My first colonoscopy

[no_hypocrisy]

I'm 60 and it was time.

I'm scheduled for 1:30. The preparation is still ongoing.

I've had a sigmoidoscopy about 30 years ago. That prep entailed an enema.

This prep had me drink a quart (in two batches) of really nasty tasting stuff. (I know, I know. I remember the gallons of chalky barium enema that patients had to drink.)

At the moment, I am clean as a whistle inside and out.

I will report back how the procedure went.

[SummerSnow]

1. Hope all goes well.

[LakeVermilion]

9. Public Service Message:

Always start the prep as early as possible, don't wait until after 6:00 pm. You want to be cleaned out before you fall asleep.

Just sayin'

[mitch96]

16. One of the prep's we would use was called "Go Lightly"

It was anything but (butt?)... The prep keeps changing b/c as the Doc's (gastroenterologists) get more edumacated they try to improve the performance of the prep.. .Or the prep company sales person just paid for his kids foot ball uniform.. and he suggested that brand.. quid pro quo..
A clean colon makes their job better. A little bit of poop can look like a polyp or a cancer.. We tried CT colonoscopy but the prep is the same and the colonoscopy is the gold standard so just go with the gold, right?
I'm curious how well these new DNA colon tests are working out.. I mean if you get the DNA test then get a colonoscopy do they jive together??? If you have no history of colon problems in your family, why not give it a try???
m

[Squinch]

2. Due to family history I have them all the time. You'll be fine.

And the big cup of coffee I always get afterwards always tastes like the best thing in the world.

Best to you. Don't worry. It's easy.

And good for you for getting it done. Colon cancer is completely preventable, because the polyps take years to turn into cancer.

[tymorial]

3. It's really strange when it comes out clear huh?

Rarely do you know when something has so completely "worked.". Lol. 😃

[Alpeduez21]

4. video or it never happened

[woodsprite]

5. Best of luck!

I had one about 10 yrs ago. At the same time, they did an endoscopy, so they doped me up enough I don't remember a thing. I'm 54 now, and was told it's past time for me to have another one. I'm not sure this time that they'll knock me out as well as last...and the prep is horrible! To this day I can't stand 7-up or Gatorade. Actually, clear chicken broth was what it went down easiest in.

Seriously, why can't they make it taste like jelly beans or something?

[lamp_shade]

6. I have pictures of mine.

[justhanginon]

12. A big thank you for not sharing! LOL

[RamblingRose]

7. My husband's having his first done today as well

He's 52

Scheduled for 11am (has to be there at 10am)

I made him lime jello yesterday

He's completely miserable. Didn't sleep a wink.

I think they're knocking him out as well since they said he needed someone to drive him.

After watching his agony I don't know if I want to have one.

They said if he's clear he won't have to have another one for 10 years.

Good Luck!

[Sanity Claws]

8. I'm in your age group

And have not had one. Anything you can say to allay my fear and dread of the procedure?

I keep telling myself that there is no family history of colorectal cancer so I really don't need it.

[no_hypocrisy]

15. Go ahead and book one.

The procedure is a piece of cake. It's the preparation that you have to steel yourself for. It's hard to drink 16 oz of salted water with just a hint of lemon between clenched teeth, y'know? Then 32 ounces of water.

And yes, I am hungry and have been fantasizing about eggplant parm, baked clams, and manicott' since yesterday. I had chicken broth by Campbells (more salt!) but that wasn't sustaining.

Do the test. Too many people can be diagnosed and cured if they only got the test and this is the only reliable way to do it. 25 years ago, my father (an internist) was doing a combination of hemacult kits (to find blood in the stool) and a G.I. Series where patients had to drink gallons of chalky stuff with some radioactive stuff for a series of x-rays.

Yeah, I'm bitching, but I'm hungry dammit!

Like I said, I'll return in about 6 hours (with a foot long hoagie) to report how the procedure went.

[Freddie]

10. My husband has had *many* colonoscopies

He was diagnosed with Crohn's at 40. Had one annually for years, now every 2 years. He complains about how the prep keeps changing. Sometimes drink a half gallon of crud, sometimes less with pills. The latest involved crud plus pills but he didn't have to start until 5:00 pm the day before, this one is designed so people can work the day before and just do the "cleaning" in the evening.
I had my first one 2 years ago and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Cold Sprite as a chaser to get the taste of the gunk out of your mouth helped a lot. "See you in 10 years" finest words ever spoken.

[longship]

11. The prep is much worse than the procedure.

The prep is horrible. No food; hungry. Then, there's the laxatives! Oh boy! Industrial strength! Just what one needs when one hasn't eaten anything but jello for over a day.

My advice: Book a table at The Waffle House for your way home and order their largest breakfast X 2.

[left-of-center2012]

13. I've had two in ten years

Worst part is the prep, but no big deal if you do it right.

[WhiteTara]

14. I have a 2 day liquid fast that

goes with my nasty tasting stuff. I hope to lose a couple of pounds. I'm working on the last 15 to go away.

[dhill926]

17. hell....I was awake during mine this year....watched the whole thing....

kind of a poor man's Fantastic Voyage. Prep isn't fun, but not the end of the world. Highly recommended to get one if it's time...

[no_hypocrisy]

18. OK, I'm back. 90 minutes since I was put under.

First, the results: NO POLYPS ! ! !

Next, very good anesthesia. Woke up, ready to roll, thinking clearly, no hangover, no nausea, etc.

It took 10 minutes to check in, 20 minutes to prep (blood pressure, etc.), 20 minutes for the procedure.

Staff and doctors could not have been nicer.

Got cranberry juice when I woke up.

It's over.

Everyone agrees the preparation sucks, but what are you gonna do?

If you haven't done your colonoscopy, I hope my experience encourages you to schedule yours.

Postscript: 2 Caveats
1) You're going to get a certain amount of air up your rectum. Expect to expel it in intervals when you wake up. But at least it's air, nothing else.
2) You have to have someone to drive you home. The staff advised me that if I assumed the risk of driving AFTER I was dropped off and got pulled over, the cops could get me for Driving While Impaired. So I'm drinking my coffee, taking my supplements, eating for the first time since yesterday morning, and chilling with you guys.

[phylny]

19. My advice to everyone prepping for a colonoscopy: V A S E L I N E

Get some petroleum jelly and apply liberally on and near your anus before and during the prep time.

Sorry to be so blunt but the worst part for me was being irritated by the emptying and wiping. Other than that, the procedure is not difficult.

Everyone, get it done.