Tell me the truth- How bad is a colonoscopy?

[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.