Darmspiegelung - colonoscopy

[jubinjohn 239]

3 hours ago, optimista said:

Erm... you do know that the kidneys process fluids ? Hitting them with litres of water in a short space of time is a good idea ? I doubt it. But I have no medical training. Sounds like shock tharapy.

Although I can imagine how quick heavy breathing has effect on lungs and heavy physical activity changes  heart rhythm , i don't think about kidneys in the same way. Considering them as just lazy filters aided by capillarity , what can happen to them if you give them  frequent supply of water ?

[HH_Sailor 3,533]

3 hours ago, optimista said:

Erm... you do know that the kidneys process fluids ? Hitting them with litres of water in a short space of time is a good idea ? I doubt it. But I have no medical training. Sounds like shock tharapy.

 

For a colonoscopy, you're being given a laxative drink **under medical supervision**, once every 10 years. Don't see that my kidneys have a problem with that.

 

(OK the doc won't watch me drink it, but they're certainly taking notes and asking questions before and after prescribing the stuff)

 

 

[LeonG 14,797]

For the colonoscopy, I had the eziclen, so you are drinking the eziclen mixed with water, 0,5 liters in 30-60 minutes followed by one liter of water or other allowed liquid in the next hour.  Google says that the kidneys can process 0.8 to 1 liter per hour so that doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

What Dembo had, small bowel CT scan, requiring 2.5L in 40 min. is something else.  

[Dembo 496]

8 hours ago, optimista said:

Erm... you do know that the kidneys process fluids ? Hitting them with litres of water in a short space of time is a good idea ? I doubt it. But I have no medical training. Sounds like shock tharapy.

 

The kidneys filter the blood, but first the liquid has to be absorbed by your small bowel (and a bit by your large bowel) and if you have diarrhoea that won't work so well (the word "Durchfall" is far more fitting). The risk to your kidneys is not from drinking too much; the risk is from dehydration caused by the diarrhoea. 

 

The prep itself is formulated not to be absorbed, or at least very little of it is absorbed. It just sits in your bowel waiting for the inevitable chance to fall through.

 

[Dembo 496]

2 hours ago, LeonG said:

What Dembo had, small bowel CT scan, requiring 2.5L in 40 min. is something else.  

 

Yes- I don't understand what the point of that was. Maybe they were just being sadistic.

 

[LukeSkywalker 7,604]

I participate in an academic prostate cancer research study. It’s running for male 45-year-olds until the age of 60. Every 5 years I give blood and my PSA is measured. I do this since 2 uncles of mine had prostate cancer (at a high age). 
 

But colon cancer is not running in the family and so far I didn‘t do a colonoscopy. I received a brochure about it, but it was in the middle of the pandemic. I will ask my GP next time I see him. 

[RedMidge 6,638]

Prep fluids taste awful- pharmacist suggested adding apple juice which is allowed- made it easier!

[LeonG 14,797]

4 hours ago, LukeSkywalker said:

But colon cancer is not running in the family and so far I didn‘t do a colonoscopy. I received a brochure about it, but it was in the middle of the pandemic. I will ask my GP next time I see him. 

 

Ask your KK when and what they will cover for you.  Mine covers a colonoscopy starting at 50, every 10 years.  If you do get colon cancer it's important to catch it early.  If you wait until you start to have symptoms, you are likely too late.

[fraufruit 41,951]

Mine covered it much earlier because some in my family had non-cancerous polyps but that was some years ago. Anyway, just like mammograms, I would self-pay just to get them done. Everything is cheap here.

 

That is how I discovered my breast cancer. No family history.

 

What is your life worth?

[emkay 10,159]

I just had a Magendarmspieglung for the first time. This was because of a recent positive ‘blood in stool’ test from my gynaecologist.

 

I’m quite terrified that despite absolutely no symptoms, I have a very large unusually shaped polyp that must be surgically removed no matter if cancerous or not.  I have to decide which hospital should do this. Advice being…just Google where you prefer!

[fraufruit 41,951]

Hard to advise when we don't know where you are.

 

All the very best to you.

[keith2011 2,579]

On 10/12/2022, 22:36:00, LeonG said:

Ask your KK when and what they will cover for you.  Mine covers a colonoscopy starting at 50, every 10 years.  If you do get colon cancer it's important to catch it early.  If you wait until you start to have symptoms, you are likely too late.

 

If there were no symptoms I would say once every 10 years from age 50 would be, it seems to me,  unlikely to catch it early.

[catjones 1,658]

51 minutes ago, emkay said:

no matter if cancerous or not.

kinda surprised they didn't take a biopsy during the colonoscopy.  if positive for cancer, the operation might (probably) be more extensive.

[emkay 10,159]

11 minutes ago, catjones said:

kinda surprised they didn't take a biopsy during the colonoscopy.  if positive for cancer, the operation might (probably) be more extensive.

I’m not really quite ok since the sedative earlier today,  A biopsy was taken. The results will take 1-2 weeks. A deformed 3cm polyp is quite likely not good news. The hospital where I was tested is not generally recommended for any surgery.  The Oberarzt immediately said I ‘should’ chose my preferred hospital/clinic for surgery. 

 

 

12 minutes ago, catjones said:

[LeonG 14,797]

33 minutes ago, emkay said:

I’m not really quite ok since the sedative earlier today,  A biopsy was taken. The results will take 1-2 weeks. A deformed 3cm polyp is quite likely not good news. The hospital where I was tested is not generally recommended for any surgery.  The Oberarzt immediately said I ‘should’ chose my preferred hospital/clinic for surgery. 

 

Good luck.  I was told that they removed the polyps during the colonoscopy.  Maybe it was too big for that?

[john g. 37,687]

Good luck rmkay👍👍. 

You remind me I shoiuld have the chrck up again. It has been 20 years... the doc told me he'd removed some polyps.

( I coildn'r resist and asked him " sonst ein Wunsch?")

The same doc is still at the hospital in Harburg.

I wish you so well.

(

[Dembo 496]

I had one removed at the last colonoscopy, and one about 10 years before. I think if it's bigger the risk of removing it is much greater - and if they perforate your bowel doing it you'll need to be rushed to surgery.

 

Apparently they take 10-15 years to grow and reach a point where they could be a problem. So that's why a 10 year checkup probably suffices.

 

Good luck with it.

 

 

[JG52 1,019]

9 minutes ago, Dembo said:

I had one removed at the last colonoscopy, and one about 10 years before. I think if it's bigger the risk of removing it is much greater - and if they perforate your bowel doing it you'll need to be rushed to surgery.

 

When I was ready for my first colonoscopy, my consultation was with an Army doctor in Heidelberg.  He recommended I sign the consent documents for the surgery and anesthesiologist just in case he perforates the bowel.  While I was considering this, I had a second consultation with an Air Force proctologist in Landstuhl.  He confirmed that some doctors don't perform enough procedures to be confident and like to have a surgeon on standby just in case.  When I asked how many procedures he had done, he replied "thousands", with three every morning, five days a week.  He spent the afternoons preparing the reports and performing the biopsies on any samples taken during the morning. I let him do my procedure.

 

When the time came for my next colonoscopy, I no longer had access to Landstuhl, so I went to a clinic that specialized in these procedures.

[catjones 1,658]

23 hours ago, emkay said:

The results will take 1-2 weeks. A deformed 3cm polyp is quite likely not good news

 

I had a biopsy in the US.  It took 3 days.

 

I urge you to not get ahead of this and let the doctors come to a conclusion before you do.  As mentioned above, find a doctor who has many experiences with this procedure.  I'm surprised your doctor didn't make a recommendation instead of placing the burden on you.

Bring all the questions you have when you meet your team.  If they push back, find a new team.  You must be your own advocate.

[emkay 10,159]

12 hours ago, catjones said:

 

I had a biopsy in the US.  It took 3 days.

 

I urge you to not get ahead of this and let the doctors come to a conclusion before you do.  As mentioned above, find a doctor who has many experiences with this procedure.  I'm surprised your doctor didn't make a recommendation instead of placing the burden on you.

Bring all the questions you have when you meet your team.  If they push back, find a new team.  You must be your own advocate.

I’m doing my best not to worry.  The hospital where I had the Magendarmspieglung isn’t highly rated for surgery however, the only outpatient clinic nearby offering both procedures at the same appointment. The young doctor immediately said I should decide myself where the surgery should be carried out. I could even imagine he was suggesting I DO go elsewhere. I was still disorientated from the sedation. So, no team as yet. I just have to wait for biopsy results. Concerning when the doctor said that if I haven’t heard from them in 2 weeks, I should follow up. 
 

I’ll try to ask our Hausarzt for a recommendation.  Ironic that doctors get annoyed if one even remotely suggests a self help Google. Yet, when it comes to clinic recommendations, they advise to Google!  So far, for any clinic recommendations, local Facebook groups have been really helpful.  Even just knowing which to avoid is useful advice.