Keep An Eye on the Doctors!

[Jean]

Another reason why we have to be so vigilant and keep a questioning eye on our medical treatmenet.

My oncologist has pressured me for years to have a colonoscopy...my past with breast cancer and my dad dying of colon cancer, besides everyone should have one at 50 and I am way over that. So I am finally doing one tomorrow.

Went to the drugstore yesterday to get the prep and my antibiotics. Pharmacist (small town, knows me) hesitated and asked why I was having this antibiotic. Told him. He tells me, this antibiotic will not be absorbed into the bloodstream in pill form. Totally wrong drug. He is contacting my surgeon and I'll see what is what later this morning. Really instills confidence. Depending on the answers I get later, I may or may not go on with the procedure.

Thanks for letting me vent. Seems like the med.profession is earning a lot of that lately.

 

[MelissaM]

In the wee hours of this morning, NPR did a great piece on a doctor who experienced many of the same trials that we experience. . .doctors ignoring the problem, doctors giving contradictory advice, etc, regarding his 81 year old mother.

"From May until August 2003, mom develops a progressive balance problem, literally falling four to five times per day. Her close-to-retirement internist says ?it?s just aging.? Mom pushes back and asks for physical therapy and for a comprehensive gait and balance evaluation. Her internist says, ?no, it will not help.?

[Eventually] She has an MRI, lab tests, and a spinal tap for removal of cerebrospinal fluid. She is diagnosed with normopressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition characterized primarily by gait (walking) problems, dementia, and urinary incontinence. NPH can be difficult to diagnose and many times goes untreated.

Read his story at:

http://www.ppecc.org/stories/story_vonsternberg.htm

View the NPR page at:

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3915729

 

[Bryan B]

Personally I would think an IV antibiotic would be in order for a valve patient undergoing a colonoscopy. You are going to have an IV going anyway, and the IV antibiotic will be in the bloodstream immediately.

 

[Shine_on_Syd]

I took Amoxicillin pills before my colonoscopy. But the doc gave me a shot too just to be sure

 

[epstns]

In my case, my cardio recommends against "routine" colonoscopy. His position is that there is no known history of colon cancer in my family, so I'm at "normal to low risk." That said, his opinion is that the hemoccult screening test most docs can do is statistically almost as accurate at predicting cancers of the colon, so it should be sufficient. Even pre-surgery, his prescription for prep would be IV antibiotics, but he warns that the specific antibiotics needed have serious kidney side effects and the patient would need to be monitored for that. . . and there is a history of kidney stones in my family (and me, too).

Just my $.02, and I'll have to fight it out with the internist next appointment.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Wow guys. They just had me take the usual Amox for the colonoscopy. Was having some issues after surgery. Family history....so we went ahead with the test. Plan to have another one in about 4 years. Guess there is pleanty of time to fingure out the "rountine". Steve...I like the approach your GI is using!

 

[ticktock]

Gina
Question, I am scheduled for a Colonoscopy next week. What did they do about your Coumadin?? Did you do your Lovenox injections? How long?
I went to Al's site, and I do believe they are getting their information from HIM!! Wouldn't be surprised.... what better source?

Hope your results were good.
mindy

 

[catwoman]

Mindy:

I was to have a colonoscopy 10/19, while fully anticoagulated because my cardio was "90%" sure the GI docs would not find anything. GI docs would put me on antibiotic IVs.
Canceled the colonoscopy yesterday (10/13) when the GI office called to say my insurance plan (United HealthCare) will not cover a "routine" colonoscopy screening. Only a diagnostic one. UHC benefits employee said to get my GI's office to turn it as a diagnostic, since my mom & grandmother both had colon cancer (both survivors). GI's office won't do it. "Routine" screening would be $1,200-$1,500 out of my own pocket. I've exhausted my flex fund already this year.
So I canceled.
HOWEVER, UHC would cover a colonoscopy (plus Lovenox) if the first colonoscopy found something and I had to have it repeated.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

My previous insurance company **did** cover a screening colonoscopy 3 years ago. Which found 1 small polyp, removed during the screening.

UHC doesn't care about my family background.

So, I'll wait until after first of the year, when my flex fund starts all over again.

 

[Bryan B]

Thanks for the head's up Marsha. I have UHC and have made an appointment to see my Dad's GI doc Nov 9th and have my first colonoscopy before the end of the year. I want to get it done since I reached my out of pocket maximum in March. My Dad had colon cancer (also survivor due to regular colonoscopies), so I'm actually overdue for my first one at age 43 (almost 44 ). I will make sure to ask them if they will classify mine as diagnostic.