I do not want a colonoscopy?

Question

Am I a bad person because i don't want a colonoscopy. Yes I just turned 50. I was shocked when my doctor stuck his finger up my you know where. I am healthy and i have no digestive problems. In fact i am as regular as the birds that sing every morning

Answer 1

I followed my doctors advice and had the colonoscopy. The results were negative, though one polyp was removed, and all was well for a man of my age: 58, at the time. HOWEVER, for the following 12 months I suffered from constant diarrhea and lost about 15 lbs. I reported this to my doctor (who said that in all the years of his practice he had only known about 10 others who reported the same) and was advised that the procedure may have disrupted the beneficial bacteria found in our digestive tracts. I now regularly eat yogurt, with activated bacteria, to aid the peristalsis (wave-like contractions that move food along the digestive tract).

Unless it is absolutely essential, I will forego additional colonoscopies in the future. It was really an nasty ordeal that lasted much too long.

Answer 2

It doesn't matter whether you are healthy now or not. A colonoscopy is to check your colon to make sure that it is healthy and to see if you have any polyps which should be removed.  You will never know what they do because they give you something to relax you and make you sleep. It didn't work for me and I was wide awake though. I felt nothing but some pressure so don't worry. So put it this way, would you rather not get one and have something that you didn't know about which would cause you to have to have part of your colon removed or get checked and prevent something from happening?

Answer 3

You won't feel a thing, you'll be sedated during the procedure. Once you reach 50, it is HIGHLY recommended. It can also save your life IF there were any problems found.

Regular screening can greatly decrease your risk of colorectal cancer.

Regular screening is recommended for everyone age 50 and older.

Screening tests find colon polyps. Most cases of colorectal cancer begin as polyps. When polyps are found, they can be removed before they become cancer or while the cancer is in its early stages.

Colorectal cancer rarely causes symptoms in the beginning. Symptoms such as bleeding from the r****m, a change in bowel habits, and weight loss usually occur later, when the cancer is harder to treat.

You may need to begin screening at age 40 or earlier and be tested more often if you or members of your family have a history of colon polyps or colorectal cancer.

People suspected to have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis have to have colonoscopies well before the age of 40, so consider yourself lucky :) GOOD LUCK and get the test done!!!

Answer 4

No, you are not a bad person because of not wanting a colonoscopy.  You're foolish; but, who wants to live to old age anyway?

My wife feels the same way you do and she smokes.  I keep paying for the life insurance policies.  We are both gambling.  One of us is going to win.  

By the time the symptoms show up it usually means it's a cancer.  The colonoscopy catches it before it becomes cancer. Maybe you don't mind dying of cancer; but, how about loosing a major part of your colon and getting to p**p in a bag for the rest of your life.

I wasn't thrilled by a man sticking his finger up my butt; so, I found a real pretty female.  Women, are much more empathetic to having embarrassing things done medically.  

I will say if you do decide to be safe, find a Board Certified Gastroenterologist.  Too many unqualified doctors are jumping on this cah cow.  You probably should get sedated as you may freak-out knowing someone is invading your ****.

Answer 5

You're not a bad person, but I don't think skipping colonoscopies is a good idea.  (And I'm not a gastroenterologist, so I don't have any vested interest.)

There are two reasons to have a colonoscopy: screening for cancer and diagnosing already-existing GI bleeding. You shouldn't avoid either one.  If you're having bleeding from the r****m, you may already have a polyp or tumor, and colonoscopy is the best way to diagnose what's going on.  

If you don't have bleeding, then a colonoscopy is the best way to screen for future problems.  In fact, in many people, colon cancer can be silent for a long time.  By the time there are any symptoms such as bleeding, the cancer may have spread.  Early and regular colonoscopies can ferret out tumors while they are still small and easily removable.

I've already put my money where my mouth is.  Although I'm only 36, I had the pleasure of having a colonoscopy at the end of last year.  Although it's not an experience known for its entertainment value, it's really not as bad as many people think it is.  For me, the worst part was the preparation.

Starting 36 hours before the procedure, you can only have a clear liquid diet.  Then about 18 hours prior to the procedure, you have to take a powerful laxative and deal with the results.  Not pleasant, but make sure you drink plenty of water so you don't add dehydration to the rest of your misery.  Once you actually get to the doctor's office, you should be fine.  They'll give you an intravenous sedative and painkiller (probably fentanyl and versed), and you'll feel pleasantly stoned for awhile.  That's it!  I don't remember anything about the procedure itself.

Please.  Do yourself a favor and get it done.

Edited to add: Thanks, Semi-Constant Gardener!  :-)

Answer 6

I've read that researchers have developed a camera in pill form. You swallow it and it takes pictures of your innards. My guess is that all the wrinkles in the technology have not been worked out yet, but you might check with a gastroenterologist in your area.

My father and paternal grandfather died of colon cancer, so I have had my share of colonoscopies. The worst thing is the prep the night before. The procedure is next to painless under the aegis of a skilled gastroenterologist. Don't be a wuss.  

Answer 7

It's really no big deal. Doctors just want to make sure everything is ok. You will be alseep the whole time and there is no pain or soreness or anything. It is better to be safe than sorry my friend

Answer 8

It is a very important medical exam, just like the prostate exam that you obviously found uncomfortable.

Then again, I'd rather have someone putting their finger up my *** than having prostate cancer.

Answer 9

No one really wants a colonoscopy, of course. No one that I am aware of enjoys rectal exams (not even the doctors!) But colorectal cancer is painless and symptom-free until it is fairly advanced. You will be given medications that are truly top-shelf, and will done with it before you know it (literally). If you have a normal exam, you won't have to worry about it for another 5 years. Best of luck to you.

I was thinking of a couple of colonoscopy jokes that would probably violate community standards here. But the punch line for one is when the nurse brings the doctor a bottle of beer, and he shouts, I wanted a butt-light, not a.....

Edit: I hope you pick Dr Dredd's response -- not only enlightening, but the Dave Barry article was perfect!

Answer 10

I had a patient today that was 54 when his colon cancer was diagnosed, and have seen several other "healthy" people in their 50's with NO symptoms have fairly large cancers.  One memorable one in a woman in her early 50's - inoperable because of the advanced nature of the disease.

Colonoscopy is painless -  you can be totally knocked out for the procedure if you so choose - and saves many, many lives.

However, it's your body, and nobody can make you do it.

(BTW, when your prostate gets big, you'll have fingers up the r****m all the time.  It's part of life, dear.)

Answer 11

I've never had a finger up my you know what, but I did have a colonoscopy last year and the worst part believe me is the gas when you wake up.  It was a little embarrassing but everyone that comes thru there deals with the same thing.  You don't have to have any symptoms to have a problem.  If they find polyps they'll take care of  it and you're care free for another 4 or 5 years.  Please have it done.