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Colonoscopies are Fun

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I figured I’d get your attention with that headline. No, no one wants to get a colonoscopy. They aren’t fun, but they can save your life. We asked our audience what questions they have about colonoscopies and colon cancer. Andy Miller, Executive Vice President of Mission at LIVESTRONG answers your questions below.

Incidence of Colon Cancer:
Colon cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer related death in the US and 1 in 19 will be diagnosed in the US in their lifetime.

Who should get tested and when:
There are many known risk factors for colon cancer including age. Men and women 50 and older at average risk should get a colonoscopy as 90% of all colon cancer diagnosis are in people over the age of 50. Those at higher risk should be screened earlier and more frequently.

Risks of Colon Cancer:
Those that eat a diet high in red meat, have a family history of colon cancer, are physical inactive, smoke, are obese, use alcohol heavyily and have type two diabetes have a higher risk for colon cancer and should talk to their doctors about getting a colonoscopy earlier than the recommended age of 50.

While colonoscopies aren’t something we’d want to do on our Summer vacation, it can help save your life. Talk to your doctor about your risks and get screened when its recommended.

-Data attributed to the American Cancer Society.

  • Caron Blau Rothstein

    Be assertive with your doctor! I was 35 y.o. when I was diagnosed with stage II rectal cancer. A colonoscopy saved my life! I told my PCP that I was having blood in my stool. She took me seriously as did the GI doc I was referred to who set up the test. Sure, it wasn’t fun doing the prep, but I’m alive and cancer free today because of that test.
    I have heard of others who weren’t as lucky as me, whose docs told them they were too young for such a disease and they didn’t get their test in time for a diagnosis at a more curable stage of their disease.
    It is your right to ask for these kinds of diagnostic, life saving tests.
    Live strong!

  • Heather Stern

    My mother died from complications of colon cancer. she fit most of the risk factors of someone who would get it. She never went to the doctor and within within four months of her diagnosis, she was gone. Our family found out after my mom’s death that we had a family history of colon cancer two generations back. I feel if she had been active and had seen her doctor regularly maybe we could have found out about the cancer at an earlier stage. I also feel knowing as much as you can about your family health history is important too. Most of my family 40 years and over have had colonoscopies done!! Go get a colonoscopy!! Livestrong!!!

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  • Mary Lynn

    My 5-year-old daughter had a colonoscopy and was subsequently diagnosed with colitis. If she can be a trooper and go through this, so can adults. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones!

  • Debbie Rudzinski

    My husband was sent by his doctor for a colonoscopy at 42. He didnt have any sypmtoms, but his doctor insisted he get a full physical after he hurt his back snowboarding. He was found to have stage 3 colon cancer. He finished his first round of chemo and now we are just waiting. The colonoscopy basically saved his life.

  • Carol Dvorak

    A colonoscopy saved my life. They discovered a stage 2 colon cancer, and I am now an 8-year survivor. I am a strong advocate of colonoscopies and have convinced several friends that it really is worth the inconvenience.

  • Mary Unruh

    A colonoscopy at 39 saved my life. Not from colon cancer but Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. I had been having lots of different symptoms for years but following the birth of my sons the bowel issues got much worse. After I found a doc who would listen, and a simple strip test confirmed blood, I was approved for the procedure. During the pre-op appointment they found an enlarged lymph node in my neck. I still had the colonoscopy to rule out other types of cancer, but within a month I had 49 lymph nodes and my thyroid removed. All bowel symptoms etc. disappeared immediately after surgery. I went on to have radiation this past August and ran my second ever half marathon 15 weeks later.
    Get a colonoscopy if you feel things aren’t right. It really isn’t that big a deal, but it just might save your life too.
    Livestrong!

  • Maureen

    My Mom was buried 1 year ago. If she had listened to her 2 sisters about getting checked after they were diagnosed- she might still be here. She had part of her colon and rectum removed. Fours later, it had moved to her lung. Had 1/2 of lung removed. Two years after that she had more tumors in her lungs and liver. Five months later she died. ALL of this could have been PREVENTED!!! My Mom could still be ALIVE if she had listened to her sisters and gotten a colonoscopy!
    Then this past summer my brother was diagnosed… because he didn’t go soon enough!
    GO GET CHECKED!

  • Sandra Mitchelhill

    I am a 5.5 year breast cancer survivor. 6 months before my breast cancer diagnosis, I suffered extensive bleeding from the bowel. A colonoscopy revealed an enormous, benine, polyp. I was lucky. I had seen a doctor 2 years prior and mentioned passing blood. She was not my usual doctor and, said to see ‘what happens’. Well, when ‘it happened’ it was pretty messy. As I said, I was lucky. I have now had 5 colonoscopies – the last one was clear. Sure the preparation isn’t nice, but think of it as a clean-out. Livestrong.

  • bob

    In the UK the NHS automatically offers screening to all over 60′s. My samples were not conclusive so they suggested a colonoscopy. I was naturally a bit apprehensive but I went ahead with it and was found to be OK. The process was not that bad. The doctors and nurses were fantastic. My wife and children were very, very pleased.

  • Mary

    Colon cancer is a silent death. I am 59 and have never had anything wrong with me. In 2009 I had my colonoscopy and my Doctor found a 3″ tumor 1.9mgfrom my rectum – so now it’s colorectal cancer at Stage III. I had ratical surgery and have a permanemt ostopy bag.. It’s not the quality of life I wanted to have but the fact that I have my life is much better thant the alternative. The fact that I had Stage III and did not even know it – so signs – should tell people how mportant getting you colonoscopy.

  • Kathy D. Rial

    Mary, I too was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer. I was 45 and getting my routine screening (I have a family history, so I started getting colonoscopies at age 40). My rectum hjad to be removed as well and I too did not have any symptoms. I knew I didn’t want to give up a good fight, so with the help of my family, I fought and beat it. I did 5 weeks of chemo 24/7 and radiation, had radical surgery, and went another round of chemo. I ended up being alergic to the chemo, so wew don’t know the full impact that will have on me. I too was not prepared for this life, but like you again, it is better than the alternative. My family has been very proactive with the screening and if I can encourage another family to do the same and “Cover your butt”, then all of this will not have been in vain. God Bless.

  • Richard

    I had a colonoscopy at 54 where they found a non-malignant growth and I had a colon resection. Now, 5 years later, I go for a 5 year follow-up colonoscopy. At the time of my first colonosscopi, my brother was diagnosed with rectal cancer, he passed away 2 weeks ago. People say the prep is the worst part, maybe so, but the best part was when my doctor told me they found the tumor and after the biopsy, he told me in another 1.5 years or so it would have developed into a cancer. I was so grateful my docotr did a thorough colonscopy and noticed the growth way at the beginning of my colon where the small intestine attaches. I’m hoping Lance has a great year on the bicycle!

  • http://www.PinellasMediation.com Ken Bowen

    Thanks for posting this. It’s something that none of us likes to think about, but early detection can make all the difference.

  • http://www.drfloras.com Dr Floras

    I agree with Caron. Many doctors will look at you weird if you’re under 40 and want the procedure. But if you have blood in your stool, hopefully it’s just a small tear from constipation and not rectal cancer. Better to be safe than sorry.

  • Katie

    I am an active, completely healthy 51 year old who loves food and stays fit. I had my first colonoscopy at a specialized facility by a licensed specialist who”d been performing these procedures for the past 20+ years. They gave me a sedative prior to the doctor entering the room, gave me a bed pan since I needed to go to the bathroom, then the doctor entered room and asked me why I was getting it, told him coz age 51 otherwise absolutely nothing wrong with me as I am lucky to be so incredibly healthy. He said, this will only take 20 minutes and had me sign some kind of release advising me that over 90 % of procedures are without incident. When I awoke Doctor said he turned the scope around to take picture at rectum and punctured. My body has changed forever with a scar that starts 2 inches above my belly button stopping 2 inches from my peepee. Had to spend Mon. thru Sat in hospital…Never Again! I had 4 kids and not even a stretch mark and now I have to look at this daily…I am so angry!

  • Robert Potts

    Be very cautious before agreeing to a colonoscopy. I was stupid and listened to my primary care Dr. who insisted I have this procedure. I suffered a stroke during the procedure, having been administered the drug “veresed”. The gastroenteroligist who performed the procedure said I was fine and had me dress and leave his office. By the next morning I was paralyzed on my right side and wound up undergoing a month in intensive therepy just to walk again. The Gastroenterologist I used, who was too busy scoping, would not even return a telephone call from me seeking help.

    The truth is the physicians who administer these tests make lots of money doing them and care nothing about the effects on you the patient. They are “technicians”, trained to use a scope. Most of them have “assembly line”, in office facilities and some exercise very poor medical practices.

    My advice, having experienced this procedure, is never agree to the procedure with out a consultation before hand. Deternine if the physician even understands what risk is associated and what will be done should something go wrong. Never a agree to permit this procedure to be performed any place but a licensed hospital where you will get necessary care.

    There are many risks from preparation, procedure, to unclean equipment and post procedure problems. Don’t make the mistake I did and underestimate them.

  • madam

    I have been having scope`s for 15 years .But i just had a scope a week ago and had 20-30 polyds removed .Today i recieved a n appointment for another scope in 8 weeks .
    I presume that there was a positve biopsy?

    • http://livestrong.org Brooke McMillan (LIVESTRONG Staff)

      The best thing to do would be to contact your doctor and ask. It could just be that they want to make sure they didn’t miss any in the previous procedure. If you have questions about colonoscopies or need clarification on what the physician needed, let us know. Call 1-866-673-7205 or go online and contact us through our contact form: http://bit.ly/bdOhiE

  • Nancy Miller

    Most of your blog responses are old but have good content- What I don’t see is anything about bowel perforation during the colonoscopy. I had my colonoscopy 2 weeks before my husband – it went fine. My husband had his, 2 small polyps removed, felt fine and was sent home. The next morning he got up and started to get ready ffor work but said he did not feel well, the clinic called to check on him but was more concerned about the service he had than how he felt. By 11:30 he was in pain and I called the Dr, had to hassle with the receptionist to talk to a nurse or DR and was told to take him to the ER. Perforated bowel from the colonoscopy…emergency surgery with over a foot of his colon removed. It is a risk that all should be aware of. Now the real question- who is working on a better way to diagnois and treat the presence of colon cancer. At htis point I will probably never have another one. Our lives have been changed forever because of this.