WWTBAM Bored

Yes, THAT procedure, the one you start having every five or ten years (depending on family history) after age 50. This is my third try in about 20 months. The preparation (diet and "the drink") supplied by my current HMO is so bad that nothing was visible the first time. The second time, they didn't change "the drink" to the more powerful one, so there was still a hidden area. Why they didn't change it after the first fiasco, I don't know. GW was very pissed at this; she hates doctors to begin with (a bad pediatrician has soured her for life) and sees this whole procedure as "barbaric".

So now my doctor is insisting that we try one more time because of some funky, non-specific blood test results. Clear liquids for TWO days (same as last time), then the more powerful drink Sunday night. I'm gonna be real crabby for the weekend. And when scheduling this, I forgot about HS's birthday, which is Saturday. We're having the celebration next weekend for both him and his GF, whose birthday is Monday.

I'd say I was venting about it, but that takes on a new meaning with this subject.

gsabc wrote:Yes, THAT procedure, the one you start having every five or ten years (depending on family history) after age 50. This is my third try in about 20 months. The preparation (diet and "the drink") supplied by my current HMO is so bad that nothing was visible the first time. The second time, they didn't change "the drink" to the more powerful one, so there was still a hidden area. Why they didn't change it after the first fiasco, I don't know. GW was very pissed at this; she hates doctors to begin with (a bad pediatrician has soured her for life) and sees this whole procedure as "barbaric".

So now my doctor is insisting that we try one more time because of some funky, non-specific blood test results. Clear liquids for TWO days (same as last time), then the more powerful drink Sunday night. I'm gonna be real crabby for the weekend. And when scheduling this, I forgot about HS's birthday, which is Saturday. We're having the celebration next weekend for both him and his GF, whose birthday is Monday.

I'd say I was venting about it, but that takes on a new meaning with this subject.

Hope everything comes out all right.

My doctor gave me the over-the-counter prescription. Gatorade and some powder. 4 Dulcolax.

Seemed to have worked!

dimmzy wrote:My doctor gave me the over-the-counter prescription. Gatorade and some powder. 4 Dulcolax.

Seemed to have worked!

IIRC, he has had some problems with this procedure in the past.

If they find something and get rid of it, it's worth the effort.

If they don't find anything and you wonder why you bothered, that's worth something too.

Minty man (cancer free since May '07)

How would you like to start your day on the other end of the scope? Ew and Ewww

I was just thinking you had this done not too long ago because it was the inspiration behind a rankings edition title last year......

lb13

My m-i-l did the 2 day clear liquid thing. I much prefer the one day 'all exits, no waiting' method I did.

Sting managed to screw that prep up for himself, not wanting to finish all of the GoLitely.

I came down with food poisoning last night. I could have the scope right now. I am totally clean.

Hey GS, I can certainly empathize... I just had my, oh - probably 7th or 8th last week (lots of colon problems in the past, and now just frequent checks to make sure all's still ok).

I can tell you that what I do seems to work really well, but the problem is that they JUST took the over-the-counter Fleet Phosphosoda off the market, I guess some sort of temporary recall - I don't know if you'd be able to find it. There's some fear of kidney problems for those who don't drink enough liquid after drinking it - but if you do, there should be no problems. I scoured several drug stores until I found some that hadn't been pulled yet (at Long's), cuz the dose is just 3 ounces in the morning and 3 more in the late afternoon, which is sooooo much easier than having to drink that jug - I always ended up puking before I could finish it. The Phosphosoda is preceded by 2 dulcolax (laxative, not softener) at 4pm 2 days before the procedure, a light dinner and lots of liquids, then the phosphosoda (with a large glass of water) at noon the day before the procedure with another dulcolax at dinner time, lots of liquids all day, the other dose of phosphosoda w/water at 6pm that same day, and lots of clear liquids and light colored jello till midnite. THEN ya do 2 or 3 fleet enemas right before you go in the next morning. You'll be able to see that "all's clear" at that point. Anyway, whatever you take, perhaps if you incorporate some of the stuff they had me do, this one should be successful. Hope to hear a good report!

I considered sending this info via PM, but I figure any embarrassment is outweighed by sharing important info with anyone else who will be going thru this procedure - or SHOULD be. The procedure is NOTHING, honestly. And speaking as someone who had a huge malignant tumor that was caught by a colonoscopy milimeters before it broke thru the colon wall, please trust me when I remind foks how very important it is to get these damn tests. It's just the prep that's a hassle. But once it's all out, you actually feel pretty good. I suggest drinking lots of hot tea with sugar, and Peach jello - it's really delish. Some nice fresh chicken broth is great, too.

My dad vomited up a bunch of his GoLitely as well.

He ended up all cleaned out, as he kept drinking even after vomiting.

Sting refused to continue to drink it after feeling like he would vomit.

Hence, he was not cleaned out.

Okay, so what the hell are you supposed to do when you've finished the gallon of prep solution and what passes through is STILL not clear? Nothing in the paperwork says anything about it, and of course, you're not going to get anyone on the phone at 9:45 PM on a Sunday night, with the procedure taking place at 7:30 the next morning.

I'm drinking more clear liquids, in the hope that the PEG will continue its magic and help to clean out everything that's left in there.

I am NOT doing this again for another five years at least! I should get credit for the three times and not have to do it for fifteen years!

Do you have an extra-long colon or something? My dad has that problem and needs more prep than most. I tell him he's more full of s..well, you know..........

minimetoo26 wrote:Do you have an extra-long colon or something? My dad has that problem and needs more prep than most. I tell him he's more full of s..well, you know..........

I think I have the Alaskan Pipeline.....

Ooooohhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

gsabc wrote:Okay, so what the hell are you supposed to do when you've finished the gallon of prep solution and what passes through is STILL not clear? Nothing in the paperwork says anything about it, and of course, you're not going to get anyone on the phone at 9:45 PM on a Sunday night, with the procedure taking place at 7:30 the next morning.

I'm drinking more clear liquids, in the hope that the PEG will continue its magic and help to clean out everything that's left in there.

I am NOT doing this again for another five years at least! I should get credit for the three times and not have to do it for fifteen years!

Mine was never clear. It looked like a mixture of lime jello and poop. A very ugly color.

He said I had done a great job - pretty and pink, as a matter of fact.

Let's hope your color was from whatever liquid you ingested and not from poop left inside you.

Good luck this morning!

I'm back. "What it is ain't exactly clear", as the song says, but it was clear enough to check out completely this time. One small polyp, which means the five-year plan instead of ten. I will get an additional part to the prep next time, to be done the morning of the procedure according to the doc. I suspect it'll be the latter part of what secondchance mentioned. I can deal with that.

I actually remember some of this one, which is more than I can say about the others. Sedation usually totally destroys my short=term memory. Nothing terribly interesting, although I do recall the doc saying he'd found a polyp.

Mom had colon cancer around age 80, and Dad had polyps, so the family history is there. Could be worse. An uncle (non-blood relative) died of colon cancer, and my cousins have been doing this since age 40.

No idea on the extra long colon thing. I don't think the probe has measurement divisions along its length. I didn't ask.

I'm home with some satisfying solid food in me at last. Life is good enough.

Yeah for good news! Now eat something good and hearty!

gsabc wrote:I'm back. "What it is ain't exactly clear", as the song says, but it was clear enough to check out completely this time. One small polyp, which means the five-year plan instead of ten. I will get an additional part to the prep next time, to be done the morning of the procedure according to the doc. I suspect it'll be the latter part of what secondchance mentioned. I can deal with that.

I actually remember some of this one, which is more than I can say about the others. Sedation usually totally destroys my short=term memory. Nothing terribly interesting, although I do recall the doc saying he'd found a polyp.

Mom had colon cancer around age 80, and Dad had polyps, so the family history is there. Could be worse. An uncle (non-blood relative) died of colon cancer, and my cousins have been doing this since age 40.

No idea on the extra long colon thing. I don't think the probe has measurement divisions along its length. I didn't ask.

I'm home with some satisfying solid food in me at last. Life is good enough.

When I had mine done, he found 2 polyps. Neither were the kind that would turn into cancer (whatever that means). I don't have to go back until I am 60.

Jump up and down and make sure you get an easier prep next time.

Oh - how much weight did you lose?

peacock2121 wrote:Oh - how much weight did you lose?

Hard to say. I had so much fluid last night going in and out that the numbers kept changing. I'd estimate at least 6 pound of s**t.

Welcome back!

I never had an appointment with my GP last year, so he hasn't had a chance to give me this procedure he promised for my last birthday.

gsabc wrote:

peacock2121 wrote:Oh - how much weight did you lose?

Hard to say. I had so much fluid last night going in and out that the numbers kept changing. I'd estimate at least 6 pound of s**t.

I knew it! You are more full of shit than I am!

I knew it!

peacock2121 wrote:

gsabc wrote:

peacock2121 wrote:Oh - how much weight did you lose?

Hard to say. I had so much fluid last night going in and out that the numbers kept changing. I'd estimate at least 6 pound of s**t.

I knew it! You are more full of shit than I am!

I knew it!

Was there ever any doubt?

gsabc wrote:

peacock2121 wrote:

gsabc wrote: Hard to say. I had so much fluid last night going in and out that the numbers kept changing. I'd estimate at least 6 pound of s**t.

I knew it! You are more full of shit than I am!

I knew it!

Was there ever any doubt?

I just really like confirmation.

peacock2121 wrote:

gsabc wrote:

peacock2121 wrote: I knew it! You are more full of shit than I am!

I knew it!

Was there ever any doubt?

I just really like confirmation.

So you're like the scientists who take federal money for studies which conclude results obvious to everyone, because if it isn't analyzed scientifically and quantitatively, it isn't real.

gsabc wrote:

peacock2121 wrote:

gsabc wrote: Was there ever any doubt?

I just really like confirmation.

So you're like the scientists who take federal money for studies which conclude results obvious to everyone, because if it isn't analyzed scientifically and quantitatively, it isn't real.

no. not like them at all