[lenjan]

That word has too many o's and stuff for me, I never spell it right, but I'll trust you know what I mean -- it's usually reserved for people over 50 and they knock you out for it. Katie Couric had one done on TV.

Anybody had one who can tell me anything?

I'm annoyed enough that I can't find a ride and will have to pay $60 round-trip for a taxi. Not to mention, try to find a taxi here that leaves its particular county! Some of them only go in their particular city limits.

I'm also annoyed that I had barely eaten a thing today and then got told I couldn't till after the procedure tomorrow, which is scheduled at 2:30 pm . I'm starving, and I'm cranky,and I'm exhausted, and I am SO not into this.

[Perna]

The procedure isn't bad; as you've discovered it's the not eating before and they also tell you to take it easy after so you will be hungry, thirsty and out of sorts when you finish up. The worst part of the procedure for me is the intake where you're all undressed and waiting to be "next" (my doctor was doing them like an assembly line :-) and feeling kind of naked and a bit anxious but I was in a small doctors' hospital that was just for them so that might be different than your situation. You have to wait around afterwards, to make sure you're okay, so I would have them call the cab/whomever to come back then?

Don't you have to drink the special, nasty tasting stuff, several helpings thereof that you can't mask very well no matter how you try?

I had polyps, only 2 (they're often hereditary) but one had cancer cells in it. I haven't been back though; it takes 10 years for cancer to form/be a problem (we all have cancer cells wandering around inside us) so I'm waiting at least until 2013 for my next one. I enjoyed it that much :-)

[lenjan]

Yeah, I'm starting the icky/nasty stuff I have to drink around 4. They suggested I start between 3 and 5, and I wanted a nap first.

Because I have had multiple clots, and because Coumadin takes days to build back up in the bloodstream, they're going to start me on injectable heparin tomorrow night. I've had it before -- when the state was paying for it, at $103 per single-use syringe. Explain to me how THAT'S happening, as I'll need probably 5 days' worth. (No, no credit available, don't get paid till next week, need to use the paycheck to make a car payment and some other things.)

BLAH.

[Perna]

Oh, what fun it sounds like you're having! No envy here. Keep in touch. Sorry you're going through all this "alone". I hate medical procedures but don't think I could last long alone. When I was in the hospital for a week I read a trilogy but having my husband show up every evening to visit and bring news from the outside made it bearable.

You'll need a nap when you get home too. Will war with starving/thirst. If I did it again I'd think of things that might be easy/pleasant and have them ready for when I got home. It's a weird feeling because you were starving before you went in and you're hungry still after but don't really feel like you want to eat. I was a mess as we were driving home; wanted the nearest McDonald's/Wendy's/Burger King but kept changing my mind what I felt like eating.

[lenjan]

If I were going to be hospitalized or something for any length of time, my sister would come -- she has a much shorter trip to where I live now than she did when I was in for 5 weeks in Milwaukee. And I had plenty of friends there who came to visit (although I wasn't often coherent) -- probably a few coworkers here who would take pity on me. One of them is picking me up tomorrow, actually, so that'll save $30 on the cab fare, at least.

But yeah, not having a well-developed support system sucks when you're going through stuff like this.

BTW, this crap they make you drink is truly hideous. I think I'll follow your lead and wait 10 years for my next one.

[Perna]

What are you putting the crap in? They say lemon/lime is best, the most "intense" other flavor you can find.

I hope all goes well with you. Did you take today off work? I did that; no way I was drinking that stuff and doing all that "getting ready". You timed it well, for a Friday. You should be fine by Saturday. I didn't have any of the side effects it said you could have, didn't have bloating or extra gas or anything happening.

[lenjan]

Well, that would have made a difference, for sure -- they told me lukewarm water!

I took a half-day off and all of tomorrow, yeah. It would have been useless to stay at work!

[Christina86]

((((((((((Candy)))))))))))) Sounds... unpleasant. (to put it mildly). Hope all goes well.

[lenjan]

I can't do this.

I'm supposed to be drinking this horrible stuff, a gallon of it in 4 hours. I am at hour 3.5 and only halfway through it. I have never been able to force myself to drink a bunch in a short amount of time.

It is supposed to be cleaning me out, and what it's done is made me pee and give me a horrible headache. It hasn't done what it's supposed to do, though.

blah.

[Christina86]

(((((((Candy)))))))))) I remember having to drink lots of water (and other assorted nasty liquids...not that water is really nasty) is excess for medical stuff. SO not fun!

Drink as much as you can, but don't stress out. If you can't do it, then you can't do it. Docs should understand... especially if it's nasty.

[Danialla]

The prep for my second one was much easier than the first. For the second he had me go buy 2 maybe 3 oz bottles of some stuff in the laxative dept. at the drug store. I mixed it with approx. 8 oz or less of lemon lime soda (sprite, 7-up, etc), I used less. I was told to chill the bottles first, add it to the cold pop and drink quickly. Drinking quickly is a good thing because the stuff still tastes like crap!

I had to do drink 1 bottle at 3pm and the other at 5pm along with the 24 hr clear liquids and last 12 hr fast. My test was scheduled for 10 AM the next morning and I was worried I wouldn't be completely cleaned out, but I was!!!

The test itself was very easy. Good luck.

[Perna]

Candy, what did you do? Did you get through it?

[lenjan]

Blah. All this for nothing.

In keeping with my track record of being "the weird one" medically, I am one of the odd people for whom this particular prep...did nothing. At all. Except make me pee, which is not what needed to happen.

So, it got rescheduled for Thursday, and they're trying a different prep.

I kept the day off and have spent it sleeping.

[Perna]

Demand one that can be mixed with ginger ale this time (get the "strongest" ginger ale you can find :-)

That's too bad you went through all that. Makes you excited about next Thursday don't it?

[SweetSunshine]

My doctor called the other day , wanting to schedule one for me. But because of hubby's work situation. We couldnt get it scheduled with the hospital. I've got a family history of colon cancer. A cousin of mine had it a couple years ago and she is just a year older than I am. So my doctor said it would be a good idea for me to have it done when I was 40 for precaution.I've had 2 other relatives that died from also. Guess we gotta see how things work out with hubby's work situation.

Candy~ I'm sorry you have to drink that nasty stuff. My MIL has to do it every year also. And its not fun. I hope everything works out for you ok. Keep us posted.

Hugz
Bethy

[sarahlilianne]

Is it of a colonoscopy that you are talking about? I had one last year and it was by far the horrible experience that I thought it would be. They only gave me a pill to help calm me down, I was not put to sleep and It was not very painfull at all . I was back home 2 hrs afterward and was allowed to take a light diner. The preparation for the test was nastier than the test itself.
Good Luck Candybear. I 'm sending good vibes your way .
Lily

[lenjan]

thanks, that's it. Glad somebody can spell it. There are some words that just get me every time and that's one of them.

Also glad to hear it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. Thanks for the reassurance!

[lenjan]

Just FYI, I rescheduled for tomorrow, and then just canceled it. As someone a good bit older than me who is also on blood thinners said, " I comfort myself with knowing that people went for millions of years without putting a scope up their arse and not everyone had cancer."

I can't find anyone to drive me, the cab fare is $60 and I have $100 left out of this paycheck (that I just got today) and the problem largely has resolved itself. Also, I want back on the oral anticoagulation -- not only because of the cost of the injectables but because I like to sleep on my stomach and I can't right now because I have a ginormous, like 4-inch wide by 6-inch long, seriously, red, purple and blue bruise on it from a poke gone wrong and it hurts. So do all the other smaller ones.

Anyway, if I ever agree to this again, I will keep everyone's advice and well wishes in mind.

Candy

[Perna]

Oh, sorry you've had such a hassle with this. I know you're glad it seems to be resolving itself though and you're feeling a little "safer". Hope the bruise figures out how to get out of there quickly. I don't normally sleep on my stomach but was this morning and had a cat decide to sleep on my back; I suddenly couldn't breathe nearly as well and when I finally decided I'd had enough and wanted her off, had trouble turning over/getting up to dislodge her! LOL.

[(JD)]

I was all primed to have a colonoscopy last year, and things fell through (what with the roof failure etc) But now I know that I would not have been able to have it anyway, as the prep is much too violent for my sensitive system! I mean, I get double up cramping from one prune, and have never been able to tolerate any type of laxative etc. (Well, I did have senokot after the birth of first son, but was in hospital and was handled ok...but not since.)

Then, I thought I could take the capsule for the upper GI, but still you have to be cleaned out so it can see.

I will stick with my diet of high ruffage, good fiber, and little meat. Add to that being mindful and positive... yep...if that's how God wants to take me, it'll be easy and fine?!

candybear. I agree. If there's nothing you can do, then don't do it!