My dad's going for a colonoscopy on Friday.

[bigwillq]

edit: I guess that is the right way to spell it!

He's not really worried about the procedure. He's just pissed that he can't eat for 24 hours.

So who's had their colon checked?

[MisterP]

1. I thought that you thought that a colonoscopy was a spell

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

30. I've had mine checked multiple times. Even though I'm only 34,

I have to get a colonoscopy every 2 years (I have ulcerative colitis). The prep. is worse than the exam. He'll be fine. They put you out during the test.

[Maestro]

2. I've had about every 'oscopy there is

This is will be fun. He gets a legal high and won't feel a thing. The no eating beforehand is for obvious reasons. The docs need a clear picture. He'll be fine. And nothing of any importance was ever found in my colon.

[drdon326]

3. No big deal......20 minute procedure.

[Junkdrawer]

4. Many times...just one hint...

After it's over, lie on your side and don't be embarrassed to release the air they pump in...

[bigwillq]

5. I'll pass that advice on to my DAD!

:hi:

[Maestro]

7. He'll be so high on drugs it won't matter.

I had a barium enema once with no drugs; no pain, just uncomfortable. I stayed the next 45 minutes in the bathroom trying to squeese the shite out. No pun intended.

[bigwillq]

8. What kind of drugs will they give him? (nt)

[miss_kitty]

10. Fentanyl

if he's extremely lucky :)

[KittyWampus]

12. What Does That Drug Feel Like?

[miss_kitty]

26. Positively dreamy

they did the thing, I passed out, and when I saw the huge tumour on the films, I didn't give a shit "What? Is that cancer?" I asked. "Well no biopsy, but yeah prolly" was the approximate answer. "oh. OK. Cool." OK Cool. yeah. the next day of course it was NOT cool.

It feels like the perfect marijuana. And no signing legal papers for 24 hours.

[Maestro]

42. When I had an endoscopy the doc

gave me some sort of sedative. It was definitely a narcotic. They gave me a little before going into the "operating" room and then a full dose when in there. It relaxes you tremendously, you get warm fuzzies, then whamo, you're out. You stil feel people tugging at you, at least I did, but nothing else. And unlike my anesthesia after major surgery, I had no ill effects.

[Tom Kitten]

6. I had one last fall

Worrying about it was the biggest part of the ordeal, I thought I was going to die for one reason or another. However it turned out fine and the drugs definitely helped.

[miss_kitty]

15. delete

answered to wrong post

[miss_kitty]

9. here

that's it?

[Pithlet]

11. I have

The prep is much worse than the actual procedure. The huge jug of go lightly (gotta love the name) is awful, and you have to drink it fast. :puke:

[bigwillq]

13. I will let Dad know that the "go lightly"

is horrible. I'm sure he'll be real pleased to hear it.

[miss_kitty]

16. I call it

'Keep Going' and 'Hold On Pal. You're Not Done Yet' and 'You Still Gotta Go'

[Pithlet]

18. Tell him to make sure he refrigerates it.

I had mine a few years ago, so maybe improvements have been made since then.

[bigwillq]

20. It's in the fridge!

:hi:

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

32. They have pills you can take instead of having to drink the golightly

or the seltzer type sodas. I wonder if your Dad could have been prescribed those instead? I didn't know about it until the last test I had done. Lots of pills to take, but better than drinking that nasty stuff. I literally had to take breaks and hold my nose!?

[Blue Diadem]

19. That was the worst part for me too, drinking it, then30 minutes after

finishing the jug, spending the rest of the night in the bathroom.

I was given something to make me sleep for the procedure. I awoke, they were done..I went home. Everything was fine and I was 10 lbs lighter.

[mcscajun]

23. Prep is tortures of the damned, IMO. But there is an alternative!

Yippee!!

I swore to my doc I'd never have another colonoscopy because of the god-awful liquid prep formula. I couldn't drink it fast; my entire system revolted against taking something in that high in saline.

But I found out AFTERWARD that there's a 40-pill regimen, also.

There is a prescription pill called Visicol which requires the ingestion of 40 pills, 20 pills per session, over 2 two-hour periods, the evening before, and the morning of the procedure.

If there's nothing better out there before my next test, it's Visicol, Or I Ain't A'Goin'

[Pithlet]

33. Thanks!

It's likely I'll have to have another in the somewhat near future, so I'll keep that in mind.

[TOhioLiberal]

49. an ironic name...

...if ever there was one...'go lightly'...yeah right!

[shesemsmom]

14. I should but haven't

and dont really relish the idea. Good for your Pop!! It's to his benefit.

[DIKB]

17. My heart goes out to him

I hate the prep for that. I can't even look at jello anymore without feeling disgusted.

More Specification: For me it was laying on my left side that helped me release all the "Baloon air" One other thing, if he thinks it'll be easier to just save costs by forgoing the anesthetic. . . think again. It may be cheaper, but something as thin as a pinkie feels a HELLUVA lot thicker than you'd imagine.

[bigwillq]

22. Love your last line!

You could never be gay! :) Sorry, I hope you're not gay or else maybe I just offended you but if you know what's as small as a pinkie then I don't want it!:evilgrin: I would have no prob with a colonscopy if you know what I mean!;-)

[miss_kitty]

31. hmmmmmmmm

tops and bottoms.

My cancer is associated with 'repeated trauma to the area' and gay men. My trauma was a chronic hemorrhoid. I was telling my friend Scott to be sure to get a colonoscopy (because he's gay) and after I explained it he said "Oh I've got no worries there then, honey. I'm a TOP!" Ooops! Culture clash!

[bigwillq]

34. I don't get this line-

"My cancer is associated with 'repeated trauma to the area' and gay men."

A gay man caused you to get cancer?:shrug:

[miss_kitty]

41. No perhaps I worded that badly. It IS 4/20, you know ;-)

What I MEANT it to sound like is: the # of patients with the cancer I had (I think squamous cell and its location, the lowest part of the intestinal tract) are highly disproportionately gay men. My repeated trauma was that damned hemorrhoid.
In the US there are about 3,000 cases per year. Not exactly an epidemic in women or men. Seldom fatal if it is completely eradicated on the first go. And I'm clear since April 2002-3 years ago-yesterday I just realised.
Happy Anniversary ME!

[pinkpops]

21. I've had 4 or 5 -

I usually have them look down my esophagus as well (I have various risk factors). The worst of it is the prep and the anxiety going into it. For my part the buzz from the medication is the payback. Here's a little more info:

My Doc's prep is not ad, but my wife had a bad experience with her doc. My prep is fluids only the day before, with some serious laxatives the night before and morning of the exam. My wife's problem seemed to be that she got dehydrated. Her doc gave her about a gallon of yuck to clean her out.

During the procedure the common sedative is a cocktail of Versad and an opiate - morphine I believe. What I am told is that you know what's going on but the Versad makes you forget everything (so's they can get you to come back next time - the same as when space aliens kidnap you - or like in the movie Memento)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

24. He needn't get his bowels in an uproar.

I'm sorry-- I had no real comment to make. I just thought the line was too good to waste. :evilgrin:

[bigwillq]

27. It is a good line!

:hi: Thanks for participating!

[Fridays Child]

25. The worst part is gagging down that gallon of liquid to clean out...

...your innards. You can sleep during the exam.

[SharonAnn]

28. I had one a couple years ago and they gave me pictures afterwards

I was stunned. But then, after I got over the idea that it was weird, I found the pictures interesting. They took shots at several locations along the colon. Everything was clean and pink and pretty. I could correlate the comments in the diagnostic report with the number of the picture and see what they were talking about. So, the pictures are in my medical file at home with the diagnostic report. probably not something anyone else is interested in seeing, but you never know!

Today I got home from work and my husband told me the plumbing "roto-rooter" guys had been there and solved the plumbing problems (stopped up sewer line) and then they did a photographic study of the plumbing connections under the house. They left the video with us for future reference. I immediately thought of my colonoscopy pictures! Too funny!

It's kind of coolphotographs the journey, tracking each of the connections into it. They flushed toilets or ran bathtub faucets at various points to watch the flow of the water as it went through. Since the whole thing is under a slab of concrete, we've always wondered how it was connected with bathrooms at opposite ends of the basement.

[bigwillq]

29. COOOL!

I hope they give my dad pics. I want to see his colon!!:crazy:

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

36. Make sure someone is there to drive him home. They won't let

him drive himself home, obviously, because of the sedation.

My husband always makes me scrambled eggs and toast...a bland meal...when we get home. It's easy on the tummy. ;)

Wish your dad luck.

[bigwillq]

38. My sister is going with him!

:hi:

[maveric]

35. 31" of stainless steel!

Had one and my sick-minded doctor asked me if I like prison movies.

[bigwillq]

37. WTF? 21 inches?

I'm so confused!

[maveric]

39. My doctor told me 31" while he was snaking it up.

I didnt even want to see what it looked like.

[auntAgonist]

40. One of the MOST important tests to have done. I am checked every 2 years

My mother died from colon cancer 8 years ago. I've had 2 scopes so far. I was afraid to go at first so waited a couple of years.

It bothers me SO much, colon cancer is one of the EASIEST cancers to cure when detected in time.

A competent Dr helps! He never listened to her 'complaints' until it was too late!

:cry:

RIP I love you Mum.

[Maestro]

43. My grandfather died in '82 of colon cancer

He went to the doc and they missed the cancer. By the time we took him to MD Anderson Cancer Institute in Houston it was too late. He could possibly still be here today. I am sorry for your mother and you are doing the right thing with those scans. My father gets one every year.

[coyote]

44. Had one last week

Whatever drugs he gave were great! Don´t remember a damn thing. Suppose to have one every year....but had a terrible sigmoidoscopy 10 years ago and refused to ever go again....but finally developed the courage to go get and it was really ok. The only thing bad about it was those damn drinks. Blech!

[TyeDye75]

45. I had it done last year

and I watched it all live on the moniter

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

46. I'm going out of town in a few hours, but wanted to wish your Dad luck

today, bigwillq. Hope everything goes well. :)

[Mutley]

47. My dad did a couple years ago.

He wouldn't talk to anyone for a week afterwards. I guess it's a bit traumatizing.

[Jessica]

48. Me ... last year.

x( Yeah ... the "cleansing" process before the procedure is the worst part. I was out when they were snooping around in there, though. Good thing, too - I saw the big ole tube right before I passed out. I think that might be why I did.

Wasn't so bad - got some good meds afterward. And I got to see pictures of my colon covered in ulcers. Awesome.

[bigwillq]

50. An update on Pops:

He went early this morning and they found three tiny polyps, which they removed. Doc told him to come back in five years and that every was fine.

He did fine. Said he didn't feel a thing. Drugs are good!

Before he went this morning he said "I'm so hungry, I could eat the car"

My sis took him out for a light b-fast after the procedure!:hi: