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Screening is the key. If your family has a history then you need to be screened earlier and more often. Guys don't put this off. I'm 60 and I have been scoped twice. It can save your life!
nc
Good message. I think we sometimes make too many jokes about colonscopy and scare some people off from having the test (same with prostate screening). While not pleasant, these test are not that bad and they save lives.
i disagree that blood in the stool means the cancer is too advanced
In fact, until about 5 or 10 years ago, the recommended screening modality was annual fecal occult blood testing
Blood in the stool can indicate many conditions that are not life threatening.
The rates for this and all early detection cancers will be going up alarmingly thanks to the GOP cutbacks on Medicare and Medicaid.... how in the heck do you think minorities get tested for this stuff?.... Of course the big wig GOP pols... have no problem... and when they do find something they only get the best of care....
I had my first colonoscopy this year (I'm 63)...I kept putting it off because I was just uncomfortable thinking about the whole procedure. Was I surprised. It was a breeze...much easier than I thought it would be. If you're over 50, get it done...it's simple, fast and you're back at work the next day.
I agree, I had my first one done when I was 50, and second done 3 years later since I learned about colon cancer in my family history. I have been trying my best to get tested again, but we have no insurance, and I am not working since I had to leave my job to take care of mom. She was suffering with Alzheimer's /dementia, but her final time in the hospital she was just bleeding out. She was 89 years old. They wanted to do a colonoscopy, but I told them about her three sisters had died from similar problems.She she always had polyp's when she had the procedure done years ago. They never found any thing wrong so far, but I think the preparations the day before ( things you have to do before the test is worse than the procedure it self).
I'm 29 and I had my first one done at 28 because I have GI problems. Due to a pre-cancerous polyp being found during the procedure I now have to go back in every 5 years for one. MoviPrep is the worst sh*t on the face of the planet. I didn't even get it all down because I was on the verge of vomiting it back up. Just thinking about it makes me me a little ill. :P
My husband had a clean colonoscopy in May of 2009. In September of 2010, he had emergency surgery for stage 3 colon cancer, is on chemo therapy, but the cancer has spread. He is a non-smoker. His primary-doctor had treated symptoms with anti-spasmodics. Even if you had a recent clean colonoscopy, if you hurt down there, get more tests. If the doctor that did the colonoscopy does not provide detailed description and pictures of every part of the colon (the May 2009 colonoscopy only described the right side of the colon), demand to know why, and demand the description of every part of the colon. If you are not satisfied, get a second opinion. Women can also have endometriosis on the bowel, which hurts, and men and women can have celiac disease. Doctors say to get the colonoscopy every ten years. That is if you are a vegetarian, run every day, take vitamin D, etc. But any person can cut out preserved meats (preserved with nitrites and nitrates), and cut out corn syrup which is too strong a sugar, and does not allow malignant cells to be stopped by the immune system.
My mother died of colon cancer 2 years ago because Medicare only allows one screening every 5 years. Thanks a lot, Uncle Sam. You think nothing of throwing billions of dollars into the rat hole we call the Middle East but allow your own citizens to die for lack of a few hundred dollars. Politicians, with their golden health insurance packages can all go to hell.
i am very sorry about your mom, but there is no evidence to suggest that screening more frequently than every 5 years in an asymptomatic individual without significant risk factors (meaning crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, etc--not family history) is beneficial
We simply cannot pay for tests or frequency of testing that are not proven
With all this buget cuts, it is important to educate people about ways to prevent colon cancer. One way is eating heathy, and eating healthy means adding more fiber to the diet. Fuits and vegetables should be part of our daily eating.
Jonathan Reed: why didn't you chip in and help your mother pay for the procedure when she was told that Medicare would only pay for it every 5 years? Why aren't you feeling some responsibility for her outcome instead of blaming the Medicare's protocols? You, Jonathan, are one of those people that think that someone else should pick up the tab...
I too lost my mom to colon cancer 3 years ago. I am 47 and was checked directy afterwards and they found 7 polyps. Everyone should be tested and 5 years is too far apart. Colon cancer is very aggressive. You would think the insurance companies would figure out that it is much cheaper to keep you from getting the disease than to pay the amount of money that they ended up shelling out. For my Mom and her surgeries, her bills to the insurance companies ran into the millions. Her chemo out of pocket was 700 a month. As far as medicare and medicade. I would have had no problem adding my mother to my insurance policy and paying for it myself but it was not allowed. I think that we should be allowed to add any family member that we want to our insurance policy if we are willing to pay the premium.
At eric- She had crohn's disease and was still denied extra exams.
At juanita dominguez - I pay into Medicare and SS just like everyone else in this country. My income did not allow me to "chip in" as you put it. I find your comment cold, callous, and very uncalled for. I hope that you are never in a situation where you need a medical procedure and can't afford to pay for it.
At lupita - My mother to excellent care of her self and ate a well balance diet her entire life.
A colonoscopy should not cost much. It is not surgery. A doctor inserts the camera, and a nurse helps make sure that there is some medicine for twilight sleep; this is not a major surgery requiring an OR. If we are so cheap that we do not allow people to have tests that could save thousands and thousands of dollars in major surgery and chemo therapy, we are simply STUPID. Eric, I would say that you are full of it, but you have no idea what it is like to see one's spouse undergoing emergency surgery and chemo. My husband is in his 50s. You have no regard for anybody's mother; you are simply unpatriotic.
P.S.: My husband has good medical insurance, but if he becomes too sick to work (he's almost there), then his company plan won't be there. We do not have universal health care because our government wanted to protect the insurance industry, but now everybody acts as if it is some sort of burden to care for the sick, instead of our duty to our fellow Americans. I don't know what you are thinking about when you salute the flag, but I'm thinking about the people in this country.
WOW...............I have been putting if off until I can find a doctor who will agree NOT to put me asleep during the process. I want to know what they are doing to me.like they demonstrated on TV. I will get it done as soon as I return from Canada.
You're not totally asleep, but you won't remember what happened. So long as you have a decent doctor who will speak to you in the day or two following your procedure then there shouldn't be an issue. My doctor is fantastic about communication, and actually explained everything to my boyfriend while I was still recovering from the sedation (he even showed him a picture .. which my boyfriend said he could have totally done without .. heheh).
I had mine done shortly after my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. I got to see the results that same day. The 8x10 glossies were great.
Screenings should be done by age 45. I am a colon cancer survivor because at 47, I decided to have a colonoscopy to encourage my 50 year old husband to have one. The colonoscopy revealed a malignant polyp that was removed. I am 52 and cancer-free.
No doctor is going to stick their finger up my bum, unless she's really hot looking and good to go!
That's for prostate not colon.
While it's true that they do not do a digit rectal exam to check for colon cancer, if you are diagnosed later in life with it in an area close to the rectal area you will be examined quite often in this capacity. My boyfiend has stage 3 colon cancer and everytime he goes in for a check up (every week) they check to ensure that the tumor is shrinking and that there will be room to reconnect his colon where they cut into it to make an ostomy. Sounds to me like a scope once every few years is better than every week doing something you don't enjoy.
Just remember, no one gets out of life alive. Scopes are a good thing but not without risk, perforated bowel is one of them. It is recommended to start having a scope done at age 50. Just remember risk vs benefit.
Risk: You risk the most painful horrible disease ever invented. Should I go into the gory details of my husband's colon cancer? Surgery? Infections? Chemo? Nausea? Pain? And he was lucky: the surgeon didn't even use the colostomy bag, which also smells and can cause skin irritation.
Yes, there is risk, but get a good doctor, and tell them your concerns.
It is a bunch of crap that Doctors don't suggest this test. The problem is that a lot of the male population does not have health care coverage that will cover colonoscopies. The cost is more than $2500. It's the eceonomy, Stupid!
maybe, but remember fecal occult blood testing is a good alternative and is much, much cheaper than colonoscopy
its just that people don't really want to play with their poop, but its pretty good for screening
By the time blood was found in my stool, my colon cancer was staged at IIIB. Major surgery and 12 rounds of chemotherapy followed. I was told I have a 64% chance of five-year survival (I was 48 at diagnosis). I urge anyone who is 50 or has a family history to go have that screening colonoscopy. It is a piece of cake combared to battling cancer.
Fecal occult blood tests won't see a polyp, or cancer. Penny-wise, pound foolish. Isn't that an old American proverb? What is so unpatriotic about helping other Americans?
My sister died last year from colon cancer after 8 years of fighting it. I had my first colonoscopy the year after she got it. It came back negative and the doctor told me to come back in 10 years. After several other doctors said to change that to five years, I did and had 3 polyps removed. Then they told me to come back in 3 years, I did and had 2 more polyps removed and that doctor told me to come back in 5 years. I'm still paying for that last one, so I think all of you talking about the expense being a big problem are right, but I do want everyone to know that they must do their own investigation about when to go for one and then go get the exam. And, as for me, I definitely want the anesthesia because there is less embarrassment and probably makes the exam easier to perform, thus possibly more accurate.
I am sorry that your sister didn't make it. Yes, my husband had a clean colonscopy just a year and a quarter before he was diagnosed with stage 3C colon cancer which means through the wall and in lymph nodes, a complete blockage of the colon requiring surgery and chemo.
In my early twenties I started to tell my primary care physicians that I was experiencing colon symptoms. I was repeatedly told that my symptoms were due to hemorrhoids. Not one of several physicians even mentioned the possibility of colon cancer. Almost ten years later my new internist ordered a colonoscopy and I had a large but luckily still non-cancerous polyp removed. It was so large that I was told after the procedure that I should prepare for "bad" news. If you are experiencing symptoms do not allow anyone providing your medical care to dismiss health issues that concern you. I truly believe that the doctor who finally listened to me saved my life. Insist on screening. Yes, it is expensive, it took me several years to pay for the first and then several follow-up colonoscopies. Don't wait if you have symptoms that could indicate colon cancer.
My boyfriend is 35 and was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. I have been taking him to the ER for the last 3 years with the exact same symptoms but not once was it thought of to do a colonoscopy. When I took him in April of this year I had to beg them to run some testing because he was in so much pain and hadn't been able to pass stool for at least a few weeks. Before that he was passing very tiny pieces at stool that were hurting him. They did a CT and found the tumor. When he was admitted to the hospital for more testing they tried to do a colonoscopy but it was too late. The tumor was so big that they couldn't even get the scope past it. He now has an ostomy due to the advanced size of the tumor. He will have surgery to remove the tumor in August and continue on with treatment. The ostomy is reversible but without it he would not still be here. We were told by the doctors that the tumor probably started as a ployp but then advanced and has been growing as a tumor for the last 5 years at least. That means that my boyfriend has had colon cancer since the age of 30. It also means he has had cancer since we started dating 5 years ago as well. The doctor claims he never thought to run the testing even with the symptoms because of his age. It is an early age to get this kind of cancer based off of studies but when will people realize that everybody is different? This could have easily been treated and found much sooner but because they judged based on his age, testing was not done soon enough. Please be extremely vigilant and get tested no matter your age. My boyfriend is ok right now, waiting for surgery but I was told after his colostomy surgery that had it continued on for another month his colon would have ruptured and he would most likely be dead. Please, please get checked. If not for you then for your loved ones.
Becca-3700791
Thanks for sharing your boyfriend's story. I am sorry that he didn't receive the diagnostic care he so obviously needed sooner. I hope that his treatment moving forward will cure his cancer and that he will regain his health. Anyone reading his story and experiencing similar symptoms should push for testing no matter their age at the onset of symptoms. Guidelines are just that. Don't wait for insurance approval or for a doctor to decide they think it is time to run tests when your body is warning you that something is wrong. Go to another doctor if you are not being heard. It's your life on the line, not theirs.
Sorry to hear about what happen. But sometimes even know matter how old we are, some of our family history we never know any thing about. I found out by mistake. So I knew I needed to be test and did make sure my mom was tested regular before she got so sick. After how found out about the three sister's she had they did nothing about testing until it was too late. One of my Aunt was in pain for a long time taking all kinds of over the counter medicine, and her own daughter (my cousin) did not even know what was going on. They found out after her organs were all shutting down. It best to safe. Hope everything goes well.
Becca, I hope he does well. Insist on good care, or change doctors or hospital.
I also recommend the power of prayer and/or positive thinking and visualization. My husband is very ill too; he was diagnosed by emergency surgery.
Thank you all for your comments. I shared his story because I really want people to know that you need to take care of yourself and be involved with you health care decisions.
We found out yesterday that after his surgery he will have to do 4 more months of chemo. We are staying as positive as we can. It's a blow to us, though because we just lost his mother back in August 2010 to lung, brain & hip cancer.
We do have a great team of doctors and the hospital is a great facility with a wonderful staff. They explain everything and really take the time to sit down and answer any questions you may have and insure that you understand what they are telling you. I can't stress how important it is to have a doctor like that. It saves a lot of stress and unanswered questions. It shows that they really care and are doing everything they truly can to help you fight it.
Elizabeth - I hope that your husband gets better and that everything goes well for him. You guys will be added to my daily prayers.
The new so-called 'free' screening under the Affordable Health Care Act is a bunch of smoke and mirrors. It's called a screening and paid for in total up until the surgeon finds a polyp (you will probably be unaware as you will be heavily sedated when this happens); benign looking or not (98% of the time they are and 25% of the time they are found in males over 50) it will be removed and the moment the surgeon takes two seconds to do that during your so called 'free' screening, the procedure will morph into a diagnostic and curative colonoscopy, fully subject to all deductibles and OOP costs. Nice trick Health Reform writers!! Great payday for gastroenterologists and facilities who have pulled this classic 'bait and switch' on many shocked and unsuspecting patients who receive hefty bills after going through the risky screening everyone is advocating thinking it was totally free. NO ONE TELLS THEM THIS PRIOR TO THE PROCEDURE!!!! This is for the rich. Only they can be healthy anymore.
If you think that removing polyps in a doctor's office costs more than major surgery and chemo, you can't do first grade math. Sorry, my husband is going through cancer care right now, and no matter how you try to spin-doctor the screening tests, they will ultimately save YOU and EVERYBODY ELSE tons of money.
I lost both my husband & father to colon cancer. My father's case came on very suddenly and it was already in the advanced stages. He never had a colonoscopy during his entire life because he didn't want to go through "that" procedure. He could easily have been saved. My husband had symptoms for years, but also refused to have a colonoscopy, chalking it up to a number of other possible causes for his bleeding. People, you need to know that you'll go through a lot worse than a colonoscopy procedure if you ignore symptoms and end up with this dreaded disease, especially if it's in the advanced stages. My husband chose to turn a blind eye to his obvious symptoms and it cost him his life. He was only 59. I've had three colonoscopies and so far, so good. Because of the family history I'll need the procedure every five years. The colonoscopy itself is no problem but I sure wish the preparation was a little easier. (It's difficult to drink a whole gallon of saline solution in three hours!) I know there are pills you can take instead but my doctor doesn't recommend that method because it doesn't do as good a job in cleaning you out. He's had to send people home because he couldn't do an accurate test. They end up having to drink the gallon of liquid anyway, so why not do this from the start?
I am sorry for your loss.
I'm alive today due to a colonoscopy I should have had 5 years earlier. Thanks to numerous chemo & radiation treatments & multiple surgeries, I killed the beast - a Stage III tumor. I've now been cancer-free for almost 4 years. Now I never fail to get my regular screenings.
It's true......The prep is not pleasant, but it certainly is easier than aggressive cancer treatment & the aftermath. Do NOT neglect this aspect of your health care. If you are worried about the cost, at least start with a fecal occult blood test, which you can purchase at a pharmacy.
But the blood test might not catch cancer, because not everybody who has cancer bleeds.
Ask you doctor if screening is something you should do or not. Don't be shy to ask many questions. Just because this latest study says you should get screened, doesn't make it right for each individual. Ask about costs, risks, etc. I found this helpful in forming questions: http://whatstherealcost.org/video.php?post=five-questions
No, if you want to DIE YOUNG, it might not be right for you. However, be aware that it could be suicide.
I had a colonoscopy at age 38 due to family history of colon cancer or polyps. I had rectal bleeding from hemorroids and doctor just wanted to make sure nothing else was going on. They found 2 polyps. I go in this year for another colonoscopy. I am now 41. The prep for it is worse than the actual procedure. I urge everyone to get this test done because it can be a lifesaver.
Men, I know what you're afraid of! You don't wanna be put to sleep. You're afraid you won't wake up. I was one of those. But trust me. It was the easiest thing in the world. The whole thing was a piece of cake. I was out for only 20 minutes. The meds they use now (Propofol) is the best. When you wake up you are wide-awake (and you WILL wake up).
The toughest part is the crap you have to drink to prepare! It was THE worst-tasting stuff I've EVER had! But it is worth it! Chances are, you don't have any polyps, let alone cancer. DO IT! Once in 5 years can save your life. For someone like me who is DEATHLY afraid of doctors/hospitals/etc., it was nothing. Nothing! DO IT!
And get a prostate exam, too. While unpleasant, embarrassing, uncomfortable, it is 1 minute out of your life. And it, too, can save your life. Prostate cancer is slow-growing, too, like colon cancer and is highly curable. But, again, chances are you DON'T have it.
Come on, men..........act like men, now! So easy!
Having a screening for colon cancer and prostate cancer give you INCREDIBLE peace of mind!
My Mother died last Monday of Colon Cancer, she was 73 years old.
It is not easy to watch a loved one going through cancer. Some people think that if they wait to be tested, it's O.K., because they will just get surgery and chemo.
But, for some people, the chemo lowers the blood count and platelets so much that you can't get a full dose or full course, and your prognosis, not perfect to begin with, goes down. You will be in pain, tired, nauseous, less able to concentrate, weak. You can get muscle cramps, and blood clots. You might have need for daily shots, or other procedures. You will lose pay, and could lose your job. Your family will suffer by seeing you sick. And you could... die.
But you might think it isn't that important, or too expensive, or you don't want to pay for other people's tests. This is a battle, a war on illness, and the numbers of people who get cancer are very high.
Add your prayers. Do not eat things that cause you to be ill. Cut out the nitrites, nitrates, (used to preserve lunch meat and ham), and cut out corn syrup used in most soda-pop. It's hard, but that's what it takes... to maybe survive.
My Mother died last Monday from Colon Cancer, she was 73 years old.
@Elizabeth-1372999
I'm very surprised to learn that Elizabeth's husband had stage-3 colon cancer just 18 months after a clean colonoscopy ! how could it be ? I thought colon cancer always start with polyps and polyps would grow very slowly (around 10 years) and become cancer if not detected and removed. Elizabeth, did the doctors tell you how your husband developed cancer in such a short period of time ? I'm just starting to learn about colon & stomach cancers in the last few days (since a friend of mine and my brother-in-law diagnosed with this deadly disease) so I'm eager and anxious to learn as much as I can. THANKS.