Today I had my 4th Big C since about age 55. Endoscopy doc said it was time, since my last one showed a small, but noncancerous, polyp. He also recommended that I use a stronger prep solution, to get a better cleanout than I got before the last big C.

So- prep these past two days involved mixing up, and chugging, an industrial-strength colon-blow chemical call Golytely. Strange name, as there is nothing 'light' about it. It is a prescription order, comes in a 1 gal. plastic bottle with the powdered chemical already in it, all you do is add water and shake.

You have to drink half of the gallon starting at 5 pm the day before your procedure, and the second half starting 8 hours before. This, of course, involves a sleepless night, after no solid food the day before. Lovely. There are no words to adequately describe the taste of this mixture of chemicals, other than awful, disgusting, or gag-inducing. But, it does work- after a few hours, you are on the john, exploding your guts out.

Anyway, my appointment was at 11:30 this morning, and I got home at 2:30 this PM. Report was good, no polyps, and the doc told me that at age 74, no future colonoscopies were recommended! Sweet words to my ears, for sure.

Having lived thru a death in my family due to colon cancer, this procedure is nothing compared to the anguished, painful suffering of this killer. If you haven't done so already, just DO IT!!

Done that,no fun, it beats dying.

Glad you got a good report.
Before my next one, I'm installing a seatbelt on my toilet.

I didn't have to start anything until the day before, although I ate smart the day before that. Liquid diet during the day and the solution that evening and the next morning. The next morning was completely unnecessary and all it did was make me puke. I'm not drinking the morning dose next time. I think a lot of people must think they will starve and eat everything they can for days up until they have to go liquid, and that's why they give you that extra dose.

In the scope of life it's a small sacrifice..pfffft.

When the nurse ask if I had any questions, I asked if I could take Communion the Sunday before the Monday procedure

She said, no one ever asked that before..

I'd keep getting them, if I were you. My Mom had her last at 80 and started having "problems" when she was 95. She had one then and it was colon cancer. The doc who operated got almost all of it but had to take out 8 inches of her colon to do it. She got another 2 and a quarter good years of life out of it.
The doctor she had is the same one that I'm going to. He's retiring this year so I have to find another specialist. Did you ever notice that when you're young, you want an older doctor who's experienced and when you're old, you want a younger doctor so that you don't have to keep changing?

I need to go, can’t wait!

I did this in May. I got the report back that there were two polyps, both negative. They said see you in 5 years. I'm taking that as a win.

The bad part is the prep
Gotta schedule one, been 3 years

Have one every 2 yrs due to crohns disease. That prep tastes really bad. I compare it to boiling a dirty sock & then drinking the water, not that I've done that. No good way to describe the taste.

Ask your doctor about mail-in stool sample options. Sure beats a colonoscopy.

Night of a Thousand Waterfalls

Yep. No schitt! 😜

Reading this reminded me of my FIL. A few years before he passed away, his doc, a family friend, set him up for the 'Big C'. FIL went to the drug store and got the 'clean out stuff'. Now I dont know which 'clean out stuff' he got, but I do know he had to drink quite a lot of it. Day before the procedure, he drank the first glass of the stuff and said it tasted terrible, almost puked while trying to choke it down. He was suppose to wait an hr or so and drink some more. Well, that wasn't gonna happen.... if he didn't like something, he didn't eat or drink it. He said he wasn't drinking NO MORE of that nasty stuff.

Next day he goes in for the procedure and when asked did he drink the 'clean out stuff', he told them he drank most of it. Got him on the table, knocked him out, and when they started, he schit all over the place.

When he woke up, he said Doc came in there and gave him hell.

From what I understand, these stool sample tests are not near as beneficial as the colonoscopy. They will tell you if you have cancer or not. The colonoscopy finds polyps so they can be removed before they become cancerous.

I have had one ever 5 years since age 40. Just finished # 6 last time doc said could wait 10 years, nope back in 5 had small benign polyps pre-cancerous. oops see you in 5 again. Glad I didn't go 10 years.

I have had 3 now and getting close to a 4th. The prep absolutely sucks but it will hopefully catch something early and save our lives. I had a BIL that absolutely positively refused to let a Dr. give him a prostate exam.I know it is different from a colonoscopy but same entrance:) For some reason he had in his head that it would make him less of a man if a Dr put a finger in his butt. A few years after he should have had his first exam he was diagnosed with prostate cancer that was quite advanced. He left 4 grown Kids a wife and 5 grandkids. Just plain stubbornness and fear killed him...sad

Yep, next week. Not looking forward to the prep. The actual procedure not so bad as I get to sleep.

I've had 1 Lower GI (the worse thing about a colonoscopy is the clean out ...... the best thing about a Lower GI is the clean out) and 2 colonoscopies. So far no problems, come back in 10 yrs.

And a River Runs Through It…

Been there done that and I highly recommend going on a juice fast 3-4 days before. My prep wasn’t nearly as bad as others I have talked to. Just my 2 cents

Last prep I did wasn't really all that bad at all. The prep mix had a lemon flavor and seemed to act much faster than the others I've used.

I have a friend that kept putting it off. Year after year. Finally got one when he was in his 70's. Yep...Cancer. He seems to have gotten over it, but he had a rough time of it. It's one of life's little pleasures that you just have to sit there and enjoy...

Only had to drink that crap once. I felt so bloated and sick drinking it that I thought I was going to puke... Then the next day got a foot of colon removed. Not fun...

By the time you reach age 50, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERGO THIS SCOPING EXAM.
And, start earlier if there is any colon cancer history in your family.

Had one five years ago and the prep was some laxative pills and 1/2 gal of the stuff the afternoon before. No solid food the day before. Not a bad prep. Scheduled one last week and was told I’d have a split prep like the OP. My first thought was this won’t be as fun as the last one.

Colon cancer if unchecked seems to have an affinity for liver and lungs.

Drinking the nasty drank is nothing to slow cancer death. I’ve watched it.

Golytely

That’s the funniest thing I’ve read all day😜

Last couple the prep stuff was not terrible tasting nor did it produce the explosive results experienced in the past. Last time around they must have given me some really good drugs to knock me out as I didn't even remember the doc coming in to discuss the results. Asked my wife about this and she said I was awake and responsive but I have no memory of it at all.

Y'all are weaklings.

Nothing to it.

Sit on the toilet, get some work done for 3-4 hours and then off to bed.

1st appt in the morning, then momma takes me to breakfast at a nice place while I enjoy my fentanyl buzz and a nice breakfast and coffee.

Just had on Monday. It was my 5th or 6th since I turned 50 fourteen years ago. Have a history of polyps so usually get one every 3 years. They found and removed one more this time so pretty sure my surgeon and I will have another date in 3 years. He could at least take me out for a nice meal afterwards.

I understand completely, getting another one in a month.

The upside to the whole affair, is the meal after.

The same exact thing happened to me when I had my colonoscopy.

Which is why they require someone drive you home.

Always get first in line the day of the procedure so you can eat sooner instead of starving half a day waiting for doc to get around to you.

JMHO- make sure to have all the wash rags and
towels laundered and spare clean drawers
Next trip I think I'll get some of those depends to
wear there and back

Had the displeasure for the 1st time last year. After the first sip of the lightning water inducer decided that the half-stepping approach was no bueno. Dug my heels in and pounded the 1.5 gal of misery in an hour. Never do overnight what you can do in 60 minutes, right? Needless to say, arse doc said I was a rockstar patient, all guts no mess inside. Signed form indicating I agreed to getting driven home. She is legal to drive but I'd feel safer in a rickshaw with a pilot running off on 10 hits of LSD#25. She wheeled me from the clinic to the Lex and said, 'OK Daddy I'm going to try to drive us home now', and threw me a playful, knowing smile. 'Like hell you will my lovely wife/concubine. I've had my fill of bad experiences for today, plus we both know you'd crash before exiting the lot'. What your job entails is to watch me closely and make sure I don't fall asleep and to try to make sure I keep it under 90...' My lass is so old school and I adore her.

Laffin...You write some hilarious stories, and they’re true.

10 hits of LSD is nothing big fella...I face palmed a pile of fresh cow pie mushrooms and drove home, thinking that playing chicken with every other parked car was proper fun.

Totaled isn’t even a good description of that night...Aah, the good ol days!

🦫

Docs hands and cleaner too.

Asian drivers!

Am I right?!!

Hate to be the 'topper' but that's Romper Room bush league stuff, kid. On my 20th b-day I ingested something along the lines of 150 hits of crystalline LSD (remind me to relate this corker of a tale when we hopefully meet some fine day). At Brigham & Womens' ER in Boston I demolished 4 security guards, tripped the manual emergency sprinklers and made a pact with Lucifer requiring I sever the head off my old man and make a nice soup of it. At the time it made perfect sense as I was in 5 point restraints at the time and I was convinced he was the Japanese version of Cornelius of Planet of the Apes fame. Making the folks proud one weekend at a time back then, yessir! I hope they know how ashamed and sorry I am for the years of horror shows me and Cap'n Chaos put them through...(hey Ma look, no flippers!)

LMFAO.

I’m going to increase my health insurance before we meet up...Hopefully the Aflac Duck will take my call after I mention your name.

🦫

Glad you received a clean bill of health & thank you for not posting photos.

Don't know why but I was put on a liquid diet for 72 hours prior to having a colonoscopy and only soft food for 48 hours after.

I’m 55 and been high risk since my 20’s. Lost count of the number of colonoscopies I’ve had, close to 15 would be my guess. Compared to 30yrs ago, it’s a breeze. I schedule for a late Friday morning procedure. Doing the Thursday evening, Friday morning clean out is no problem. Avoids traffic issues and provides two day recovery. And no matter how much it might suck, sure beats the alternative.

I think I have had 8 colonoscopies. Polyps were removed each time. None of them were cancerous. Apparently I am very good at producing polyps. I have to agree with those who said the GoLyltly was awful. I had the 4 litre treatment three times. Cramps like labour pains. I had a couple polyps that were so deeply in-bedded in my bowel that the surgeon said it couldn't be removed with the scope. I had bowel surgery and they removed about 6" of my colon. The prep that I prefer is called Purgo Dan or Pico-Salex. Drink lots of water during prep. My last scope was this spring. Couple small polyps removed which tested benign. Doc said she would see me in 5 years.

2 dulcolax at 2pm, start drinking at 5pm 14 oz Miralax mixed with 64 oz yellow powerade and no food that whole day.



Worked like a champ!

Do it again in 10 years

I've had 5 or 6 of 'em, most recent was June of last year. Next one will be 4 years from now. Same prep as ready on the right described above, no big deal....

You mean you had to have momma go with you. Did she hold your hand? Turn in your 'man card'.

I had to bring a driver or no deal Howie!!

I'm proud to take my wife any where.

I've had 3, on the 5 year schedule.

Man, Bighorn. a 2 day prep?

Bro, you are full of it! Or were.

I guess I'm lucky - I'm with TimberRunner and ready on the right on this thing. Start prep about 4 pm, back doing stuff by noon the next day.

The first time I woke up feeling "That's the best sleep I've had in years!"