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Colon Cancer, Understand Your Risk, Get Colonoscopy

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Speaking of understanding the risks, I would never assume that you make poor choices about what you consume, but plenty of people do. People consume red and processed meats as well as alcohol regularly then wonder where their (colon, breast, prostate, etc.) cancer came from. Well duh!

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=recommendations_05_red_meat

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Red-meat-and-colon-cancer.shtml

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/alcohol

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-4/263-270.htm
 
bradly1101 said:
Speaking of understanding the risks, I would never assume that you make poor choices about what you consume, but plenty of people do. People consume red and processed meats as well as alcohol regularly then wonder where their (colon, breast, prostate, etc.) cancer came from. Well duh!

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=recommendations_05_red_meat

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Red-meat-and-colon-cancer.shtml

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/alcohol

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-4/263-270.htm
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Get this: life increases risk of cancer.

I'm not giving up juicy dead cows. :colbert:
Alcohol... to spare my life, I could. I have no intention of doing so at this point, no desire whatsoever. With the right motivation (weed is legalized... or I find out the drink will kill me in a year), I could stop tomorrow.

The air we breath, and the land we walk on, is coated with more than enough potent toxins at this stage in our civilized lives, that I'm not worried about consumption of minor toxins. I do limit cured meats.
I could stand to eat far more greens though. If they tasted less green though, and more like animals or candy, that could certainly help. I hate the taste of soil, bark, or leaves. :\ Why, oh cruel nature, did you taint the taste of important things? Any improvement over my current consumption of zero grams of leafy or green or other similar produce would likely go wonders toward improving the odds I have a decent elderly life.
 
My tip is that you MUST finish all of the prep, completely. I thought I'd gag if I finished the 3rd bottle of prep drink [mine was that awful magnesium citrate]. So I only consumed 2½ bottles. Really stupid.

They made me do the entire prep again 2 weeks later for an even nastier test than a colonoscopy, a barium enema. IMO, much more embarrassing, uncomfortable & messy.


Oh yeah, stock up on soft toilet paper, in bathroom, to use during the test prep. You don't want to have to go running down the hall to a closet to get another roll.





No matter how awkward or embarrassing, a colonoscopy can save your life. Do not put it off.
 
TheVrolok said:
I know what it is quite well. Certainly HNPCC accounts for a higher percentage of colon cancers, but FAP isn't incredibly rare at 1/10-30 live births and will essentially cause colon cancer. In addition, we're talking about young patients diagnosed with colon cancer (20s-30s) which is more common of FAP/AFAP than HNPCC (although certainly still possible). Now if they also had other malignancies, I'd start to think HNPCC before FAP/AFAP.
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My point was that if he was in his thirties and just had a single polyp with cancer, it's not FAP or AFAP.
 
bradly1101 said:
Speaking of understanding the risks, I would never assume that you make poor choices about what you consume, but plenty of people do. People consume red and processed meats as well as alcohol regularly then wonder where their (colon, breast, prostate, etc.) cancer came from. Well duh!

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=recommendations_05_red_meat

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Red-meat-and-colon-cancer.shtml

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/alcohol

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-4/263-270.htm
Click to expand...

I hate when statistics of risk are stated as 2-3x more than the baseline. What's the baseline risk?

As a scientist who recognizes the complexity of cellular systems, it seems rather simplistic and ignorant to point the finger at only some things that could be contributory go "aha - that's what's causing all these problems."
 
I ignored the blood in my BMs for longer than I should have (at around 35) before finally getting it checked out with a colonoscopy. Diagnosis was Ulcerative Colitis. Was put on a maintenance medicine and it took a few years before it went into remission. Now I have been without symptoms for about 5-6 years. I got get a colonoscopy about every 3 years to make sure things still look ok. I have has 4 or 5 so I know the routine well. Nothing like that first meal afterwards, nurses warned me to eat a big meal but it hasn't ever bothered me.

Flip side of the coin...my father in law ignored the symptoms for too long. When he finally went in and had the colonoscopy he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He's a great man, father and father in law. He went and had the surgery to remove a large part of his colon and it was successful but a follow up pep(?) scan showed it had spread to his liver and it was enough that they can do nothing at this point but prolong his life through chemo and radiation. He was given a diagnosis of a few years. Very sad.

Bottom line...there's NO reason to be embarrassed. I assure you no one at the GI center that treats you or does the colonoscopy cares about you, your butt or the farts that come out afterwards. It's very routine for them. Get it done if you have any symptoms.

Thanks to Geekbabe for this thread. Hope it reaches someone that was wavering.
 
BoberFett said:
1. I'm shocked to find that Geekbabe is still here, I thought she was long gone with many of the other AT old timers.
2. My dad had colon cancer at age 50 (that's the age they say you should definitely start, whoever you are), and as I'm almost 40 (wtf? how did that happen?) I just got to start my 5 year screenings recently.
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I started getting screenings when I turned 50, the first one being a sigmoidoscopy, which doesn't go as far up as a colonoscopy (therefore less thorough). He found a polyp or two and recommended having the full colonoscopy. I believe one of my next procedures found another polyp or two. After a clear screening he said I was OK to go 5 years to the next screening. I since switched from the PPO to an HMO (Kaiser Permanente), and my PCP there told me Kaiser had changed their protocols on colonoscopies to every 10 years. I haven't been very aggressive with Kaiser (everyone tells you you have to be aggressive with them to get decent care!), but since I hadn't been any kind of thorn in their side I figured that if I insisted on having a colonoscopy at ~5 years since my previous they'd relent and let me have it. They did relent, I had one and the gerontologist said she didn't see anything. That was 4.5 years ago. I'm not due for another by my HMO's reckoning for another 5.5 years, but I'm thinking I should again insist on one within a year. Again, I've basically been a plus on their books, had nothing more than an xray in the last few years, a blood test once a year (or less frequently). My father's sister died from colon cancer at 80. My mother's father died from some kind of abdominal cancer, and he was probably in his middle 50's at the time. My PCP said they don't care about that, it would have to be a closer relation for them to take that into account, maybe a parent or sibling I suppose. My history with polyps, plus my PPO gerentologist's protocol subsequent to finding and removing polyps of at least every 5 years has me thinking that 10 years is just way too long to go without a screening. The prep is a bitch, but it's not that bad, I'd rather have the procedure and not worry. There are people who have colonoscopies very frequently, I've seen posts.

Edit: All the polyps they found in me were benign, but benign polyps are viewed as potentially able to morph into cancerous lesions. That's why they remove them and recommend not waiting too long until your next procedure. Having had polyps it's assumed that you are predisposed to have more in the future. This is my understanding!
 
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Anal sex all but eliminates the risk of colon cancer. Geekbabe, why u no do dis?





You have a lot of nerve trolling such a serious thread with a post such as this.

Stay out of the thread.

esquared
Anandtech Forum Director
 
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Geekbabe, I assume they've put you on a more frequent timetable for future colonoscopies now that they found stuff.


Also, what about that SO of yours? If there's anything I can do to have something shoved up his bum I'm there for you. *stirs pot*
 
My mom died of colon cancer about 3 months after being diagnosed. She always had a fear of doctors and hospitals and never got her abdominal issues checked out until it was too late...

As a result I had my first colonoscopy at ~age 41 and have another scheduled in November. For mine, the prep was certainly much worse than the procedure - basically you just go to sleep and wake up wasted as hell. The prep sucked...drink 10 or 12 ounces of solution every 10 minutes...it's not necessarily awful tasting but having to drink it so often is too much. Then running to the toilet every 5 minutes until you are completely empty.

My younger sister actually woke up in the middle of the procedure and said it was the most painful thing she's ever experienced. I pray that never happens to me.

Edit: they found one benign polyp during my first procedure.
 
My step-father passed away at age 62 from colon cancer. He didn't wan't anybody probing his rear end. So he didn't realize he had cancer until his Colon was completely blocked and he went to the Hospital and discovered the cancer blocking his colon had spread to the rest of his body. He lived about 4 for months after the diagnosis but also got to deal with a colostomy bag for those last 4-months. He had no where to go since he was broke so we wound up taking care of him. It really sucked but I was glad I was there for him before he passed away.
 
Squisher said:
Geekbabe, I assume they've put you on a more frequent timetable for future colonoscopies now that they found stuff.
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Yes, having three polyps means I need to be checked more frequently which given the other issues that were found is okay by me.
 
mikeford said:
Poop smears are also highly effective, vs $5k colonoscopy every 5 years.
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Fecal smears test for occult blood in the stools. My fecal smears were negative, if I had made the decision based on that I would still have polyps growing inside me along with the other problems the colonoscopy found.

I'm glad I got checked and am sorry I waited so long!
 
I had this done. In fact I'm still paying off the bill. Long story, don't want to talk about about it. What I do want to warn is make sure you have a GOOD DOCTOR! I can't stress that enough. Mine graduated from the Mayo Clinic and he's seen more ass. LOL!

The day before you go in you take out three glasses of water and in each glass you mix Fleets Phospho soda. You might have to take something else depending on your health, but that's what I took. It will clean you out damn good! You MUST be cleaned out THOROUGHLY! a colonoscopy is a dangerous, but common procedure and if he/she rips your inside open and shit gets in there you will get a serious infection. Basically the Phospho soda should make you shit water and nothing but water after all the solids are removed. If you are 40 and over GET ONE! I am not 40 and over I had other issues. My aunt, had she had a colonoscopy may still be here today. She died in 2001 with colon cancer and it wasn't pretty.
 
Brovane said:
My step-father passed away at age 62 from colon cancer. He didn't wan't anybody probing his rear end. So he didn't realize he had cancer until his Colon was completely blocked and he went to the Hospital and discovered the cancer blocking his colon had spread to the rest of his body. He lived about 4 for months after the diagnosis but also got to deal with a colostomy bag for those last 4-months. He had no where to go since he was broke so we wound up taking care of him. It really sucked but I was glad I was there for him before he passed away.
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That is so sad, I am sorry for your loss 🙁
 
You have a phobia over this stuff and I think I share the same sentiments. I hate going to the doctors to be poked and prodded and I can safely assume I am with a lot of other people here. 7 years going with issues though is a tad much. If I had sever pain, or even the onset of diverticulitis I would be rushing myself to the doc or ER.

Didn't you do the same thing with your back teeth until it was almost catastrophic?
 
John Connor said:
I had this done. In fact I'm still paying off the bill. Long story, don't want to talk about about it. What I do want to warn is make sure you have a GOOD DOCTOR! I can't stress that enough. Mine graduated from the Mayo Clinic and he's seen more ass. LOL!

The day before you go in you take out three glasses of water and in each glass you mix Fleets Phospho soda. You might have to take something else depending on your health, but that's what I took. It will clean you out damn good! You MUST be cleaned out THOROUGHLY! a colonoscopy is a dangerous, but common procedure and if he/she rips your inside open and shit gets in there you will get a serious infection. Basically the Phospho soda should make you shit water and nothing but water after all the solids are removed. If you are 40 and over GET ONE! I am not 40 and over I had other issues. My aunt, had she had a colonoscopy may still be here today. She died in 2001 with colon cancer and it wasn't pretty.
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I had a board certified GI specialist that is fairly young, lol, excellent eyesight 😉 he has a few areas of sub- speciality and colon cancer screening is one of them. He looks at colons all day, poor guy 🙂

He had me do a Gatorade/MiraLax prep which wasn't really that bad. I made sure to schedule an early morning procedure as well, figuring a well rested Doctor is less apt to miss something .
 
I used to take MiraLax all the time. Stuff does a body good, but for me it only *helped* the movements. I liked the Phospho soda and it did a wonderful job cleaning me out. Why the Gatorade? MiraLax is just a white tasteless powder. I'd mix it with water.
 
Geekbabe said:
That is so sad, I am sorry for your loss 🙁
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Thank you, it was back in 2007 but I still think of it every so often. I hate to say it, but it was his own fault for not getting checked. I tell people that don't want to get a Colonoscopy, how would you like a colostomy bag? I usually get a deer in the headlights look when I mention a colostomy bag. I tell them that if you have serious cancer in your colon and if they can treat it there is a good option you could wind up with a colostomy bag. That usually gets them re-thinking about not getting a colonoscopy.
 
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