fears of colonoscopy - Cancer: Colon Message Board

Jody1414 · 09-01-2007, 07:41 PM

Hi , hope someone can answer a question for me,,My mom died of colon cancer in 2003. she was 67 years old and it was a very hard time for my whole family. watching my mom suffer. She was diagnosed at a late stage ofcourse and after months of chemo and surgeries she just became too weak. my mom is the only person in my family who has ever had it. but i know that there is still a chance that i could get it..my biggest fear about getting a colonoscopy is being drugged..i would rather be awake. that might sound ridiculous, because of the pain. but i was wondering if anyone knew if they could just numb you, and not use sedation to do it..how different can it be then a pap smear? I dont think about this obseesively, but whenever i do think about it i get scared..if it was surgery that would be different..but are there any other alternatives..if i was a scientist i would come up with one that is alot easier,,

LESLIETOO · 09-02-2007, 07:58 AM

The sedation that is used today is very light Versed and Propfanol - it is like a twilight sleep and you are fully awake as soon as the procedure is over - with no hangover or drugged aftereffects.

A colonoscopy is not like a PAP test because the scope has to go through the entire colon and that involves maneuvering around the bends from the rectum to the sigmoid to the transverse to the cecum. Also since the interior of the colon is kind of wrinkly, air is pumped in to be able to better visualize the entire inner colon surface. The combination of pumping in air and pressure rounding the bends can be uncomfortable for some people. It depends on your anxiety and pain tolerance level.

Another thing to consider is chemotherapy for colon cancer usually takes 6 months and is accompanied by various side effects. Your colonoscopy will take 1 day and remove any polyps before they have a chance to develop into tumors.

There is an alternative - a virtual colonoscopy - that is done without sedation using a CAT machine. However, the prep is the same - complete colon cleansing and air still must be pumped into the colon. If any polyps are discovered you will then have to do the prep all over again and go through a colonoscopy or operation to remove any polyps. In addition, most insurances will not pay for a virtual colonoscopy.

Please get scoped. I waited until age 56 before getting my first colonoscopy due to fear of the procedure, rationalized it, cause I had no symptoms - and was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. Who knows, had it been done at age 50 maybe it would have just been a benign polyp that needed removal. Don't join the woulda -coulda -shoulda- crowd that doesn't help with today's here and now - so schedule that colonoscopy!!!

Leslie

ricenbeanz · 09-02-2007, 09:24 AM

My grandmother died of colon cancer at the age of 79, she was diagnosed at 76. She was the only one in the family to ever have it. But because of that, I had my first at age 45 and just had my second at age 50. Believe me, it's nothing. You will be out only briefly and will wake up feeling just fine. Please don't wait, just get it taken care of. Like my doctor said, no one should die of this disease.

male2581 · 09-02-2007, 08:23 PM

My grandmother died at age 53 back in the 70's before I was born from C-cancer. Anyways, my mother gets regular colonoscopys and said that there is not a thing in the world to be worried about. From what I've heard, I'd be more worried about not being able to eat the night before and all that other stuff that goes with it.... hehehe. I love to eat, so I'm glad that I have more than a decade till im 40 (the recommended age to start testing)!

Heidi'sMom · 09-02-2007, 09:16 PM

I agree with LESLIETOO. Please get your colonoscopy. It truly is no big deal. I put it off and put it off -- I am now stage IV and have been undergoing chemo for 8 months. In addition, because I put all of this off I developed a life-threatining condition called necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria) from a tumor that leaked from my rectum into my leg. My story is on this board. Don't wait! The sedation they use is no big deal. I ended up having the same sedation (Versed) 3 times per week for about 6 weeks for dressing changes for my other condition. I am part of the woulda - coulda - shoulda - crowd, much to my dismay!

Pam

Quote:

Originally Posted by LESLIETOO

Please get scoped. I waited until age 56 before getting my first colonoscopy due to fear of the procedure, rationalized it, cause I had no symptoms - and was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. Who knows, had it been done at age 50 maybe it would have just been a benign polyp that needed removal. Don't join the woulda -coulda -shoulda- crowd that doesn't help with today's here and now - so schedule that colonoscopy!!!