I am 39 yrs. old and just had a colonscopy. My mom is battling colon cancer that has metasticized into her liver and lungs over three years and I needed to know I was healthy.
I did some research and found a new drug in the form of pills a person can use to cleanse the colon instead of fleets or go light. It is so smooth and the pills have the added benefit of cleansing better than the above mentioned procedures (medically proven) and they stop working after three hours so if you have a long drive to the hospital....
I also asked to stay awake during the procedure as I wanted to see what the doctor was seeing and verify for myself and here his immediate comments, etc. It was not painful at all and I got off the table and walked into the "recovery" room. It was such a piece of cake...I wish I could do it for all my friends. A little bit of research made the journey so much easier....will not hesitate to go in for my next one!
If anyone knows of someone battling colon cancer that has metasticized to lungs and liver and has taken 5FU or the pill version I would love to hear from you and what to expect or your experiences with this.

Great to hear read about your experience. I am looking at a similar situation. My dad had surgery for colon cancer in 1996. He refused post-op treatment and he told me yesterday that spots have been found on his lungs. He does not want any treatment and I'm trying to find any data that will convince him one way or the other that his deceision is right or wrong.

I'm not anxious to have the colonoscopy, but I know it has to be done and your note made me feel better about it. Please share what you hear about 5FU users with similar conditions as our parents have. Thanks!

My mom used 5fu and I think it really helped the first time. It has continued to keep the cancer away from the colon yet it has not controlled the spread into the liver. She is currently adding a brand new drug to the mix....who knows how it will work, but it has spread into the lungs and lymph nodes. She still appears very healthy except for some fatigue.
The colonoscopy was such a breeze!!! Don't dread it and save yourself the worry and go in and DO IT! Remember, if you do have polyps they can simply be removed at the time of the procedure and the risk of that cancer is gone. It is the only cancer that is pre-curable, if you will.
Just make sure you ask about the pills, visicol. They made it so easy!!!

Thanks for the note. Glad to hear your mom is feeling well. I'm still sorta reeling from Dad's news about the spread. So, I am unsure what to expect since we have no idea how long the spots have been there. I really wish I could convince him to try the treatments as least once, but he is concerned that he will lose the quality to simply gain the quantity of life. That's why I'm on these boards trying to find people with similar experiences so that I can prepare myself or push him into treatments.

How's your mom holding up after her treatments? I hope these questions aren't too invasive. If so, just let me know. I can be reached privately at [removed].net
Thanks again for your help and encouragement. -Chris

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[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 02-17-2003).]

Thank you for being sensitive. My mom has gone through so much and has been so healthy otherwise, travelling overseas yearly, no financial worries now that the four kids are grown and starting/have families, grandchildren all within a 60 mile radius...She should not be having to lose this all so soon after living a very healthy, on the farm, lifestyle!! I want everyone to know that it can happen to anyone at any age with any lifestyle.
It is so nice to have someone to visit with and share notes with. I have even thought of writing a book later on what it is like to "lose your mom" as I wish I knew what to expect in so many ways.
I will email you personally with the specifics but if anyone has these circumstances or questions, post them! I can share my experiences and hopefully that may help BUT TO EVERYONE....
GET YOUR COLONOSCOPY!!!!!!

Sorry, Ladyanne, tryed to talk my Dr. into the pills and he had a hissy fit. Said he has found too many undisolved in people making the colonoscopy very difficult. Guess they had to be broken up or something. Still stuck with the fleets phosph soda or whatever. At least I talked him out of the 4 liter stuff. This is just two 6 ounce glasses and a lot of water but nothing like the 4 liter amount. Oh, well, I tryed.

There are some crystals that are easily disolved by drinking some giner ale during the course of your pill taking. I have some research that shows the pills actually clean your system out better for a good picture.
Good Luck,
April

My doctor said the same thing as Canyonbabe's. They don't like the pills because you have to take about 40 of them and in their opinion it doesn't do the job as well as good ole "go lighty". Maybe by the time I'm due for my next test....he'll change his mind.

My Doctor won't use Go Lightly either. Said he had some kind of problem with it but darn if I can remember. Was OK for cleaning out but had some other problems like blood pressure or something like that. Have to use the Fleets phospho-soda or drink 4 liters of this other gunk. Also, have to use suppository in AM two hours before test. Man, will I be clean (inside)

Girls,
I wish I could find my research. You don't take all the pills they originally published. Found to be too many. They are easy to take. MCC~microcrystaline is what the docs don't like as it appears white gooey or fluffy in the colon but can be easily suctioned up. Really talk to your doc and do some research on visicol. I am surprised you are getting this response but Change is never easy. This product came out in 2001 so it may take awhile for Drs. to feel comfortable with it. They can always call my Dr. as he was cool with it and cleaned me out totally.

Too late now. I am scheduled for Wednesday colonoscopy. He said absolutely not and since he is top gasto man in town I will have to abide by his decision. I did ask Dr. Aron from UC med and he concurredd with my Dr. You are right, old habits die hard. At once he wouldn't use the phosphate soda so that is one small leap for mankind but he still wants a suppositoy in AM.

Originally stated by Snuffy
"I really wish I could convince him to try the treatments as least once, but he is concerned that he will lose the quality to simply gain the quantity of life. That's why I'm on these boards trying to find people with similar experiences so that I can prepare myself or push him into treatments."

I too am dealing with my father having colon, liver and lung cancer. I love my father and absolutely want him to do whatever possible to survive this but I have also realized that if he decides he no longer wants to fight it then I have to accept that decision and deal with it. As much as I don't want to lose him it ultimately is up to him.
Don't lose hope, medicine has come very far in the field of cancer. You just never know what could happen or that your father might decide to change his mind and fight.
I wish your father and your family the best of luck.
In the mean time just be there for him and be supportive ... that is the best thing you can do.

ladyanne, did you really take all 20 of those Visicol tablets like it says? That seems like over-kill to me! Did you feel sick from them at all, I'd be afraid to take 20 in a row, almost, like that!
And what kind of enemas did you have to go through and all that stuff?
Why do they suddenly want to put people to sleep for this?

------------------
A good friend is someone who will bail you out of jail.
A best friend is someone who will sit next to you and say "That was fawkin' awesome!"

TO SNUFFY AND SNOWFILLEDREAMS: please read a message that I posted to Msprisco. I think it may be helpful for you both. You can also email me at: [removed].com

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Msprisco, I understand your fraustration. My father was told 2 years ago that he had 3-6 months to live! Now, I'm not saying this is right for everyone..but he has been living without treatment for the last 2 years. His CC has spread and is progressing. But he has been living a great,happy,peaceful life. As a matter of fact I just spoke to him today. He wanted to let me know not to worry about him because he doesn't want to start treatments again. He said they were a torture with no results. He said he had never been so close to death like when he was getting treated. He had 1.5 years of chemo and radiation and clinical trials and radio frequency ablation to the liver-where my moher swears we almost lost him. My father knows that he gave the doc's a try. He really did everything to make it work on medical terms. Now he just wants to live, on his terms. I truly feel, from the bottom of my heart, that this is the right decision for him. I do not at all feel like he's given up, or no longer wants to live. Let me tell you-he is a walking, talking,joking,eating,and sleeping MIRACLE!! His faith in Jesus Christ his Savior has taken him this far. He actually just recently flew across the country to visit us, against his doc's wishes. He astounds his doc's with how great he looks and feels. I share this all with you so you could see what a little faith can do! And he does have the will to live!! I will pray that you find your answers. Please try to 'enjoy" life, how ever long it may be! After all, our lives are not in 'our' hands!
Sincerely,
*DaddyzGirl*

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 02-16-2003).]

Yes, gals,
I took all the pills. Just got myself a huge thermos of ice water and was watching t.v. with the kids and started chugging. It was much easier than I thought it would be. I did dring a little bit of gingerale to counter any mcc that might show up in the coloscopy and there was nothing. My Dr. was really impressed with how clean my colon was and what little residual effect the whole drug had on me which was none. Yet, to this day, he does no prescribe the pills unless a patient asks for them BUT when he had his colonoscopy HE used the pills.
As well, there is no enema anything else needed, just the visicol pills.

Ladyanne, I am glad your colonoscopy was not painful but that is not usually the rule if you are not sedated. Mine was extremely painful as it went thru certain areas where the colon twists and goes up and down. It is very unusual not to have at least conscious sedation and I would certainly not encourage it. Trust me you are the exception. Sigmoidoscopy is different. that is not painful. I had no sedation because of lung disease but I would never do it again and the Dr. said that it is not normally done without anything because of the pain. If they can give you the sedation, take it, guys. As for the laxative. I only had to drink a bout 6 oz.s twice. Not nice but better than 4 liters which is the other approved kind.

Thanks for the tips on colonoscopy. I'm scheduled for another one this year. I had my 1st one 5 years ago after my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. (She died 8 months later because it had already gone to her liver.) The other procedure was a piece of cake. It was all the prep (nasty stuff) I had to drink before that was so awful!

Hopefully, by October (when I have my next one) my GI doc will OK the visicol. I'd rather swallow pills anyday than drink that stuff!

Right after my mom died, I heard of a laser procedure to zap cancerous lesions on the liver that was having success. Has anyone else heard of this?

For all of you who have mothers, fathers or any loved ones battling colon cancer, my heart goes out to you. I pray they have a positive outcome.

Hugs & prayers!