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Notes on My Colon Cancer

charlieharrington.com

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Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#71

Post by dehrmann »

graeme wrote: post #31
stevecalifornia wrote: post #5

Fellow readers: Do not be afraid of a colonoscopy. Do not avoid it-- in fact, look forward to it. They are easy and painless. Waking up from the anesthesia I felt more relaxed than I ever have in my life. Also, the prep of clearing your system will reset your digestive system and you'll feel like a new person. I think the prep cleared out whatever it was that was causing us to investigate my digestive system in the f…

Recommend anyone considering this to ask your doctor about using a sedative instead of general anesthesias. As best I can tell general anesthesia for colonoscopy for low risk appears to be a cultural custom especially prevalent in the northeastern USA. Anesthesia has many more possible side effects than sedatives and ought to be avoided unless needed (this applies to any unneeded treatment). Plus if you’re awake you…

People would be horrified what doctors will do with twilight anesthesia or even just local anesthesia.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#72

Post by matmatmatmat »

01100011 wrote: post #57
drewg123 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You reset your microbiome; I think this is what the colon cleanse people are trying to achieve. I usually try to take good probiotics and eat right (avoid processed foods, especially sugar) after to try to establish good gut bacteria.

I've tried all kinds of probiotics, different kinds of fiber, I regularly eat yogurt and kefir, even prebiotics. I've had normal diets, and low-carb diets(not keto). Nothing ever made a significant difference until I did the cleanse. It wasn't even a natural cleanse. It was 2 gallons of chemicals.

I'm a firm believer that, sometimes, chemicals are the right answer.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#73

Post by cameldrv »

graeme wrote: post #31
stevecalifornia wrote: post #5

Fellow readers: Do not be afraid of a colonoscopy. Do not avoid it-- in fact, look forward to it. They are easy and painless. Waking up from the anesthesia I felt more relaxed than I ever have in my life. Also, the prep of clearing your system will reset your digestive system and you'll feel like a new person. I think the prep cleared out whatever it was that was causing us to investigate my digestive system in the f…

Recommend anyone considering this to ask your doctor about using a sedative instead of general anesthesias. As best I can tell general anesthesia for colonoscopy for low risk appears to be a cultural custom especially prevalent in the northeastern USA. Anesthesia has many more possible side effects than sedatives and ought to be avoided unless needed (this applies to any unneeded treatment). Plus if you’re awake you…

Second this. There is evidence that anesthesia causes brain damage. This shows up in the data most for babies and small children, and the elderly, where you can see it on IQ tests and chance of dementia. It's more pronounced with multiple surgeries. It may be that it's damaging everyone's brains, but it's just not as noticeable for adults. One study with twins showed about a 1.5 point IQ loss from a major surgery.

Of course, 1.5 IQ points is not likely to dramatically change the course of your life, but I would absolutely not get it if the procedure could be done under sedation.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#74

Post by WWLink »

deepspace wrote: post #61
mkuklik wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got it done without sedatives 10 years. It was quite a ride. They went only half way and I had enough. It was literally a gut-wrenching experience.

Funny, I am considered high risk and have had it done annually for about 15 years. None of my doctors ever mentioned a sedative as an option, let alone anesthesia. And it has never been a big deal. The risk associated with anesthesia is way too high to justify it for this kind of procedure. Once every few years they find a suspicious polyp and snip it of / cauterize the wound, all with just local numbing. Still nothi…

Out here in los angeles, most doctors won't even let you in the room unless you're knocked out on propofol.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#75

Post by jeswin »

deepspace wrote: post #61
mkuklik wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got it done without sedatives 10 years. It was quite a ride. They went only half way and I had enough. It was literally a gut-wrenching experience.

Funny, I am considered high risk and have had it done annually for about 15 years. None of my doctors ever mentioned a sedative as an option, let alone anesthesia. And it has never been a big deal. The risk associated with anesthesia is way too high to justify it for this kind of procedure. Once every few years they find a suspicious polyp and snip it of / cauterize the wound, all with just local numbing. Still nothi…

I got mine done three years back at 36 (I've had gastric issues, and my mom has colorectal cancer) - didn't use sedatives or anesthesia. Pain tolerance is relative, so my own experience wouldn't carry over.

I can understand if some people want sedatives, but anesthesia is pretty high risk like you were saying.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#76

Post by [deleted] »

stevecalifornia wrote: post #5

Fellow readers: Do not be afraid of a colonoscopy. Do not avoid it-- in fact, look forward to it. They are easy and painless. Waking up from the anesthesia I felt more relaxed than I ever have in my life. Also, the prep of clearing your system will reset your digestive system and you'll feel like a new person. I think the prep cleared out whatever it was that was causing us to investigate my digestive system in the f…

[deleted]

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#77

Post by [deleted] »

graeme wrote: post #31
stevecalifornia wrote: post #5

Fellow readers: Do not be afraid of a colonoscopy. Do not avoid it-- in fact, look forward to it. They are easy and painless. Waking up from the anesthesia I felt more relaxed than I ever have in my life. Also, the prep of clearing your system will reset your digestive system and you'll feel like a new person. I think the prep cleared out whatever it was that was causing us to investigate my digestive system in the f…

Recommend anyone considering this to ask your doctor about using a sedative instead of general anesthesias. As best I can tell general anesthesia for colonoscopy for low risk appears to be a cultural custom especially prevalent in the northeastern USA. Anesthesia has many more possible side effects than sedatives and ought to be avoided unless needed (this applies to any unneeded treatment). Plus if you’re awake you…

[deleted]

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#78

Post by mgerb »

icecap12 wrote: post #59

Nice write-up, I'm happy to hear it was only stage 2! Colon cancer runs rampant in my family. My dad was a stage 3 survivor (it's now been 12+ years), however his younger sister (my aunt) just died about 6 weeks ago after an 18 month battle. She was a former nurse, and had basically missed getting one of her regular colonoscopies. At that time, she was supposed to go every 5 years and I think she went 10 - too long f…

27 at the moment and reading this thread has gotten me worried as I have a family history of colon cancer. Both of my parents get checked regularly and have had polyps removed. I wonder if I should just go or if it isn’t realistic to worry about it at my age yet.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#79

Post by defterGoose »

sg47 wrote: post #41
nerdbaggy wrote: post #2

I feel you on this. I found out I had kidney cancer after my appendix decided it was time to go. I only had 3% of my left kidney removed and that is it. No chemo or anything just sore for a few weeks. And man do I have guilt and felt like a fake cancer survivor. My experience was so minimal compared to a lot of people. But I realized I am a cancer survivor because of all the mental anguish cancer puts on me. It’s not…

Stage 3 thyroid cancer survivor here at a similar age to the author. I totally feel like a fake cancer survivor but it's definitely turned me into a hypochondriac. I had to get a colonoscopy recently due to my GI issues and some of the symptoms were similar to the ones for colon cancer. I've tried to move on after 2 surgeries, RAI, medication adjustment but mentally it's been tough. I have to get tested regularly to…

Same here. TT at 32 last week. Also got a colonoscopy about 5 years ago for (unrelated?) GI issues. What are you looking at for screening going forward?

I'm hoping the median synthroid dose im on ends up working out, but I still have to wait for pathology and RAI.

Edit: if it makes you feel any better all the docs/surgeons ive talked to have expressed that if they had to choose a cancer to get, it'd be thyroid.

Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer

#80

Post by jeswin »

If anyone is fighting CRC or is a caregiver, I highly recommend The Colon Club boards (https://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/index.php). I was on the forum to discuss my mom's CRC, and there's a lot you can learn from there (such as side-effects, experiences, trials, insurance etc). Not to mention the emotional support and inspiring stories.

For trials, there's also https://trialfinder.fightcrc.org/ - created by Dr. Tom Marsilje (a cancer researcher) - who had an inspiring journey both as a patient and researcher.

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