This coming Wednesday I will under go my third colonoscopy.
The first two went well so I'm sure I have nothing to worry about, even though
I worry about every thing.
I can't believe that I have to pay a co-pay of $350. My insurance pays for everything else.
At age soon to be 77 I hope this is the last one.
I'm sure you know the prep is a pain. I have to take three tablets of Dulcolax, followed by 8oz of Miralax powder mixed in 2 quarts of Gatoraide. also.
I'm tempted to mix a fifth of Jack Daniels in the mixture , but newdon't think that will go over big with my doctor.
I'm not telling most of you anything new.

One of life's rites of passage.

So to speak.

The first time I had to have this done, I got through the first jug of liquid, and then decided to make popsicle sticks out of the other half. Went down a lot easier.

A friend of mine decided he could not down the noxious brew and quit after on a quart or so. When question at the facility about whether he had done the entire regimen, he answered truthfully that he had not. They sent him home and charged his insurance for the visit. His insurance company told him he would have to pay for the return visit.

He finished the potion the next time.

I start prep Tuesday.

You must be getting this feeling:

I just want to put this behind me.

I had the stomach endoscopy. I also had some sonar work done the day before and so couldn't eat much of nothing for about 3 days. I woke up alive. Was somewhat surprised.

I think this is rubber hose test #4 for me, following a puny little sigmoidoscopy, when I was young and naive.

But, now, when you know the ways of the world....

The horror! The horror!

The juxtaposition of those two images in my mind causes me some distress.

Not as much as you will experience, but some.

There is a new test that is very accurate, you do it at home - you simply make a "deposit" into a special container and call UPS. The sample goes to the lab and it is screened at the DNA level for cancer. Thing is, my insurance considers it experimental, and I don't want to pay the $600 for it.

I understand the test will also tell you what genetic groups comprise your ancestors, what areas of the world your ancestors came from, and what you will get next Christmas.

My test seemed to tell me I would live 3 years.

Who cares? It also probably told you that you'll receive between 600-750 books over the Christmases of those years. You win.

You may provide the titles if you have nothing else to do.

You are right.

I've had a colonoscopy; my wife has had several; my bro (a surgeon) is 68 and has had several as has his wife;
I must know 20 ppl who have had one or more colonoscopies.

Cancer of any sort was never found in any of the tests.

I think they might possibly be part of a scam by physicians to bilk more $ out of consumers through overly-defensive medicine.
Someone has to pay for their new Mercedes-Benz.

If you're over 70, they might be worthwhile. For everyone else, I think they're a waste of time and money.
There are far less expensive & less intrusive means of testing for colon cancer.

Even if they find localized cancer in your colon it is very easy to surgically remove the source tumor and any
infected portions. I think the large and small colon are about 25 feet long, in total.

If they find cancer that has spread to lymph nodes, you are much worse shape but the cancer can still
be surgically removed.

The National Cancer Institute has officially stated that it has zero evidence to show that a colonoscopy reduces your chance of getting colon cancer??!!
see, for example: http://blog.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/ ... lonoscopy/

So the National Cancer Institute hasn't even done a study to see if getting colonoscopies is worthwhile or not.
Why not?

I smell something!!! and its smelling quite possibly more like another big-medicine scam!

Maybe it is something else.