I finally summoned the courage to schedule my second one as directed. This time was a whole different experience. The first surgeon quit doing them because he left Clinton Memorial and could practice more valuable skills in Dayton. I almost begged him to perform this one but he said no and recommended "the best endoscope guy in Dayton."
The doctor is good but what I went through is what I would call a butt factory. They lined up victims on gurneys and ran us through like cattle in a stockyards. The facility was great, the people were wonderful, the doctor really knows what he is doing. This procedure put me in the worst pain I think I've had all my life. It's been a week from hell, not just because of the procedure.
I have concluded they pumped me too full of carbon dioxide gas so they can do the procedure quick and easy. That gas did the same thing to me it did to LuAnn when she had her gall bladder out on September 20. She had severe pain the week following and so did I.
Carbon dioxide kills cells and irritates the nerve endings. I did a few Google searches and found the same sad stories we both went through. We felt like we were going to die!
If you have not had the procedure done or its time for another one, don't let me discourage you. Get it done. I have lost 3 close friends because they never had it done and they died of even more painful colon cancer. There is no sense in this.
But ask questions. Make sure you know how they are going to do it. I thought the prep solution made me sick at first, that big jug of PEG 3350 they have you drink the hours before the procedure. The first time was his own recipe and I had no problems with it, just Miralax and other laxatives. I intend to have mine done differently in 3 years as prescribed.
I am just starting to feel normal after starting this procedure a week ago. Ask questions and make sure you can tolerate the Carbon Dioxide gas or ask for a different way of performing it.
It's an important procedure that has saved many lives but there has to be a better way of doing it.
Ed Winkle
Ed
ReplyDeleteThere may be some salvation ahead for you. I had a colonoscopy done locally last winter at the age of 73 and didn't find anything abnormal. With that result my doctor indicated I shouldn't have to do it again.
Ron Swanson
I haven't checked on my colon cancer yet, I should probably ask how it's doing...
ReplyDeleteThey recommend eating some vegetal charcoal after, it absorbs the gas.
Rather than laxatives, I think I'll fast for a couple days, now that I am a fast specialist. It will be even more like your cattle stockyard anal-ogy, since they fast for a day before being butchered...
There might be less painful ways to detect the different forms of cancer in a few years, I read recently that they are now able to detect breast cancer from a simple blood analysis, from the presence of specific antibodies or something. That might end painful x-ray mammograms. In that case, it's not the x-ray that is painful, it's how they compress each breast to x-ray them. From family hear-say, not personal experience... ;)
And it seems we'll have to wait for December to get October temps here in Toulouse, France: 72° yesterday...
ReplyDeleteEd , Good for you getting it done, My Dad had colon cancer ar 78 and they removed a chunk and re-attached it and was fine for the next 3 yrs. and then got non-hodgins lymphomia . Since he had it Dr. made us all go and I had a cancerous polyp removed 10 yrs. ago and none since. Never had any pain as I thought they just use air too inflate . Didn't like the Fleet cleaner though.Have had 2 excellent Drs. for the examination as I am lucky my wife has worked 35 yrs. between burn unit and OR ,like your first guy she says Drs. are like everyone else,some are just a lot better. Prstrate & colon are important tests. Chimel I wondered how you have been since returning home,hope all is well. regards-kevin in Ontario
ReplyDeleteThanks, all. Passed all test with flying colors so I really had to dig to find what caused this awful, awful pain. Had to be the CO2 like bothered LuAnn so much.
ReplyDeletePlan to have a stern talk with the doctor tomorrow. Probably all I had to do was schedule it in a hospital not in the factory setting. You've never seen anything like it. The butt factory, for sure.
Finally starting to feel half way normal today. I did yesterday but I went out and overdid it and hurt like heck again this morning.
Those grand children have become saviours!
Ed
unpleasant procedure but from certain age very necessary
ReplyDeleteGreat post thhankyou
ReplyDelete