General Discussion

Cronus Protagonist

(15,574 posts)

69. I'm having a colonoscopy on Tuesday

Sun Jun 2, 2013, 12:59 PM

Jun 2013

This will be my fourth this year. I've also had a barium enema, a CT scan and a sigmoidoscopy, and I had a tumor removed that was larger than a golf ball, smaller than a tennis ball, as well as a few polyps. The tumor removal with colonoscopy cost just over $6,000 and included the procedure full anesthesia as well as an overnight stay in the hospital and all the meds. That price was limited by Obamacare and also Obamacare paid for it, and I am extremely grateful and relieved to be fully cured. Thank you Obama!

Tuesday's colonoscopy is the follow-up after the tumor removal. I know it's good because I'm now symptom free and my malnourishment is gone, so this next colonoscopy is just to clean up the details, if any.

I would advise anyone who gets a recommendation for a colonoscopy from their doctor to get it. Just do it. It's not painful, just a little uncomfortable. The laxative pre-op prep is the worst part of it.

During the procedure, I usually crack jokes all the way through. Once you get over the fact that there's 6 people in the room all looking up your butt, it can be quite amusing. At least I try to make it so.

Why rush into a colonoscopy? Well, if you do have cancer, it might only be on the mucosal layer of the colon, if you catch it early. Once it's breached the wall of the colon, the cancer can spread, most likely to your liver, and then the prognosis is short and fatal. So get it before it grows a stalk and breaches the colon. Just do it. And do it early. It saved my life.

And if you like Star Trek stuff, as I do, a barium enema fluoroscopy is amazing - you can see your entire colon in full 3D in real time, moving on the screen as you move. It's fascinating, as I'm sure Mr. Spock would say. The worst part about that procedure is the balloon up the ass and the gas coming out of all orifices afterwards. Oh, and afterwards, you shit all white, just like I'm sure the Pope does!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

74 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures [View all] n2doc Jun 2013 OP

Yet many here are claiming the cost of healthcare is from people getting these tests BrotherIvan Jun 2013 #1

I dont believe ACA does much of anything to reduce costs davidn3600 Jun 2013 #21

Here, ProSense Jun 2013 #54

Excellent Article marions ghost Jun 2013 #2

Article really hits a nerve on medical care costs in US matt819 Jun 2013 #3

we need single payer healthcare. We need to force clinics and hospitals to disclose prices and liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #4

You shouldn't shop around adieu Jun 2013 #18

Hospitals are charging hundreds of dollars for an aspirin. We need to be able to liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #22

But that same hospital adieu Jun 2013 #24

then that needs to be part of the transparency. liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #27

Holy shit! graywarrior Jun 2013 #5

Bad! ismnotwasm Jun 2013 #15

Thank you. Thank you very much. graywarrior Jun 2013 #19

those cats are in my FACE again Skittles Jun 2013 #45

Are you yelling or just excited to see me? graywarrior Jun 2013 #53

Healthcare in America is an industry - a profiteeering crime Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2013 #6

Guess how much it costs for a colonoscopy in Hong Kong, one of the most capitalistic places on earth 2bornot2b Jun 2013 #7

Talk about taking it up the.... SCVDem Jun 2013 #8

"Please roll up your sleeve and bend over." longship Jun 2013 #9

It's aliens, I tell ya. Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #10

Bush brain scans are largely an unnecessary money maker meow2u3 Jun 2013 #11

BOHICA, literally. nt awoke_in_2003 Jun 2013 #12

i just cancelled my appt for one. Can't afford it. progressoid Jun 2013 #13

This just makes me sick. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #14

i'm 71 and never had one either and DesertFlower Jun 2013 #16

Great minds think alike. I've read flu shots may present a problem for "mature" folks. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #17

no history of breast cancer. i did get DesertFlower Jun 2013 #20

I'm not going to "flame" you, but I wll say this. Once I turned fifty, I had the procedure done SlimJimmy Jun 2013 #25

no history of colon cancer either and to be honest DesertFlower Jun 2013 #29

I can understand you desire to "not know" if anything is wrong. Many people I know have that SlimJimmy Jun 2013 #38

thank you for your kind words. DesertFlower Jun 2013 #39

My father thought looking out for his general health meant he didn't need to go to the liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #32

I'm with you, just a little younger, 64. SheilaT Jun 2013 #26

I see your problem. Curmudgeoness Jun 2013 #31

Um, my friend fortunately had a mammogram... a la izquierda Jun 2013 #47

There are ALWAYS exceptions, but mammograms @ that age are NOT recommended Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #55

There is a risk associated with colonoscopies lunasun Jun 2013 #30

There is a risk of puncturing your colon Curmudgeoness Jun 2013 #34

They also don't sterilize between uses, they only disinfect. roamer65 Jun 2013 #37

What's the difference between sterilize and disinfect? (n/t) Jim Lane Jun 2013 #43

Steam and pressure that kills all bacteria and virus. roamer65 Jun 2013 #52

Damaging the colon, and risk from anesthesia, if they use that. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #56

thank you all & learned some things here I usually don't hear about lunasun Jun 2013 #64

There are families where entire generations of siblings have died of heritable colorectal cancer Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #49

Of course. The normal rules don't apply to those high risk cases. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #57

My dad died from colon cancer at 66 exboyfil Jun 2013 #51

You are in a high risk category. The normal rules don't apply to you. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #58

Hospital conglomerates are a big part of the cost problem. Flatulo Jun 2013 #23

Mind-boggling adric mutelovic Jun 2013 #28

My sister coded on a colonoscopy. Destroyed her liver AND kidneys. These are NOT benign tests riderinthestorm Jun 2013 #33

A colonoscopy definitely can be a double edge sword. roamer65 Jun 2013 #35

15 months post-op and she IS doing well!! Thanks!! nt riderinthestorm Jun 2013 #40

That's why it's always important to choose one's doctor carefully for any risky procedure Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #50

Cal Pacific Med Center in San Francisco. One of the best out there riderinthestorm Jun 2013 #72

What does "coded" mean? You mean it punctured her colon? Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #59

She died during the procedure. "Code blue" means an emergency resuscitation team is needed stat riderinthestorm Jun 2013 #71

Oh, no. I'm so sorry to hear that. Wow, that's scary. (shudder) Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #73

She had undiagnosed hemolytic anemia so she basically hemorrhaged as soon as they took 1st polyp riderinthestorm Jun 2013 #74

All those charges and healthcare groups still lose money. ileus Jun 2013 #36

I hope that by the time I have to have another one ThoughtCriminal Jun 2013 #41

Next time get prescribed SUPREP Submariner Jun 2013 #42

I've read there is now a virtual colonoscopy. I don't know if it's being used yet. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #60

As I understand it... ThoughtCriminal Jun 2013 #68

We thought there was no history of colon cancer in our family Sugarcoated Jun 2013 #44

so sorry about your sister, Sugarcoated Skittles Jun 2013 #46

Wow, your brother is extremely lucky. Sugarcoated Jun 2013 #62

definitely keep up with those checkups! Skittles Jun 2013 #70

There are less riskier, less invasive tests that are almost as good. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #61

It's not as risky as it's being discussed here Sugarcoated Jun 2013 #63

I have the fecal test, which finds cancer but not polyps. Honeycombe8 Jun 2013 #66

I avoided a colonoscopy for fifteen years Silver Swan Jun 2013 #67

I think this is for tax purposes and they can write off the difference as a "loss" cbdo2007 Jun 2013 #48

No, it wouldn't affect their taxes. Jim Lane Jun 2013 #65

I'm having a colonoscopy on Tuesday Cronus Protagonist Jun 2013 #69