Tell me the truth- How bad is a colonoscopy?

[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

[Aggie_Ama]

Denise-

Thank you for sharing. As I stated my own father is in remission from colon cancer. His adoptive father also had it as well. My husbands step-mother saddened and angered me when she told me "I had one colonoscopy and would rather take my chances not having another one." This was while my father was in chemo. The statement was over a year ago but I am still a bit upset.

I sat through my husband's prep and I know it is uncomfortable but I couldn't believe her attitude. Sorry to jump on a soap box but I think it is important for people who have been touched by colon cancer and other disease to remind others that this isn't a test to be taken blown off. My husband is on a five (or is it three?) year plan for his Crohn's and he just takes it as the hand he was dealt. No dread, no whining.

[bambu101]

My mother died from colon cancer at the age of 66, and I still miss her every single day. She was dignosed at age 59, and it had already spread. She was fortunate to outlive the doctors prognosis of one more year, and survived another 7 years.

My sister, brothers, and I all remind each other when we feel like letting those colonoscopy appointments slide for just a little longer. No, it is not pleasant, but it is far better than what our mother went through. You do what you have to do.

[KSH]

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

Well you are right Denise... and I'm sure I'm just over dramatic. If I had a history of colon cancer, the prep wouldn't seem all that bad. I'm very sorry to hear about your family. It's very sad.

For each person... one's tolerance is difference. Where I may suffer... another may not. Where I might be annoyed... another may not.

I certainly won't say anything else negative towards it.

If someone should get it done... then get it done. And TAKE THE PILLS.

From everything I have read, the pills make the prep much less miserable. I also learned that you need to take the pills early to clean you out... since they take so long to work. I wish I had taken them at 4:00 PM as I was told... since they weren't going to work for another 2-3 hours. I was so scared they would work immediately, I refused to take them until I got home from work.

[DeniseGoldberg]

If I had a history of colon cancer, the prep wouldn't seem all that bad.

For each person... one's tolerance is difference. Where I may suffer... another may not. Where I might be annoyed... another may not.

...From everything I have read, the pills make the prep much less miserable. I also learned that you need to take the pills early to clean you out... since they take so long to work. I wish I had taken them at 4:00 PM as I was told... since they weren't going to work for another 2-3 hours. I was so scared they would work immediately, I refused to take them until I got home from work.

You're certainly right about everyone's tolerance being different. And I'm sorry if I came across too strongly, but your post after your test indicating that you might ignore the doc's instructions about repeating the test in 5 years was giving people the message that this test is not important. And it really is.

Even without a history of colon cancer - I highly recommend that everyone follows their doc's recommendation for this test. I knew two people without a family history who died of colon cancer.

I find it very interesting that the doc I go to says to start the prep at 1 PM. Every other person I've talked to has been told to start at 4.

Funny, my doc's office always calls the day before the procedure to make sure I don't have any questions. The first time I had a colonoscopy, they called in the morning. When I indicated I was going to wait until 1 to start the prep, they advised me to start earlier. The comment "you can't eat anyway, so you might as well get started" really hit home for me. This time I started my prep at noon. I was quite happy to be finished and in bed for a good night's sleep by 10.

--- Denise

[Aggie_Ama]

Well you are right Denise... and I'm sure I'm just over dramatic. If I had a history of colon cancer, the prep wouldn't seem all that bad. I'm very sorry to hear about your family. It's very sad.

For each person... one's tolerance is difference. Where I may suffer... another may not. Where I might be annoyed... another may not.

I certainly won't say anything else negative towards it.

If someone should get it done... then get it done. And TAKE THE PILLS.

KSH- Didn't mean to be snippy about your feelings after the test. I haven't even had the test, just seen what it can help people beat. I am pretty sure I will whine, dread and complain about it when my time comes. That is just how I am.

Hope everything is okay with the polyps and you have a Merry Christmas.