Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

hankgreen.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 161 posts

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#131

Post by drewnick »

mitchal wrote: post #76
bluGill wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> even though it’s a relatively benign procedure. Not completely. Every once in a while they accidentally puncture the intestine with the probes and that becomes a significant medial problem. It doesn't happen often, but that is still a risk that doctors need to consider. If you are over 50 getting one every 10 years is a good idea, and there is some consideration if younger might be worth it. However so few people g…

I was diagnosed at 35 seven years ago with no history. Getting a colonoscopy never crossed my mind, much less being suggested by my general practitioner. The trigger for me was blood in my stool. It was the slightest amount but I pursued it because that didn’t seem right. Turns out I had hemorrhoids which brought up something I feel hits others - I was embarrassed. Fortunately the doctor that performed a banding proc…

Blood in the stool, at age 41. Benign but a VERY large polyp so I have a followup soon. If you have an instinct to get tested, especially if you have any evidence, do it. My doc fought me to NOT get tested but I persisted. The embarrassment factor is a thing, but we have to get over it!

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#132

Post by drewnick »

weird-eye-issue wrote: post #112
mitchal wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed at 35 seven years ago with no history. Getting a colonoscopy never crossed my mind, much less being suggested by my general practitioner. The trigger for me was blood in my stool. It was the slightest amount but I pursued it because that didn’t seem right. Turns out I had hemorrhoids which brought up something I feel hits others - I was embarrassed. Fortunately the doctor that performed a banding proc…

Was it a consistent blood in stools or just a one time thing? I've had what I think that is once or twice and then take the approach to just see if it recoccurs a second time before going to a doctor, not sure if that's the correct approach or if a single instance should be alarming enough.

My bloody stool started slow and took some time off but came back and I had a large polyp. Watch this very closely, but don't panic.

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#133

Post by AstroBen »

proee wrote: post #2

Wow, I had no idea there is a 15X increase for endurance athletes. Make me want to dial down the running a bit, which make you wonder where the sweet spot is for distance training.

I wonder if it's due to diet. Endurance athletes love their simple carbs, highly processed gels. I've seen plenty of cyclists taking gummy bears on rides for fuel, or a concoction that is effectively sugar water to drink

The study referenced is really light on details and they don't say if they controlled for that

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#134

Post by AstroBen »

abbefaria27 wrote: post #118
AstroBen wrote: post #97

I wonder why fiber is never brough up with this. Only ~5% of people get enough fiber and it lowers your risk a lot

It’s covered in the risk factors section at the end.

Ah, you're right.

I actually looked it up after I made that comment and it looks to be a 10% reduction in relative risk per 10g extra fiber consumed

Considering Americans as an example only get 10-15g per day, and it's perfectly possible to get 60g.. that could have a huge impact

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#135

Post by Calavar »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #59
nphardon wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you tell your doctor that a parent had polyps removed (say, recently), that will give you your best chance of getting one. Most likely, if you're in an even remotely progressive area, your doc wants you to have one, but their hands are tied by the insurance company. Afaik you dont have to provide any proof of your claim re parental polyps.

> but their hands are tied by the insurance company. Doctors' ability to prescribe or refer is never restricted by an insurance company. If they think a patient should get whatever healthcare, they are free to say it.

The average American says US healthcare spending, which is 3x to 20x that of other OECD countries on a per capita basis, is way too high.

The average American also thinks they should be provided testing and procedures that their insurance deems medically unnecessary.

Try to reconcile these two beliefs. (Hint: It's impossible)

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#136

Post by ALittleLight »

bored_student wrote: post #129
ALittleLight wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nonsense. There are many ways to get free or reduced price medical care in the US, especially if you are poor. Your doctor will have resources to help you if needed. You can also rack up huge medical debt and then not pay it. The hospital will sell your debt to bill collectors who will call you for a while, and eventually sue you. At that point you can offer to settle for pennies on the dollar, or you might lose the…

Well, unfortunately the current administration has blocked a bill that would have prohibited medical debt from reflecting on your credit score.

If someone is dying of colorectal cancer, trying to get them to worry about their credit score is not only not helpful, it's actively harmful. Messing up your credit for a few years is in the category of "inconvenience" and it's not the kind of thing that you need to worry about when surviving cancer.

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#139

Post by WarOnPrivacy »

ALittleLight wrote: post #108
WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #72

My Dr just ordered a test for colon cancer. If it's positive, I'm dead. I don't have enough savings to score a hospital bed, nevertheless surgery. In this, I'm in the same boat as millions of other Americans. Positive medical news rarely applies to us.

Nonsense. There are many ways to get free or reduced price medical care in the US, especially if you are poor. Your doctor will have resources to help you if needed. You can also rack up huge medical debt and then not pay it. The hospital will sell your debt to bill collectors who will call you for a while, and eventually sue you. At that point you can offer to settle for pennies on the dollar, or you might lose the…

> There are many ways to get free or reduced price medical care in the US, especially if you are poor.

"In the US" here is a bit misleading because it conflates places where the poor have reliable access to needed healthcare with the places they do not.

> Your doctor will have resources to help you if needed.

This seems presumptuous. More so because we just discussed this and he does not. To be fair, it was expected.

> You can also rack up huge medical debt and then not pay it.

This is a simple declarative statement in the face of a complex issue. It does not (and can not) meaningfully address the required nuances. For example that the medicaid isn't available (red state), that surgery is beyond the scope of the sole social provider (Good Samaritan) or persuading any one of our (rural for-profit) hospitals that non-urgent oncological care should be provided due to EMTALA.

And thru 25yrs of care giving my disabled spouse and 15yrs servicing the medical community, I've learned a bit about what is and isn't available in this place.

Re: Overall, the colorectal cancer story is encouraging

#140

Post by nradov »

maxerickson wrote: post #105
lotsofpulp wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but their hands are tied by the insurance company. Doctors' ability to prescribe or refer is never restricted by an insurance company. If they think a patient should get whatever healthcare, they are free to say it.

You are just ignoring their intended meaning. Boring.

Not at all. Patients are free to pay out of pocket for procedures not covered by insurance. An extra colonoscopy (one not classified as medically necessary), while expensive, is within the financial means of most middle-class adults.
Post reply on HN