large polyps detected

I wasn't comfortable with the possibility of missed precancers, but I am prone to anxiety and want to always be able to say I took the most precautions.

 

[loves to dive]

I do the Cologuard every year because I have issues with anesthesia so a Colonscopy is out for me. They have to give the smallest dose they possibly can, I actually woke up in the middle of my hysterectomy (back then it was a big slice across you belly).

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, one is in the near future for me. I've actually had one before due to some issues they wanted to check out, but I will be 45 in August, and my Doctor was already mentioning it at my last physical. I know it's important so I'll get it done. Prep is not that fun, for sure!

 

[kdonnel]

I researched this and it seems that these tests (I'm assuming like Cologuard) miss a good number of precancerous polyps. One gastroenterology website said:

Because colon cancer begins as growths called polyps, finding and removing polyps is the best way to prevent colon cancer. There are three types of CRC screening:

1. Colonoscopy – 95% of large polyps detected
2. Stool DNA (Cologuard Test) – 42% of large polyps detected
3. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) – 24% of large polyps detected

I wasn't comfortable with the possibility of missed precancers, but I am prone to anxiety and want to always be able to say I took the most precautions.

The US is a very wealthy country and as a result our medical practices take advantage of all that wealth.

One side effect is that when there are two or more screening tests available, the US is going to choose the gold standard which is most often the most expensive, most invasive, with the most complications.

However when studies look at spending versus outcome, the US does horrible. We spend so much more than other countries on medical care and do not get a positive outcome that matches that increased spending.

It is great that we can generally choose which test we want even with our broken medical/insurance system.