Colonscopy/Endoscopy

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Just returned from having mine. I go every 2-3 years due to past history. Make a resolution to take care of yourself in the new year! Get a colonoscopy. I had my first at 42 y.o. and it saved my life. I had a very large pre-cancerous tumor. The MDs told me if I had waited til age 50 I would not have been alive.
Make 2013 the year of your good health!

[Jestjoan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jestjoan]

Congrats! Good reminder.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Thanks, I checked an my is due Feb 2012.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

The DW has to have the procedure every 1-2 years (can't remember which) due to her past history.

I had one, and am NOT looking forward to the next, but I know I will have it. It is important. I am glad I only have to have it every 10 years.

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

Just returned from having mine. I go every 2-3 years due to past history. Make a resolution to take care of yourself in the new year! Get a colonoscopy. I had my first at 42 y.o. and it saved my life. I had a very large pre-cancerous tumor. The MDs told me if I had waited til age 50 I would not have been alive.
Make 2013 the year of your good health!

This is outstanding advice for both males and females.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Had my first one several years ago, and it yielded an unexpected benefit.

I had been feeling frustrated about adding weight for years, but hadn't had any success losing weight. Of course, with the colonoscopy you have some significant pre-test diet limitations as well as the 24-hour pre-test fast while drinking the glycol solution that purges the plumbing.

At first I was quite hungry, but about one-third of the way into the fasting my body seemed to accept that it wasn't going to get any food and the hunger pangs diminished greatly. At that point I realized in a way I never had previously that my food hunger cycle was more psychological than physical - my body was accustomed to getting a certain amount of food at certain times and it reacted when it didn't get it.

Now, handed to me via the fasting requirement, the habit was broken. So coming off the colonoscopy I cut my food intake in half. Didn't change what I was eating, because there really wasn't any problem with that; I simply cut the amounts I was eating in half. My body adjusted to the new regimen; I was generally satisfied, and I began losing about 5 lbs/month.

*****

I wish I could say I was totally successful. Unfortunately, I hit a personally stressful situation a few years ago and started eating more again for comfort and lost the cycle.

One of my New Years Resolutions, though, is to get back on the plan.

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

not fun, but certainly necessary!

had my first one done just last week, after cancelling several over the past 9 years... my husband was due for his first, and I promised him I would go, if he did....

luckily all was fine, but how foolish to have put it off for so long...

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

The DW has to have the procedure every 1-2 years (can't remember which) due to her past history.

I had one, and am NOT looking forward to the next, but I know I will have it. It is important. I am glad I only have to have it every 10 years.

Find a doctor that uses a CRNA and propofol (the Michael Jackson drug) and you'll probably be much happier with the results. My wife has to go every 3 years and I recently required endoscopy to check for an ulcer. I went to sleep and woke up a few minutes after the procedure feeling like I could run a marathon. My wife has had three colonscopy studies in the last year, one was in the hospital where they would went cheap and used versed and fentanyl. HUGE difference in her comfort level and she said she'd never let them do that to her again now that she knows the difference.

Some insurance companies refuse to pay for the CRNA. IMHO, it's worth a few hundred dollars extra to be comfortable and not worry about the procedure.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Had my first one several years ago, and it yielded an unexpected benefit.

I had been feeling frustrated about adding weight for years, but hadn't had any success losing weight. Of course, with the colonoscopy you have some significant pre-test diet limitations as well as the 24-hour pre-test fast while drinking the glycol solution that purges the plumbing.

At first I was quite hungry, but about one-third of the way into the fasting my body seemed to accept that it wasn't going to get any food and the hunger pangs diminished greatly. At that point I realized in a way I never had previously that my food hunger cycle was more psychological than physical - my body was accustomed to getting a certain amount of food at certain times and it reacted when it didn't get it.

Now, handed to me via the fasting requirement, the habit was broken. So coming off the colonoscopy I cut my food intake in half. Didn't change what I was eating, because there really wasn't any problem with that; I simply cut the amounts I was eating in half. My body adjusted to the new regimen; I was generally satisfied, and I began losing about 5 lbs/month.

*****

I wish I could say I was totally successful. Unfortunately, I hit a personally stressful situation a few years ago and started eating more again for comfort and lost the cycle.

One of my New Years Resolutions, though, is to get back on the plan.

I've found the same to be true. In August I decided it was time to get rid of the excess weight. I started in on a calorie counting program on my iPhone to watch my intake. Initially, I had trouble keeping my calorie count around 2,000 per day. I still fealt hungry all the time. As time went on, my body adjusted to lower caloric intake and the hunger pains subsided. Now I can go through a day and only take in 1,300 to 1,600 calorie per day and I've lost 32 lbs. I still have another 13 lbs to go to get my BMI to 25 (over 25 and you're considered overweight). I've gone from wearing a 40 waist size in jeans to a 36. Perosanally, I want my weight down into the 150's.

Now that I've become used to fewer calories, I feel I can keep my weight down. That is so long as I don't get back into the habit of grazing when there's snacks around. I've become very aware of the extra calories chips, soda, crackers, cheese snacks and candy bars cost me and avoid them most of the time. I don't deprive myself of the occasional indulgence but keep it in the back of my mind it must be occasional and not daily.

Exercise has also become a part of my weekly routine. I'm not at the gym daily but I do try to make it a couple of times/week. Just burning off an extra 300 or 400 calories twice a week can make a big difference once you retrain your body to accempt fewere calories.

FWIW, when I looked at what I had been eating, I was in the 3,000 to 4,000 calorie per day range. In watching what was laid out for the holidays, if I had eaten like I use to, 7,000 calories in a day wouldn't have been out of the question.

[10AC-TYM Member Find all posts View Profile Close 10AC-TYM]

I had my 12th a few weeks ago with a biopsy again. The prep is much worse than the procedure. Don't forget about having your bladder checked. I have bladder cancer. The main cause is smoking, but I have never smoked and I try to avoid being around it because of breathing problems from it. Stay healthy so you can travel.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

... I have bladder cancer. The main cause is smoking, but I have never smoked ...

Cigarettes and/or chemicals are the causes of bladder cancer according to my urologist.

[bezerk Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bezerk]

I have one , my first in 2011...and now every 3-5 years due to my history of cancer...and yes they use the Mikey Jackson drug...wonderful. the prep is far worse than the procedure...Mine was clean with only a microscopic polyp...now to get hubby to have one...