question about colonoscopy - Cancer: Colon Message Board

mom1025 · 09-26-2003, 01:52 PM

I'm going for my first colonscopy this Thursday and had a quick question for all of you. I had to sign a waiver saying that I understood all of the potential risks of having the procedure done ... I was just wondering what the chance was of any complications occuring during the procedure? I am only 5 ft. tall, so he said sometimes it can be challenging on someone my size since 6-7 ft. of colon is inside me :0) His nurse assured me that he rarely has any complications that occur, and my husband (in medical profession) says he is the best colo/rectal surgeon in town. I am only 32, but have experienced some change in the shape of my stool, and wanted to make sure that it was due to hemorrhoids and nothing else. My grandma had colon cancer in her 30's, which is another reason I'd like to make sure I'm clean of polyps. Do you think that the benefits of the procedure outweigh the potential risk? Sorry to be so lengthy, but I just want confirmation I'm doing the right thing. Thanks in advance!

Dnky · 09-27-2003, 09:58 AM

I am also having my colonoscopy this tuesday and I am also only 5ft tall. I'm really nervous and have been on the verge of cancelling it. I know this isn't answering your question but I would also like to know if the risks outweigh the benefits as my symptoms of prolonged diarrhoea are slowly improving

Dixie Chick · 09-27-2003, 08:48 PM

I know it can be scary when you sign a waiver which tells what can happen in a worst case scenario. But you know they must do it for legal purposes. I don't know what percent of colonoscopies end with problems but I'm sure it is very small.

I had my colonoscopy a few months ago and it was a snap. They put me completely under and I have no recollection of any of it. I am 5' 4". I had no pain afterwards (kinda makes me wonder if they even did anything

. The only bad memory I have is of drinking the lemon-ginger phosphosoda which was disgustingly gross. I have to have another colonoscopy in 5 years and I am already dreading that drink! But the peace of mind you get when the procedure is over is worth it.

Good luck.

smiley2u · 09-28-2003, 07:27 AM

The colonoscopy itself is a snap. The worst part is drinking that fowl tasting stuff to clean you out. I don't think there are that many risks with a colonoscopy. Those waivers make you feel like you are really risking your life. They just need to cover themselves. Please both of you, go and have it. I'm so glad I did because mine did show cancer. We caught it early and I am now cancer free. A really good feling.

mom1025 · 09-30-2003, 01:28 PM

Dnky -- Did you go through with your colonscopy appt.? I thought of you this morning. If you did, maybe you could tell me how it went. I'm going to go ahead and do it on Thurs., because I just need the peace of mind that I will hopefully get when the test is done & everything is OK.

Thanks to everyone else for your encouragement & reassuring words. Hopefully I'll be posting here Thurs. to say that it was no big deal & everything went great!