Colonoscopy anyone?

[Superbob]

My GP thinks it would be a good idea for me to have a colonoscopy. No particular problems -- just a precaution. Last one I had was 6 or 7 years ago, a few years before my OHS.

At my age, I think they're generally recommended every 5 years. My first one caused no problems. (The prep of course is the yuckky part.)

I wonder if others of you have had one of these since your OHS and what your experience was.

 

[Ross]

I have my next one coming up next year.

My first was no biggie. Gotta love the Gatorade/Miralax prep. Certainly much better then that nasty GoLYTELY® junk. Had 2 polyps removed, fully anticoagulated and no issues.

 

[kpearse]

I had one last year, no big deal.

 

[Wise]

If they offer you MoviePrep for your prep day, decline promptly. It's nasty nasty nasty. If you can, go the gatorade/Miralax route. Cindy handled that much better than I handled the MoviePrep.

 

[art]

I have my next one coming up next year.

My first was no biggie. Gotta love the Gatorade/Miralax prep. Certainly much better then that nasty GoLYTELY® junk. Had 2 polyps removed, fully anticoagulated and no issues.

I am also about to have a colonoscopy
What does Gatorade/Miralax prep. and GoLYTELY® junk. mean
Sorry for the stupid questions

 

[catwoman]

Yep, had my last one Dec. 1, 2008. Not a problem (don't remember the prep stuff I was Rxed.) And I didn't come off warfarin to have the procedure. I don't remember any problems, other than the anxiety of the prep. The anxiety was worse than the prep.

My husband has one scheduled March 15. This will be his first since his MV repair.

 

[Nancy]

I haven't had OHS, but I do have some tips. I've had several colonoscopies due to colon cancer in my family. I have them every 5 years.

1.) Gatorade/Miralax the best prep for me.

2.) I used to sit around while prepping, grousing all the while about how miserable I felt until things started to "move". This last time I decided to get on the treadmill while prepping. The bathroom is right near the treadmill. I put it on low speed and read a book. But the slow walking on the treadmill kept everything moving down into the GI tract where it belonged. I never felt that terrible bloated feeling this time at all.

So I highly recommend moving around during prepping instead of sitting around. I think you will feel much better.

The test itself is nothing to worry about, some twilight sleep, then you wake up and go home.

Hope everything comes out alright.

 

[AgilityDog]

OK, Marsha, I want the name of your GI doctor. I'm willing to travel to ftwth if necessary

Having hit the big 5-0 last year, I'm sure my GP is anxious to send me off for a colonoscopy, and I will agree only if done while I'm anticoagulated.

And thanks for the refresher on which prep mix to use, everyone.
DH got the golightly, and it was awful!

 

[Bina]

I haven't had OHS, but I do have some tips. I've had several colonoscopies due to colon cancer in my family. I have them every 5 years.

1.) Gatorade/Miralax the best prep for me.

2.) I used to sit around while prepping, grousing all the while about how miserable I felt until things started to "move". This last time I decided to get on the treadmill while prepping. The bathroom is right near the treadmill. I put it on low speed and read a book. But the slow walking on the treadmill kept everything moving down into the GI tract where it belonged. I never felt that terrible bloated feeling this time at all.

So I highly recommend moving around during prepping instead of sitting around. I think you will feel much better.

The test itself is nothing to worry about, some twilight sleep, then you wake up and go home.

Hope everything comes out alright.

Nancy, you are very Punny.....

 

[MarkU]

I've had three in the past five years.

My first one was botched by the doctor and I ended up in the hospital for four days. I found out after the fact that my doctor had a long list of complaints and out-of-court settlements for malpractice. He's no longer practicing medicine.

The second was to repair the damage done the first time (with a new doctor).

The most recent one was routine.

I did a Lovenox bridge everytime.

The worst part is definitely the prep the day before.

Mark

 

[terryj]

My husband had his in Nov. 2008 and I found a doctor in Fayetteville,Georgia who did it while he was on coumadin. He did it as out patient in the hospital and gave him IV antibiotics. No problems and because he had only a small polyp he was told he could go 7 years before his next one.

 

[csutherland]

Jerry had one last fall and the doctor insisted on Lovenox. We argued a little, but next time he'll either find a different doc or do a better job of arguing. He was already in the "donut hole" with prescription coverage so the Lovenox cost $600 out of pocket. He has never had a bit of trouble w/bleeding, even with the polyp that was removed 6 yrs earlier. Anyway, live & learn. And as a side issue, with all the angst with the Lovenox shots, etc, we never gave a thought to premeds, and the doc didn't mention it either.

 

[Blanche]

No Problems Here

No Problems Here

Al has had at least 3 colonoscopies while on Coumadin. There were no problems at all. Your post makes me think that maybe he is ready for another one.

Blanche

 

[marie]

I've had one since OHS however I wasn't on coumadin at the time. Don't need another for 10 years.

 

[Ross]

I am also about to have a colonoscopy
What does Gatorade/Miralax prep. and GoLYTELY® junk. mean
Sorry for the stupid questions

It's not a stupid question if you've never had a colonoscopy. The prep is one wild extreme bathroom adventure that isn't exactly what you'd want to do all the time. It's a cleaning of your bowel and system. Once the stuff kicks in, which is usually 30 to 45 minutes after starting it, plan on the toilet being your seat for the next few hours.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi Superbob,
Yes, I had one in Oct. Lucky me I have mine more frequently, (mother died from colon cancer at 57yrs) Between my family history, and my last checkup in Oct, which the Dr.removed a pre-cancerous pollup, I need one every two years! I am not thrilled with that. May get a second opinion. That's the second time in appox, eight yrs they found a legion.

For this procedure, they gave me Moviprep. I will say it goes quicker and you don't have to drink quiet as much liqud. The prep was not that bad. However for me it's after the procedure. It usually takes me a week, to get over the cramping and some discomfort. It is tolerable, just very annoying!

I keep thinking if the medical community had this technology years ago, my Mother might have lived a whole lot longer!

Good luck

 

[Superbob]

JUst wanted to say I appreciated all these moving responses.

Seriously, you gave me info about the various prep solutions I didn't know, as well as some good ideas for minimizing the discomfort. I guess it goes without saying that this is worth having done for prevention's sake.

 

[catwoman]

OK, Marsha, I want the name of your GI doctor. I'm willing to travel to ftwth if necessary

Having hit the big 5-0 last year, I'm sure my GP is anxious to send me off for a colonoscopy, and I will agree only if done while I'm anticoagulated.

And thanks for the refresher on which prep mix to use, everyone.
DH got the golightly, and it was awful!

Laurie:

I just told my GI doctor that I would NOT come off warfarin, that I would be willing to go down on my INR. So I got it down to 2.5. No one asked me the morning of the procedure what my INR was.

When I had my first c-scope, I was afraid my PCP would refer me to a GI doc I went to school with in Dallas. We had gone from 6th to 12th grade together, and I didn't know Bobby was a GI doc in Fort Worth until we had a class reunion. Thankfully, my PCP referred me to another one in the same practice. (WHEW!)

 

[INRtest]

This is interesting because I was "cleansed" on Monday and went in for my colonoscopy, fully anti-coagulated on Tuesday morning. Not only that, but he had to do a small biopsy. My dr. is a heart valver on warfarin and he told me that he would cauterize anything that he needed to "cut." In and out quickly, painlessly and on my way.

If anybody is in the L.A. area and needs a good gastro-enterologist (sp), text me and I'll give you Dr. Albertson's info.

 

[WilliamJE]

My GP thinks it would be a good idea for me to have a colonoscopy. No particular problems -- just a precaution. Last one I had was 6 or 7 years ago, a few years before my OHS.

At my age, I think they're generally recommended every 5 years. My first one caused no problems. (The prep of course is the yuckky part.)

I wonder if others of you have had one of these since your OHS and what your experience was.

Last November at age 48 and 15 months after OHS I had my colonoscopy. All went well.