Claude! said:

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I've got a colonoscopy scheduled for Monday, so prep starts tomorrow evening. I got a prescription for Suprep. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, but it'll be interesting to get a before/after weigh-in.

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Spill it Claude!

AgShaun00 said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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Man I don't miss the "prep" I remember sitting on the toilet a bunch but don't remember all the details. It was a long time ago.

Cologuard for the win. Poop in a box and ship it off.

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should you do that for your first one or if no issues go that path?

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Not a doc. But i read or saw that you can do that if you don't have a family history or had issues before. It looks for abnormal dna in your stool.

I had a colonoscopy because I had a bad GI issue years ago. Nothing there so I was told using cologuard was good.

I was originally supposed to have the colonoscopy this Friday, but it was rescheduled to January. Just before I started the prep, I got a call telling me due to my history of Lynch Syndrome, they want to scope the other end as well. I agreed to that, then they tell me that they don't have the time allotted to do both procedures. So, it was rescheduled again to the end of May.

I would not have been happy had I started the prep before getting the call.

I've never slept so good and woken up feeling so refreshed and rested. I'd do it every year if I had to. The cleanse wasnt that big a deal but the rest was unreal.

Just finished the first bottle of Suflave. My bidet hates me already and we still have to dance again in the morning. Second bottle in the morning and the Procedure is scheduled for 1 pm.

Colonoscopy at 46. Did the standard half gallon mix. Taste is gross and diarrhea sucks, but it's whatever. Procedure is an absolute crazy nothingburger. I didn't even know I'd had it when I left, and no diet restrictions. They even had to pull me out of the propofol sleep once because the doctor had been "called to an emergency." I chatted with the anesthesiologist for 10mins, then they hit me again with drugs and it was over. Found a few polyps, no family history, next one in 3 years.

The doctors will tell you Cologuard is fine, but it's not a substitute. Go get it done. It's nothing. Do Cologuard annually, also, if you feel it's necessary (or just find it entertaining).

My procedure, I'm 56, went well also. 1 polyp so he said he'll see me in 7 years. He did say I have a slight case diverticulitis. But didn't seem worried about it.
My office manager had 2 bouts with that and it hospitalized her both times. I'm thinking hers is more severe because it's in her intestines instead of colon????

GeorgiAg said:

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Getting one every 5 years is great, but may I suggest to get this every year? Cologuard. You poop in a box and ship it off for testing.

Gross, but it takes only a few minutes and should be covered by insurance. Check it out and ask your PCP.

https://www.cologuard.com/?gclid=3404641c638c1a4ebdb203ab14311de9&gclsrc=3p.ds&&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=FY25_ES_COLOGUARD_DTC_BRAND-E_017_X_X_BRN_BING_BRN_EXT&utm_id=432580293&utm_term=1305120717533433&utm_content=cologuard&gclid=3404641c638c1a4ebdb203ab14311de9&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=3404641c638c1a4ebdb203ab14311de9

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Had a coworker do this, and in a perfect example of the idiocy of our health care system, Cologuard came back and said he should get an actual doctor to take a look at it. So he goes in, and they said that since his insurance only covers one test, so he would have to pay for the actual colonoscopy OOP.

Just a fair warning to everyone. Make sure you double check what your insurance covers before you do it.

I can see why the United Healthcare CEO got assassinated. Not that I approve or condone, but I understand why. They gotta fix that crap.

Anyone has hemmeroid diagnosis from their procedure? Always figured I had them given my crappy plumbing all of my life but just had to order some ointment unfortunately for the external ones. I'm in mad pain from time to time now.

Prob about a month gone from my procedure and looking back the prep felt good in the long run actually getting a full "cleanse" and reboot. It was not bad at all.

Just had my semi-annual PCP visit. Gonna get a colonoscopy. Yay.

I still think Cologuard is good to get in between but colonoscopy is more accurate. Doc said G.I.'s don't like Cologuard but was questioning how much of that is related to $$$$. Interesting question.

AGpops1923 said:

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My procedure, I'm 56, went well also. 1 polyp so he said he'll see me in 7 years. He did say I have a slight case diverticulitis. But didn't seem worried about it.
My office manager had 2 bouts with that and it hospitalized her both times. I'm thinking hers is more severe because it's in her intestines instead of colon????

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Did your doc say diverticulitis or diverticulosis? I was told I had diverticulosis, which the doc said was nothing to really worry about and to see him again in seven years.

Cologuard works by detecting blood. As a result, it is only about 40% effective at identifying precancerous polyps, which is when you really want to identify an issue and nip it in the bud. It is 90% at detecting actual cancer, but the horse has left the barn at that point.

After your first one (and each subsequent), the doc will have a good handle on your future risk based on the polyps and pathology they find (or preferably don't find) and therefore how often you need them in the future. I had no polyps at all and thankfully got the 10 year pass. Someone could do cologuard in between for peace of mind, I guess, but do not do it as an alternative or to prolong the time between recommended scopes.

My doc did pill prep. I'm surprised there are docs still pushing miralax or other liquid prep. Blech.

When you are pissing out of your butt, you know you are clear.

Just got home from my latest colonoscopy. Had liquid prep. It was fine. Had to drink 8 ounces every fifteen minutes for two hours at night then pick it back up for two hours in the morning. Taste was fine.

Procedure was a breeze. Didn't wake up in the middle this time.

Wasn't fun but also wasn't terrible. Get one if you're that age and need one.

Hardest part was getting someone to drive and sit there all day

Close. Cologuard actually detects DNA related to cancers. Its sensitivity is actually really good, over 90%. The previous screening method was the fecal occult blood test. You'd smear some stool on a card and mail it in to the lab. If there was blood detected, it would investigated. But high false positive rate due ulcers, hemorrhoids, constipation, etc.

You are correct, however, in that cologuard will detect cancer. It won't necessarily detect precancerous polyps. Colonoscopy is still considered the gold standard as it both potentially diagnostic, and therapeutic - in other words, if they see a polyp, and remove it, they will send it to the lab. And if they see that it was starting to develop cancer, but they removed all of it, then you are no longer carrying a precancerous polyp.

And if they don't see any polyps, then they'll give you the thumbs up for 10 years. The quality of the colonoscopy is still dependent on the operator, and the adequacy of the bowel prep.

It's also important to point out that colon cancer rates are increasing, especially among young people. If you have any family history of colon cancer, the current recommendation is to get a colonoscopy at age 40, or 10 years prior to the youngest someone in your family was diagnosed.

Also, if you have any history of polyps, or are high risk in any way, Cologuard is not recommended.

Is Cologuard of any benefit between colonscopies?

for example, if you are cleared for 5 years, would a cologuard in the middle be of any benefit?

I don't see why not. If anything is flagged they will just do a colonoscopy anyway so basically tells you if you should get another colonoscopy rather than waiting the full 5 or 10 years. The only negative is money as insurance may not cover it. I don't think it's that expensive OOP though ($300-500).

There is almost always downsides to excessive testing. In this case, the risk is a false positive, which is roughly 13% with Cologuard. That's actually pretty high, which is good for a screening test. But if you get a positive on Cologuard, you're going to have to get a colonoscopy. And with more colonoscopies comes risks associated with the anesthesia, as well as with the procedure itself (perforation being the deadliest).

That being said, there is always a possibility that you may have a true positive on Cologuard taking it "early" and a colonoscopy would find a cancerous lesion that it missed previously. But I couldn't tell you what the odds of that is.