For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a
colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my
cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I decided I
should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for weeks. Did it
Thursday.
The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I like to
eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first meal was good! Go
get it done. The potential penalty for failure to do this is an
unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
RonB
"JimR" <[email protected]> wrote in message news
> I'll second the motion on the value of the procedure, especially if you
> first take the stool sample pretest to see if the procedure is warranted.
Just before I had my first colonoscopy earlier this year, I asked about the
pretest and was told very emphatically that while the stool sample pretest
can indicate a need for a further testing, it isn't even a 50% guarantee
that there's nothing wrong.
"RonB" wrote in message
> The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
> over-rated BS fiction ever told.
Been about 4 years, so almost time for another, but you're right, the
benefits far outweigh the minor 24 hour inconvenience.
Worse part is that gallon (seems like it anyway) of stuff that even a beer
glass won't make easier to chug-a-lug... compared to that, the actual
procedure is a piece o' cake.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/05
J T wrote:
> Sat, Nov 19, 2005, 10:11am (EST-1) [email protected] (Swingman) did lament:
> <snip> Worse part is that gallon (seems like it anyway) of stuff that
> even a beer glass won't make easier to chug-a-lug... compared to that,
> the actual procedure is a piece o' cake.
>
> Yup. First colonscopy, got the Fleets Phospho Soda - 2 small
> bottles, one in the morning, one in the evening. Nasty.
>
> For my colon resection, wanted something not so nasty. Got
> prescribed GoLightly - a freakin' gallon of it. Made the Fleets almost
> better. Started puking at the half gallon level. Urgh.
>
> For the next, and rest, colonooscopy, got prescribed pills. Start
> in the evening, one every 15 minutes with water, then finish the rest in
> the morning. I get a bit of an upset stomach, not severe, and so very
> much more preferred over the Fleets or GoLightly. The voice of
> experience.
>
> So, now, possibly the most inconvenient part of the whole deal, for
> me, is getting one of my sons to drive me to and from the actual
> procedure - they wont allow you to drive yourself home after, which is
> wise.
>
> When they took the bandage off after the operation, looked like I
> had tiny little railroad tracks running up my stomach, so I had a nurse
> take a picture of it.
>
>
>
> JOAT
> Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
>
Izzit gonna be on abpw? I'll show you mine if'n you show me yours.
j4 :-)
Sat, Nov 19, 2005, 10:11am (EST-1) [email protected] (Swingman) did lament:
<snip> Worse part is that gallon (seems like it anyway) of stuff that
even a beer glass won't make easier to chug-a-lug... compared to that,
the actual procedure is a piece o' cake.
Yup. First colonscopy, got the Fleets Phospho Soda - 2 small
bottles, one in the morning, one in the evening. Nasty.
For my colon resection, wanted something not so nasty. Got
prescribed GoLightly - a freakin' gallon of it. Made the Fleets almost
better. Started puking at the half gallon level. Urgh.
For the next, and rest, colonooscopy, got prescribed pills. Start
in the evening, one every 15 minutes with water, then finish the rest in
the morning. I get a bit of an upset stomach, not severe, and so very
much more preferred over the Fleets or GoLightly. The voice of
experience.
So, now, possibly the most inconvenient part of the whole deal, for
me, is getting one of my sons to drive me to and from the actual
procedure - they wont allow you to drive yourself home after, which is
wise.
When they took the bandage off after the operation, looked like I
had tiny little railroad tracks running up my stomach, so I had a nurse
take a picture of it.
JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
John DeBoo wrote:
> Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone=20
> had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils. The=
y=20
> twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air up my=
=20
> ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for the polyp=
s=20
> so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp fart sound but =
> this whoosh of air instead. Wasn't happy about the female nurses in th=
e=20
> room then either!=20
It's done in medical Imaging (X-RAY) So it would have been XRAY Techs=20
(Radiographers) -- not nurses. And of course a Radiologist (doctor)=20
maybe... And... They are vary touchy about the confusion. Glad you=20
enjoyed it though. lol
Every so often I hear that my boss saw nothing but assholes that day. :-)=
> The vasectomy I had 26 years ago had less after=20
> affects on me than the colonoscopy did. I don't EVER want to go thru=20
> that again, never.
> John
She says that us men are such sissies... She's probably right.
>=20
> RonB wrote:
>=20
>> For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a=20
>> colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my=20
>> cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I=20
>> decided I should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for weeks. =
=20
>> Did it Thursday.
>>
>> The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most=20
>> over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I=20
>> like to eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first meal=
=20
>> was good! Go get it done. The potential penalty for failure to do=20
>> this is an unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
>>
>> RonB
>>
--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw
Swingman said:
>"RonB" wrote in message
>
>> The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
>> over-rated BS fiction ever told.
>
>Been about 4 years, so almost time for another, but you're right, the
>benefits far outweigh the minor 24 hour inconvenience.
>
>Worse part is that gallon (seems like it anyway) of stuff that even a beer
>glass won't make easier to chug-a-lug... compared to that, the actual
>procedure is a piece o' cake.
Can you say, "Funnel?" <g> (A collegiate ritual...)
Greg G.
> ... Glad you enjoyed it though. lol
Well, I didn't quite say that! But anticipation far was worse that the act.
Actually my personal doctor did the procedure at an outpatient surgery
facility. The probe is a little disconcerning when you see it sitting on
the surgical tray (Garden hose with a camera - well, not quite). My
son-in-law who practices from a rural facility does them in his own clinic.
He has folks trained to assist with the anesthesia and such.
It hasn't been that many years since this kind of procedure required an
overnighter and a hell of a lot more discomfort. Modern medicine is good,
just expensive!
RonB
> Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I
Must be better. They put me to sleep for about 20 minutes and it was over.
Again, what you experienced was among the horror stories I had heard. They
are making it easier.
I had an upper GI about 15 years ago with a Valium drip. I kinda knew what
they were doing but didn't much care. The worst part was deadening of the
tongue and palette before the Valium.
RonB
Barry Lennox wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 10:33:50 -0700, John DeBoo <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>=20
>=20
>>Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone=20
>>had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils.=20
>>They twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air =
>>up my ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for the=
=20
>>polyps so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp fart=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> I got doped on some cocktail that lets you remember nothing, and it
> worked, I remember NOTHING after getting a needle in the back of my
> hand until having coffe and sandwiches much later on. So the
> interesting philosophical thing is: If I was in agony and can't
> remember it, was I in agony?=20
You're probably better off to cruise the forest looking for a fallen=20
tree. ...You can harvest the lumber.
>=20
> Barry Lennox
--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw
WillR wrote:
> John DeBoo wrote:
>
>> Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone
>> had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils.
>> They twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air
>> up my ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for
>> the polyps so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp
>> fart sound but this whoosh of air instead. Wasn't happy about the
>> female nurses in the room then either!
>
>
> It's done in medical Imaging (X-RAY) So it would have been XRAY Techs
> (Radiographers) -- not nurses. And of course a Radiologist (doctor)
> maybe... And... They are vary touchy about the confusion. Glad you
> enjoyed it though. lol
>
> Every so often I hear that my boss saw nothing but assholes that day. :-)
>
>> The vasectomy I had 26 years ago had less after affects on me than the
>> colonoscopy did. I don't EVER want to go thru that again, never.
>> John
>
>
>
> She says that us men are such sissies... She's probably right.
>
>>
>> RonB wrote:
>>
>>> For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a
>>> colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my
>>> cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I
>>> decided I should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for
>>> weeks. Did it Thursday.
>>>
>>> The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
>>> over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I
>>> like to eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first
>>> meal was good! Go get it done. The potential penalty for failure to
>>> do this is an unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
>>>
>>> RonB
>>>
>
>
Had mine done down at the local Exxon. Air compressor and digital
camera. A couple are on the wall at the station.
j4
It must be the 'season' . . . just had my 2nd one. It was a follow-up to the
one of 3 years ago. In that one several polyps were caught . . . frangible
ones.
Since we're friends of the Surgeon {Joanne worked with her for about 10
years} she biopsied a couple of points she would have passed by on anyone
else. If nothing from Path, I'm good for another 10 years.
The worst thing for me isn't so much the prep - Gatorade-rum-Miralax - but
the waiting. We were told to be there by 0900 . . . and they didn't start
till 1100. About 15 sec after the Propafol . . . you are waking up. {The
endoscope is about 10mm in dia and about 1 meter long}.
Regards & Good Luck to ALL,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
{PS: it's the SAME scope . . . but I've been assured they DO clean it well
!!}
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Tom Veatch" in message
>
> > Gave me some kind of "forget all about it" drug before the procedure.
> > Not general anesthesia because I was conscious throughout.
>
> They told SWMBO that I wouldn't remember either, but I either got the
> placebo, or they got the dosage wrong ... I remember every detail, and
even
> caught a polyp the roto rooter "operator" missed while he was "pulling
> pipe", to put it in the oil field vernacular. Got him to "backup" and sure
> enough ... he actually said "thank you".
>
> SWMBO's remark when he mentioned it to her: "that's about par for the
> course".
>
> Now, I recently had an gastric (endoscope) procedure from the other end
...
> that was much worse, IMO and I do not remember anything past the deadening
> of my tongue with that damn spray. Took a good 24 hours to get over that
> doping.
>
> --
> www.e-woodshop.net
> Last update: 11/06/05
>
>
OK, I'm convinced.
I'm making the appt for my 50 yr/50,000 beer checkup. Whichever comes
first.
-Zz
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 09:26:52 -0600, "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote:
>For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a
>colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my
>cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I decided I
>should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for weeks. Did it
>Thursday.
>
>The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
>over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I like to
>eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first meal was good! Go
>get it done. The potential penalty for failure to do this is an
>unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
>
>RonB
>
"Tom Veatch" in message
> Gave me some kind of "forget all about it" drug before the procedure.
> Not general anesthesia because I was conscious throughout.
They told SWMBO that I wouldn't remember either, but I either got the
placebo, or they got the dosage wrong ... I remember every detail, and even
caught a polyp the roto rooter "operator" missed while he was "pulling
pipe", to put it in the oil field vernacular. Got him to "backup" and sure
enough ... he actually said "thank you".
SWMBO's remark when he mentioned it to her: "that's about par for the
course".
Now, I recently had an gastric (endoscope) procedure from the other end ...
that was much worse, IMO and I do not remember anything past the deadening
of my tongue with that damn spray. Took a good 24 hours to get over that
doping.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/05
John DeBoo said:
>Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone
>had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils.
>They twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air
>up my ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for the
>polyps so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp fart
>sound but this whoosh of air instead. Wasn't happy about the female
>nurses in the room then either! The vasectomy I had 26 years ago had
>less after affects on me than the colonoscopy did. I don't EVER want to
>go thru that again, never.
>John
Gave me some kind of "forget all about it" drug before the procedure.
Not general anesthesia because I was conscious throughout. At least
that's what they said. As far as I know, I could have been in mortal
agony and screaming for mercy, but I remember absolutely nothing from
the time they said "Roll over on your left side" until I was lying on
the couch at home. The wife told me that I was flirting with the three
nurses that helped me get dressed. Kinda wish I remembered that. Ain't
often SWMBO lets me get away with that.
Mon, Nov 21, 2005, 3:03pm (EST-1) [email protected] (Tom=A0Veatch) doth
say:
<snip> I remember absolutely nothing from the time they said "Roll over
on your left side" until I was lying on the couch at home. <snip>
Yep, that's about the same part I get knocked out. But, I always
wake up in the "recovery" room, or whatever it is. The last time was a
male nurse. I always dress myself. I asked the guy how I did, and he
told me I'd already asked him that twice, but I think he was just
yanking my chain. They then wheelchair me out, my kid takes me home,
and drops me off. No prob.
JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone
had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils.
They twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air
up my ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for the
polyps so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp fart
sound but this whoosh of air instead. Wasn't happy about the female
nurses in the room then either! The vasectomy I had 26 years ago had
less after affects on me than the colonoscopy did. I don't EVER want to
go thru that again, never.
John
RonB wrote:
> For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a
> colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my
> cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I decided I
> should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for weeks. Did it
> Thursday.
>
> The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
> over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I like to
> eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first meal was good! Go
> get it done. The potential penalty for failure to do this is an
> unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
>
> RonB
>
>
Sat, Nov 19, 2005, 10:33am (EST-2) [email protected] (John=A0DeBoo)
laments:
Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone had
shoved a 2x4 <snip>
Heh heh. My doctor knocks me out enough I don't remember anything,
but apparently I'm awake enough to shift position when they want me to.
AND, apparently they only use a small tupe of some type (I've not seen
it, and don't care to), so no discomfort after.
JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 23:11:50 -0600, Mike O <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 20:00:20 -0500, [email protected] (J T)
> wrote:
>
>> Heh heh. My doctor knocks me out enough I don't remember anything,
>>but apparently I'm awake enough to shift position when they want me to.
>>AND, apparently they only use a small tupe of some type (I've not seen
>>it, and don't care to), so no discomfort after.
> You're nominated for the new colonoscopy moderator.:-)
Technically, wouldn't he now have a _semicolon_?
Mon, Nov 21, 2005, 4:07pm (EST+5) [email protected] (Dave=A0Hinz)
doth say:
Technically, wouldn't he now have a _semicolon_?
LOL True, but only after the operation. A couple of benefits from
the operation - nevery any worries about regularity, or constipation.
JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 20:00:20 -0500, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
> Heh heh. My doctor knocks me out enough I don't remember anything,
>but apparently I'm awake enough to shift position when they want me to.
>AND, apparently they only use a small tupe of some type (I've not seen
>it, and don't care to), so no discomfort after.
>
>
>
>JOAT
You're nominated for the new colonoscopy moderator.:-)
Mike O.
Sat, Nov 19, 2005, 11:11pm (EST-1) [email protected] (Mike=A0O.) doth
sayeth:
You're nominated for the new colonoscopy moderator.:-)
Gee Mike, I would, but I'm already a moderator on one of the Yahoo
forums, and that keeps me busy about once a year. Looks like you're
stuck with the job.
JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Tom Veatch" in message
>
>> Gave me some kind of "forget all about it" drug before the procedure.
>> Not general anesthesia because I was conscious throughout.
>
> They told SWMBO that I wouldn't remember either, but I either got the
> placebo, or they got the dosage wrong ... I remember every detail, and
> even caught a polyp the roto rooter "operator" missed while he was
> "pulling pipe", to put it in the oil field vernacular. Got him to
> "backup" and sure enough ... he actually said "thank you".
>
> SWMBO's remark when he mentioned it to her: "that's about par for the
> course".
>
> Now, I recently had an gastric (endoscope) procedure from the other
> end ... that was much worse, IMO and I do not remember anything past
> the deadening of my tongue with that damn spray. Took a good 24 hours
> to get over that doping.
>
Had my First Encounter of the Colon Kind about 1982. Had hemorrhoids and
they wanted see what was happening, so they decide to run the barium
enema first. Up on the table, painful insertion of tube - hemorrhoids -
and blow up the internal ballon. Guy now procedes to move the IV stand
holding the enema - drags me by the tube for the length of the table -
screaming.
Then they find a polyp. "Well, that'll have to come out!" Now I get the
1982 version of the BoweloScope. I think it was inch and a half PVC with
a 60 watt bulb attached - did I mention hemorrhoids?. They chop out the
polyp - I think they used garden shears, but I was somewhat distracted by
the Hemorrhoids.
Next I recover and then get sent to the Hemorrhoid man for 'Painless'
Removal. "Much better than surgery and just some moderate discomfort."
Back on the table, mooning the ceiling. Much better than surgery turned
out to be an alligator clip attached to a rubber band pistol. After the
first one, the pain center of the brain just Shut Down. Yes, they grab a
hemorrhoid with the alligator clip and shoot a rubber band over it - few
days and it just drops off. Just like castrating hogs!
"Tom Veatch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> The wife told me that I was flirting with the three
> nurses that helped me get dressed. Kinda wish I remembered that. Ain't
> often SWMBO lets me get away with that.
You'd just had your insides reamed out by a number of people and then
proceeded to flirt with three women. I don't know about you, but if it had
happened to me, I wouldn't want to remember it.
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 10:33:50 -0700, John DeBoo <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I thought someone
>had shoved a 2x4 so far up my ass they were looking for my tonsils.
>They twisted and turned it and I was in agony. And then they blew air
>up my ass so the intestine would move apart and they could look for the
>polyps so I farted for damned near an hour, not the manly burp fart
I got doped on some cocktail that lets you remember nothing, and it
worked, I remember NOTHING after getting a needle in the back of my
hand until having coffe and sandwiches much later on. So the
interesting philosophical thing is: If I was in agony and can't
remember it, was I in agony?
Barry Lennox
>
> Worse part is that gallon (seems like it anyway) of stuff that even a beer
> glass won't make easier to chug-a-lug.
Yeah I heard about that stuff in the "horror stories". Apparently they have
made it easier now. They gave me a bottle full of Visicol tablets which are
about the size of a multi-vitamin. The evening before, you take four every
15 minutes with water for an hour. Then four with 12 oz of ginger ale
(which I like anyway). Two hours later you do a small version of this
procedure .
Gets it over with quickly with minimal strain (he-he).
RonB
Prior to general the doc commented to me that I could watch Pam, the
nurse, instead of the TV during the procedure and I was luckier than
him. That procedure got 3 polyps, one cancerous. Next 3 got a couple
starting polyps and last one got a 5 year reprieve before next one.
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 04:44:40 -0800, Larry Blanchard
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 18:03:05 -0500, WillR wrote:
>
>> It's done in medical Imaging (X-RAY) So it would have been XRAY Techs
>> (Radiographers) -- not nurses. And of course a Radiologist (doctor)
>
>Huh? In my case it was a gastroenterologist and his nurse.
On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 11:40:18 -0600, RonB wrote:
>> Sure hope its better now than it was 15 years ago. I
>
> Must be better. They put me to sleep for about 20 minutes and it was
> over. Again, what you experienced was among the horror stories I had
> heard. They are making it easier.
>
Same here - didn't even get an enema - just drank a brine concoction and
sat on the throne for a while the night before. I'd planned on watching,
but when the doc found a couple of polyps (benign) he cranked up the
sedative before he snipped them and I went bye-bye.
Six things you don't want to hear your doctor say during a colonoscopy
6. Damn, every time I do this I feel like a pervert --
5. Note to self - stop on the way home to buy Swiss cheese
4. I see the patient's had his tonsils out
3. Nurse, change channels for a minute; let's get the stock market averages
2. Step six, check the patient's . . . er, nurse, please turn to page 63
1. Whoops --
I'll second the motion on the value of the procedure, especially if you
firrst take the stool sample pretest to see if the procedure is warranted.
The only "inconveniences" for me were the pre-procedure cleansing routine
(prodigious liquid intake) and taking a day off from my normal schedule.
Regards --
> On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 09:26:52 -0600, "RonB" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>For you old farts who are being badgered by your doctor to have a
>>colonoscopy: My doc did this for several years. It wasn't until my
>>cousin's wife died a long, horrible death with colon cancer that I decided
>>I
>>should do it. Made the appointment. Dreaded it for weeks. Did it
>>Thursday.
>>
>>The horror stories that go with this simple procedure are the most
>>over-rated BS fiction ever told. At worst it was inconvenient. I like to
>>eat and it slowed me down for a day - but DAMN that first meal was good!
>>Go
>>get it done. The potential penalty for failure to do this is an
>>unimaginable horror. I saw it happen.
>>
>>RonB
>>