Tell me the truth- How bad is a colonoscopy?

[HillSlugger]

Karen posted this on Beginner Triathlete:

I'm Alive!

I was out of it after the procedure due to getting general anesthesia (? spelling). I ate one meal all day yesterday.

Now it's 7:30 AM and I'm watching my recording of the Biggest Loser and eating breakfast. I hope to be on the road by 10:00 AM.

[KSH]

Thanks MDHillSlug for posting that update! Thanks for checking to see how I was ladies.

They took out a polyp... and otherwise that was all I was told.

I drove down South here in Texas and I am on vacation down here for a few days. Yesterday my insides were sore, but today I'm fine. I got up and ran for 30 minutes.

So all it good... and it's over. And I can't say I want to do it ever again.

Have a wonderful Christmas ladies!

[HillSlugger]

I'm glad that you are OK. Unfortunately, colonoscopy is not a one-time thing. You'll have to do repeats at some frequency. I've had polyps removed, so I've been on 1 year and 3 year repeats. If my next one is good I get to go to 5 year repeats.

[KSH]

I'm glad that you are OK. Unfortunately, colonoscopy is not a one-time thing. You'll have to do repeats at some frequency. I've had polyps removed, so I've been on 1 year and 3 year repeats. If my next one is good I get to go to 5 year repeats.

Yea... uuummm... in another 5 years... MAYBE. They got their shot.

When I checked in, it was great because the nurse said I might need an enima to get out any remaining stuff and I told her that was where I drew the line and it was NOT going to happen. She saw that I was "cleaned out" and said I wouldn't have to do it. Thank goodness, because I was about to walk out the door.

[teigyr]

I am so glad you are ok! I had been thinking about you too. It doesn't sound like too much fun....but at least it's over.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Yea... uuummm... in another 5 years... MAYBE. They got their shot.

KSH -
I'm glad to hear that you're OK. But - I highly recommend that you change your attitude towards colonoscopies. The test saves lives because it allows docs to remove polyps before they turn into cancer.

My younger brother died of colon cancer this year. He was 51 years old. Yes, we already had a warning because our dad had colon cancer (and is still alive!). With 1 person in the family with this awful disease, my own colonoscopy cycle was every 5 years, but with 2 (and yes, my brother's cancer appeared inside of that reccommended 5-year colonoscopy window)? Because of the family history I will always be on a 1 to 2 year colonoscopy cycle, 1 year for now because I had a polyp removed in my own colonoscopy this week.

I wasn't going to jump in here because you were asking for help / information about your own test, but I just can't let it go because I know there are many women reading this thread who are scared of this test and who are hearing from you that it is pretty awful (and that you seem to be thinking that you won't go for another one). It's true that the prep is not pleasant, but in my experience (I've had 3 colonscopies so far), the test is nothing to be afraid of.

For my first test, I had the all-liquid prep. I almost threw up, and the next time I asked for something else. That time my prep was half pills, half liquid. Better, but that still made me gag. When I made my appointment this year, I again asked about a different prep. This time the all pills prep (Osmoprep) was much better. At least I didn't feel like I was going to vomit! The nurses told me that in order for it to work properly I needed to continue drinking all day long - 8 ounces of water with each set of 4 pills, plus additional liquid for the rest of the day. They told me Gatorade (not red!) was good, so that's what I drank most of the day. Toward the end I switched to Ginger Ale. How much did I drink? There was the required 8 glasses of water, then probably 2 quarts of Gatorade, then I don't know how many cans of soda, a few. Lots of liquid.

My message to those of you who are putting off this test (assuming that your doc has recommended it) is that the test isn't that bad. The prep is not pleasant but hey - it's only part of a day. Taking that time, and having the test as recommended by your doc can be important to your life.

--- Denise

[Tuckervill]

Denise, I'm sorry to hear about your brother.

My father-in-law is a 14 year survivor of colon cancer. You bet my husband gets his scopes at proper intervals. Thankfully, they've never found a polyp, and my husband is not a smoker, so his risk is somewhat less. Better safe than sorry.

Karen

[Thorn]

Thank you, Denise, for putting things in perspective.

Yep, the colonoscopy prep sucks and mammograms hurt, but cancer kills. Today we have the tests for early detection. We're fools if we don't make use of them because of a little inconvenience.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Karen -
Thank you. I'm glad to hear that your father-in-law is OK and that your husband is going for his colonoscopy on a regular basis.

Honestly, the reason I added to this thread is that it scared me that people were getting the message that it was OK not to go for this test. I hope that the folks who needed to hear that the test isn't bad are listening...

--- Denise