oh. wonderful!

[Catty1]

David - I never have had one of these...I understand they can be uncomfy, but not really painful. Hopefully an experience person will reply here!

HOWEVER - Tammy Faye Bakker died of colon cancer that spread everywhere. She had one initial successful treatment...but in her interview on Larry King, she said she had gone bleeding for ONE YEAR because she didn't want a male doctor examining her there!

That was her excuse anyway - and it cost her dearly. Cost her everything.

So - good for you for going through with this!

[davidpizzica]

David - I never have had one of these...I understand they can be uncomfy, but not really painful. Hopefully an experience person will reply here!

HOWEVER - Tammy Faye Bakker died of colon cancer that spread everywhere. She had one initial successful treatment...but in her interview on Larry King, she said she had gone bleeding for ONE YEAR because she didn't want a male doctor examining her there!

That was her excuse anyway - and it cost her dearly. Cost her everything.

So - good for you for going through with this!

Thanks Catty for the info. It doesn't sound like a walk in the park, but I believe I really need to find out what's going on there.

[Edwina's Secretary]

You will be sedated during the procedure. The preparation is the uncomfortable part.

As a general rule you will be directed to a doctor of the same sex for the procedure. And of course, you can request a doctor of the same sex if it makes you more comfortable.

[Freedom]

There are 2 prep procedures. For one, you drink gallon or so of a fluid made up at the pharmacy. Kind of a chalky thing. For the other, you take tablets and drink sodas. Not colas. I think it was Lemon Lime or some such, they will tell you.

Do thee tablets it is a MUCH easier prep. ASK for it if they give you a prescirption for the other method.

[Pam]

David I had one and I can tell you the test is a piece of cake. You simply sleep. The prep the night before sort of ties you to the bathroom if you get my drift. I mean you seriously won't be able to leave there. The stuff I drank was a lemony-lime but had a very salty flavor. It was a chore to get it all down. That all said, there is nothing in the world quite like having your doctor tell you afterward that everything looks fine.

[Donnaj4962]

David, like the others have said, the prep is the worst as you will be asleep for the actual procedure. My prep consisted of some over the counter dulcolax and then mixing (again over the counter) miralax with water. I drank the mixture slowly, kind of sipping it until I had it all gone. And then I spent my time in the bathroom!

Although I am only 45, I had my first colonoscopy just a few months ago. My mother is a colon cancer survivor.... so myself and my sisters have all had to have the procedure starting when we turned 45. For me, the doctor removed, as he said, "a fairly large sized pre-cancerous polyp". Had I NOT had the procedure done at 45, and instead waited..... who knows what would have happened.

All in all.... the prep and the anxiety was well worth it all!.

You will be fine. You won't remember any of the procedure.

[sasvermont]

I just had my second one on Aug. 17th. The prep is the trying part. Each hospital/doctor has their own little set of instructions and suggestions. I was not totally sedated this time, so that the recovery time (they are trying to get folks up and the hell out of the hospital) is quicker than if you were totally sedated! I was admitted at 8AM and home by 11AM, with 2 hours of that time for travelling!

I have had this proceedure done twice now and both times they discovered pre-cancerous areas. I now have to go back every three years. I am happy to do so.

So, for all those folks 50 and over, they need to get with it and go schedule themselves for a colonoscopy! It isn't fun but it sure is necessary.

Good luck.