colonoscopy complete

[Nancy]

Just had my 5 year colonoscopy. Everything went very well, and no polyps. Have a family history, since my dear father died as a result of colon cancer.

This prep was far superior to the ones in the past.

This doctor uses Miralax mixed with 64 ounces of Gatorade, and a couple of pills, one a stool softener and the other an anti-emetic. Miralax does a thorough job with less fluid volume and much less irritation of the tissues. I have had Golightly and/or Nulightly in the past. Those were enormous, huge containers of vile tasting pineapple stuff that was extremely salty and extremely hard to gag down, and it took all day, it seemed. Compared to that, this was a breeze. Still a not pleasant experience, the bowel cleansing, but a great big improvement.

So, if this procedure is in your future and they are asking you to chug down Nulightly or some other horrible stuff, you might want to ask about the Miralax prep instead.

 

[Les]

Nancy,
That is good news! Thanks for the information also. I'm 50, and it's time...

 

[LoraW30]

Nancy,


Wonderful to here that everything went well!!!

Lora

 

[Ross]

Congrats!

Cleaned and scoped. Good for another 5 years?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I am wondering what effect the 'bowel preparation' would have on INR. Anybody know? I'm hoping to find some place close that does Virtual Colonoscopies.

'AL'

 

[Marty]

How about virtual?

How about virtual?

Nancy, How about giving the radiologists some business and having a virtual next time?

 

[Heather Fisher]

My husband just had a 3 year check-up colonoscopy last week. Years ago when he was first diagnosed with his rectal cancer he had to use the golightly stuff and hated it. His doctor now uses Fleets Phospho soda available over the counter at drug stores. You take 1.5 oz the night before the procedure with 2, 8 oz glasses of water and repeat it again 3 hours before the procedure. Overall there is much less liquid to ingest (it still tastes nasty though).

They only removed one polyp this time so we get to go 4 years before repeating this procedure again

Glad to hear your check-up was a good one!

Heather

 

[Granbonny]

My 36 year old daughter had one this week. No polyps.. Said she was very relaxed...Brother (My son) had gone to hospital with her. (Hubby had to work)..She was so relaxed..she said she agreed to take care of my Grandson for him for 4 days.. Caught her in a twilight moment..while he was in recovery room with her. Sneaky Bro ................Marty..if I can find someone to do a virtual test..and they find a polyp...Does that mean. I would have to go off coumadin and have another one done? PCP had me scheduled for one in Dec. and I canceled it.He will hit the roof next month when I go in for 6 month checkup.I need info before then. Don't want him mad at me.I did all the other tests for him..Mammo, pap smear, bone density, ect. all normal. He will look at them and say, how about the colon test? Bonnie

 

[Granbonny]

Ross

Ross

Looks like you are getting ready for a colon test..from the backside of you new avator Or..are you just mooning us? Bonnie

 

[tommy]

Thanks for the good news. I'm due for one of those later in the year. Never had one before. Oh joy!

 

[Nancy]

Marty-

I did ask about the virtual one, but I wasn't sure insurance would cover it. As far as I'm concerned, the regular test is actual painless, well, almost. The prep has to be done anyway. Plus I was kind of expecting some polyps, and then I would have to go this route anyway. So, just go and get it over with. I was on Valium IV and it only took about 20 minutes. Of course, if I start bleeding or something like that because of an instument mishap, I won't be a happy camper. I was semi-awake throughout, and didn't hear any "uh-ohs" so I guess no damage was done. I wanted to watch the screen, and the doc said he could keep me alert, as long as I didn't curse him out, so I said, "OK, put my lights out", since I remember a very high signmoidoscope w/o happy stuff and it wasn't fun.

Heather, have had to use that Fleet Phospho soda, very, very gaggy stuff. Like drinking the Dead Sea. It made Joe projectile vomit. You can hardly stand it. It works though, but at what price?I got it down but I felt that there must be a more enlightened way to do this. That was many years ago.

 

[bvdr]

I had the Golightly prep in January. I could hardly drink all that stuff but I did. The gastroenterologist said insurance would not cover a virtual colonoscopy and she needed to get biopsies anyway. I had been off coumadin for several days already (in case I needed surgery) so all they had to do is hold one injection of Lovenox.

They thought they had put me out but they hadn't quite enough. I remember begging them to stop at one point and her (the doc) telling me she was almost done. It took about 30 minutes but I only remember little bits of it.

I think she said I need another one in 6 months. She may have to find me first.

 

[Nancy]

hi Betty-

Well, keep repeating, Miralax/Gatorade prep and "I want to be knocked out".

The woman in the preparation cubicle next to me told them in no uncertain terms that she wanted to be knocked out, and said it more than once. The prep nurses said OK, will do.

 

[Bryan B]

Congratulations on the good news Nancy! My dad was a polyp grower and had colon cancer. Luckily he got his colonoscopies done regularly and they caught it early. He's doing great and I think he's coming up on 10 years. My Mom has had several and grows polyps. My sister had her first one last month and had 3 very small polyps removed. I'm 43 and need to have one done. That's one of my questions for my surgeon when we meet for the first time (I swear I'll get to meet him one day...lol), whether or not I should have a colonoscopy before surgery. My PCP thinks I should deal with one thing at a time, but said he would set me up to have one done if that's what I want to do. I'm not planning on getting a mechanical valve, but I think it still might be a good idea to get one before the surgery just in case they find something. All of my family have had the lower volmue preps and say that although it's not fun it's much better than the "GoHeavily".

They all said the procedure itself is a breeze with no pain during or after the procedure.

 

[terry40]

Well done Nancy

Well done Nancy

Great news!!!

I'll be do for mine, again , in about a year, my father has stage 4 colon cancer, and his brother died of the same a year before he was first diagnosised.

My siblings and I all had polyp removed and they found Crohn's disease in my youngest brother.

Another reason why I will not give up eating those healthy green veggies, I'll taking 10 mg a day of coumadin.

I hated the prep, but I was totally out for the testing.

I hope after this one they'll let me go five years.

 

[bvdr]

Nancy,

I think you and everyone else who have family histories of polyps or colon cancer are so very smart to have regular colonoscopies.
I'm glad yours was negative and even though I bulk at the idea, I too will have it again when It is due. The consequences are just too great if things arn't caught early.

 

[fyrfytr]

Nancy,
Glad to hear your checkup went well.
Take Care

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Nancy!

Congratulations on a clean test!

Can share that thought. We have a deep family history of Colon Cancer. Lost 4 relatives on my mothers side of the family. Statred with my testing 3 years ago. Not one polyp! Come to think of it....I am due again soon! Hoping for the virtual type!

Good news! Thanks for sharing.

 

[catwoman]

Nancy:

Congratulations! Kinda like having your teeth X-rayed and hoping they don't find anything.
Had one 3 years ago. Prep was not bad. None of that Golightly stuff. Have heard it's rather nasty.

I'm due for (another) one in July. Already researching how to go about it, now that I'm on Coumadin. Have talked with cardio's office, gastroenterologist's office and nurse for my insurance co.

 

[Mark Wagner]

That is good news Nancy. mmm good .... that drink tastes so good! I don't care how they try to improve the taste ... it just plain sucks! .... Mark