In light of the ensuing discussions on the OP turning out to be little more than an exercise in futility, you could ask why this thread started at all! In fact, I felt exactly that way after my initial post on this thread. However, those ensuing discussions may well have provided some wisdom or insight after all, at least for others about the benefits of having a colonoscopy. It may as well have potential for some readers to have their lives saved some day because of it! If this turns out to be true, even for just one person, then this thread would prove to have been invaluable!

:agree:

I was hoping for the same result. Whether one has a colonoscpy is their choice but it is prudent to have one done so so one knows where they stand, healthwise.

Well, as far as I know, doctors prefer not to talk about risk. So, what good is trustworthiness if the trustworthy doctor remains silent on this issue?

For those participating on this thread, here are some questions: Did your doctor inform you that you could die as a result of getting a colonoscopy? Did your doctor inform you that you could get a life-threatening perforated colon? How about risks to the brain from anesthesia?

The doctor is making the recommendation based on the benefits outweighing the risks. It is a judgement call and the art of medicine, not just presenting numbers/statistics.

If one wants to go purely on the numbers, then it is a waste of time to consult a doctor who has spent a minimum of 8 years of post-graduate education and training, and then years in practice, to learn to evaluate the numbers and empirical evidence.

A thinking, well-read patient would know that even when the odds are that 99 out of 100 patients will have no complications, one could end up 100% screwed even though the practitioner did everything 100% correct by the textbook.

We make these same type of decisions every time we decide to get behind the wheel of a car or board an airplane.

Nobody knows when or why the kindest, healthiest, most loving and clean-living person you've ever known turns out to be the one who gets killed or maimed in an accident, or gets ravaged by a horrible cancer.

All we can conclude is: we don't determine when and how we'll suffer or not suffer, and die....either quickly or slowly. Only God knows when and how we'll go. Prayer asking for guidance on decision-making is powerful.

Is there an art to colonoscopy? How would I know if the doctor has this art mastered? Regardless of how many years a doctor spends in school, he or she might be a colon-perforating clod. It could be worse than I thought if the numbers don't tell the whole story.

You're right that we do make these decisions every time we get into a car, or airplane. That's why I never fly and limit my driving. I believe in limiting risk.

You're right when you suggest that anything can happen to anyone. I have never doubted that. But there is such a thing as prudently judging and limiting risk. As a matter of fact I have a book tittled, "Examining Your Doctor: A patient's Guide to Avoiding Harmful Medical Care". It was written by, Timothy McCall, M.D..

I guess you could say it was written for those who wish to be informed so as to make prudent judgements/decisions.

All true, but in the end, you or an insurer (public and/or private) are paying a doctor to "make prudent judgement/decisions" about what to prescribe and order for you. It is then your choice to say "yes" or "no".

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him have a hose attached to well....you get the picture.

Nuff said. I got the picture. :smiley:

BTW - You can say your going to do something or you can say your not - Either way your right.

Clearly the advantages to a colonoscopy test far outweigh the risks, but you need to decide that for yourself.
I think you decided it before this long thread started, so why beat a dead horse on this issue?

Whoa, that was not a very nice comment about your daughter's mother.

Yeah, 2BNTV, keep that job! I love you 'cause you're picture is so cute and smiling, and you have a good sense about you. Your poetry skills, however... ;-)

Coffee spit. New keyboard.

Any type
 

It can be very scary to get screened for any type of problems but it can save your life.

In a 2000 CDC study it was found that 45% of men and 41% of women over 50 had never had a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

A later report by the CDC states that 63% of those 50 to 75 have been screened. That means more than 1/3 of seniors have not been screened (about 1 out of 3).

How come we are not hearing from them on this thread? Perhaps they fear being ridiculed? Gee, I wonder where they would get that idea?

I have never doubted that it can save lives. But it can also sacrifice lives. In the study I mentioned earlier, out of 100,000 colonoscopies, 6 lives were lost. I guess you could say they were sacrificed for the "greater good". But no one is telling us what the numbers are for that greater good. Did it save 12 lives for every 100,000 people tested. 20 people suffered perforated colons; did it save 20 lives?

If doctors are so proud of the lives they save, why don't they give us the numbers?

---------

I think we have reached the point of no return on this subject. Those that believe in the test will continue to do it. Those that don't will not.

But my three cents: I hope none of us will ever have to (again, in my case) watch a 40-year-old be ravaged by colon cancer and die.

Or, someday I will give up anguishing over the fact that Steve Jobs had to die because his cancer was operable but he refused the procedure because he did not believe in surgery and felt he could survive on alternative methods.

I acknowledge the OP's convictions, and I pray the OP will never contract colon cancer.

Perhaps we should just retire the thread. Vaya con dios.

:agree:

I don't see any of my doctors past or present being "so proud of the lives they save". They recommend what is in their patients' best interest, based on scientific studies and clinical trial conclusions, to try to detect deadly disease as early as possible--when it is easiest to treat because it hasn't spread yet to distant parts of the body and to organs.

Early detection has always been a known, significant benefit in treating cancer. The decision to do early detection testing is yours after your doctor recommends and prescribes it.

If you think your decisions are better made by reading books by critics of the medical profession, then don't go to the medical professional for advice. Go to the bookstore and be your own "doctor".

Why 1/3 of the senior population are not posting on this website, and have also not had colon screening is an unknown quantity. Maybe they don't have a computer, or insurance, or are homeless, or any number of other things.
They may or may not have made a wise decision.
Good luck with making your decision.

Does this mean I'm not allowed to be curious? Does this mean patients should be dumb and stay dumb? Is there a doctor's oath to this effect that I don't know about? I would like to read some of those scientific studies and clinical trial conclusions.

Curious? Or convinced?
In either case, John Hopkins has some Health Alerts on the subject that you can read at your leisure...no charge.
All Colon Cancer Alerts: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

KayakerNC, thank you for posting that link.

Colonoscopies May Save Lives
 

I felt I had to respond to this thread since I had two neighbors in SC who died from colon cancer. It is not pretty. One was in her 60's and the other was in his 70's. Neither had ever had a colonoscopy and had no history of colon cancer in their families. I have another friend who had never had one (in his mid 60's), then had his first about a year ago, had polyps, was told it wasn't serious, yet had to go through chemo and radiation for about six months. He is clear now, but goes for semi-annual checkups.

I had one at age 50, was clear, and will go back at age 60. My husband had polyps at age 50, which were removed, and goes back every five years. He has been clear since the first colonoscopy for which we are grateful.

I believe in preventive medicine. A little bit of inconvenience is worth not having to go through cancer treatment.

The question was asked, "Why was this thread started at all?" In other words, suggesting that nothing good would come of it. And many tried hard to make sure nothing good would come of it. They suggested, in a round-about way, that this thread should be shut down.

But you, KayakerNC, proved all the naysayers wrong. You provided a link to some excellent information about colon cancer. Your link was very helpful in making this thread worthwhile. Thank you, I read about 3/4 of the information provied by the link. In the future I will try to remember "Johns Hopkins Health Alerts."

But, you know me, I still have some questions: Before they described about 5 different tests, they said each one has its own risk or risks. But then, as they described each test, they never said what the risk(s) would be for that test. So, in this regard, it seems that Wickipedia turned out to be better. Wikipedia at least gave some of the risks for a colonoscopy. Probably because Wikipedia is not biased by being in the medical business.

Also, it said that most polyps remain benign. But that information by itself leaves a lot of questions unanswered. What percentage of polyps remain benign? And how many people out of X number of people have polyps in the first place? How do people with a family history of colon cancer compare with those with no family history? How do vegans compare with those who eat animal protein? I could go on and on with these questions.

They did say you could lower your risk by exercising and by other means. But, for example, what does it all add up to if one is at their ideal weight, eats lots of fiber from fresh fruit and vegetables, exercises and has no family history etc.. Does that represent a 50% reduction in risk or a 75% reduction in risk? And what would that be in terms of numbers of people per 100,000? Again, because they are in the medical business, they shy-away from answering these questions because it might encourage people to go untested.

:agree: 100%

If this threads gets one person to consider having a colonoscopy done, then it is worthwhile. I don't know everything and will be the first to admit that medically trained people have more knowledge than I. That is why I think it's prudent to have a colonoscopy.

:popcorn:

Did anyone see the article in yesterday's Daily Sun? The heading: "Veteran gets $1.25M from US after surgery led to infection"

Search: "VA infection issues lead to 13,000 veterans' tests - msnbc"

As many as 13,000 patients may have been exposed to hepititis, HIV, and other diseases because of poor hygiene. The colonoscopy equipment had not been properly cleaned (i.e., not sterilized).

And this went on for several years; it was not just a one-time mistake.

I don't understand why you continue to discuss this. You have made up your mind.

Do you want to talk others out of tests that identify cancer that can still be treated?

Nothing is without risk. Nothing. And human error and crummy hospitals still exist....everywhere.

It is for each of us to find the best answer for ourselves and live with it, or sadly die with it.

Unfortunately, both my wife and I are not "doctor people."
HOWEVER, she was not feeling well and I convinced her to get checked out. After a colonoscopy was completed it was determined that she had colo-rectal cancer. She has just finished radiation and chemo treatments and this Thursday (11/29) we visit the surgeon to see how much was shrunk and when he will perform the surgery to remove it.

Actually, all seems to look good - we hope!

We had to cancel our Lifestyle Preview in October but have re-booked for January. Hopefully all will be right by then.

OH - the reason for this post - I am 62 and have never had a colonoscopy.
As soon as my wife is well, I will be booking my first one !!!!

ugotme, I'm sending my wishes for your wife's return to good health soon! I had my first colonoscopy 3 weeks ago, and I'm a pretty wimpy person, but it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The prep work is the hardest part; the procedure itself is not that big a deal since you should be fast asleep. Best of luck to you and your wife, and I hope you are able to take your Lifestyle Preview visit in January.

Thank you very much.

I am confident that I will "see" you all in January!

We are looking - and looking to buy!!!!

I'm going in for a double ender tomorrow morning. Gotta start drinking the juice at 5PM today. No solids after 1PM today. Hope the juice taste better than it looks (probably worse). I have done the upper several times but for that you only need to fast (no juice).

As usual, you hit the nail on the head. Bingo!!!!! :smiley:

Best of Luck house hunting. I hope you find exactly what you are looking for. :smiley:

The juice I drank was rather bitter (only 6 oz. mixed with 10 ounces of water), then I drank 32 more ounces of just plain water all in one hour. Then I repeated the same steps the next morning at 6:00 a.m. My friend who had a colonoscopy earlier this year had cherry flavored juice. One coworker said he took a pill -- I will check out that option in 5 yrs. for my next colonoscopy.

Hmmmm can you add scotch or beer to it? LOL

Thanks 2B. Hopefully we wont have to cancel again. But - whatever it is, it is.

Looking to find a senior community with ACTIVITIES!
We are in one in So. Fl. but it is BORING !

No! But a martini with two olives and a pearl onion maybe! :evil6:

This thread, as you suggested earlier, may not have been true to its heading. In my haste, I made it too limiting. It possibly should have been as follows: Colon cancer/colonoscopies/doctor patient relationship etc. However, it seems to have worked out okay as most people have understood that anything related to colon cancer is fair to discuss.

The reason I brought up the Daily Sun article about contaminated colonoscopy equipment is basically the same reason it was printed in the newspaper. It's news that people should know about. I think full disclosure, in the long run, is a good thing. The public is unlikely to demand better medical treatment if they don't know what's going on. So the first step is to know what's going on.

Rather than behave in a hapless/helpless manor, I would hope that some patients take the inititive to ask if the equipment is being sterilized according to hospital regulations. Is there a special device made for this purpose? Do they have it? Do they use it?

Let's stop acting like doctors are gods and that patients are supposed to be dumb.