Colonoscopy information/advice?

Question

I have recently had some digestive issues and feel that I should check my colon. However, I have NO health care. I'm a little perturbed, and scared. Can you all give me any advice?

Answer 1

Hopefully you are near a hospital that has a community outreach program for colorectal cancer treatments.  If not, call a GI doctor and ask them for advice. I just typed "free colorectal screenings" in my Yahoo toolbar and there were many locations near me.   Good Luck.

Answer 2

Your doctor will advise you as to which tests you need to have.  Without health care it is expensive to get a colonsocopy, about $1,000+.  With insurance it runs about $500.  I had my first colonoscopy and endoscpy a few months ago.  It is not a big deal.  I was really nervous but it was nothing.  The prep was the worst.  

Good luck!  

Answer 3

A colonoscopy is not painful. The worst part of it is the preparation. You have to drink a laxative that tastes horrible. Just writing about it now is making me quiver!! During the actual procedure, you're given sedatives and painkillers, so you're quite out of it and don't feel a thing.  

Answer 4

The first place and the cheapest would be to pay out of pocket to see a  Gastroenterologist and talk to him about what problems you are having.  He may have some idea about your "digestive issues" and either help you with some medications or recommend additional testing.  Sounds like you are trying to diagnose yourself.  See a specialist first and get his opinion.  If he recommends an endoscopy and or a colonoscopy, he may have some ideas on how you might get one for a reduced cost or have suggestions for other cheaper tests.  

Answer 5

Probably the most important thing if you are scared is to find a GI doctor that uses adequate sedation during the procedure.  You will probably just sleep through it.  No discomfort afterward.

The worst part of the whole thing by far is the "prep".  It involves taking a lot of laxatives (and I mean a lot!) beginning 24 hours prior to the procedure, and then drinking massive fluids as well.  (Your bowel has to be sparkling clean for them to do the procedure.)

I just had it done a few months ago, and voila! They found & removed a polyp (tiny growth, size of a pencil eraser) that would have probably killed me in the next 5 - 10 years!

If you have no insurance coverage, the bill for mine was somewhere between $2000 & $2500.  They will work out payments...by all means have it done.