Ever been "POKED"???????

[thurlow]

Going early in the morning for my first-ever colonoscopy :'(.  Family history of colon cancer, although I'm symptom free.  Just seems to be the thing to do at 61 years of age; should have done it 10 years ago.  Liquid diet only today (I'd kill for a mess of gritz about now).  Starting in 2 hours, got to take 28 HORSE tablets (may have to go find my bolus gun)........4 every 15 minutes, along with 8 oz of water or clear soda.........followed by some serious laxatives.    I guess I know where I'll be spending the night.   Procedure will be done under general anesthesia;  never been put to sleep, no surgery, no nuthin.   Not really dreading it, but not looking forward to it either.  Ever been there? 8)

[johnjbc]

Yep! Twice  You will probably live but you will be glad when its over! : :

[Minnesota_boy]

Seven times for me.  You should have started 15 years ago.  Hope all goes well.  I was awake for the first 6, got to watch the doc remove a polyp, took two tries to get all of it.  It was very uncomfortable and terrible tough on the self esteem, but I'm alive and in good health thanks to that, so I'm pretty happy.

[Bro. Noble]

The actual procedure wasn't bad at all for me cause I wasn't aware of a thing :D :D

Didn't feel bad or have any discomfort afterward.

Getting ready for it was really bad------nuttin to eat and having to drink that awful stuff >:(

[thecfarm]

Yep,been there.The doctor met in the middle with me.I hope he didn't use the same one twice.  :D I'm only 45,but was having trouble with my throat and gut.All set now.Take care of it, early is the key word.I want to live a long and healthy life.Like sawing way too much to die early.

[isawlogs]

 Also been there , and yes you will be happy to get it over with . Not painful but one does get hungry after a while  :-\ . I even got to watch the screen when he was a poking around  :  He did explain what he was seeing , not that I really cared on knowing , I was more interested in him finishing so I could get to the bathroom and then get me something to eat .  ;)

[wesdor]

I'll add my voice to the chorus - had it done 4 years ago for the first time.  They didn't give me a general anesthesia, but did give me Versept (sp?).  I don't remember a thing about it.  Like everyone else has said, you will be happy when it is over.

Be thankful that you are taking the horse pills.  I had to drink 1 1/2 gallons (yes that much!) of some awful laxative.  The nurse that put in the IV feeds the next morning told me she had the same procedure only a few days earlier.  She said that she had been lying to people all the time when she said the stuff wasn't that bad. 

Just be sure you get yourself all cleaned out.  If you aren't clean enough, they send you home and have you come back another day after getting better prepared.  You sure don't want that!

Good luck!  And just remember that this is something that will hopefully give you a  longer and better life.

[badpenny]

   Once in '92 as part of a military retirement physical, afterwards  I was told if I had supplied a blank tape, a recording could have been made to prove I "had guts" to go thru the procedure. Thanks for reminding me, past time for another one, need to get that remedied

[sawguy21]

Don't want to do THAT again. Ever.  Good luck.

[getoverit]

One of my friends just went through that.... he said it was like someone shoving a cannon up there... the bad part is that they wanted to take a biopsy of his prostate while they were at it...

he said it felt like they pulled the trigger on the cannon

[Bill Johnson]

Been there done that, a few years ago, this year I did the PSA test, not as accurate as the scope but apparently will show problems early.  No call back, and doctor didn't say anything bad about it when I asked, so I guess its good to go.

[thurlow]

Follow-up on the poke..........Gastroenterology clinic in Memphis, about an hour and fifteen minutes from home.  Left home at 4:40 A.M.; back home at 8:50.  Four hours and 10 minutes including 2 and a half hours driving.  A pin prick for the IV ( being a smart-a*s, I asked the nurse, "You ever done this before?"   Said she had watched the video and did one yesterday.)  Actually she does about 90 per day; averages less than one per day where she has to stick someone the second time to get a vein.  Wheeled me into the procedure room........wearing my socks and a frown;  anesthetic nurse shows me about a 60 cc  syringe which appeared to be full of Wildroot Cream Oil;  stuck it in the IV;  said I'm gonna talk to you and this will carry you away;  I said it's not working;  she said who's your favorite movie star;  I said it's not working.  Last thing I remember before I woke up back in "my" cubicle.  My wife said she could hear me coming back down the hall, laughing, slurring my words and saying, gimme some more  of that stuff.  Anyway, no problems and I'm good for another 5 to 7 years.  Worst part of the whole thing was the 28 horse pills and the half-gallon of water.  Not much water when you're sweating and moving around;  big difference when you're afraid to get more than a few steps from the bathroom.  Absolutely painless;  go for it if you've reached the right age or have a family history of colorectal cancer..................

[wesdor]

Glad to hear things went as they did.  Your experience is much like mine.  The preparation is the worst part! 

[tnlogger]

 I feel for ya yup had it last year but they got me at both ends when I woke up I asked the doc if he washed the durn thing inbetween  wal I'll tell ya him being one of them younger docs and a smart a**
ta boot he says seeing you were asleep does it matter  :D

[TexasTimbers]

I'm glad it all turned out good for you. I know you were concerned. Me too. My wife mad an appointment for last week. I was told 3 years ago by a VA doc that my bleeding was internal roids. No worries. My wife nurse says get your butt (I guess I don't have s erious bone in my body) to a hospital. She finally gave up and made me an appointment to get a referral. Don't know wehn it is yet. Bleeding for 3 years and I believed the VA fanny physician.
I can see getting to the Pearly Gates in a year from now and St. Pete saying "Well you are 40 years too early; (scans clipboard) it says here your physical death was due to lack of brain use .......
Well I am going now so I hope I haven't waited too long. Maybe the VA doc is right and it's no big deal. My wife says it's not normal to bleed that long for that reason. She is concerned. Me too I guess but I just have a peace that all is well. We'll see in a week or two.

[Ernie_Edwards]

When I had my colonoscopy my doctor was one of those rare people who have eyes with 2 different colors, one blue and one brown. I had a feeling I knew which one he looked in the scope with but( pun intended) didn't know him well enough.

[barbender]

 I have a buddy that was getting a physical, and he's about 35 so the Dr. told him he's at the age where he should get checked out in the hind end.  Well big Joe really didn't want to but the doc persisted, so finally Joe agrees to it. Now mind you Joe is a big musclebound fellow, construction worker etc, and he's really uncomfortable with the whole thing. Anyhow Joe gets his drawers dropped and is leaning on the counter, and the Doc goes to work, he's back there for a while and there isn't much happening. Finally he says "Joe, you're going to have to help me out here a little bit"  It turns out big Joe was so nervous that he clinched up so tight the Doc couldn't get access.  So the doc told him it wasn't exactly fun for him either, got him calmed down and got through the procedure   :D :D  After it was all said and done, big Joe checked out just fine.

[Lud]

Did the colonoscopy in February for the 2nd time.  Quite an improvement over 10 years ago when I first did it.  (Colon cancer got Mom 30 years ago-  if you still got yer Mom,  give her a hug from me) :(

Colonoscopy is the only way to go.  It is the gold standard of internal examination + they knock you out enough maintain deniability.  :D   Why go half way and be awake for it?

I have a buddy who has diverticulitis (sp?)  and has to do this all the time, so I asked Dr. Blades (!!! his real name) and he said it was no issue to the process.  So anyway,  my buddy Frank's strategy is you take the pills( it was only 2) and mix a bit of whiskey in as you drink the 64 ounces.  Smooths out the worst part of the process nicely.

In and out in less than 2 hrs.  Slick as a whistle,  no pruning required.  Wonderful to know there's no issues sneakin' up on you.  Peace of mind is great.   One of the best presents you can give your family is showing them you're not afraid of a little embare-assment to protect your health.

Personally I think the gastrointestinal system is like a cast iron skillet-  you have to keep it seasoned!  My personal recipe is substantial quantities of black coffee, whiskey, hot sauce,  and tobacco juice.....but Hey,  that's just my recipe! 8) 8)

[D._Frederick]

I had it done 4 years ago and had bad results that caused me lot of trouble. The morning after the procedure, I woke up with a knot in my wrist and a red streak going up my arm, the start of blood poisoning.

The mixture they used in the IV contained Valium which is caustic and it damaged the lining of my viens. I was given antibiotics and napaproxin(sp), I had a very bad reaction to the napaproxin which had my face all swollen up. Was laid-up a couple of weeks to get straightned out.

The good news was nothing bad was found and the doctor said I was good for 10 years before I need to have it redone.

[Faron]

I have to have it done every five years or so.  I hate getting prepared worse than the procedure itself.  The last time was a little easier, pills and a little bottle of stuff rather than that gallon of nasty stuff I used to have to drink.  I try to make the best of it.   Since my wife was in charge of that department, I messed with the nurse's mind a little.  I found by concentrating and controling my breathing, I can decrease or increase my heartrate quite a bit.  So, after being hooked up, I would lower it, raise it, lower it.  I noticed she was watching in a little puzzlement, and after a while she commented my heartrate kept changing, and wondered why.  I fessed up, and she told me she would just give my my knockout juice, and I could see if I could bug her after that. :D

[Bro. Noble]

OUr youngest son has colon problems and had the procedure several years ago.  They didn't put him completely out and he was fascinated by what was going on.  After asking about a million questions,  one of the nurses told him to shut up and not bother them,  that he wouldn't  remember a thing anyway-------but he did :D :D

[TexasTimbers]

Well I get to drink coffee this morning. That's about the only thing I have to look forward to. And beginning at 1700 I get to start drinking some yummy lemon-lime flavored stuff, and I get to drink like a whole gallon of it! Then, I get to hang around the house the whole rest of the day and bond with my porcelain appliance to a degree heretofore not known. Oh yes. I have so much to look forward to today. Well, at least i don't have to eat. Food. Yuck! Who likes it anyway.

8) :D ;D : :( >:( :'( :'( :'(

 

[thecfarm]

Yuk,a whole gallon.I was lucky,my doctor gave me the 16 oz treatment.Nothing to drinking it and he met in the middle,went up and down.

[TexasTimbers]

I get it from both ends too. He promised to use a seperate intrument.  :