Twitchers, if you are approaching 50, HTFU and get a colonoscopy, it might save your life.
Got mine last year. Do not remember a thing.
Dave
I got mine last year . . . and did my slowest 5k ever a day and a half later. Talk about running on empty. That crap you have to drink is much worse than the procedure.
I’m 60 on January 13 – does that count?
Seriously, though, your post is timely as I just visited my doctor today and she gave me the materials for the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). I last had this done maybe 3 years ago, and it this time the Ontario Health Insurance Plan has formalized the ColonCancerCheck program as a government initiative. Below are some of the points from the written material that is part of the FOBT.
“The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario, has launched the ColonCancerCheck program to expand screening for colorectal cancer…The ColonCancerCheck program uses this information to identify individuals aged 50 and over who should be screened for colorectal cancer, invite them to be screened using the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), and, when the participant does not have a primary care provider, to provide the participant with his or her test result and with a follow-up referral, where required…If you take the FOBT test and the results is positive, your family doctor will refer you for a colonoscopy. If you do not have a family doctor, and your test result is positive, you will be notified and advised how to proceed by the ColonCancerCheck program. If your test results are negative, the ColonCancerCheck program will notify you and remind you to repeat the test every two years.”
My doctor also said that she thinks that the period of re-testing will be reduced to every year, so this is a matter that the Ontario government is taking very seriously. So, I guess I should start the first of the three smears tomorrow…eh?
Did mine with pills…something like 32 pills over a 4 hour period!
The really sad part is that Colon Cancer is very slow growing…there is absolutely no reason for anyone to die of this disease with early detection.
There is no need to HTFU, a thorough teeth cleaning is far more unpleasant. The liquids the night before do taste horrible but the drugs the next day really makes the whole thing a non event.
I fully second your advice, that and a PSA are the 2 easiest ways to greatly eliminate 2 possible cancer causes, or at least catch them early enough.
I second the issue with drinking the drano. That stuff is nasty! The only thing I rememeber about the procedure is the doctor telling me to relax. Apparently I didn’t and he doubled the valium and that was that. Woke up in recovery and the wife drove me home. I think I slept the whole day.
Did it. I can tell everyone it’s a lot of fun. ; )
By the way my Dr. had me take pills and dring ginger ale. Flushed me out and wasn’t hard to do
My wife got colon cancer at 36 while pregnant
Still cancer free after 12 years
Daughter is same
Get checked
.
Had my first one this past Aug at the age of 57. Dr. said I’m good to go for another 10 years. Clean as a whistle. He even gave me pictures. Worst part was the day before. I think I still have an implant of the toilet seat 
Excuse my ignorance, am I safe to assume they give you like very strong laxatives to clean you out? Can you still eat the day before?
I can thank triathlon and more specifically the TTT for my first colonoscopy at age 48. I got constipated in the days after the TTT last year and ended up visiting the doc. He recommended a colonoscopy. Thankfully, all clear down there.
I can thank triathlon and more specifically the TTT for my first colonoscopy at age 48.
Ha! As if we needed another reason to sign up for TTT, this one will put most people over the edge!!
Excuse my ignorance, am I safe to assume they give you like very strong laxatives to clean you out? Can you still eat the day before?
I had my first one last year. It was probably the easiest medical procedure I’ve ever experienced and the knockout drugs were great. I went home afterwards and had the best nap I’ve ever had. I took a friends advice and I did the pills rather than the liquid.
Can you still eat the day before?
No.
This is a really important thing to do. Got mine this past spring at 52. Only one polyp and it was benign. I delayed this a couple of years because, after dealing with my wife’s cholangiocarcinoma for more than a year, it took me a while to be able to go to the doctor again.
I remember everything before the procedure and nothing of it. I even remember that my blood pressure was different due to the use of an ankle cuff.
The only hard part was arranging transportation home. They wouldn’t let me take a taxi. At the time, no one else in my house drove. I finally got it worked out so a friend could take me home at lunch.
My gf drove me home. I remember the ride but not specifically what we talked about. The next day she told me that I said funny things on the ride home.
Post-procedure don’t pig out at Outback Steakhouse like my husband wanted to do— The results: rapid lane change on drive home for him to vist the curb, puking his toenails up!
My turn is next year. But I had to have the bowel prep for an abdomenal radiographs this year, so I know what unpleasantness is in store there— LOL at the above comment about the permament toilet seat imprint on the butt!
Don’t forget, Katie Couric had her colonoscopy done on national TV, awake…