Get a Colonoscopy NOW!!

[PhysAssist]

A friend of mine's wife, decided since she was 50 years old, it was time to go for her first colonoscopy. They found cancer, and saved her life.

Due to a medical condition, I have had at least 10 of them, in the last 35 years.

The prep is the worst of it, and that has improved considerably over the years.

If your Doctor, wants you to do anything, other than what is now known as the Dulcalax/Miralax prep, you should get a Dr. who isn't stuck in the stone age.

The Dulcalax/Miralax prep is the latest way to do it. And it's a breeze, compared to the other preps, and I know, I've had them all.

Better doctors are also now using Propofol to sedate you, which puts you in a deep, restful sleep, so you don't know, or remember, being invaded by a garden hose.

Too True- I was going to mention that but if your doctor tells you to take Magnesium Citrate [the terrible tasting fizzy soda], tell him to go jump in a lake, and as Ray says, find one who knows how to keep his patients safe.

Thomas

 

[PhysAssist]

Sure. Though everyone has a different level of tolerance, there generally is no bad cramping, and you are not up all night, sitting on the john. Or, continuously running for it.

I used this prep, for my last two colonoscopies. And, in both instances, I was cleaned out by the time I went to bed. So, I only woke up like three times to go the john.

It's 2 Dulcalax tablets, followed later, by a bottle of Miralax, dissolved in two bottles of Gatorade.

I would recommend sleeping on some towels, in case you don't wake up fast enough.

In my reading tonight, they say the other preps have gotten better too.

It's important to follow the instructions concerning stopping your food intake, so there is relatively nothing to clear out of you, except the mucosal lining.

When you get well into the prep, if what comes out, is completely clear, (like water), each time you go, you are cleaned out.

And, even though they won't always tell you this, if there is still a little of your prep left to drink at that point, you can skip it. It won't matter, after you are "clear".

The Dulcalax/Miralax prep, is like going to Disney, compared to what they did to me years ago.

Even more importantly, the "Other" prep with Mag Citrate, which works as an osmotic laxative, because it is a fairly highly concentrated salt solution, and it works by sucking water [from your body] into your colon to loosen and wash out your stool.

This can leave even larger folks like myself dehydrated, and especially hyponatremic- low on sodium in the bloodstream- which can make you crampy, wobbly, and weak, and if you have lower body mass and therefore body fluid reserves, or you have any cardiac or other diseases, it can cause potentially fatal side-effects.

The Miralax and Dulcolax prep doesn't have these drawbacks and therefore is both much easier to tolerate, and safer.

...and yet some dinosaur doctors still haven't moved into the 20th century and still prescribe the old bowel prep.

 

[Bird]

As always . . . . try to be sure you have a competent doctor. My wife's older brother's wife didn't have. He failed to identify colon cancer until it was quite advanced. Besides the surgery to remove part of the colon, and with expectations of living as much as 6 months, she got into an experimental program at a hospital and they kept that poor woman alive for 5 years, but they were not happy, pleasant years.

 

[scodemike]

First week of July had another CT Scan which showed I'd already relapsed.

There's so much more to it I won't bore you with but I can assure you that no matter what form of cancer a person gets; its all bad in some way. And your life focuses on the battle. You can waste time crying or wailing about how its not fair or you don't deserve it if you wish but after seeing some truly brave souls wheeled by me I know I still have it better than a bunch of them and mines incurable with current treatments. There are many other dramas and tradegies at every turn and on every floor of just about any hospital. We met out deductible and max out of pocket before the end of January. I still haven't had a colonoscopy and don't know if I can but probably should. Need a skin cancer screening too. With such a short horizon it seems pointless yet the newer immunotherapys seem so promising. If the current study I'm in plays out there's a good chance I'll get immunotherapy. Its almost November. They tell me that had I not chosen to get treatment I would have been gone before the end of February. You never know how things will shape up. Since learning of my cancer I've seen my youngest daughter engaged and then wed. Met and held my 5th grandchild, and I was baptised along with my grandson thanks to the kindness of a wonderful minister at my daughter's church. Its been a remarkable year to date and I'm still shooting for doing more next year.

Clay, I wish you the best, it sounds like the immunotherapy you are in may be the answer. Good Luck to you.

 

[scodemike]

I debated for some time about posting this, after reading everyone's response I am glad I did. If it has helped at least one person to make the decision to be tested it was worth it.

 

[jones6780]

I had my first about 5 years ago. I was on the table laying on my side and they had the needle in the IV about to put me out and guess what! The fire alarm went off!! I had to git up and carry my IV bag outside in the blazing heat with my hospital gown still on. Took about 30 minutes to get the all clear. The wife was fussing about flashing everyone.